My Prius 2010 Will Be Tinted Today

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by Lottamoxie, May 31, 2011.

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  1. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    Had this item on my to-do list since I purchased my 2010 Prius in Dec.

    Well today is the day. It's going to be 98 degrees here in NC. And I do not have a garage at home.

    I got an appt to have my car tinted. There is only one 3M place within 50 mi and I want the 3M Crystalline 50 product. It will take about 2.5 hrs.

    I know about the other tint products (Llumar, SunTek, FormulaOne, etc) but I want the most heat control with minimal amount of tint color.

    I will post pics when it's done.
     
    #1 Lottamoxie, May 31, 2011
  2. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    Sounds fun. Be sure to haggle. This is one of those haggling opportunities.
     
    #2 macmaster05, May 31, 2011
  3. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    I tried to haggle but no dice. They are the only 3M authorized place anywhere in this area.

    Just drove home. I'm not sure they actually did the windshield. I felt the heat coming right through the front, but not anywhere else, and the front windshield doesn't look the same as all the other windows.

    Sigh...

    I will have to call and raise a stink over that.
     
    #3 Lottamoxie, May 31, 2011
  4. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    :suspicious: You should be able to tell by looking at the edge of the windshield.
     
    #4 macmaster05, May 31, 2011
  5. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    No they didn't do the windshield. They said it's not included and normally "not done." I raised a stink about it because I said "I want ALL windows done." So now I have to go back on Fri to have the front done and at an extra cost because the front windshield is not included in their normal price. I am so angry.

    They will only give me a $20 discount for the front windshield. I don't have anywhere else I can go that is near me as they are the only 3M dealer/installer.

    ... sigh ...
     
    #5 Lottamoxie, May 31, 2011
  6. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    Moxie - I would forget about it, do you really need the front done? Is it even legal in your state to put it on your windshield? I know you can feel the heat but I would use a heat shield instead when your car is parked. Also, if your windshield gets cracked you'll need to tint it all over again, or not - either way it's more money wasted. Sorry to hear about that though. :(

    If you do go back to get it finished, then now's the time to haggle. :)
     
    #6 macmaster05, May 31, 2011
  7. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    The heat coming in the front is significant when driving, as you probably know. That's the one area that needs it most on this car because of the size and angle of that windshield. I already use a heat shield when I park, but it's when I drive that is my concern.

    Is it legal? Technically no, but crystalline makes a very light tint that should not affect visibility. On a drive to visit cousins in another state a month ago, my legs got burned just from the sun coming in the front windshield and it was uncomfortable.
     
    #7 Lottamoxie, May 31, 2011
  8. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    Okay Llumar makes a special clear windowshield film that is legal and will do what I want (cut the heat) but not darken the front. It's guaranteed to pass inspection and has a lifetime warranty, blah, blah. It won't affect visibility or cause issues at night with oncoming headlights. And it's less expensive than the 3M product, so I'm going to a different shop to have it done on Fri.
     
    #8 Lottamoxie, May 31, 2011
  9. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    :peace:
     
    #9 macmaster05, May 31, 2011
  10. Dark_matter_doesn't

    Dark_matter_doesn't Prius Tinkerer

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    Sounds familiar. When I got mine tinted, I assumed they would do the front window. Got the car back, drove around the parking lot & concluded the front window wasn't tinted & went back to the shop. They claimed tinting the front window in WA was illegal, so I grumbled a bit & left.

    A tip: make sure you get the non-metallic film, or you'll loose cellphone/Nav function in the car.
     
    #10 Dark_matter_doesn't, Jun 1, 2011
  11. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    It's not even so much that it's illegal. It's just not as safe or ideal. Some of us might know that tints are not actually 100% optically clear, regardless of what the manufacturer says. Whether you can see it or you can't, there's always a tiny bit of cloudiness in tinted glass. Obviously some tints are better than others, but my point is I wouldn't want anything less than perfectly clear glass on my windshield.
     
    #11 macmaster05, Jun 1, 2011
  12. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Seen the movie "Daybreakers"? That's the "tinting" I want. At the first detection of UV light, I want complete shielding!
     
    #12 The Electric Me, Jun 1, 2011
  13. Lottamoxie

    Lottamoxie Member

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    Yes, only non-metallic film has been used. Actually, it is a ceramic film.
     
    #13 Lottamoxie, Jun 1, 2011
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    In our neck of woods it's illegal to even tint the front side windows. Some concern about a little matter called visibility I think. I would not even contemplate tinting the windshield. :eek:
     
    #14 Mendel Leisk, Jun 1, 2011
  15. ben12345

    ben12345 Junior Member

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    My dealer tinted all windows except the windshield, however he did put a tinted strip across the top of the windshield. This was 3M and was an added option when I purchased the vehicle (2011 Four).
     
    #15 ben12345, Jun 2, 2011
  16. Celsius

    Celsius Junior Member

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    Interesting. I would be interested to see your final pics of this all around tint
     
    #16 Celsius, Jun 3, 2011
  17. Judas Prius

    Judas Prius Junior Member

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    Yeah, I'd like to see pictures also. Nice that you got the 3M. I'm sure not many places do 3M tinting.

    I just made my appt. for next week to get mine done. Doing Llumar 50% front and 35% all the way back. Gets pretty toasty in my car. Hope the tint tones it down a bit.
     
    #17 Judas Prius, Jun 3, 2011
  18. Judgeless

    Judgeless Senior Member

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    Here is a pic of my tint job.

    [​IMG]

    Here is how much I paid.

    [​IMG]

    I will be 2 years in Oct. Everthing is perfect.
     
    #18 Judgeless, Jun 3, 2011
  19. Judas Prius

    Judas Prius Junior Member

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    Very nice Judgeless. I've seen that picture when I was doing a search about tinting. Is that 50% front, and 35% rear?

    I gotta say... tint on silver looks quite sexy!
     
    #19 Judas Prius, Jun 3, 2011
  20. robertk328

    robertk328 Member

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    #20 robertk328, Jun 4, 2011
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