Window Tint - Does it really help

Personally after I had my widows tinted I found that it helped a little - the main problem for me is that huge window screen - but a decent shield helps.

On the day I got it tinted the temperatures outside were in the mid to high 80's. When I first got into it to go to the dealer it was sweltering. The next day similar conditions it seemed a lot cooler to me.

The main benefit I found was that the light tint that I was able to have on the front side windows helped to reduce the glare - it's like driving with my tinted glasses on. (check your local laws with regards to tinting the front windows)

The other benefit I found was that the tint helps to stop a lot of the light glare whilst night driving.

For me it has helped - maybe not tremendously but it keeps the interior a more stable temperature.

 

Any car sitting in the sun will eventually reach or exceed ambient temperature inside (except for something like the Gen III with an active ventilation system). The reason I have tint is because it cuts down on radiative heat on my skin and on interior components. Like a heat lamp, there is a frequency band in sunlight that heats on contact, at the point of contact. Even with a good air conditioner, I find that sitting with the sun shining in through the side window is uncomfortable. The window tint filters out most of this frequency, much reducing the solar load on me - and on interior components, thus reducing the load on the AC. So it's more for that than for keeping the interior cool when the car is parked.

 

Oh man. I won't own a car without tint. EVERYTHING is better with tint - except night vision. You solve that by not going too dark. Tint increases the safety of the glass, it reduces glare, it lowers the load on the AC, it makes the interior more secure since it is hard to see into the car from outside.

 

We live in AZ too, and I could NOT deal with untinted windows down here at all!! I had mine tinted in MN because of the glare of the snow in the winter, but it has helped a TON down here...wouldn't say it kept my car cooler, but definately made it easier on my eyes while driving. I will always tint from here on out...just easier on my sensitive little eyes, LOL!!

 

Tint is a necessity in the islands. It's hot and humid. I could not live without tint. As it has been mentioned before, it also makes the glass less likely to go flying when broken and makes the car look better.

 

I have both Toyota's tinted and highly recommend for all of the above mentioned reasons + I believe that it's personally helped me reduce finger-related road rage.. the tint can obscure how many fingers you are holding up when someone cuts you off because they can't juggle their latte, cell phone and turn signal at the same time .

A lot of people I commute with must think that I wave at them when they do stupid things.

 

Definite difference! I wish I could tint the windshield! Have it done by a pro and it will be worth the $$ in upholstery, A/C, and perhaps even skin cancers on your arm & left side of face.

Lee

 

Window tint also makes your interior last longer. At least for the back of your car.

 

I understand that the windshield is treated to block UV. I now see that there are new transparent films designed to do the same thing (AIRBlue by Llumar). It has a very slight blue tint and is supposed to block UV and reduce the heat passing through by 43% and UV by 99%. I wonder how good this is....

 

Just on a quick note, regarding the actual windows on the Gen III. I noticed that my skin didn't get as hot when the sun was shining through the side driver's glass. So I'm thinking that maybe all of the windows have been UV treated.

 

I agree about the exterior color having the largest impact on heat. I tried to convince my wife to get white instead of magnetic gray on her Corolla for that reason. With the dark charcoal interior the car heats up and takes a while to cool down mid-day. We have to start the a/c on max recirculate and on the 3rd or 4th speed. I normally don't drop below 3 mid-day and she has 35% all the way around...

 

The number you are looking for is the solar heat gain coefficient. This is a number between 0 and 1; the lower the number, the more heat is blocked.


Madico Window Films (non ceramic)

http://www.madico.com/WindowFilms/MAC_Specs.asp (ceramic)



Often ceramic films do better with blocking heat, some people find that (older) blended metallic ceramics can also block cell phones and GPS, though the newer films supposedly have corrected that problem.


http://www.tintdude.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=19816

"Huper's ceramic may in fact cause problems with some electronics for these reasons, it contains a conductive ceramic derivative of titanium (a metal), frequency of the electronic equipment is of that able to be disrupted by HO film deposition and the density of the film used (meaning a heavier deposition)."

 

I've seen a demonstration with the ceramic vs. non-ceramic tint using a heat lamp. You can feel the difference in heat coming through the tint. I will opt for ceramic for that reason. Also since the Prius has a lot of electronic "stuff" going on, I think it would be worth it to pay the premium for ceramic film this time.

 

I just did Huper Optik and it makes a huge difference in comfort, it was expensive but worth every penny.

 

I just did mine in Llumar ceramic and I am very happy with it. It not only makes the car look better, but helps with the heat. I'm glad I got blizzard pearl and dark gray interior. My tint guy said that the ceramic does make a little bit of a difference for reception, but that he didn't think the price difference was worth it. I did ceramic anyway. What's an extra $100 when I spent $1800 on the NAV.

 

Hi:

When you get a chance could you take some 'pics' of your 'baby' and post them. I have a Blizzard Pearl coming the beginning of September and plan to tint the windows. Curious how it will look.

Thanks,

Edward
Marystown, Newfoundland
Canada

 

scroll through my clear bra install and towards the end you will see the Llumar ceramic tint. the new Air Blue on the windshield and ATX50 on the sides and the rear.

i am a big fan of Llumar.

Collection: 2010 Prius

 

The Llumar Air Blue intrigues me because I'm not a big fan of dark tints. 3M also has a similar product line called Crystalline. I'm hoping both can also be applied to the windshield and remain CA legal. I'm starting to call around to the various tint shops in the San Diego area -- Mr. Tint in Escondido carries Air Blue...still looking for a shop that carries 3M Crystalline. Any recommendations on shops would be appreciated.

Llumar Air Blue:
Visible Light Transmittance: 78%
Total Solar Energy Rejected: 43%
Visible Light Reflected: 9%
Ultraviolet Rejected: 99.9%

3M Crystalline: