25% 3M Ceramic IR tint is a decent match to factory rear window tint

[loki]

I did 3M crystalline. 20 fronts, 50 back, 70 windshield. $275, $275, $925. A LOT less hot in the car. The privacy is nice too. Was getting fishbowl syndrome.

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[BengalBoy]

Great informational post! Thanks for sharing.

 

[sylvius]

I've been Tinting windows on cars for a daily gig for 35+ years. It's funny this guy posts that 35% is a decent match to the rear. It's DECENT at best. So the rear factory privacy glass meters at 23/24%. The front doors is 72% green glass. If you want the closest match you will need to go to each manufacturers website and look at the "off the roll" % number. Some companies films are called what they are like 32% and some are called 30% but off the roll may be 33%. In Florida here the legal limit for the two front doors is 28% but there is a 3% meter tolerance so they can net down to 25% without getting a ticket. I put 30% on front doors and they are usually 4-5% lighter than the rear. If you put 20% on the fronts, they will meter at about 17% which is about 5% darker than the rear which looks terrible. I just did a Cybertruck last week with 30% and the customer was extremely happy with the match

That CT does look great. I am new to tinting and saw that in PA, front windows have to be 70% VLT. Is it safe to assume the 30% you used on that CT would be more tint than allowed in PA? I was surprised to look it up and see the windshield and front side windows are the same 70% in PA when like half the cars you see on the highway have pretty blacked out front side windows. I am not interested in tint, just in some privacy given what I’m hearing about how much attention the CT gets.

 

[trth20]

After obsessing about tint choice and finding only a few good photos and videos, maybe this will help some.

Went with 3M ceramic IR 25 on the fronts yesterday. Last minute change from the Crystalline 20, which I was worried would be too dark... Anyway, I'm happy. Wanted a close match to the rears, and not quite so dark I'm getting hassled by the cops. Shapes and movement are visible, but no features. Planning crystalline 70 on the windshield, but needed to special order the material and come back.

$200 fronts, $700 windshield, CA bay area.

Appreciate you sharing! They always seem to push to tint over the factory tint. Did you consider that for the rear?

 

[RollingRefrigerator]

Appreciate you sharing! They always seem to push to tint over the factory tint. Did you consider that for the rear?

Not really. It's pretty dark but I'm not a limo tint guy. I guess if it was free I'd do it at 50%. But not worth it if you ask me.

 

[loki]

Not really. It's pretty dark but I'm not a limo tint guy. I guess if it was free I'd do it at 50%. But not worth it if you ask me.

I did 50 to get closer to the 20 in front. The tinter also says factory is usually just dye and not heat shielding tint.

 

[bdmridgeback]

That CT does look great. I am new to tinting and saw that in PA, front windows have to be 70% VLT. Is it safe to assume the 30% you used on that CT would be more tint than allowed in PA? I was surprised to look it up and see the windshield and front side windows are the same 70% in PA when like half the cars you see on the highway have pretty blacked out front side windows. I am not interested in tint, just in some privacy given what I’m hearing about how much attention the CT gets.

The factory front doors are 70% so anything you apply will be illegal by law in PA.

 

[Carmino]

I've been Tinting windows on cars for a daily gig for 35+ years. It's funny this guy posts that 35% is a decent match to the rear. It's DECENT at best. So the rear factory privacy glass meters at 23/24%. The front doors is 72% green glass. If you want the closest match you will need to go to each manufacturers website and look at the "off the roll" % number. Some companies films are called what they are like 32% and some are called 30% but off the roll may be 33%. In Florida here the legal limit for the two front doors is 28% but there is a 3% meter tolerance so they can net down to 25% without getting a ticket. I put 30% on front doors and they are usually 4-5% lighter than the rear. If you put 20% on the fronts, they will meter at about 17% which is about 5% darker than the rear which looks terrible. I just did a Cybertruck last week with 30% and the customer was extremely happy with the match

Looks great! Think I'll do 30% on the fronts as well. Either Stratos or Photosync IRD.

 

[Gigahorse]

I've been Tinting windows on cars for a daily gig for 35+ years. It's funny this guy posts that 35% is a decent match to the rear. It's DECENT at best. So the rear factory privacy glass meters at 23/24%. The front doors is 72% green glass. If you want the closest match you will need to go to each manufacturers website and look at the "off the roll" % number. Some companies films are called what they are like 32% and some are called 30% but off the roll may be 33%. In Florida here the legal limit for the two front doors is 28% but there is a 3% meter tolerance so they can net down to 25% without getting a ticket. I put 30% on front doors and they are usually 4-5% lighter than the rear. If you put 20% on the fronts, they will meter at about 17% which is about 5% darker than the rear which looks terrible. I just did a Cybertruck last week with 30% and the customer was extremely happy with the match

If the manufacturer does not list the "off the roll number" is it possible for someone that tints to meter it to get a good match?

You mentioned you have been doing this for a long time, quotes for windows and windshield range from $700 to like $2800 can you give us a decent average price for a quality film on both front windows and windshield.

 

[bdmridgeback]

I charge $200 for the front pair doors and front quarter windows in 85% heat rejection ceramic film lifetime warranty. The windshields I don't do because I don't stock 60" film just for 2 models of cars made that use it when windshields are illegal anyway. Besides, the CT has high heat rejection laminate in the glass and there is no gain by putting ceramic film on it other than privacy. If I did do them I wouldn't be charging $700 to do one. I get $180-200 for ceramic on a standard windshield that fits a 40" roll. So an extra 10 sq ft would be at about $500-600 in a high end ceramic film. Any shop getting over $800 even in a area that has no competition in the area is just robbing people. I've been tinting cars daily for 35 years and I charge my worth and like to make money but a CT windshield for over $800 is robbery. I have shrunk and installed much bigger windshields in million $ RVs and they are only worth $1000-1200.

 

[Speedr]

I've been Tinting windows on cars for a daily gig for 35+ years. It's funny this guy posts that 35% is a decent match to the rear. It's DECENT at best. So the rear factory privacy glass meters at 23/24%. The front doors is 72% green glass. If you want the closest match you will need to go to each manufacturers website and look at the "off the roll" % number. Some companies films are called what they are like 32% and some are called 30% but off the roll may be 33%. In Florida here the legal limit for the two front doors is 28% but there is a 3% meter tolerance so they can net down to 25% without getting a ticket. I put 30% on front doors and they are usually 4-5% lighter than the rear. If you put 20% on the fronts, they will meter at about 17% which is about 5% darker than the rear which looks terrible. I just did a Cybertruck last week with 30% and the customer was extremely happy with the match

Just to confirm, I saw the tint meter on the back windows yesterday when I got my fronts tinted: 24.2%.

BTW, they had 60 inch rolls of tint (for the front CT's windshield). They said the other car that needs the 60 inch rolls is the Porsche Taycan for their roof.

 

[petercyber]

After obsessing about tint choice and finding only a few good photos and videos, maybe this will help some.

Went with 3M ceramic IR 25 on the fronts yesterday. Last minute change from the Crystalline 20, which I was worried would be too dark... Anyway, I'm happy. Wanted a close match to the rears, and not quite so dark I'm getting hassled by the cops. Shapes and movement are visible, but no features. Planning crystalline 70 on the windshield, but needed to special order the material and come back.

$200 fronts, $700 windshield, CA bay area.

Looks awesome, can you please share the shop information? I'm in the BA as well and planning to tint my CB. Thank you

 

[rb92gt]

Looks great. If you put a meter up to side windows the front will actually be darker than the rear, but the huge front windshield makes it appear lighter from outside. My tint guy convinced me to go with 20% on front side windows

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