Window Tint - Does it really help

I've got bad news for you. If you need the lifetime warranty it will likely be worthless. Why? Because none of the tint shops will be carrying it several years down the road when you have a problem. The reason they won't be carrying it is because it developed a problem...even though it had a lifetime warranty when they installed it. Catch 22. You've got a lifetime warranty but nobody will work on it. Been there, done that with window tint.

Lifetime warranties make us feel good and probably mean that one is getting the best that vendor has to offer at the time, but usually when you go to cash in on one the company is either gone (e.g. Curtes Mathes...also been there, done that) or nobody carries the product so you still can't get it replaced.

 

I would suggest you look into 3m Crystaline tint. Expensive but the heat rejection is amazing. Film will only slow down the heating of the car, parked long enough the car will probably rise to nearly the same temp. So if you want the car to be cooler after parked in the sun all day, your only choice would be a cover or shade.

Tint will make a huge difference on the interior. The cars interior will last much longer with tinted windows.

 

Window tint does help. That's one of the first things I did after buying my 2009, get the windows tinted

 

Windshield tints and films should not be done on the Prius... The rake of the windshield is so steep, most if not all films and tints will distort the view...

 

I got 3M nano carbon film. I'll be very surprised if it fails but if it should I feel fairly certain 3M will be there and stand up behind the product. For a lot of other companies, I agree they will probably not be there. 3M is one of the very few companies that actually makes the film substrates so most of these guys are probably selling a 3M based product anyway.

I got 35% all the way around (not windshield) and have posted pictures somewhere here, not sure how to find them now.

 

I am a great fan of window tint. In MA, one can not get the front windshield tinted. Perhaps for the reason you are experiencing.
Keeps the heat down and easy on the eyes. What % of tint did you use?

 

I don't think you understand at all. It doesn't matter whether 3M is still there or stands by their product. If the lifetime tint fails it will likely have failed in many others before yours, and NO installers will be carrying that tint by the time you get wise to it. It's an ugly little side of the business I was unaware of until it happened to me.

The company was still going strong, but after the failure nobody was installing their tint, including the shop where I originally had the work done. Even the distributor couldn't find anyone to do the work, partly because it was such a PITA to remove it--ended up doing that part myself. I can't recall which tint it was now as this was ~10 years ago...might have been Scotch...a 3M company/brand. It was a BIG name and is still around.

 

Correct, it will screw with your cell reception. If your XM antenna is in the car it will screw with that also...

I too am going with the Formula 1 Pinnicle 50 all around!!!

 

I got Madico Wincos put on my windshield Saturday and I didn't notice any distorting on the drive home, of course there was some waving that the shop owner told me would be there for a little bit until it settled but even with that I didn't feel it was bad. It was getting dark at the time. I drove it last night for a quick trip to the market and didn't notice any distortion, although I will say I didn't have any oncoming traffic as I only had to drive on residential streets. And I just went out and sat in it now and don't notice any except for one wavy spot but it hasn't been long enough for the whole thing to cure and it's barely noticeable anyway. If I hadn't been examining the whole windshield I wouldn't have noticed it. Got it done at SunShield Glass Tinting in Sherman Oaks and the owner had it on his Smart Car as well.

Will take it for a spin tonight after dark and post back if I notice anything annoying.

 

Does your Prius have the Navigation system? If it does, tinting might reduce Nav performance, especially if the tinting material contains any metallic particles (many tinters use such materials).

So observe and let us know. Thanks.

Jim

 

Yes, I have Nav, but the tint is a ceramic one so I don't expect it to obstruct anything. Will let you know!

 

Navigation works fine with tinted windshield using Madico Wincos. Tracked me for 120 miles.
But there seems to be a problem with my TV reception on my phone (I don't watch while driving, just listen), which works with a pull out antenna.

Also, did not notice any problem with visibility/distortion daytime or nighttime. I even opened up the door at a red light at night and compared and saw no difference. Will take pics after I wash the windshield, in a couple days or so. Might have to be after Thanksgiving. Not sure how to not have the flash get in the way, will play around with my little digital camera, otherwise will have to wait a week and I'll use my good camcorder.

 

I have had my windows tinted in my last 4 cars by the same company, by the same guy. He has always stood behind his products, and I have never had a problem.

I am a red head (big surprise by the screen name ), and can't handle the sun burning me up from the side windows. On my now-sold MINI, I had Limo Tint applied to a 5" strip across the top of both passenger and driver side windows. I was never given any police problems for 136,000 miles. (The rest of the windows were Limo Tint all around, except nothing on the windshield). That kept my little toaster hot-box much cooler in the sun, albeit the air conditioner was quite challenged in Palm Springs in the Summer.

I just had my week old Prius IV tinted. This time, I went with the 3M Crystalline® 70 on Passenger and Driver side windows, (Legal in California) and a 15% SunTek® stripe across the top of the windshield. This cost me $250.00. It is only now warming up around here, but it was an obvious difference driving home from the installer and not feeling the sun burning my face and arm through the window.

I took a few pictures this evening. Keep in mind, the 3M Crystalline® is so light, you can't even really see the difference between the tinted front windows, and the non tinted rear windows - even in the sun. But you can FEEL the difference on the inside.

And, importantly, the 3M Crystalline® has not metal, so it won't mess up the fob/bluetooth/nav/cell etc. I doubt the little strip of SunTek (which is metalized) will affect anything in that small area.

FYI, My long time installer is Sidney...who has been doing this tinting work for 22 years. (If you're in the SF Bay Area)

Auto Mall Tint Specialist - Professional Window Tinting. In Fremont, California.

 

Update: I have no problem with my TV reception. Must've been where I was at the time.

 

I just had my car tinted today with Madico Wincos film. 35% all sides and 25% for rear. I'll post pics as soon as I wash my car...ha!

Btw, navi worked perfectly fine since the film is ceramic-based.

 

Hey Red! What happened to the cool pic of your dog?

 

I live in South Texas. I've driven a car without tint before maybe a day and had it put in the next day. It make s a big difference to me.

 

I just got a Prius with tinted windows so I'll run some experiments this summer (my wife and daughter have non-tinted Prius). Here are two tests I ran a few years ago:

 

Yes - the Prius windows provide some level of
UV protection - but additional window tinting
can augment the level of UV protection.

Eac state has its own limits to the amount of
tinting that be applied to the windows of the
Prius. The limit is defined by the amount of light
passable through the window. Fail to comply with
those laws and you risk a fine and an order by the
state to remove the tinting (which cost as much as
applying the tint in the first place). For example,
in Maryland the limits are windshield=100%, front
door=35%, rear door=35%, and rear window=35%.


I called up Toyota's customer service and they told
me the 2010 Prius window tinting is as follows

Left and Right Front quarter window = 74%
Left and Right Front door window = 75%
Left and Right Rear door window = 76%
Left and Right Rear quarter window = 74%
Top rear hatch window = 74%
Bottom rear hatch mini-window = 29%

I didn't ask about the windshield because Maryland
does not allow it to be tinted. Maryland also prohibit
metallic/reflective window tinting and limit tinting
to certain colors.

To deterimine the maximum tint that could apply
on a Prius - the calculation would be as follows:

35% <= .74 * ( maximum window film tint level %)
48% <= max window film tint level = tint light pass through rate%

In Virginia. the front door windows tint light
pass through level is 50% so the maximum uniform
tint level computation for a Prius would be:

50% <= .74 * ( max window film tint level %)
68% <= max window film tint level = tint light pass through rate %

hope this helps

 

I'm getting 15% tint on all of my rear windows. Since the bottom rear window already has 29% tint, should I spend the extra $30 to tint it too, or would it look okay without the extra tint?

Please note, my Welsh Corgis ride back there and the bottom window is the perfect height of them to survey the world. I want to protect them from the heat but I don't want to distort their view.