Window Tinting Advice

My dad had his 2004 prius tinted w/Lumar in Naples, FL for $120. Sides and back. Dark. Nice job, too.

Well, for the person who said no one will stop you, let me tell you I bought that car from my dad 2 months ago...I live in MN...and 2 weeks later was pulled over by a hwy. trooper on a country road who stopped me just for that. He even had a little machine, battery-powered, that he put over the glass to show me the readings. I think 50% is the limit here.

Anyway, I'd just bought the car so he just gave me a warning. Stopped at a couple of tint shops here and they want $150 or so to remove the tint! (Called the shop in FL that put it on and they said they charge $70). The shops here want $250-300 to install the same tint my dad got in FL for 120.

City police don't seem to have much interest in the tint, though.

Rob

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(turtleguybri\";p=\"42816)</div>

You're right, I have been looking into Folia Tec (Proline Styling), Madico, Llumar, etc. Huper Optik is like light years ahead of all the others. Now, I just need to find their authorized installer in Mass. Thanks for this great info.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Areometer\";p=\"51018)</div>

Yeah, I did the same research and ended up putting the Huper Optik on my current car. I had to drive to another state to find an authorized installed. Fortunately, Delaware is pretty small, so it is easy to get to another state.

 

I want to tint my windshield too!

Check out this page: http://www.huperoptik.com/Singapore.asp?ca...at=NaviAuto.inc

Hüper Optik actually has one model for windshield, specs:

Model: Hüper Klar
Visible Light Transmission (%) 85
Visible Light Reflectance (%) 8
Shading Coefficient 0.79
Total Solar Transmission (%) 58
Infrared Rejection (%) 42
UV Light Rejection (%) 99
Total Solar Energy Rejected (%) 32

I wonder if their US office has this one and I wonder if any installer dares to tint my windshield (I'm all willing to sign a waiver)? I think it makes all the sense in the world to tint the windshield: We look out through the windshield for most of the time so this is the most important window to protect against detrimental sun rays, glare & UV rays from HID/halogen headlights. Nope, the top 6" just won't do for me.

Question for you, have you noticed any performance degradation on your GPS, mobile phone, radar detector with the Hüper Optik installed now?

 

OK I'm a little confused about all of this talk of bad reception with cell phones, GPS issues and such from having windows tinted. What gives? I have never heard of tinting causing any problems until I visited this site. I'm scheduled to have my windows tinted next Wednesday, (Wasington DC area for $140 just to add another price/region to the info base) and I'm growing a bit concerned.

Thanks
Ronn

 

Ronn, I am no real expert on window tinting but from what I heard & read, blackened tint contains no/little metallic contents so reception is generally not impaired. Reflective tint (so-called platinum & titanium tint) containts metals/alloy and impairs radar detector, mobile phone & GPS receptions. My friend has a 2002 Mercedes S-class and it came with MB factory reflective tint. It sure impairs mobile phone reception. If you browse many tint film makers' sites like Llumar, 3M, Folia Tec, Hüper Optik, in many cases they specifically list out which tint model contains metal or not. Some of them market their films as posing no interference to reception too. So there must be a point to that. If you have doubt on the film that your Prius is going to have, do NOT do it. Do more research first. Look into HuperOptikUSA.com and see why it is light years ahead of others in terms of technology (and more expensive). Nope, I ain't affiliated w/ Hüper Optik in any way.

Good luck.

Edward

 

I had all my windows tinted with the Huper Optik film, including the windshield and the front windows. The film used for those front windows is street legal. The car still heats up if it has been sitting out in the sun all day, but it does seem to cool off much quicker.

Now I don't even bother to use the heatshield I purchased.

 

would you please list out what windows of your Prius got what model of Hüper Optik tint?

I assume the windshield one is: Hüper Klar? Did you have the complete windshield tinted and not just the top 6"? And the rest of the car is Ceramic 30 or 40 I supposed? My local Hüper Optik installer has not done windshield tinting using Hüper Klar yet. I may need to ask him to get this model from HO HQ.

Thanks.

 

I don't have my receipt in front of me, but I believe they used the Huper 60 on the windshield, front passenger and driver side window, little bitty windows by the mirror, and Huper 40 on the rear side windows, both parts of the hatchback, and the triangular windows by the doors. It was the next to darkest on the backs and the lightest in the front.

And yes, the entire winshield was tinted, not just the top 6 inches.

The installer put a little bit of the lightest one on the side window for me, and was so right; you can't even tell there is any tint on at all. It looked light grey on the roll, but when he put it on, it was invisible.

When I made the appointment, they told me that I would get a certificate to prove that it was legal, but I never got it when I had it installed on a Saturday. Never did call them to get the certificate. Didn't feel the need.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chanterelle\";p=\"51996)</div>

That is because it is ILLEGAL, in California, to tint the windshield and the front side windows.

 

its illegal in WA St too well front sides can be tinted, but the level of shade is so light, cant hardly tell that there is tint on em most of the time

 

I have been doing some research in my area. Have found out that I can get the Huper Optik tint and Venture film from one place or get V-Cool tint and Lumar film from another or I could get one done at one place and the other done at the other place.

Opinions on where I should go? Any info on V-Cool vs Huper or Venture vs Lumar?

 

I did not noticed any degradation in cell phone reception after having the Huper Optik installed on my Audi. I'll try to find a pic of it if you want to see what it looks like. Tinted windows will probably be the first "mod" I make to my Prius when I finally get it.

 

Yesterday I had my Super White '05 BC#6 tinted with the Huper Optik ceramic film. The cost was $449 for the side and back windows and $150 for the windshield. Ceramic 30 on all of the side and back windows (except the already darkened hatch window). Ceramic 60 was used for the whole front windshield. It really looks great! We tried using V-Kool on the front but it totally cut-off the GPS signal. We put the navigation into status mode and laid a piece of V-Kool over the front windshield to test. Doing the same test with the Ceramic 60 it did not seem to degrade the signal in any way. I'm in Jacksonville Florida. If anyone needs a dealer name and address and are willing to travel to NE Florda for the install then send me an email for info.

In a little over a week I'm also going to have them install the Clear Shield Paint Protection Film.

Bill
Super White '05 BC#6
Jacksonville, FL

 

Cost wise, it's quite a bit cheaper in MA. I paid $299 for the whole car (excluding the darkened lower rear window) + $125 for the windshield. They used Ceramic 40 for the whole car & Ceramic 50 for the windshield. Due to the cold weather here, my windshield still has some bubbles after 1 week.

Edward

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Areometer\";p=\"54402)</div>

I figured I was probably paying top dollar but the compay I used was the only one authorized by Huper Optik in Jacksonville. They also use a computer system to do the film cutting (except for the front). I'm not seeing any bubbles in the windshield portion I look through. On the lower part of the windshield I do see some though. I'm glad I went with the Ceramic 60 and don't mind paying for a good job.

Bill

 

So Bill, have you felt that the interior of the Prius is now obviously cooler than before? Do you still wear sunglasses during day time? You do know that tinting the windshield is illegal in all states, right? So I expect to peel it off & install it back on annually.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Areometer\";p=\"54420)</div>

I only drove the car yesterday afternoon after the work was done, about 4pm. The sun was setting and I did have my sunglasses on and the visor down. I probably won't have to wear them as much though. Didn't feel the interior cooler even though I'm sure it was. It was about 80 degrees here yesterday. Why will you peel off the windshield film annually?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(silly\";p=\"54426)</div>

Cos' it is illegal to tint the windshield in the USA (all states I believe), let it be 1% or 99% visible light transmission. Which means my Prius will never pass the annual inspection (due again in the end of Nov, 2005). I will most likely need to peel it off right before the inspection and have a new film reinstalled right after the inspection. Unless of course the inspector won't notice it, but it's tough as he needs to scrap off the old sticker & stick on a new one.

 

It's not illegal in the US.. maybe where you live. here in California you can tint the back side and rear about as dark as you want.. front driver and passenger have to remain 70% clear.. so.. doesn't really allow for much tinting at all on the two front windows. You are also allowed to have a 4 inch stip along the top of the windshield. I think it can be as dark as you want.

I think you sould check the local highway patrol laws about tinting. many places let tinting.