Windshield Window Tint - I recomment 1000%

[Ambush]

Been putting this off for awhile and i am glad I did. The look and the heat reduction are by far the #1 factors to get this modification. I went with Llumar Air Blue 80 ceramic tint due to performance and that "VIP Look".

Give it a shot.

 

[PMCErnie]

All of my windows have Llumar Air Blue 80 ceramic tint EXCEPT the windshield. We have laws in VA.

Great tint, but be aware that polarized sunglasses will not work well looking out a front window with this tint. The combination adds some odd effects to the outside world. It's not a problem for me since my windshield has no added tint. I wouldn't be without polarized sunglasses either. Aging eyes need polarized glasses.

 

[BlancaGenny]

I also have mine done. 3M @ 50%. Looks great and does a great job with heat reduction.

 

[Ambush]

All of my windows have Llumar Air Blue 80 ceramic tint EXCEPT the windshield. We have laws in VA.

Great tint, but be aware that polarized sunglasses will not work well looking out a front window with this tint. The combination adds some odd effects to the outside world. It's not a problem for me since my windshield has no added tint. I wouldn't be without polarized sunglasses either. Aging eyes need polarized glasses.

Gotcha but here it is LAW friendly. It has been approved/passed. I wear polarized shades and I have had no issues.

 

[Vaidhy]

Gotcha but here it is LAW friendly. It has been approved/passed. I wear polarized shades and I have had no issues.

Lucky you! Here in Jersey, law prohibits any tinting on windshield and front windows. Spring has just started and it is already a 1000 degrees when I enter the car to drive home from work.

 

[Mark_888]

Lucky you! Here in Jersey, law prohibits any tinting on windshield and front windows. Spring has just started and it is already a 1000 degrees when I enter the car to drive home from work.

No one would notice if you put Llumar Air Blue 80 ceramic (or equivalent from 3M or others) on your front side windows, especially if you have a darker tint on the rear side and rear window.

For the windshield when parked, just use a folding Windshield Sun Shade with a highly reflective surface to the outside.

 

[TylerDH]

I have my windshield done as well, i am sure technically against the law, but oh well. i highly recommend it as well. mine is the lightest shade and you cant even really tell it is there, but it does a great job blocking heat.

 

[PMCErnie]

No one would notice if you put Llumar Air Blue 80 ceramic (or equivalent from 3M or others) on your front side windows, especially if you have a darker tint on the rear side and rear window.

For the windshield when parked, just use a folding Windshield Sun Shade with a highly reflective surface to the outside.

Precisely! This Llumar tint isn't the gangsta-blackout style. However, it's ceramic and very effective.

 

[Ambush]

Precisely! This Llumar tint isn't the gangsta-blackout style. However, it's ceramic and very effective.

I agree! Now there is a tint the VIP Genesis team advertise that is really blue but it looks good.
It is made by Suntek - HP blue 50. That is a nice look but it is not ceramic and it could get you pulled. Ceramic is literally making my interior dramatically cooler. On my sides I used MaxPro at 20% but it is not ceramic. I think I will peel it off and go with maybe a NANO-Ceramic as the 100% ceramic can be expensive.

 

[Mark_888]

I agree! Now there is a tint the VIP Genesis team advertise that is really blue but it looks good.
It is made by Suntek - HP blue 50. That is a nice look but it is not ceramic and it could get you pulled. Ceramic is literally making my interior dramatically cooler. On my sides I used MaxPro at 20% but it is not ceramic. I think I will peel it off and go with maybe a NANO-Ceramic as the 100% ceramic can be expensive.

I always thought Nano-ceramic was 100% ceramic. Nano means small (particles of ceramic). But maybe I am wrong. Where did you hear that nano-ceramic is not 100% ceramic?

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[EdP]

I always thought Nano-ceramic was 100% ceramic. Nano means small (particles of ceramic). But maybe I am wrong. Where did you hear that nano-ceramic is not 100% ceramic?

More to this than I imagined. I may tint after I move to a sunnier location end of the year
Only thing I've seen for sure is Rayno film that is a combo of carbon and ceramic. The tout it has the best of both. Suntek HP says it is a hybrid but offer no details.

High Performance film:
OTHER FEATURES AND BENEFITS INCLUDE:

A dyed metal, hybrid construction

CoolSight
Nano-ceramic technology for exceptional heat and infrared rejection with UV protection

 

[Mark_888]

More to this than I imagined. I may tint after I move to a sunnier location end of the year
Only thing I've seen for sure is Rayno film that is a combo of carbon and ceramic. The tout it has the best of both. Suntek HP says it is a hybrid but offer no details.

High Performance film:
OTHER FEATURES AND BENEFITS INCLUDE:

A dyed metal, hybrid construction

CoolSight
Nano-ceramic technology for exceptional heat and infrared rejection with UV protection

As far as I am concerned, there is no best for a dyed film, unless you are gangster. Dyed films can fade or turn color over time. 100% ceramic is the best way to go IMO. I have Formula One Pinnacle 50, but it comes in many VLT's. Most people get a 35 VLT film.

 

[Ambush]

I always thought Nano-ceramic was 100% ceramic. Nano means small (particles of ceramic). But maybe I am wrong. Where did you hear that nano-ceramic is not 100% ceramic?

I love talking about tint as I tint as a hobby except windshields . What I understand from the heavy hitters NANO or CARBON is like a codename for dye in the film. Nano/Carbon Ceramic is like dyed particles with ceramic backing or 50/50 if I am understanding it right. HP (High Performance) of any film will include metal that can come in any VLT (5% LIMO all the way to like 70% clear). HP will be the cheapest like house-film for a shop to give you that tint look with no real performance/heat rejection over time. Of the 2, HP will most likely lose its color overtime. They have improved that amongst the brands as of late (Johnson Control, Suntek, Llumar, Solargard, etc).
Now a 100% ceramic film, you will notice the heat rejection compared to any film. It costs more to develop 100% ceramic film that is why shops charge so much to tint but the results are amazing. I agree, Formula One aka Llumar (LuLu) is freaking amazing. Unfortunately since i dont have a shop I cannot get my paws on it. 3M Crystalline is the cream of the crop too but if money is no object, go with Huper Optik. Min, $800 tint job with that film as I have been quoted.

Again it is about how long you plan to be in the car, how do you want your tint to look and how legal/illegal you can go with.
Just my opinion.

- - - Updated - - -

More to this than I imagined. I may tint after I move to a sunnier location end of the year
Only thing I've seen for sure is Rayno film that is a combo of carbon and ceramic. The tout it has the best of both. Suntek HP says it is a hybrid but offer no details.

High Performance film:
OTHER FEATURES AND BENEFITS INCLUDE:

A dyed metal, hybrid construction

CoolSight
Nano-ceramic technology for exceptional heat and infrared rejection with UV protection

Dyed+Metal = Looks and not real performance
Suntek is like a midrange to low brand. The CXP line is like CARBON mixed

 

[Mark_888]

What I understand from the heavy hitters NANO or CARBON is like a codename for dye in the film. Nano/Carbon Ceramic is like dyed particles with ceramic backing or 50/50 if I am understanding it right.

I don't believe you are correct about nano being a code name for dyed. I asked for something to back up your explanation , and you just repeated your understanding without providing a link or something.

Nano just means small. Look it up in a dictionary. So nano-ceramic just means that the tint film is made from very small ceramic particles in the film (no dyes). There are some nano-carbon/ceramic hybrid films that are not 100% ceramic (part carbon and part ceramic), but the word "nano" does not mean dyed.

Formula One Pinnacle and Huper Optik are often described as a nano-ceramic tint film, and they have no dyes.

Here is one explanation of where nano-ceramic and ceramic is used interchangeably:
Ceramic Window Tint

Here is a site that describes Huper Optik as nano-ceramic:
(Hüper Optik researchers developed an advancement in high performance coatings through Nano Ceramic Coating technology.
Nano Ceramic Coating | All Pro Window Tinting

Pure carbon films have no ceramic, but have carbon particles in the film that are better against fading than the old dyed films if one want to darken the tint without providing much in the way of reflecting solar energy. There are some hybrid carbon-ceramic films for those who want a very dark tint, but still want the solar energy reflection of ceramic.

Metalized films are considered "high performance" because they reject a lot of heat (usually even more than ceramic), but they are more reflective (more mirror-like from the outside) which is not desirable, and metalized film "can" restrict radio, wifi, cell phone, etc transmissions. They are not used much anymore for high end auto installations or for commercial-residential building windows.

 

[Vaidhy]

No one would notice if you put Llumar Air Blue 80 ceramic (or equivalent from 3M or others) on your front side windows, especially if you have a darker tint on the rear side and rear window.

For the windshield when parked, just use a folding Windshield Sun Shade with a highly reflective surface to the outside.

Thanks Mark! I want to tint the rear windows dark but I am not sure how it will look on my Titanium Grey Metallic car. Don't want my Genny to look like a union of two different cars at the window level Maybe I should just get Air Blue 80 Ceramic on both front and rear.

 

[Mark_888]

Thanks Mark! I want to tint the rear windows dark but I am not sure how it will look on my Titanium Grey Metallic car. Don't want my Genny to look like a union of two different cars at the window level Maybe I should just get Air Blue 80 Ceramic on both front and rear.

Air Blue 80 looks almost clear. It is good for states that require at least VLT 70 (combination of tint film and factory tint) on the front side windows, but if you have a problem with different tints on the same car, that is an issue. Fortunately, in my state they allow 35 VLT on all windows (except windshield) so not a problem for me. You might ask your installer if they have 50-60 VLT for the rear glass that matches the color tone of Air Blue 80 on the side windows, and that might look OK.

 

[Ambush]

Sorry Mark_888 did not mean to go around the block. Your explanations are very good. Thank you!
Also something else to help click here

I don't believe you are correct about nano being a code name for dyed. I asked for something to back up your explanation , and you just repeated your understanding without providing a link or something.

Nano just means small. Look it up in a dictionary. So nano-ceramic just means that the tint film is made from very small ceramic particles in the film (no dyes). There are some nano-carbon/ceramic hybrid films that are not 100% ceramic (part carbon and part ceramic), but the word "nano" does not mean dyed.

Formula One Pinnacle and Huper Optik are often described as a nano-ceramic tint film, and they have no dyes.

Here is one explanation of where nano-ceramic and ceramic is used interchangeably:
Ceramic Window Tint

Here is a site that describes Huper Optik as nano-ceramic:
(Hüper Optik researchers developed an advancement in high performance coatings through Nano Ceramic Coating technology.
Nano Ceramic Coating | All Pro Window Tinting

Pure carbon films have no ceramic, but have carbon particles in the film that are better against fading than the old dyed films if one want to darken the tint without providing much in the way of reflecting solar energy. There are some hybrid carbon-ceramic films for those who want a very dark tint, but still want the solar energy reflection of ceramic.

Metalized films are considered "high performance" because they reject a lot of heat (usually even more than ceramic), but they are more reflective (more mirror-like from the outside) which is not desirable, and metalized film "can" restrict radio, wifi, cell phone, etc transmissions. They are not used much anymore for high end auto installations or for commercial-residential building windows.

 

[PMCErnie]

Air Blue 80 tint is (wait for it)...light blue. It not clear.

 

[Ambush]

Air Blue 80 tint is (wait for it)...light blue. It not clear.

LOL!
I love this board. You really cant see it the "blue". It is so light. It is like at certain angles like on my pic if there is a slight overcast you can see a faint blue that looks factory.
I did not mean to open that can of beer I was just so excited and want to share with my Genny family. Sorry about that.

 

[PMCErnie]

It's a faint blue. I've got 5 windows with it. Looks great, though.