Thinking about having this installed on my car

You are talking about just normal tint, right? I would highly suggest it. Not only does it look good, but it also helps block the heat from the inside of the car. That in turn helps keep you from running your air conditioner all summer which saves energy and gasoline. I think people should get a tax break for having tinted windows if you ask me. It provides security for your car because people can't go window shopping to see what you've got in there. It also provides safety in an accident because the tint holds the glass together and keeps it from exploding all over you. There are a lot of advantages to window tint. Just don't go ghetto and get a 5% tint or something. Don't go darker than 20%. It becomes a safety hazard at night if you get darker than that. Cool is one thing, but never sacrifice functionality just so people can think you are cool. The people who know better will think you are an idiot. Nobody thinks you are an idiot if you get a nice reasonable tint job. 35% to 20% is reasonable if you ask me. I've got 20 on the back doors and rear windshield and 35 on the fronts. It looks just right if you ask me. No visibility problems at any time of day or night.
 
^ If you click the link you will see that the film I am talking about is totally clear, but provides 99.9% UV protection as well as all of the other benefits you mentioned(minus the temperature and crime reduction).

I have also considered just getting a 50% film on the windows. I had 20% all the way around on my old civic, but I just really do not like the look of tint anymore, on my color car anyway.
 
Dang Jngrbrdman, pay attention will ya? LMAO Kidding!

I have never heard of this stuff or seen it....well, how would I see it? LOL I would be interested to see how well it worked and if it looked clear and not cloudy when done. Hell, you could do this to your windshield too!
 
:doh My bad. :lol That makes sense. I couldn't tell from that link what he was actaully talking about. lol

Blocking UVs is great and all but normal tint does that plus has all the benefits. Just blocking UV will protect the interior from fading and may block some of the heat, but its nothing in comparison to getting a darker tint. I'm not that paranoid about UV rays that I feel the need to wrap my self in protection everywhere I go. If my tint blocks it out, then that is fine. Otherwise I figure I am being exposed to it the rest of the day anyway. I just can't see why you would want clear tint in a car. I can see some commercial uses for it, but not really automotive....
 
Jngrbrdman said:
:doh My bad. :lol That makes sense. I couldn't tell from that link what he was actaully talking about. lol

Blocking UVs is great and all but normal tint does that plus has all the benefits. Just blocking UV will protect the interior from fading and may block some of the heat, but its nothing in comparison to getting a darker tint. I'm not that paranoid about UV rays that I feel the need to wrap my self in protection everywhere I go. If my tint blocks it out, then that is fine. Otherwise I figure I am being exposed to it the rest of the day anyway. I just can't see why you would want clear tint in a car. I can see some commercial uses for it, but not really automotive....
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I guess because I want the windows to look stock, but have UV protection for my interior. I just do not think that the dark tint would look good on my car, if anything I would get the 50% film.


2001civicex, I would definitely get it on the winshield too.
 
All I've heard about that stuff from tint guys that we have used is that it's expensive and it's harder to work with than normal film. Look to pay a pretty penny for your car to be done with that film. Most tinters buy tint in rolls of 100 feet, so whoever you use will more than likely have to get a roll (most Atlanta area guys don't keep it in stock). So they will likely try to pay for the film and make a profit on your car. I think it is mainly used for residential tinting. HTH.
 
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Way2SSlow said:
All I've heard about that stuff from tint guys that we have used is that it's expensive and it's harder to work with than normal film. Look to pay a pretty penny for your car to be done with that film. Most tinters buy tint in rolls of 100 feet, so whoever you use will more than likely have to get a roll. I know here in Atlanta, that kind of film doesnt sell well (we sublet a tint guy out of our shop). I think it is mainly used for residential tinting. HTH.
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Yeah, I was quoted around $200 for this film and about $160 for the 50% film, both with a lifetime warranty. I would imagine that this film is not very popular since most people want the look of dark tint. Figures, I always like the most expensive option. :ticked
 
We must have the same taste...I just do not care for tint (esp dark) on blue cars...for some reason it doesn't look right to me. If you got a very light smoke (50%) it would probably look OK and have additional benefits to the clear. If nothing else the clear would benefit the interior of your car though...and you could put it on the front windsheild as well.

On my black/black car...I ran without tint for 2 years with the clean look and resisted temptation (partially because I lived in a suburb where the cops had nothing better to do than ticket for tint)...But finally faltered and put 35% on there...had 50% on the front windsheild for awhile too but got WAY too much flack about that.

Andy
 
I would bet anything that it will still be illegal to apply it to the front windshield. Clear or not, it is going to distort the view and you can't do that. Besides, you would have to replace it when you have your window replaced after that truck pops a rock into your glass on the way home from the shop. I don't know that I want to have to do that for something that isn't really going to help. Put a sun shade up when the car is parked if you are concerned about UV rays. Use a dash protectant that blocks UV. Lots of other ways to save your car without putting a $200 clear bra on your glass. :lol I'm disrespecting or anything... I just don't understand wanting to put a clear film on your windows when all it will do is block UVs. UVs are bad and all, but it would take ten years of neglect to damage your car. Not a serious enough of a problem to warrant a $200 clear film I guess. I would rather get the extra advantages of even a light smoke and save the money. You still get UV blocking with a light tint.
 
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I think tint is a mucho necessary modification.

It adds character to your car and the safety mentioned by Jngr. It also keeps your car looking newer inside (leather, dash, doors).

I have 20% all the way around and my entire windshield is 35%. I have had trouble with cops with this setup though. On a better note, my interior dressings have lasted a long time and my interior looks better than many new ones and my car is a little over 8 years old.

If I were to do it again, I'd go with 35% all the way around and just leave the windshield.

BTW: Llumar, Madico, and 3M are the top 3 tint manufacturers.
 
Jngrbrdman said:
I would bet anything that it will still be illegal to apply it to the front windshield. Clear or not, it is going to distort the view and you can't do that. Besides, you would have to replace it when you have your window replaced after that truck pops a rock into your glass on the way home from the shop. I don't know that I want to have to do that for something that isn't really going to help. Put a sun shade up when the car is parked if you are concerned about UV rays. Use a dash protectant that blocks UV. Lots of other ways to save your car without putting a $200 clear bra on your glass. :lol I'm disrespecting or anything... I just don't understand wanting to put a clear film on your windows when all it will do is block UVs. UVs are bad and all, but it would take ten years of neglect to damage your car. Not a serious enough of a problem to warrant a $200 clear film I guess. I would rather get the extra advantages of even a light smoke and save the money. You still get UV blocking with a light tint.
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To each his own I guess, $200 doesn't seem that unreasonable to me, but we will see what happens. The light tint (50%) blocks the exact same amount of UV rays as the clear, it just depends on how light it looks on my window. I will probably look at pics of both and then decide.

Thanks to everyone for their input, I appreciate it.
 
I don't think that $200 is unreasonable for a tint job. Its kind of high, but quality costs. I do think its kind of high for something that you can't see or really prove is doing anything helpful. Obviously I don't want to tell you what you think looks better on your own car, but I have always liked the look of tinted windows on any color of car. I don't think I have ever seen a car with a tint that didn't look better than clear glass. Unless they bought the film from PepBoys and they installed it themselves. Yuck.... Gotta love that purple tint. :lol

I'm interested to see what you decide on. If you don't like tinted windows, then that is cool. I don't know why else you would put something on the glass though. Blocking UV rays is great, but I just don't see it being that big of a problem that I would want to spend $200 to keep it out of my car. Is your interior fading so soon? I guess if my interior was fading then I would look into something. Having a clear film that blocks the UV is a godsend for people who are having that problem and don't want to tint the glass I guess. I don't know how much UV that the factory tinted glass on vans and SUVs block, but it is probably something that they appreciate too. If their glass isn't blocking any, then putting up some clear film that does would be a good investment.
 
Interior is definitely not fading, I just want to try my best to keep it that way. My thinking was that I like the way the windows look now, but would like to have the added protection of tint. I have seen other civics the same color as mine with tint and did not like how it looked, so if I could get UV protection with a film that was clear, that would be great. As I started looking I found that llumar film and then called the "best" tint shop that I know of in Memphis and got some prices.

I think I will go by soon and have him put both on and see if I like it. If I like the 50% then I will go that route and save the $40, if not I will go with the clear.

I'll keep you guys posted.
 
sorry, don't mean to hijack your thread.. but my expy has factory tint on the back 3/4of the truck.. but it's not dark enough for me.. does anyone know around what % factory ford tint is? and how much darker say 20% would be? I want it so if anyone looks in the window's they cannot see inside at all even a persons outline.. if they look threw to the other side..

again, sorry :)
 
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