Observations: Window Tint and Clear Bra

[Jack B]

I had the windows tinted and the 3M protective film applied, I just picked up the car and here are the details:

1. Window Tint: this is the most interesting part. They did the sides at 50%, that is the Ohio allowed max. The rear glass was done at 25%, there is no restriction on the back glass in Ohio, I could have gone even darker. I thought that the tint would look better, however, I never thought it would change the whole look of the car. I do not know why, however, the car seems to look lower and sleeker. Again, I do not know why it has such a visual impact.

I used a company called Tint Pro, if you are from Ohio, do a Google, the positive comments on multiple forums speaks for itself. He told me that the back glass is hard to do because of the ceramic dots in the top of the glass. Most tint shops will go up to the dots, but, not over them. In this case he took the tint all the way to the top and it turned out perfect.


2. 3M Protective Film: I am a little confused on the film. Some Gen 5 cars have been done and the cost has been over $3,000. In my case the total cost for the the tint and the film was $1,000. The 3M film is cut to fit, therefore, no using a knife on the car. This tint shop had a software driven cutter, it looks just like a HP plotter, however, it cuts (instead of printing) the film to match the car. The film in the wheelwells even has the cutouts for the screws. They had the Gen 5 pattern and it turned out perfect, it is almost invisible to the eye. The film has a lifetime warranty, they will replace it if it discolors rips or tears and the warranty is covered by 3M, not, the installer.

Lastly, I am still amazed by the difference the window tint made.

[05Commemorative]

Jack, these are the exact two next things for my car as well. couple of questions:

1) pics of the car as interested in the 50% tint on sides. My goal was to blend with the black intake to make look like one piece
2) pics of the rear. I was thinking of not doing the rear for the reasons you mentioned
3) What are all the places the 3M film cover?

[Torquemonster06]

I know exactly what you are talking about when you say it changed the look of the car. My friend has a tint shop and he put HP13 Chacoal tint on my sides and rear. Yes that is 13%. Its dark. I also had him put a "sun visor" across the windshield. It looks great. When he did our 06 GTS Blue coupe, it made a difference in the look. But now on our SSG ACR it POPS. I don't have any good pics yet, Crappy Weather. Heres what I do have.4199 As far as clear Bra goes. I got lucky with ours. Its already had it on about 85% of the car. The clear bra is one of the best investments you could ever put on a car. IMO

[Torquemonster06]

Found one more....

[Jack B]

I will take some pics tomorrow, however, it is tough to appraise the tint in a picture. I had it out today again and the car does have a different look. For some reason it looks lower and smaller.

The rear glass looks like oem, except, darker. There are no tint seams showing in the rear or side. I actually tried to find the a seam in the rear glass and could not.

3M Protective Film:
1. Entire front bumper.
2. The first 18" of the hood, there is an option for the whole hood.
3. The hood scoop.
4. The complete sill(s), that includes all the way to hood in the front. By the door, it wraps up into the car to protect from kicking the sill.
5. Mirrors.
6. The gills (the painted area behind the upper sill)
7. The inside lip of all the wheel wells.
8. The lower rear fender area.
9. The bottom 3" of the door.

I saw another post warning about the corsa tires, he was right, if you have the corsas, you will be shocked when you look close at your sills from ground level. They are a great tire, but, they sand blast the first 18" of the sills and the inside lip of the front fender.


Jack, these are the exact two next things for my car as well. couple of questions:

1) pics of the car as interested in the 50% tint on sides. My goal was to blend with the black intake to make look like one piece
2) pics of the rear. I was thinking of not doing the rear for the reasons you mentioned
3) What are all the places the 3M film cover?

[Jack B]

Here is a side shot, I will get a rear pic when the rain stops.

4206




Jack, these are the exact two next things for my car as well. couple of questions:

1) pics of the car as interested in the 50% tint on sides. My goal was to blend with the black intake to make look like one piece
2) pics of the rear. I was thinking of not doing the rear for the reasons you mentioned
3) What are all the places the 3M film cover?

[Steve M]

I'm guessing mine is 25% all around, including a 5-inch strip across the windshield (never taken a meter to it though). The car was purchased from Oklahoma, and their tint law is 25%, hence my guess. It really does look nice, but seeing out of the side windows at night is NOT fun (I usually have to roll them down if I'm at an unlit intersection). I'm just waiting to get pulled over for the side tint since I have to abide by Ohio rules too...so far, so good though. Picture for reference:

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn227/meentss02/IMG_1294_zps01e5f8eb.jpg

[Jack B]

That looks like 15% to 25%. "Limo" tint is 15%. The 50% on my side windows does very little to impact vision, but, sure looks a lot darker from any angle except head on. You can still see through the 25% on the rear glass when you look from the rear to the front. My installer said that most police departments in Northern Ohio do have a light meter.



I'm guessing mine is 25% all around, including a 5-inch strip across the windshield (never taken a meter to it though). The car was purchased from Oklahoma, and their tint law is 25%, hence my guess. It really does look nice, but seeing out of the side windows at night is NOT fun (I usually have to roll them down if I'm at an unlit intersection). I'm just waiting to get pulled over for the side tint since I have to abide by Ohio rules too...so far, so good though. Picture for reference:

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn227/meentss02/IMG_1294_zps01e5f8eb.jpg

[ACRucrazy]

Also note glass as a tint to it when its OEM, so applying 50% film for example will meter out less than 50%.
Interior color and light transmission through windshield and hatch will affect how the side windows "look" A red or tan interior will look lighter than a black interior of course, and having a dark hatch will help too with the 50% side film.

[Jack B]

They ended up at 50% - that should be obvious.


Also note glass as a tint to it when its OEM, so applying 50% film for example will meter out less than 50%.
Interior color and light transmission through windshield and hatch will affect how the side windows "look" A red or tan interior will look lighter than a black interior of course, and having a dark hatch will help too with the 50% side film.

[ViperSmith]

Manufacture tint is like 2-3%. When the cop tested mine it was 48%

[ACRucrazy]

They ended up at 50% - that should be obvious.

Which would mean the film applied would be above 50%.
It's not always obvious as many people are not aware factory glass has a tint to it and applying a 50% tint will meter less than 50% light transmission.


Manufacture tint is like 2-3%. When the cop tested mine it was 48%

2-3% light transmission would be black out limo tint. Yes OEM glass varies on light transmission, but just to clarify a 2-3% would be dark.

[ViperSmith]

Which would mean the film applied would be above 50%.
It's not always obvious as many people are not aware factory glass has a tint to it and applying a 50% tint will meter less than 50% light transmission.



2-3% light transmission would be black out limo tint. Yes OEM glass varies on light transmission, but just to clarify a 2-3% would be dark.

derp on my end, i meant only blocking 2% out, ie 98%

[Jack B]

This is the largest tint shop in our area, his "Limo" tint is 15%. He also thought the factory side windows were 85%.



Which would mean the film applied would be above 50%.
It's not always obvious as many people are not aware factory glass has a tint to it and applying a 50% tint will meter less than 50% light transmission.



2-3% light transmission would be black out limo tint. Yes OEM glass varies on light transmission, but just to clarify a 2-3% would be dark.