Huber Optik ceramic tint

who installed & what was the price?

i'm expecting delivery of my prius in about 2-4 weeks, and live in phoenix, so will DEFINITELY need tint - i was thinking about finding a local llumar installer - they seem to be popular here.

but i would consider something else...

any advice appreciated. thanks!

 

Tadashi,

I probably would have used HuperOptic Ceramic tint just for it's heat rejection properties. However, there is only 1 (ONE) installer I could find here in the Northern Cal area. Just like you having only one available installer you could find.

The bubbles (small ones, regular tint film) on my Mazda 7 years ago finally disappeared by themselves after the tint finally cured. With my recent FormulaOne Pinnacle film, I could not find any bubbles or problem with it's install. However, I am not so sure about HuperOptic film as it is thicker than other brands. Most tinters I've read on the Tintdude Forum speak of the difficulty of installation of HuperOptic film.

Another reason I didn't do the HuperOptic film is that the only Northern Cal installer posted this message on the Tintdude Forum.

I still believe that you will come to LOVE the heat rejection quality of the HuperOptic film.

 

Tadashi-
The bubbles in my Huper Optik went away in about 3 weeks. It is just perfect now. Oh, don't use windex an any plastic films, in case you didn't know.

 

Has anybody used Precision Glass Tinting down in Orland Park, IL? Are they any good? They quoted me $450 to do my 05 Salsa Red Prius. In Wisconsin, you can have 50% on the front windows and 35% on the back windows. Is there much of a difference in the way the tint looks like between Ceramic 50 and Ceramic 30 or Ceramic 50 and Ceramic 40 which has better IR light rejection? Has anybody use Huper Optik's Huper Select Drei (35% and 98% IR light rejection) on their car?

 

It interferes w/ transponder transmission

Speaking of Huper Optik tint, although it doesn't interfere w/ cellular and GPS signals, it renders my transponder (those auto toll paying devices) nearly 'invisible' to the toll booth detector gun. Now whenever I go through those toll booths, I need to roll down the window & manually hold the transponder out of the window for the guns to read.

 

What do you use instead of Windex to clean then? I'm considering getting Huper Optik since my Prius seems pretty toasty with the temperature well over 100 these days.

 

I just use a microfibre cloth to clean it. You may make it damp too if you wish for really soiled regions. I tinted all my Prius windows except the rear lower pane but including the front windshield. It is still baking hot under the sun. So I am looking into those solar-powered auto vent thing. But my WeatherFlector window deflectors may be in the way ......

 

Hey, Its been a while since Ive been on here. I have been pondering over the difference between Huper and the Formula one ceramic.
I have all the brochures. When I put the huper next to the Formula one,
the formula one looks real green ?? The huper looks more natural.
What does everyone think ? Huper 30 on top, formula 35 on the bottom.

 

My Huper Optik 40 & 60 has this slight green tint to it too. Although I have no side by side comparison.

 

i put all the huper samples next to the formula samples.
all the formula stuff looks real green ukeleft:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(whipstikk\";p=\"109681)</div>

You shouldn't evaluate the "coloration" of the tint based on putting it over something white. White is not always white. Also, the tint is designed for light transmission. When you look at it as shown you are basing your decision on the reflectance of light off the white card and the fact that the ambiant light has passed through the tint material twice.

To get a real idea of the colorization of the two tints get a sample of each from potential installers. Then put the two samples up against one of the side windows and look at the difference of a typical view a couple of time during the day. You should be under full sunlight (not overcast).

Do NOT, Do NOT, Do NOT, make this evaluation under artificial lights, especially fluorescent.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ray Moore\";p=\"92099)</div>

The warranty card for Huper Optik says:

"3. Do not use alcohol/ammonia based solutions or abrasives to clean the coated windows. Use lukewarm water and wipe off lightly with a cloth."

My initial post (pre-edit) stated the following, which is not entirely correct:

"At least for Huper Optik, the "don't use Windex" is not entirely accurate. You should not use blue Windex, which contains ammonia. The clear Windex which contains vinegar is safe. More generally, you should not use any cleaning solvent with ammonia and limit yourself to vinegar based cleaning solvents. Car washes typically use a diluted ammonia-based solution, so beware. They usually know to avoid using it on tinted windows, but if you have a light tint that could be mistaken for no tint, you may wish to explicitly tell them not to clean your window film."

Clear Windex contains isopropyl alcohol aka isopropanol, so even clear Windex is alcohol-based and should not be used.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DHonzik\";p=\"107377)</div>

A little late in getting to this question, as I didn't even own a Prius at that point, but I had the Huper Optik Drei tinting done today. My first reactions are that the film is very optically clear with minimal exceptions where small fluid inclusions, typical after tinting jobs, remain. These are expected to disappear within 3 to 4 weeks as noted in other posts on this and other sites. The Drei film does not interfere with my aftermarket GPS, placed on the dashboard, or with the AM or FM reception of my OEM Radio/CD. The heat of the sun is definately noticably diminished, although I can now tell that a lot of heat comes in through the windshield. Arizona law prohibits tinting of the windshield, so I had to leave that alone.

I paid approximately $600 for the install and they threw in a free car wash afterwards. I used Danny's Family Car Wash and Tinting, located in Scottsdale, north of Greenway-Hayden on Scottsdale Rd. Their facility was clean, enclosed and had the demo model to show the relative effects of different films on heat transmission. The install was complete in approximately two hours. The small window beneath the rear spoiler was not tinted, similarly to what others on this board have noted. They said it was plastic (which I denied) but they said they wouldn't tint it anyhow. No big deal.

Overall, a good experience, although somewhat costly. Hopefully it pays off over the years.

--Chris

 

DREI, SECH, and ACHT are all Huper Optik Select line tints, which are all metallic. Metallic tints have a much higher solar energy rejection for the same visible light transmission compared to non-metallic films like the Huper Optik Ceramic. I was told by the principle of Song's Tint Masters that metallic tint interferes with GPS signals, but he has had no reports of it affecting cell phone signal strength.

HybridVigor, did you actually check GPS signal strength? IIRC, there was another thread where someone tested this by placing a metallic window film over the factory GPS antenna and noted a 25% drop in signal. This would still allow the GPS to function in strong signal conditions, but in weak signal conditions the window tint could attenuate the signal enough so the GPS no longer works. I would not say that the DREI did not affect GPS unless you actually checked signal strength before and after and I would be surprised if you found no effect. I suspect you put the tint on and just noted that the GPS still worked. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Just got my 2005 Prius tinted with Huper Optik Ceramic 40 on the Front Driver/Passenger windows and Ceramic 30 on the Back seat windows and the Rear hatchback window including the small window that some dealers claim its plastic, but it is actually glass. They also did the small triangle shape windows around the car. If anyone else is in the Chicago/SE Wisconsin area, I highly recommend Precision Glass Tinting in Orland Park, IL. They did a great job and cost only $450, no tax.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ryogajyc\";p=\"115404)</div>

To clarify, my GPS appeared unaffected. (There, better?) To wit, the accuracy remained essentially unchanged from prior to installation. I do not beleive that if the tint interferes, that it does so very much because the primary view of the sky for the GPS is through the (untinted) windshield, making the type of tinting of the rest of the windows of the vehicle largely irrelevant. If I had tinted the windshield, I don't know what the effect would have been. Additionally, my cell phone still works acceptable, and not noticeably affected in the car (I won't presume to say that the signal was unaffected, for obvious reasons...).

--Chris

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(HybridVigor\";p=\"115428)</div>

To clarify, my GPS appeared unaffected. (There, better?) To wit, the accuracy remained essentially unchanged from prior to installation. I do not beleive that if the tint interferes, that it does so very much because the primary view of the sky for the GPS is through the (untinted) windshield, making the type of tinting of the rest of the windows of the vehicle largely irrelevant. If I had tinted the windshield, I don't know what the effect would have been. Additionally, my cell phone still works acceptable, and not noticeably affected in the car (I won't presume to say that the signal was unaffected, for obvious reasons...).

--Chris[/b][/quote]

Much better. I apologize if I seemed a bit blunt, but I'm just trying to clarify to avoid the situation where some PriusChatter reads this thread and decides to put DREI on only to find their GPS stops working (after an expensive install). With more accurate info, our fellow PriusChatters can make better decisions.