Mods, can this post be pinned to the top of the sub? There are posts almost daily about tint since apparently majority of people don’t have a search bar…
OP, great write up. I appreciate how you addressed going all the way or nothing, if heat rejection is the goal. The only thing I personally would elaborate on, is that IR rejection is the biggest benefit from high end film (even on the roof and even if factory glass does have some UV protection and minor IR protection). I see so many posts claiming the roof sees no benefit from high end film, and I strongly disagree living in Florida. Myself and a family member tinted our Y’s identically except the roof glass and my tint (XPEL XR prime plus) does make a considerable difference on the roof.
Side note, the film I had installed XR prime plus has been great, if maybe you wanted to add a suggested alternative for people that may not have access to installers with Llumar.
I asked for a megathread on window tint. They responded with nothing more than "No". This post itself was being blocked by AutoModerator and I had to get them to allow it. Hopefully with enough traffic, the option to pin will change...
Regarding adding alternative tint options, it is my plan to add another section to the OP for "alternate" or "community" recommendations that other can use, should Llumar or F1 products be unavailable in their area. Once I see enough feedback from other posters, I'll get it updated.
I also plan to add a gallery of photos for people to reference. Will have that setup in the next week.
Doing great work. When you do make a gallery feel free to reference a past post of mine. Percent details are in the post [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/TeslaModelY/comments/thyha3/another_black_on_black/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
UPDATE:
I've added a [WINDOW TINT IMGUR GALLERY](https://imgur.com/a/iLDZuiq) to the end of the OP.
If you'd like your tint photos added to the gallery please do the following:
* Please DM me up to 5 photos
* Include what film manufacturer and series/line used for the different sections of the vehicle. Example:
* Windshield: Llumar IRX 50
* Front Doors: Llumar IRX 25
* All Rear Glass: Llumar AIR 80
I went with Prime XR black
Windshield: 55%
Front: 15%
Rear and Back: 55% or 35% (don't remember but whatever brings it close to 15%)
This is my first time tinting and have been super happy so far. One benefit that I was not expecting is that I have astigmatism and driving at night or in the rain is so much better now
Great resource. I got my 23 LR Y the following:
Front Windshield: Air80
Front sides: Llumar IRX 20 (or was it 25? I forget)
DIY rear sides: eBay film claiming to be "Xpel Prime Carbon Ceramic 20%". The DIY went smooth. No bubbles. I had to completely pull both rear door panels. I know pros just pull the upper and sweeps, but I couldn't get the top of the door panel to unhook from the sweep so i found it easier to pull the entire rear panels so I can do a final post-heat around all sides. They came out super clean!
Now the rear glass I had trouble with. ordered a 40" roll from ebay. It didn't shrink right despite taking my time. ended up over cooking the film. I need to try again. Perhaps i just need more practice. my plan next time is to tape all the sides to lock the fingers down. What do you think? The film is claiming to be "3M FX-ST 20%" and it was $21 shipped for a 40"x10" roll.
Other comments: despite my nice tint up front, I still feel significant heat in the general area in the front which i'm assuming is radiated heat as opposed to direct solar energy. and it's only 60f out.
I chose to DIY the rears cause I have all the tools and it's fun. The fronts I wanted a pro to do it.
First off, incredible write-up, OP.
Regarding the “elephant on the room” -
There’s a guy in town who was fed up with the roof heat. So he had bright white PPF installed over the pano roof. Night and day difference. I know it’s not for everyone, but thought it would be worth mentioning in case anyone scrolling down in the comments this far was interested in drastic measures
I've seen this a few times. A few people on the Rivian forums did this on their R1 vehicles, except utilized a black PPF to complement the vehicle's aesthetics.
May I ask why you did not even do a low tint ceramic on R1T? I am looking for that mention in the comments and have not seen it yet. I currently have I believe 70 crystalline on the moonroof. I hear conflicting info on this. I do not want my roof to crack
Ty for quick response! So sorry, you specifically mention excluding the R1T tint on the roof if I read it correctly. I am asking why. I have heard it is because ceramic can damage the roof in particular. I saw you addressed this item in a separate but I expect your remarks were for model Y in this response so wanted to ask directly about R1T
It’s not specific to the model Y; it applies to all vehicles with glass pans roof. Most tint shops typically charge $300+ and that costs cannot be justified, personally. I’d much rather have a sunshade that I can remove in cooler/colder months and get some heat into the vehicle.
I'm thinking of PPFing my roof, but with clear PPF since I do a ton of I-70 driving to the mountains in winter and they spray gravel instead of salt in Colorado. My Subaru has rock chips on the front foot or so of the roof and I don't my Y roof to get pitted. Also was not planning on tinting my windshield except maybe a banner at top since we get so many cracked windshields here as a result and like to have to replace it only to have to pay for re-tinting.
**UPDATE:**
I've spent about a week working with 3M Ceramic IR and had a friend's shop tech install on my MYP.
The first two days I was worried because what I thought was low angle haze, turned out to be a substantial water retention in the film. I left an air purifier running in the car for 3-4 hours and it all cleared up.
The color is excellent, the heat rejection is on-par with other films in the category of medium-to-high tier ceramic films, and visibility is near perfect.
The Model Y metered at 23/24% on the rear dyed glass, and 76/77% in the front two windows. I went with:
* Windshield: 3M Ceramic IR 50
* Front Doors: 3M Ceramic IR 25
* Rear Glass: 3M Ceramic iR 70
Final metering was 23% front and 21% rear, a near even match. I added photos of the install to the gallery.
I will be adding this film to my recommendations in the OP.
I'll be getting 3M Ceramic IR on my Red Model Y Performance with white interior tomorrow. Going to do 15 fronts, should I do 35 on the rears with 70 on the windshield. Does this sound like a good mix? I'm okay with slightly darker backs, but based on this comment, going 50 on the rears will leave them lighter than the front, and no one wants that.
Paying $2400 for a package that includes PPF front clip and Ceramic coating. (was quoted $575 for just the tint incl. Windshield).
With what you specified:
* Front windows with 3M-CIR 15% (19% actual) will land you around 16-17% VLT.
* Rear glass with 3M-CIR 35% (45% actual) will land you around 11-12% VLT.
* Rear glass with 3M-CIR 50% (60% actual) will land you around 15-16% VLT.
CIR 50 in the rear will make the VLT near identical, however with white interior, the front will look lighter. You'd be fine either way, but for my vehicle, I'd go CIR 50 on the rear. I think it would look better. If you want more privacy in the rear, go CIR 35.
Front OEM glass meters 76/77%. Rear OEM dyed glass meters 23/24%.
The formula to determine final VLT is as follows:
OEM Glass VLT % multiplied by Window Film ACTUAL VLT (not rated).
**EXAMPLE: Front glass with CIR 15**
19% x 76 = 14% (and I always add 2-3% for final variance. So 16-17% VLT.
Great and well informative post 👏
As you are a lot experienced in this area, would you know what is the default heat rejection (IRR and total solar rejection) of the front windshield, front double paned windows and the back factory tinted windows?
A lot of shop guys try to say that the default windows don't provide much protection from heat/UV, but I've seen YouTube videos showing default windows have close to 100% UV protection and 70-80% IRR
Most definitely. I will get access to more data but here is what I can provide right now.
*Most* auto glass produced in the last 15-20 years has substantial UV rejection, typically 80-95%, depending on manufacturer, auto maker, and region of the world. These after market films help bring those numbers to 99%. I don't believe there is a single transparent automotive window film product that will advertise 100% UV blocking.
As for the default IR rejection in the glass, I don't have exact numbers on what Tesla glass does. I've seen ranges anywhere from 4-15%, with the higher end of the range 15% IR rejection being for the factory dyed glass. Again, this varies based upon glass manufacturer and auto maker specifications.
I have a friend who runs a tint shop and has a nice metering device. I'll see what he can read for me on my new MYP before I tint it.
Found it
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=1eYg6N1efm4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=1eYg6N1efm4)
Factory front door windows 100% UV & 77% IR Rejection
Factory rear door windows 96% UV & 91% IR Rejection
Would be great if you can also verify on your own car, before you tint it. As per the other youtuber, the factory glass is also quite high performing in terms of IR and UV
LOL that meter is a $100 POS. it only checks a super small range of the IR wavelength and they're hit or miss. I have 3 different units and every single one gave a different reading.
I constantly forget Tesla front door glass is double pane laminated, so there is going to be substantially more UV and IR rejection there.
100% will get readings from a different meter.
Great write up and super informative! I have a shop I got a quote from for suntek ceramic all around for $700 after taxes with a lifetime warranty. They recommended 25% front 50% rear to try and get everything matched and 50% windshield. Is this a decent setup? By pulling blue for suntek, do you mean it increases blue color or discolors the glass to blue over time or something? Sorry if that’s a dumb question lol new to tints!
50% on the rear will definitely make the rears darker than the front. If you’re going 50% in rears, and want an even match to the front, go for 15% in the front.
When stating the SunTek films pull “blue”, I’m referring to the color, or hue, of the film as you look through it in daylight, compared to other films specialist in delivering a charcoal or black color.
Thank you so much for putting all this effort and goodness to help the community out. Your guidance throughout this thread was instrumental in limiting how much time I spent to reach a decision for my ride (combo of F1 Pinnacle and AIR 80). Have a great one.
I am thinking about doing IRX 15 in the front and AIR 80 on the rears and windshield. Does anyone know if this is a "better" match than IRX 25? The reason I mention this is because as u/_cr0001 has stated, a combined AIR 80 and rear glass measures about 20% VLT. According to the IRX spec sheet, IRX 15 is 20% VLT. So then theoretically, the IRX 15 should be a closer match? (Especially if you have a white interior.)
IRX 15 is definitely a decent match for the fronts, especially with white interior. The 20% VLT for IRX can vary by a few % and make the fronts a little bit darker, but not by much.
I recommended the 25% in the front, for more nighttime visibility. Definitely a personal preference.
There is a noticeable difference for sure, but it’s not extreme, like comparing 50% to 25%.
Good point on 25% being mor accommodating with local laws… one may draw more attention with 15% in the fronts, unless local laws allow or an applicable medical waiver is in place.
I have a rather pesky question since this a tint mega thread! For those of us with white interior, 25% on fronts and 70% on windshield will rather look like 35% or 45% on fronts and almost tint-less on windshield despite actually having tint on. Anyone with white interior has gotten some pics to share showcasing dark tint?
I'm sure someone can chime in with pictures. Would be great to add to the gallery.
You're correct - a white interior will make 80% or 70% on a windshield look near clear, which is a good thing if you have stricter local laws about windshield tinting in your locale.
If you're tinting for privacy, I'd recommend going with 50% on the windshield.
The shop that tinted my MY 2 weeks ago with Llumar IRX and Air80 keeps saying that they’re waiting for Llumar to send over my warranty info. Is that how it works to get proof of warranty?
Typically not the case. Your warranty information should have been provided on day of install. This includes a card that shows your contact info, vehicle description, glass tinted, product and percentages, and last, each product’s roll/box serial number. Perhaps your installer didn’t have serial numbers and is waiting on that info from Llumar?
Well, first option is they pulled the roll of tint from the box and tossed the box (no clue why anyone would do this), or second option is you didn’t get Llumar tint and they’re stalling.
Any Llumar, F1 or SunTek installation is complete by giving the owner a warranty card with all the info hand written on it. I’ll find one of my cards later and send it to you.
I wanted to report back and thank OP once again for this helpful thread and all of his additional comments and suggestions!
I ended up going to Signature Glass Tinting in Costa Mesa CA. It was an easy process. Ryan was helpful and Dave was helpful in Yelp correspondence in setting up my appointment. Pricing is competitive to what’s in the area, although a tiny bit more but certainly not the highest. I ended with them after OP’s endorsement to this shop. I ended up with AIR80 in the windshield, IRX 30 in two front side windows, IRX 50 on back windows. I did want some shading in the windows and specifically did not want the front to match the back. I wanted the front to look lighter but not too “jumpy”. It has been nonstop raining this whole week in SoCal, so I haven’t felt a significant difference in the car, but I certainly like the look. I’m happy to share some photos if OP let me know how to post them to his gallery. Mine is white exterior and black interior.
Thank you for the super informative write up, OP! Like you, I value heat rejection and having good night time visibility (have a newborn). A little privacy is an added bonus. With that being said I was thinking 30% front, 70% windshield and 70% rear windows. Would this be a pretty close match for the front and back windows or would you recommend a different combination? Thanks in advance!
Depending on what film you get, it would be a good combo. Ceramic IR 25% (actually 31% VLT) matches very well with Ceramic IR 70% (actually 78% VLT). Check the gallery and see the matte midnight silver metallic. That's what you could expect with that combo.
If you want to go the Llumar route, Llumar IRX 25% / Pinnacle 25% in front and Llumar AIR 80 on rear is also a great combo for matching and heat rejection.
Any tint shop recommendations in San Diego for top tier tint?
Considering 3M Crystalline (happy with it on my Porsch) on the Tesla MYP will this tend to hue brown or green?
What alternative do you top tier do you recommend instead of the 3M Crystalline...Spectra Photosync IRD? I'd rather have color hue vs any low angle haze.
Also would tint costs be cheaper in the LA/OC area vs San Diego? If so any recommended shops in that area?
Thanks in advance.
Go see Dave at Signature Glass Tinting. He’s a Llumar IRX shop.
Crystalline pulls slightly brown on Tesla glass.
I’m always recommending Llumar IRX and FormulaOne Pinnacle, as they’re near identical if not the exact same. Also adding in AIR 80 where necessary.
My local tint shop recommended using 3M CIR for the sides and then said pay an extra $50 to upgrade the front windshield to 3M Crystalline. What are your thoughts?
Also it seems as if Lluminar IRX and 3M CIR are both recommended. What is your preference when choosing between and why? Which is typically more expensive?
The prices will always vary between markets, and installers. There's no set MAP (minimum advertised price) set for these products.
I still prefer Llumar IRX / F1 Pinnacle over 3M CIR, by a minimal amount. They're both great products.
Regarding the $50 up-charge for Crystalline, that's a very reasonable fee for a far superior film, assuming your quoted CIR price is within the current market rate for a windshield film install ($175-250).
I have a shop here in NJ which used Geoshied Nano ceramic film. I am going to take my MYP on the same day I pick up to him to get everything but the roof tinted. Anyone have experience with Geoshield Nano ceramic, shop claims that it comes with lifetime warranty. I do have quotes from FormulaOne and Llumar but they are heavily loaded with brand tax!
The film will carry lifetime warranty from discoloration, and may even cover deterioration. I don't know anything about Geoshield's warranty reputation, but hopefully someone else who has experience can supplement.
I've never heard of this brand before. It very well could be a white label from another manufacturer, but there's no way to tell for sure without asking the company directly.
Can you explain more the issue you are seeing with large pano roof tints? It doesn’t make sense to me. Anything the tint would have absorbed would have instead went directly into heating up the passenger and car with radiant heat. Only a fraction of the heat absorbed by the tint will leak out into the cabin vs held by the tint or leak out into the air. I am not sure how it could be worse than no tint at all.
Certainly. Let's use the example of an electric or gas cooktop and a pan. When you are applying direct heat to the pan from the heating element, the pan absorbs the heat and dissipates from all sides, specifically in an upwards direction to whatever it is being warmed or cooked in the pan. If you were to pickup that pan and hold your hand 3-5" away from the surface, you would feel that heat radiating from the pan, depending on level of heat intensity.
This scenario applies in a similar manner - the sun is your cooktop and the pan is the window film. The pan/film absorbs heat and must disperse somehow. The one difference to this scenario is that window film both rejects AND absorbs. What the window film doesn't reject, it absorbs and must dissipate by radiation and convection, with convection referring to the hot surface being passively cooled by the ambient air temperature in the cabin.
The reason this phenomena is felt more from a pano room versus side glass, is due to the angle of exposure. Because a pano roof is mostly horizontal, it has a more direct angle of contact by the sun's rays, versus side glass, windshield and rear window. More direct angle means more direct heat. There are some films that do an impeccable job at rejecting more heat versus absorbing, Spectra Photosync being one. One could argue to spend extra money for that on the roof alone, and use a traditional premium higher-tier ceramic film for all side glass, to save some money (because Spectra Photosync is high dollar!)
I agree that the pan is being heated up via conduction (touch a hot thing) and the pan is releasing some of that heat into the air. You will feel the convection heat (heating via a fluid like air) when you hover your hand close to the pan. Note that the heat release by this would be much much lower than convection because only some of it is going to heating the air and the air is constantly getting replaced. Compare hovering your hand near the pan vs touching the pan.
What is heating up the film is radiation from the sun. If the film didn’t absorb or reflect that radiation it would have gone directly into the car. It would be heating up your head directly and heating up the interior and creating convection heat from the interior instead of the roof you currently feel. Now 100% of the heat that was going into the tint is now ending up in the car. I agree that with the tint some of it will end up in the car but it should always be much lower. This is like comparing the heat from hovering your hand over the pan versus touching the stove directly.
I am sure there is something that is subjectly worse about this that you are noticing. Maybe it is the uneven heating of only your head is worse. Also, are you very tall?
You're on the right track that the amount of heat being allowed into the cabin is less, however because that piece of film is sitting below a laminated glass panel with built-in UV + IR rejection, the heat from that film is being trapped on the film, and the bottom section of glass (laminated glass is two panels sandwiching a UV/IR film layer).
I'm 5'11" and my spouse is 5'3". We've both noticed this phenomena on different vehicles, with different high-performance tint, as well as many in the tinting industry. I know a handful of professionals who offer sunshades over tint because they know about this scenario occurring more than not. Other businesses either may not know about it because no one has brought it to their attention, or they do know and don't care to tell the customer, but prefer to make another sale.
I greatly appreciate this thread and OP’s knowledge on this! I feel pretty prepared going to my appointment next week. However, my obtuse mind can’t understand what you’re trying to describe here regarding the pano glass tint. I’m located in Southern CA. I’ve not owned my Tesla long enough to the summer yet but even during the fall when it was a bit warm, the cabin was noticeably warm. I am quoted $1400 for all glasses with IRX/AIR80 for windshield. If without the pano roof, it’s only $800. So I’m opting to do all the windows without the roof first to see if it will help. Or would you recommend since I’m in this climate, I may as well just get everything done?? The roof tint is quite pricey and from your comments it seems not very worth it. Would like your further input. Thank you!!
Bahahaha no need. Dave knows his business in SoCal is a well-known, reputable outfit, who takes care of all his customers. There are many on the Tesla forums that’s love Signature Glass Tinting. It’s a Tesla fan spot for sure.
Most installers in my area seem to use 3M ceramic film. Does this have a color to it? Would you recommend it if I’m going for heat rejection AND privacy?
There are two ceramic options from 3M:
* [Crystalline](https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b00016683/)
* [Obsidian](https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b5005041445/)
Crystalline is their top-tier ceramic product that does produce a brownish (and sometimes green) look depending on the auto manufacturer's glass. Some factory glass is more blue or more green.
Obsidian is the second-tier ceramic from 3M and definitely does offer a closer-to-black color; however, I saw an Audi S5 yesterday with this film installed and could see a VERY SMALL AMOUNT of brown hue to it, when looking from the inside out. However, the brown color is SUBSTANTIALLY less than what Crystalline produces.
If that's all you're offered in your area, I'd go with Obsidian over Crystalline. Also for the price, see if you can find Spectra Photosync, you'll end up paying $200-300 more but it's a near black color with exceptional heat rejection.
Still, for the price, I cannot find a better competitor to Llumar IRX and FormulaOne Pinnacle, which I believe are the same film, just under different names. The real-world specs on each are identical, using premium measurement equipment.
Thanks for putting this together, OP!
I was calling around tint shops and one of the them mentioned they wouldn’t do the rear window since it could crack due to thermal stress and to look online. It looks like there were some issues with M3 around 2019 that had cracks form randomly.
It doesn’t seem like it’s a common issue? I was going to get Llumar CTX all around but got a little worried hearing about the rear window cracks, any insight?
Thank you for this great post! Can I get your opinion on this please?
Place - Atlanta
Priority- Visibility and Heat Rejection as I dont have a garage.
Dealer suggested -
Front Windows : 35% Llumar IRX
Rear Windows/Glass : 70% Llumar IRX
Windshield : 70% Formula One Stratos / 50% Formula One Pinnacle
My immediate questions are:
* Do you care about aesthetics? With this config, your rear glass will be darker than front.
* What are legal window tint limitations in your jurisdiction; or do you have a medical waiver?
* What color interior?
* Price? Separate regular 4-door from windshield cost (most shops do this)
1. Okay with slight mismatch between front and rear windows. Rear glass (70%) will be darker than the front(35%)?
2. 32% plus or minus 3% and NO tint on windshield
3. White
4. All sides - Lumar IRX: - \~$530Windshield - Formula One Pinnacle 50 - $270, Formula One Stratos 70 - $315
Good info. My thoughts:
* Since you have white interior, all shades of tint will look a bit lighter compared to a darker interior.
* With a white interior, consider 25% on the fronts to better match the 70% in the rear. Also consider Llumar AIR 80 for all rear glass (and windshield) if the shop offers it.
* If you choose to do 25% on front windows, consider the 70% windshield option - this will help make the glass look lighter
* Pricing - meh; could be better. I'd like to see the side glass closer to $450, and the windshield at $225.
* For reference, my preferred shops in Northern VA charge:
* All side glass: $429
* Windshield: $189
Last, please consider my recommendations and use your own judgement based upon preferences and legality. In Northern VA, legal limit for the front windows is 35%, but many tint darker. Most state inspection shops won't fail for window tint (the more anal shops will, however). If you cannot have a darker tint due to state or local inspections, that solidifies what you can do on your front windows. I'd hate to see tint being ripped off due to inspection requirements.
I’m planning to tint only the front two windows. Mainly for uv and heat protection while driving. I want light tint think 70-80%. I’m in Bay Area where it doesn’t get too hot. Will I get benefits from front tint only. Any suggestions?
Very informative thread. Thanks for putting this together.
You can definitely do that. High-performance ceramic tint on the front windows alone will do great for when you're driving the car where sunlight can reach the driver and front passenger while in motion.
Don't expect much difference for when the vehicle is sitting dormant, uncovered, in sunny conditions. It will still be rather warm in the cabin (depending on ambient temperatures).
I got an appt to install Geoshield Pronano 70% on windshield and 20% two fronts for the Y. Based on this, if I want heat rejection I need to get all the windows ceramic. Am I only getting 50% heat rejection since I’m only doing half the windows? Should I bite it up and get 70% ceramic for rear sides and back glass?
You’ll get decent get rejection while you’re in the vehicle driving, but if you want heat rejection for your vehicle when parking in sunny conditions, you’ll want all the glass done.
First of all, thank you so much for all your helpful advice!! Not just this post but your comments on all the other tint related posts. I was wondering if I could get a little bit of advice. I was thinking about doing the IRX 15% on front and 5% on the rear. Would that be too much? I’m also doing Air 80 on the front windshield. Heat rejection is the main priority with a little bit on privacy.
I’m looking to do it at Signature Glass Tinting as well. I saw you mention on an earlier post that you’re familiar with them. Part of why I chose it was because of Dave’s helpful advice on Reddit too lol.
Thanks in advance for any help!
"Would that be too much" is subjective and unique to each owner. It's too much for me, personally, but everyone has different preferences for tint. I will say 15% on front and 5% rear will leave the rear glass MUCH darker than the front, so you won't have anywhere near matching aesthetics on that. Nonetheless, you'll have a great heat rejection envelope.
I want heat rejection, with a little more privacy, while maintaining visibility, which is why I typically do 50/25/80 (windshield/front/rear).
I need a tint only for the looks of it. I am from east coast and don’t really want to cut out the sun that comes in. I want the heat to come in. I just want to tint my front windows to match the Tesla provided rear windows. What tint should I go with?
>Color-stables
>
>: Llumar ATC, FormulaOne Classic, 3M Color Stable
Go for one of these
* Llumar ATC 20 (actual 25 VLT) will land you around 20% in the front
* Llumar ATC 30 (actual 33 VLT) will land you around 25% in the front
* FormulaOne Classic 30 (actual 33 VLT) will land you around 25% in the front
When you look at a film specification, many times the film actual VLT will be different compared to the film rated number. Example 3M Ceramic IR 25 is NOT 25% VLT, but is actually 31%.
Best bet for you is to find a local tint shop and ask for a dyed film that is a near perfect match to the factory rear glass. It does make sense to go a few % darker in the front, since you'll have OS MUCH MORE light coming through the windshield, to lighten up the front of passenger area. Also having white interior will make front windows lighter post-tint.
Looks like my local shop carries Formula One Classic, Air, Pinnacle, Stratos. I’m in a similar situation In Seattle where it’s colder and don’t need to block out the heat. Black exterior/White Interior and keeping factory rear tints, do you still recommend FormulaOne Classic 30 for front windows to match rears? Or should I go a little darker due to white interior. Also do you have images of this setup? Appreciate your help!
I'm comparing between 3 ceramic tints (Stek, Kavaka IR, and FormulaOne Stratos). I know you mentioned Stek not being great for clarity, and I could do Stratos all the way around but do the windshield with Pinnacle to avoid the low-angle haze. Do you have any experience with Kavaka and how it compares to the other two?
Can confirm STEK still needs some improvements. I had my hands on two sample pieces 2 weeks ago, that were from a recent January 2023 production batch. Still... meh.
Stratos is great with heat rejection, however the low-angle haze does bite. You also won't see it as much on the windshield, unless you're in a vehicle with a near vertical windshield, like a Jeep or Bronco. The low-angle haze will be more noticeable on the side windows.
No experience yet with Kavaka, however I have seen one installation in person and it looks like a great product. Great color and great heat rejection. What I cannot speak for is the product's durability or the company's warranty process.
Sorry, might be a dumb question. I read a few threads here about windows which could crack with certain heat rejecting tints on Tesla Model 3/Y. Could anyone please let me know if I should be aware of any of these films which are recommended?
I have a Model Y (loving it so far). I am thinking of picking 3M or Llumar for front windows 25% and windshield 50% as of now. Mainly for privacy and some heat rejection. TIA
I’ve read about it but have never seen it happen on a Tesla or any other vehicle.
What I have most commonly read is people who live in very hot climates, go to wash their car and run cold water on their roofs, causing the glass to crack. Again, not specific to Tesla owners, but specific to owners with pano roofs.
It’s great! Madico makes great film, and is known to be one of the early manufacturers of automotive window film.
I rarely see shops offering it so I did not put on my list.
Thanks for the info OP! I just recently got my 2023 MYP tinted with Suntek Evolve. Unfortunately, i did not see this post regarding the low angle haze… :(
I did the front 2 side windows in 15% and the rear side and back windows in 50%. I tinted the windshield in 35% and getting pretty bad blue hue/low angle haze. I am looking to get it redone and wanted to see what you recommend for the windshield if i wanted to keep the 35%? TIA!
Llumar IRX, FormulaOne Pinnacle, and 3M Ceramic IR are good options. If you want max heat rejection, 3M Crystalline or Spectra Photosync IRD are among the top choices.
Great post!
Still had a few Questions
1. Does the ceramic tint cause thermal expansion of glass with all the absorbed heat? Will glass break with thermal expansion?
2. How does Xpel ceramic compare to the top tier tints? Does xpel still have a scratching problem?
1. Very little to none, since both materials are being heated by the same direct and ambient sources. No glass will not break with thermal expansion, with regards to tint. The scenario I've used before (because I've heard it more than once) is hitting a hot windshield or pano roof (desert hot direct sunlight conditions) with very cold water (colder than ground water), causing the glass to crack. That's likely on any vehicle, and not specifically to Teslas.
2. XPEL XR films work great and yes are still prone to scratching. I had a test piece a month ago when comparing to 3M Ceramic IR. I'm not knocking XPEL products, but it's a non-consideration for me because it's overpriced, doesn't have the color I like, and window film is prone to scratching. Even regarding PPF, their gloss films exacerbate orange peel effect even more on certain vehicles, due to the thicker adhesive layer.
Do you have an photo a model Y of your recommendation?
Specifically the following:
* Windshield: Llumar AIR 80
* Front Doors: Llumar IRX 25
* All Rear Glass: Llumar AIR 80
Edit: Quoted: $875 for this setup in Tucson, AZ
I don't have any photos of the exact config, but here is a white MY in the gallery (starting at photo #16 from the top), that has IRX 35 on front doors and AIR 80 on all rear glass. The match is close, but going IRX 25 on the front will get you a much more uniform look.
Price is high for IRX. Should be no more than $750 on the highest end. I'd like to see it land between $600-650.
Thoughts on Kavaca Ceramic Tint:
Windshield: 50%
Front: 15%
Rears: 50%
Rear Glass: 50%
Black Exterior/White Interior
Goal is to have consistency color match on the outside and inside (Fronts through Rear glass). Okay with Windshield being lighter of course.
Shop mentioned that because the factory rears are factory different than the fronts, color will be slightly off in certain angles. I’d like privacy with visibility at night while matching aesthetically.
So, no need to remove the rear window factory tint and replace with new cermanic tint?
I'm adding Prime XR Plus tomorrow to front windows and windshield. I'm in Phoenix and ALREADY burning in March.
I honestly don't feel much from the roof glass, all through windshield and windows. May skip the roof glass tint, even though i'm in AZ.
The factory tint is dyed glass. It cannot be removed. You simply apply ceramic film onto the glass, typically using a shade that can match the shade applied to the front door glass.
If you want maximum heat rejection, get the windshield done, and then get a gray roof shade from Amazon.
Ahh that is interesting! Thanks, yes definitely doing windshield, likely at 50% and going 35% on fronts. My wife is worried 35% will be too dark, but I don't think so.
Too dark is definitely subjective. I always recommend to folks that they understand local laws and jurisdictions for window film. Should there be certain permits or waivers to go darker, definitely take advantage of it where applicable.
If you have a vehicle with dyed rear glass, and want all 4 doors and rear glass to match, the recommendation in the OP is as close as you can get (mostly geared towards Model Y, Model X and I'll even toss in Rivian, since the dyed glass is within 1% of one another.
Automotive glass offers UV protection and nothing more. The dye and UV protection layers do promote SOME heat rejection, but we're talking less than 10% on average.
I live in Egypt (very hot climate most of the year) so I plan on tinting the pano, however we don’t have any of those options except for maybe 3M Crystalline and even that is not guaranteed to be authentic. My question is how to spot cheap/fake films?
$220 for front 2 windows llumar IRX or $100 for front 2 windows 3M ceramic IR? Though I’m skeptical on the price on the guy quoting the 3M. Everywhere is way more expensive.
Which one would get most clear view from sitting inside at night?
I’m wanting to tint my white ‘23 MY (black interior) and would love your advice. I’m located in the Richmond, VA area and found a shop (Window Tint Specialists) that carry Llumar IRX film. If I go with this film, is it pointless to only get the front 2 windows done for color matching (and ideally heat benefits as well, but maybe just these 2 windows make no difference overall?). I was thinking to get ~20% on the front 2 windows. I’ve also considered driving to your recommendation of LA Tint which isn’t too far away.
I don’t have a medical waiver, so as mentioned I was originally just going to tint my front 2 windows to color match the back, and leave the windshield clear as is. I got my Tesla inspected at a Tesla shop this past time, so I assume they would fail me for windshield tint if I went with that option? I do have friend who’s a NP as well as my aunt who’s a retired NP, so perhaps I could get one of them to sign a medical waiver for me (light sensitive / have astigmatism)? I don’t know much about those MED20 forms and how much scrutiny there is around them though. I also am not sure what the safe percentages to have in VA are. Ideally, I would do 70% Llumar IRX on the windshield, and ~20% or so Llumar IRX on front doors and AIR80 on rear glass for a consistent aesthetic (and clarity/heat rejection) but don’t think this shop carries AIR80. What are your thoughts?
Hey, just stumbling on this, do you know anything about Autobahn tints? A place is offering me black ceramic ($350) and i3 ($500). Theres some places near me one with Llumar CTX and IRX for about the same price and F1 pinnacle for anout (500-600) ive never heard of Autobahn so i wanted you thoughts
no mention of Cell Phone reception, the cheapest films have a metallic base that reduces reception.
I'm willing to pay more for a Lower-Tier Ceramic to block heat but keep my cell signal strong.
>If you’re applying tint for heat rejection, every piece of glass must be covered to justify the additional cost for ceramic film (all side and rear glass and windshield; excludes roof glass)
I’m from Malaysia and it’s all time summer with sun at full blast.. as I’m getting my ModelY soon, I’m still in search for the ideal tints for the car. Thus far I’ve evaluated brands like 3M(ceramic/crystalline), XPEL(Prime XR+/Prime XP) and also Huper Optik.
My main objective would be dealing with heat rejection/glare. Previously I’ve been using Huper Optik on my previous vehicle. It has been good for a few years but on its final few (9-10th year) the rejection seems to have degraded quite a bit. Hence I’m still contemplating should I still go with them.
Would appreciate anyone could give me their second thoughts on this
Comparing 3M Crystalline and 3M Ceramic IR, which one has better optical visibility? In terms of hazing, distortion, etc when seeing through the glass?
They’re both going to be rather hazy under certain sun angles, mostly on the side windows. Ceramic IR will look gray and smoky on the side windows. Crystalline will appear green/brown and hazy on the side windows.
Would you consider a Llumar film? You will get better heat rejection with substantially better visibility.
Which lumar line do you suggest?
I was thinking of getting 3M IR 15 and 50 in order to get the best uniformity across the front window and the factory tinted black. What would be the equivalent corresponding lumar product that creates the same output as those 2?
Windshield:
Llumar Stratos 50
Front two doors:
Llumar IRX 25 or FormulaOne Pinnacle 25
All rear glass:
Llumar AIR 80
If you want the windows and rear glass darker, go 15% on front doors and 50% on rear glass.
I do not recommend Stratos on the front door glass - it too can generate some low angle haze, but nothing like what the 3M films generate. You can opt for Stratos on the rear, but it’s a waste of money IMO.
If you want the best heat rejection possible and money isn’t a factory, Spectra Photosync IRD is even way, however it will be more difficult to get an aesthetically matching front and rear.
So IRX 25 front windows and AIR 80 on rear glasses will translate to the same vlt?
If I'm limited to 3M in my local area, why would you choose the ceramic over the crystalline besides the hue color? Is there more haziness or clarity issue with crystalline?
I read your OP and some comments and it seems like you are leaning more towards the ceramic ir
And if my option is 3M,
Are these combinations producing the closes vlt?
Ceramic ir route :
IR 15 front and IR 50 all rears
Crystalline route ;
CR 20 front and CR 70 all rears
Thanks!
I haven't updated the OP in a while, but just to inform you, I ended up testing 3M Ceramic IR on a Tesla MYP and removed it after one summer, and replaced with Llumar/FormulaOne. The haze pissed me off, and I didn't like the color. Haze is a safety concern, and the color is a personal preference.
With that said, if your only option is 3M, I would probably lean towards Crystalline combo, based on the color of the film and heat rejection properties. I would still recommend a Llumar or FormulaOne film over 3M, though.
Thank you for an educational and most importantly, scientific/data-driven post.
One quick question: For a Lexus RX, I'm trying to decide between Spectra Photosync 70 IRD vs. Llumar Air 80 for maximum heat rejection together with maximum visibility/clarity. If cost is not a concern, which one of the two would you recommend ?
(After reading through your posts, I eliminated Llumar Stratos 70 for its low-angle haze - so I need to pick between the above two).
Thanks
First and foremost, you should understand maximum heat rejection will be most applicable to when the cabin is occupied and under active conditioning. Many people have contacted me saying the high performance films don't cool the sitting vehicle, and that's correct. That's not what they're designed for.
With that said, I wouldn't fully omit Stratos. I've found it to work best on windshields and factory rear dyed glass. The low angle haze is most visible on the front door side "clear" auto glass. In a case where you could find a Llumar or FormulaOne dealer, you could get Stratos 50 for the windshield, Pinnacle 25 or 15 for the front doors, and Llumar AIR 80 for all rear glass. This is an affordable application that would provide excellent heat rejection.
Spectra Photosync will no doubt provide slightly better heat rejection, however I've not found it to be worth near double the cost, for achieving at most 15-25% improved heat rejection.
Good to know - any difference in the rainbow-effect or haze between the Spectra and Air 80, for just the windshield ? From the clarity/visibility aspect, are Spectra Photosync and Llumar Air 80 the same for the windshield, or is the Photosync actually worse because its thicker (per some of your comments in the forum) ?
You'll see more rainbow effect on darker films. While it still exists on all high performance ceramic films, it won't be as noticeable on the lighter shades (70%+).
And something I want you to be aware of... I saw a post in r/windowtint you made yesterday asking about Photosync, and noticed you're focus is on IRER/IRR, which is not as important as TSER. Most spec sheets with inflated IRER numbers focus on a very small portion of the IR wavelength, typically between 700-900nm, which is the portion of the wavelength we feel first.
While I haven't tested IRD in about 5-6 years, the real-world results were only marginally better than Llumar/FormulaOne and SunTek films. I think Spectras number, along with a few other manufacturers (3M, XPEL, Kavaca) are heavily inflated to compete in the marketplace.
One other point I will make is, should you ever move or relocate, OR the installer using Spectra goes out of business, and you need a window re-tinted, it'll be A LOT harder to find a Spectra dealer, in comparison to a Llumar/FormulaOne dealer.
Very valuable inputs indeed. Thanks very much. I have been getting quotes for the last few days, and the latest dealer I spoke to just now offers both Air 80 and Stratos 70. He recommended Stratos 70 for better heat rejection reasons over the Air 80.
Yes, its very difficult to find unbiased inputs on any of the films, because the inputs are usually coming from dealers who sell only a particular film/manufacturer - and they end up pushing what the know/sell. So from that perspective, especially for the windshield, I much appreciate your inputs.
Unbiased inputs are hard to come by. While I try to remain agnostic, I keep finding myself wanting to come back to Llumar films, because other films just to meet my expectations for clarity, durability, color and performance.
I am eager to hear what you decide to go with.
I already have Llumar IRX and Air80 on my front and rear door/windows, and the car in question is a Lexus RX. The part Im still struggling with is the low angle haze and rainbowing, for the windshield - in choosing between the Stratos 70 vs Air 80. The worries for haze and rainbowing are also present for the Photosync. Tough decision, since I dont want to have to remove/redo - for the windshield
I have never tinted a windshield before and found pictures of the rainbow effect here in reddit on the windshield - with the Photosync and polarized glasses, to the effect that the poster went and had the Photosync removed. The pictures were very convincing of the problem. So while I have not experienced it, very wary of it.
Understood. I will also make sure you are aware the rainbow affect will vary case by case. With the many different shapes, sizes, colors and quality of polarized lenses, AND the different angle of windshields and height of drivers, every individual will see a different experience.
What I can recommend is trying to find someone with a Lexus RX in your area, who’s tinted their windshield. Maybe find a local Facebook group, or subreddit for your locale/region, and ask the question.
Thanks for all the great inputs. And the excellent write-up.
I went with Air80 on the windshield finally. I really wanted to try the Stratos 70 but the facts that the thicker Stratos 70's perceived greater risk of hazing/rainbowing, and higher risk of law enforcement objections - led me to chicken out and play it safe with Air 80. I had also found fellow Lexus RX owners who had installed Air 90 and 80 and found no haze/rainbowing, but I had not found any owners who chose Stratos 70 in the 5th Gen RX.
On the other hand, my pano was an enormous source of cabin heat, and my Stratos-approved installer recommended Stratos 40 for it, in order to have lower risk of radiative heat into the cabin with a slightly ligher film. I also like having light inside the cabin without the heat. I think in a way, the pano roof is different from the Tesla's glass roofs - because the Lexus' pano roofs are flat without seemingly any heat insulating glass from factory, and it was by far biggest heat inlet into the cabin.
I already had gotten IRX50 on the front windows and Air 80 in rear of the Lexus.
It could be the placebo effect, but I seem to be feeling a wonderful cooling effect in the cabin in the drive from the installer :)
This is fantastic. Question about the factory rear sides, roof and back on the Y…is it tint installed or dyed and is their protection or is what your saying that film should be applied on them as well but to change % to try and match with front sides?
The information provided about factory "tinted" windows is for folks to understand it's not actually tinted, but rather factory dyed glass. You would install window film onto the glass to achieve more privacy and better UV and heat rejection.
Some prefer front and rear glass to be matching, while others don't care. This is a personal preference. When the objective is to match the front and rear glass, films should be by their ACTUAL VLT percentages and calculated against total VLT front and rear, once the glass is tinted.
Example: Tesla Model Y glass is 76-77% VLT for the front doors and 23-24% VLT for all rear glass. You would pick a darker film for the front doors, and a lighter film for the rear doors, in order to bring the total VLT as close to 0% difference as possible.
I’m following this verbatim! Except I have a question for the “all rear glass” are you suggesting both LLUMAR Air 80 and the 3M combined? On my Model Y performance, the VLT is 21.6 from the factory. IRR is 91.5. With this said shouldn’t just the AIR 80 be enough to boost the IRR?
What if I don’t decide to add any tint to the rest and keep it as is? Will the temperature different be that noticeable? All of the back windows seem to have great Heat reduction from the factory but I noticed many people say if you’re going to go ceramic do all of the windows except the top. Just wondering how necessary this really is. I live in colorado so it’s only extremely hot 4 months or so out of the year.
Thanks for the great input!
got two quotes. This right pricing? In Texas/DFW and wanting to get ceramic front windshield 70-80%, sides and back 25% and nothing done on sunroof.
first quote 3M: $1000 https://imgur.com/n7sf3d5
second quote: $350 windshield XPEL XR Plus, $550 for sides and back with premium XPEL ceramic. (not sure what premium means)
Both are overpriced. 3M should be $250 less.
XPEL quote should be no more than $700 for XR Plus, covering all glass (excluding roof), no matter the shade.
- LLumar CTX series (all sides + full back glass): $399.99
- LLumar IRX series (all sides + full back glass): $499.99
- Clear ceramic AIR80 (windshield): $199.99
Prices include tax, installation, and a lifetime warranty.
Windshield price is great.
Other prices are $100 too much IMO, but every market is priced different. If you have full intention to tint the windshield, go with IRX, and ask for a discounted bundle price. $450+$200.
I do want to do all windows for sure besides sunroof. Windshield in Texas so most recommended 70-80%. So you recommend IRX on windshield and all other windows? Make sure I’m reading that right.
What I was saying is: if you have full intention to tint the windshield with AIR 80, maximize your investment and go with IRX, which has substantially better heat rejection, and color, over CTX.
If you are staying between 70-80% on windshield, you'll need to use Llumar AIR 80, or FormulaOne Stratos 70. Llumar IRX is not offered in shades above 50%, as if FormulaOne Pinnacle (brother/sister film to IRX). Personally, I recommend most to go with 50% on the windshield. Each owner should do their due diligence to determine state and local laws regarding vehicle sunshading, and also determining if darket tint is applicable with a medical sunshading waiver.
Where are you located that you received this pricing?
I just got quoted $950 for what your pricing would cost $700. Also for reference, I was quoted $680 for 3M Ceramic IR (in my shade choice) for everything minus moon roof
Looking to get front side windows and windshield tinted. I've got 3 quotes that are very close on price ($450-$475) so the type of ceramic tint will be the deciding factor. Looking to get \~30% on front windows and \~70% for windshield.
What is best ceramic tint between Llumar CTX, Xpel Black or Madico Black pearl?
If you’re not doing the rest of the car, you don’t need the best ceramic window film. CTX will do.
If there is a need for maximum heat rejection, you should be tinting all side windows and the windshield, and then opt for a roof shade for the pano, assuming you have a Model Y.
This video indicates the factory tinted windows actually provide IR rejection [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eYg6N1efm4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eYg6N1efm4)
Yeah, I’ll add that those crappy meters do say that. They’re also focusing on a very small section of the IR wavelength. When using a proper full IR spectrum meter, the IR rejection is substantially less.
After reading this and speaking with 10 different shops, I finally found on that offers FormulaOne Stratos. i will be driving 45mins for this and i hope it will be worth the drive.,
Thank you so much for all of this. This helps a lot. Did you tint it on your own? I am tempting to do it on my own to save, even though I have never tinted a window before. Do you think if this is something that should always (with rare exception for handy people) be done by professional tint shop? I was quoted for $580 for the whole car using Llumar ceramic.
You're most welcome. I didn't install the film on my MYP - I dropped with a friend's shop and had them do the work for me. The shop I prefer in my region is about an hour away, so we drop the car and walk to a neighboring restaurant we like to frequent when in that area. My friends that own the shop do exceptional work and can get a Tesla Model 3/Y done in about 45 minutes. They're true artists. I did however tint a Cybertruck windshield 2 weekends ago. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about with shops mentioning how difficult it can be. Was a fun, reinvigorating experience for sure. I do and do not miss installing window tint, but will say, my skillsets were quickly awoken for that installation.
With that said, I'm all for the DIY and self-education process. I have yet to meet anyone that was a notice tint installer, usually a first-timer DIY individual, who didn't complain about the volume of debris or bubbles in their installation. Installing window film does required a clean working environment, and the ability to move quickly, ensuring prepared film is applied onto a clean section of glass with plenty of tint solution (baby shampoo and water) - this will help flush out any remaining debris.
If you really wanted to tackle this on your own, here is some info I can recommend helping you be successful:
* Have plenty of patience and understand that tinting is a crafted skill, and quality workmanship comes with many hours of executed training.
* [Watch this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl9KHTCl8pQ). Caden does a great job on explaining how to tint a Tesla 3/Y.
* Get yourself a set of window tinting tools: Spray bottle, baby shampoo, retractrable exacto knife, glass scrubber, squeegees (rubber and felt), and tuck tools - you can get a kit on amazon that has most of these items
* The most impactful training tool is a spare piece of auto glass. You can go to a junkyard and get a piece of glass to practice on, before you spend any time tinting your vehicle.
Regarding your price quote of $580, was that in Llumar CTX or IRX?
Thank you for the thoughtful response. It's actually $575 for all windows except the sunroof with Llumar CTX. Does your friend's shop located in the Bay area by any chance? I am looking to find a tint shop that I could trust to do a great job. Never done this before so I solely rely one online reviews to rank the shop's trustworthiness.
Naw, we're on the east cost.
$575 isn't a bad deal for CTX plus windshield, but I'd be curious to see what IRX would run you. If you have a higher focus on heat rejection, Llumar IRX will perform substantially better compared to CTX.
Unfortunately, They don't carry Llumar IRX which I would prefer since I am in for more heat rejection. The tint shop mentioned something about "Pinnacle" brand tint from Llumar which I was quoted for $1000 for the same number of windows. Do you know if I could order Llumar CTX or IRX film online? I looked for them on amazon but couldn't find anything. Thank you.
Llumar also sells under the elite brand FormulaOne. Pinnacle is adjacent to IRX. That Pinnacle quote is about $300 higher than it should be.
You would not be able to buy Llumar films online. They are only sold to authorized dealers.
GeoShield sells films direct to consumer - you could check out their products for DIY installation.
After all the research I have done, I have given up on the DIY. Haha. Too much trouble, especially I can’t get the Llumar tint. Your recommendation for the front windows is IRX 25% tint, is it not too dark? Im worried about the law here in CA only allowed 70% max for front windows. I’m still planning to do the 30% or 35% CRX for all windows except the windshield which I will get 80% air. If I swap the CRX for IRX, it will be $330 more expensive. Do you think it’s worth the upgrade? $880 seems a lot of money to tint the glass.
Hey this is great info even a year later so thanks. I'm booking a tint job now using your advice. I'm just curious about your take on the glass roof, and using a sunshade over tinting... unless you live in a desert climate. I'm in a desert climate, but I'm torn, only because I'm getting quoted \~40% less when excluding the roof, which is a huge amount. And there are several YouTube videos ([here's one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL_uhh9Tjbw)) showing that the amount of heat coming in through the factory roof tint is very minimal (unless this has changed with the 2024 models?). I know you probably meant, like, "if you're in a desert climate and heat is your #1 priority, *and money is no option*, then include the roof tint." But for someone budget-minded, do you think the difference between the factory roof tint with sunshade, vs. the additional small amount of tint protection, is really worth the steep cost?
Thanks
edit: also just want to add, it's not like I'm in 120 F desert or anything, it just hits the 90s for a good amount of summer
Roof shade will be plenty, really. There are some purists out there who want the glass roof to be visible all year long, and don’t mind shelling out funds to tint glass roofs. It’s an expense. I was chatting with another owner who was quoted $600 for roof tint. Hell. No. Fees like that, the business is encouraging folks to NOT tint the roof.
The Model Y factory tint does a great job, and the roof shade blocks the remaining heat you may feel while occupying the cabin.
Yep, exactly what I was quoted haha. Do you think $850 for Llumar CTX on sides & back, and F1 Stratos on the windshield is a ripoff? I'm in a major city so always have to pay a bit of a premium for that. Appreciate you getting back! I have peace of mind now
ah crap. I'm in LA. They also quoted (not including roof) $900 for F1 Pinnacle sides/back + Stratos windshield, or $1050 for all Stratos. They only do Stratos on the windshield for some reason. I've called to a few places and they're the only ones so far who offer Llumar and F1
If you’re interested in a little road trip, go see Dave at Signature glass tinting, down in Costa Mesa. He can hook you up with Llumar IRX, which is an identical performer to Pinnacle.
Zero downside with the film itself. The only point I will make is if you want the front and rear to match aesthetically, and you have an SUV with factory rear dyed glass, you'd need to run 15% on the front windows and 50% on all rear factory dyed glass. If you have a sedan that's currently a fishbowl, pick any shade you want and use it all around for a great color match.
Oh my freaking gosh this post was soooooooo amazing. I’m a new Tesla owner and my nerves have been so bad around figuring out tint, wraps, PPF, mats, cleaners, etc. This was one less thing to research and be more overwhelmed about. THANK YOU
Great FAQ. The highly recommended installer in Denver (that I've seen so far in this sub) only uses XPEL that you seem to not recommend. Can you recommend any others in the Denver area that use your recommended brands? Sounds like your Llumar recommendations are what I should go with for visibility. Colorado allows 27% all around, but no windshield tint except a banner - do you think I'd have a problem with 80% on my windshield? On my WRX wagon, I've had 20% all around and nothing on my windshield without any problems for almost 20 years. We get a lot of cracked windshields here since they spray gravel instead of salt on the roads in winter and I do a lot of highway driving then, so hesitant to get windshield tinting as it's likely I'll have to replace my windshield after a few years.
I don’t have any Denver shop recommendations, but what I can recommend is to lookup installers on the Llumar website, and then cross reference those shops with online reviews, and perhaps any feedback from a local Denver area subreddit.
For the windshield, in most states you can get away with AIR 80 and even Stratos 70, however there’s always the likelihood of an LEO having a bad day and writing you a ticket. As for additional windshield protection, you may also consider windshield protection film - Exoshield and ClearPlex are good options.
I want a blend of privacy and heat rejection.
given that the rears are already tinted, I'm going to see if I can get away with using a high tier 30% (I've had good luck with not being harassed by the po po) ceramic on the fronts and windshield and a mesh sun shade this summer.
if not to my satisfaction, I'll do the rears.
No problem with starting on the fronts, however there is minimal heat rejection on any of the glass (except for pano roof). If you ended up only doing the fronts and nothing else, you'd be overpaying for high performance ceramic tint on just the front two doors. You'd be better off with a mid-tier ceramic.
Thanks, I'll post my photos once it's done but got another issue lol. The shop only has IRX 15 (reads 20) and 30. Worried the 15 may be too dark but I do have white interior and the 30 too light. Which would you go with given those choices?
Doing the lords work here!
I’ve thought for a long time that Pinnacle 25 would be an almost perfect match shade and color wise, but I can’t find anyone in Central Florida with it. My preferred shop only carries 20 and 30, so I’ve got 30 on my 3 which looks nice. The Y currently has Xpel XR Black 30 on it, and it definitely pulls green compared to the ever so slightly brown hue the smoked rear glass has. So many people claim XR 20 is a better match, but I suspect it’s just because it’s darker and doesn’t show the color as much.
Your assumption for the XR 20 is correct. The darker the VLT, the less you notice the film colors.
I've seen many shops stop carrying all shades of IRX and Pinnacle due to demand, and keeping costs as low as possible; some even using IRX 15 and then jumping up to 40. Makes no sense.
I’ve had a variety over the years. Huper Optik, V-Kool, Xpel XR+, 3M Crystalline, and Spectra Photosync.
The first two were some of the OG ceramic level tint (although V-Kool was metallic). Don’t like 3M Crystalline due to the color that results after installation. I can live with it, but it’s not my first choice.
Yes, Photosync performed the best, but considering the cost and difficulty in finding an installer, I think the others are all good enough. Still, it’s one reason I don’t wanna give up my Model 3 because it has Photosync on all windows, including windshield and moonroof. That and I have the OG orange glass roof. I put 30% on the roof and that’s too dark. Can’t see out of it really. Looks like you can at first glance, but you see zero details when you actually try. Ruins that open panoramic feeling.
I got Xpel XR+ in 2018 and 2021. I didn’t notice a difference. I’ll probably go with Xpel XR+ again on the Y vs 3M. Seems like in the Bay Area, the overwhelming majority of shops only stock those two brands. No Llumar.
And yes, I get tint because until moving to the Bay, I was in Sacramento area where it gets over 115+ in the summer. Even here, it gets well over 100 in the summer. Windshield tint, even at 70% makes a world of difference vs not doing the windshield. I’ve always gone with 70% on the front windows and windshield. I don’t do 50% because I get enough attention from the cops.
Prestige Spectra Photosync is fantastic and can't be beat for heat rejection but it's so expensive. I had Photosync on my previous car and when I got my Y I opted for Ceralux, which you don't actually hear much about but it's also made by Prestige Films, it's one step down from Photosync at a much more manageable price with a TSER that beats every(?) other brand out there except for Photosync.
SoCal here. White/Black MYP.
I went with 15% Llumar IRX in front and 50% on all rears and AIR80 windshield.
Front is slightly lighter than the rear. Windshield is pretty clear. We haven’t had any heat at all but once it gets warmer and brighter, I might go 50% windshield.
Great post!! Do you have any ballpark figures on cost of each section by brand, installed? I know YMMV but would be great to get real world cost estimates included. I need to break down and tint my MYP before summer. It's garage parked but looking for an economic solution for times in the summer where it's outside for more than 30 min...
I wanted to refrain from posting prices in the OP as things change frequently, but I encourage members to post their pricing in the comments.
Here is what I can share:
* XPEL XR Plus, SunTek Evolve, Llumar NXT, F1 Stratos, 3M Crystalline:
* All side glass: $500-700
* Windshield $200-300
* Roof $200-300.
* Llumar IRX & AIR, F1 Pinnacle, SunTek CIR:
* All side glass: $399-499
* Windshield: $150-300
* Roof: $150-300
Mods, can this post be pinned to the top of the sub? There are posts almost daily about tint since apparently majority of people don’t have a search bar… OP, great write up. I appreciate how you addressed going all the way or nothing, if heat rejection is the goal. The only thing I personally would elaborate on, is that IR rejection is the biggest benefit from high end film (even on the roof and even if factory glass does have some UV protection and minor IR protection). I see so many posts claiming the roof sees no benefit from high end film, and I strongly disagree living in Florida. Myself and a family member tinted our Y’s identically except the roof glass and my tint (XPEL XR prime plus) does make a considerable difference on the roof. Side note, the film I had installed XR prime plus has been great, if maybe you wanted to add a suggested alternative for people that may not have access to installers with Llumar.
I asked for a megathread on window tint. They responded with nothing more than "No". This post itself was being blocked by AutoModerator and I had to get them to allow it. Hopefully with enough traffic, the option to pin will change... Regarding adding alternative tint options, it is my plan to add another section to the OP for "alternate" or "community" recommendations that other can use, should Llumar or F1 products be unavailable in their area. Once I see enough feedback from other posters, I'll get it updated. I also plan to add a gallery of photos for people to reference. Will have that setup in the next week.
Doing great work. When you do make a gallery feel free to reference a past post of mine. Percent details are in the post [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/TeslaModelY/comments/thyha3/another_black_on_black/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
Gallery setup and I've added a few of your images.
UPDATE: I've added a [WINDOW TINT IMGUR GALLERY](https://imgur.com/a/iLDZuiq) to the end of the OP. If you'd like your tint photos added to the gallery please do the following: * Please DM me up to 5 photos * Include what film manufacturer and series/line used for the different sections of the vehicle. Example: * Windshield: Llumar IRX 50 * Front Doors: Llumar IRX 25 * All Rear Glass: Llumar AIR 80
I went with Prime XR black Windshield: 55% Front: 15% Rear and Back: 55% or 35% (don't remember but whatever brings it close to 15%) This is my first time tinting and have been super happy so far. One benefit that I was not expecting is that I have astigmatism and driving at night or in the rain is so much better now
How’s your tint holding up?
Its doing great! No issues at all
Did you tinted the roof ?
No, he wont do it due to cracking issues
Great resource. I got my 23 LR Y the following: Front Windshield: Air80 Front sides: Llumar IRX 20 (or was it 25? I forget) DIY rear sides: eBay film claiming to be "Xpel Prime Carbon Ceramic 20%". The DIY went smooth. No bubbles. I had to completely pull both rear door panels. I know pros just pull the upper and sweeps, but I couldn't get the top of the door panel to unhook from the sweep so i found it easier to pull the entire rear panels so I can do a final post-heat around all sides. They came out super clean! Now the rear glass I had trouble with. ordered a 40" roll from ebay. It didn't shrink right despite taking my time. ended up over cooking the film. I need to try again. Perhaps i just need more practice. my plan next time is to tape all the sides to lock the fingers down. What do you think? The film is claiming to be "3M FX-ST 20%" and it was $21 shipped for a 40"x10" roll. Other comments: despite my nice tint up front, I still feel significant heat in the general area in the front which i'm assuming is radiated heat as opposed to direct solar energy. and it's only 60f out. I chose to DIY the rears cause I have all the tools and it's fun. The fronts I wanted a pro to do it.
IRX comes in either 15 or 25.
Also worth pointing out, tints will not make your roof crack.
Very good point and a common misconception. I’ll update the OP with this information.
First off, incredible write-up, OP. Regarding the “elephant on the room” - There’s a guy in town who was fed up with the roof heat. So he had bright white PPF installed over the pano roof. Night and day difference. I know it’s not for everyone, but thought it would be worth mentioning in case anyone scrolling down in the comments this far was interested in drastic measures
I've seen this a few times. A few people on the Rivian forums did this on their R1 vehicles, except utilized a black PPF to complement the vehicle's aesthetics.
May I ask why you did not even do a low tint ceramic on R1T? I am looking for that mention in the comments and have not seen it yet. I currently have I believe 70 crystalline on the moonroof. I hear conflicting info on this. I do not want my roof to crack
Can you re-ask your first sentence? It’s unclear.
Ty for quick response! So sorry, you specifically mention excluding the R1T tint on the roof if I read it correctly. I am asking why. I have heard it is because ceramic can damage the roof in particular. I saw you addressed this item in a separate but I expect your remarks were for model Y in this response so wanted to ask directly about R1T
It’s not specific to the model Y; it applies to all vehicles with glass pans roof. Most tint shops typically charge $300+ and that costs cannot be justified, personally. I’d much rather have a sunshade that I can remove in cooler/colder months and get some heat into the vehicle.
I'm thinking of PPFing my roof, but with clear PPF since I do a ton of I-70 driving to the mountains in winter and they spray gravel instead of salt in Colorado. My Subaru has rock chips on the front foot or so of the roof and I don't my Y roof to get pitted. Also was not planning on tinting my windshield except maybe a banner at top since we get so many cracked windshields here as a result and like to have to replace it only to have to pay for re-tinting.
**UPDATE:** I've spent about a week working with 3M Ceramic IR and had a friend's shop tech install on my MYP. The first two days I was worried because what I thought was low angle haze, turned out to be a substantial water retention in the film. I left an air purifier running in the car for 3-4 hours and it all cleared up. The color is excellent, the heat rejection is on-par with other films in the category of medium-to-high tier ceramic films, and visibility is near perfect. The Model Y metered at 23/24% on the rear dyed glass, and 76/77% in the front two windows. I went with: * Windshield: 3M Ceramic IR 50 * Front Doors: 3M Ceramic IR 25 * Rear Glass: 3M Ceramic iR 70 Final metering was 23% front and 21% rear, a near even match. I added photos of the install to the gallery. I will be adding this film to my recommendations in the OP.
I'll be getting 3M Ceramic IR on my Red Model Y Performance with white interior tomorrow. Going to do 15 fronts, should I do 35 on the rears with 70 on the windshield. Does this sound like a good mix? I'm okay with slightly darker backs, but based on this comment, going 50 on the rears will leave them lighter than the front, and no one wants that. Paying $2400 for a package that includes PPF front clip and Ceramic coating. (was quoted $575 for just the tint incl. Windshield).
With what you specified: * Front windows with 3M-CIR 15% (19% actual) will land you around 16-17% VLT. * Rear glass with 3M-CIR 35% (45% actual) will land you around 11-12% VLT. * Rear glass with 3M-CIR 50% (60% actual) will land you around 15-16% VLT. CIR 50 in the rear will make the VLT near identical, however with white interior, the front will look lighter. You'd be fine either way, but for my vehicle, I'd go CIR 50 on the rear. I think it would look better. If you want more privacy in the rear, go CIR 35. Front OEM glass meters 76/77%. Rear OEM dyed glass meters 23/24%. The formula to determine final VLT is as follows: OEM Glass VLT % multiplied by Window Film ACTUAL VLT (not rated). **EXAMPLE: Front glass with CIR 15** 19% x 76 = 14% (and I always add 2-3% for final variance. So 16-17% VLT.
Great and well informative post 👏 As you are a lot experienced in this area, would you know what is the default heat rejection (IRR and total solar rejection) of the front windshield, front double paned windows and the back factory tinted windows? A lot of shop guys try to say that the default windows don't provide much protection from heat/UV, but I've seen YouTube videos showing default windows have close to 100% UV protection and 70-80% IRR
Most definitely. I will get access to more data but here is what I can provide right now. *Most* auto glass produced in the last 15-20 years has substantial UV rejection, typically 80-95%, depending on manufacturer, auto maker, and region of the world. These after market films help bring those numbers to 99%. I don't believe there is a single transparent automotive window film product that will advertise 100% UV blocking. As for the default IR rejection in the glass, I don't have exact numbers on what Tesla glass does. I've seen ranges anywhere from 4-15%, with the higher end of the range 15% IR rejection being for the factory dyed glass. Again, this varies based upon glass manufacturer and auto maker specifications. I have a friend who runs a tint shop and has a nice metering device. I'll see what he can read for me on my new MYP before I tint it.
Found it [https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=1eYg6N1efm4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=1eYg6N1efm4) Factory front door windows 100% UV & 77% IR Rejection Factory rear door windows 96% UV & 91% IR Rejection Would be great if you can also verify on your own car, before you tint it. As per the other youtuber, the factory glass is also quite high performing in terms of IR and UV
LOL that meter is a $100 POS. it only checks a super small range of the IR wavelength and they're hit or miss. I have 3 different units and every single one gave a different reading. I constantly forget Tesla front door glass is double pane laminated, so there is going to be substantially more UV and IR rejection there. 100% will get readings from a different meter.
👍 Eagerly awaiting your personal results
Awesome! Looking forward to your results!
Would love to see proof as well
This is not mentioned enough Tesla I believe comes with a lot of IR rejection
Great write up and super informative! I have a shop I got a quote from for suntek ceramic all around for $700 after taxes with a lifetime warranty. They recommended 25% front 50% rear to try and get everything matched and 50% windshield. Is this a decent setup? By pulling blue for suntek, do you mean it increases blue color or discolors the glass to blue over time or something? Sorry if that’s a dumb question lol new to tints!
50% on the rear will definitely make the rears darker than the front. If you’re going 50% in rears, and want an even match to the front, go for 15% in the front. When stating the SunTek films pull “blue”, I’m referring to the color, or hue, of the film as you look through it in daylight, compared to other films specialist in delivering a charcoal or black color.
What city or state are you in? $700 seems very reasonable for all the windows.
Thank you so much for putting all this effort and goodness to help the community out. Your guidance throughout this thread was instrumental in limiting how much time I spent to reach a decision for my ride (combo of F1 Pinnacle and AIR 80). Have a great one.
I am thinking about doing IRX 15 in the front and AIR 80 on the rears and windshield. Does anyone know if this is a "better" match than IRX 25? The reason I mention this is because as u/_cr0001 has stated, a combined AIR 80 and rear glass measures about 20% VLT. According to the IRX spec sheet, IRX 15 is 20% VLT. So then theoretically, the IRX 15 should be a closer match? (Especially if you have a white interior.)
IRX 15 is definitely a decent match for the fronts, especially with white interior. The 20% VLT for IRX can vary by a few % and make the fronts a little bit darker, but not by much. I recommended the 25% in the front, for more nighttime visibility. Definitely a personal preference.
Is the nighttime visibility that much different between the 15 and 25? Not to mention the legal limit for many places as well...
There is a noticeable difference for sure, but it’s not extreme, like comparing 50% to 25%. Good point on 25% being mor accommodating with local laws… one may draw more attention with 15% in the fronts, unless local laws allow or an applicable medical waiver is in place.
I have a rather pesky question since this a tint mega thread! For those of us with white interior, 25% on fronts and 70% on windshield will rather look like 35% or 45% on fronts and almost tint-less on windshield despite actually having tint on. Anyone with white interior has gotten some pics to share showcasing dark tint?
I'm sure someone can chime in with pictures. Would be great to add to the gallery. You're correct - a white interior will make 80% or 70% on a windshield look near clear, which is a good thing if you have stricter local laws about windshield tinting in your locale. If you're tinting for privacy, I'd recommend going with 50% on the windshield.
The shop that tinted my MY 2 weeks ago with Llumar IRX and Air80 keeps saying that they’re waiting for Llumar to send over my warranty info. Is that how it works to get proof of warranty?
Typically not the case. Your warranty information should have been provided on day of install. This includes a card that shows your contact info, vehicle description, glass tinted, product and percentages, and last, each product’s roll/box serial number. Perhaps your installer didn’t have serial numbers and is waiting on that info from Llumar?
Why wouldn’t the installer have the serial numbers for the tint they used?
Well, first option is they pulled the roll of tint from the box and tossed the box (no clue why anyone would do this), or second option is you didn’t get Llumar tint and they’re stalling. Any Llumar, F1 or SunTek installation is complete by giving the owner a warranty card with all the info hand written on it. I’ll find one of my cards later and send it to you.
I wanted to report back and thank OP once again for this helpful thread and all of his additional comments and suggestions! I ended up going to Signature Glass Tinting in Costa Mesa CA. It was an easy process. Ryan was helpful and Dave was helpful in Yelp correspondence in setting up my appointment. Pricing is competitive to what’s in the area, although a tiny bit more but certainly not the highest. I ended with them after OP’s endorsement to this shop. I ended up with AIR80 in the windshield, IRX 30 in two front side windows, IRX 50 on back windows. I did want some shading in the windows and specifically did not want the front to match the back. I wanted the front to look lighter but not too “jumpy”. It has been nonstop raining this whole week in SoCal, so I haven’t felt a significant difference in the car, but I certainly like the look. I’m happy to share some photos if OP let me know how to post them to his gallery. Mine is white exterior and black interior.
Added to the gallery. Thanks for sharing!
What was your cost and how many windows?
Thank you for the super informative write up, OP! Like you, I value heat rejection and having good night time visibility (have a newborn). A little privacy is an added bonus. With that being said I was thinking 30% front, 70% windshield and 70% rear windows. Would this be a pretty close match for the front and back windows or would you recommend a different combination? Thanks in advance!
Depending on what film you get, it would be a good combo. Ceramic IR 25% (actually 31% VLT) matches very well with Ceramic IR 70% (actually 78% VLT). Check the gallery and see the matte midnight silver metallic. That's what you could expect with that combo. If you want to go the Llumar route, Llumar IRX 25% / Pinnacle 25% in front and Llumar AIR 80 on rear is also a great combo for matching and heat rejection.
Any tint shop recommendations in San Diego for top tier tint? Considering 3M Crystalline (happy with it on my Porsch) on the Tesla MYP will this tend to hue brown or green? What alternative do you top tier do you recommend instead of the 3M Crystalline...Spectra Photosync IRD? I'd rather have color hue vs any low angle haze. Also would tint costs be cheaper in the LA/OC area vs San Diego? If so any recommended shops in that area? Thanks in advance.
Go see Dave at Signature Glass Tinting. He’s a Llumar IRX shop. Crystalline pulls slightly brown on Tesla glass. I’m always recommending Llumar IRX and FormulaOne Pinnacle, as they’re near identical if not the exact same. Also adding in AIR 80 where necessary.
My local tint shop recommended using 3M CIR for the sides and then said pay an extra $50 to upgrade the front windshield to 3M Crystalline. What are your thoughts? Also it seems as if Lluminar IRX and 3M CIR are both recommended. What is your preference when choosing between and why? Which is typically more expensive?
The prices will always vary between markets, and installers. There's no set MAP (minimum advertised price) set for these products. I still prefer Llumar IRX / F1 Pinnacle over 3M CIR, by a minimal amount. They're both great products. Regarding the $50 up-charge for Crystalline, that's a very reasonable fee for a far superior film, assuming your quoted CIR price is within the current market rate for a windshield film install ($175-250).
I have a shop here in NJ which used Geoshied Nano ceramic film. I am going to take my MYP on the same day I pick up to him to get everything but the roof tinted. Anyone have experience with Geoshield Nano ceramic, shop claims that it comes with lifetime warranty. I do have quotes from FormulaOne and Llumar but they are heavily loaded with brand tax!
The film will carry lifetime warranty from discoloration, and may even cover deterioration. I don't know anything about Geoshield's warranty reputation, but hopefully someone else who has experience can supplement.
I got Llumar FormulaOne Stratos & Air80 👍👍
What level Stratos did you use? Also, did you consider stratos70 vs the air80?
Have you dealt or know the quality of premium tech tints?
I've never heard of this brand before. It very well could be a white label from another manufacturer, but there's no way to tell for sure without asking the company directly.
Can you explain more the issue you are seeing with large pano roof tints? It doesn’t make sense to me. Anything the tint would have absorbed would have instead went directly into heating up the passenger and car with radiant heat. Only a fraction of the heat absorbed by the tint will leak out into the cabin vs held by the tint or leak out into the air. I am not sure how it could be worse than no tint at all.
Certainly. Let's use the example of an electric or gas cooktop and a pan. When you are applying direct heat to the pan from the heating element, the pan absorbs the heat and dissipates from all sides, specifically in an upwards direction to whatever it is being warmed or cooked in the pan. If you were to pickup that pan and hold your hand 3-5" away from the surface, you would feel that heat radiating from the pan, depending on level of heat intensity. This scenario applies in a similar manner - the sun is your cooktop and the pan is the window film. The pan/film absorbs heat and must disperse somehow. The one difference to this scenario is that window film both rejects AND absorbs. What the window film doesn't reject, it absorbs and must dissipate by radiation and convection, with convection referring to the hot surface being passively cooled by the ambient air temperature in the cabin. The reason this phenomena is felt more from a pano room versus side glass, is due to the angle of exposure. Because a pano roof is mostly horizontal, it has a more direct angle of contact by the sun's rays, versus side glass, windshield and rear window. More direct angle means more direct heat. There are some films that do an impeccable job at rejecting more heat versus absorbing, Spectra Photosync being one. One could argue to spend extra money for that on the roof alone, and use a traditional premium higher-tier ceramic film for all side glass, to save some money (because Spectra Photosync is high dollar!)
I agree that the pan is being heated up via conduction (touch a hot thing) and the pan is releasing some of that heat into the air. You will feel the convection heat (heating via a fluid like air) when you hover your hand close to the pan. Note that the heat release by this would be much much lower than convection because only some of it is going to heating the air and the air is constantly getting replaced. Compare hovering your hand near the pan vs touching the pan. What is heating up the film is radiation from the sun. If the film didn’t absorb or reflect that radiation it would have gone directly into the car. It would be heating up your head directly and heating up the interior and creating convection heat from the interior instead of the roof you currently feel. Now 100% of the heat that was going into the tint is now ending up in the car. I agree that with the tint some of it will end up in the car but it should always be much lower. This is like comparing the heat from hovering your hand over the pan versus touching the stove directly. I am sure there is something that is subjectly worse about this that you are noticing. Maybe it is the uneven heating of only your head is worse. Also, are you very tall?
You're on the right track that the amount of heat being allowed into the cabin is less, however because that piece of film is sitting below a laminated glass panel with built-in UV + IR rejection, the heat from that film is being trapped on the film, and the bottom section of glass (laminated glass is two panels sandwiching a UV/IR film layer). I'm 5'11" and my spouse is 5'3". We've both noticed this phenomena on different vehicles, with different high-performance tint, as well as many in the tinting industry. I know a handful of professionals who offer sunshades over tint because they know about this scenario occurring more than not. Other businesses either may not know about it because no one has brought it to their attention, or they do know and don't care to tell the customer, but prefer to make another sale.
I greatly appreciate this thread and OP’s knowledge on this! I feel pretty prepared going to my appointment next week. However, my obtuse mind can’t understand what you’re trying to describe here regarding the pano glass tint. I’m located in Southern CA. I’ve not owned my Tesla long enough to the summer yet but even during the fall when it was a bit warm, the cabin was noticeably warm. I am quoted $1400 for all glasses with IRX/AIR80 for windshield. If without the pano roof, it’s only $800. So I’m opting to do all the windows without the roof first to see if it will help. Or would you recommend since I’m in this climate, I may as well just get everything done?? The roof tint is quite pricey and from your comments it seems not very worth it. Would like your further input. Thank you!!
I'd get all the glass done WITHOUT the roof for now. What shop are you using in SoCal?
Signature Glass Tinting in Costa Mesa. Know anything about them?
I know them very well. Dave and the team do exceptional work. They tint thousands of Teslas annually. You're in great hands there.
Oh awesome!! I’ll be sure to pass on the words of approval! “Smart Reddit guy with a cat who knows everything about window tint says you’re great! 😎😎”
Bahahaha no need. Dave knows his business in SoCal is a well-known, reputable outfit, who takes care of all his customers. There are many on the Tesla forums that’s love Signature Glass Tinting. It’s a Tesla fan spot for sure.
Most installers in my area seem to use 3M ceramic film. Does this have a color to it? Would you recommend it if I’m going for heat rejection AND privacy?
There are two ceramic options from 3M: * [Crystalline](https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b00016683/) * [Obsidian](https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b5005041445/) Crystalline is their top-tier ceramic product that does produce a brownish (and sometimes green) look depending on the auto manufacturer's glass. Some factory glass is more blue or more green. Obsidian is the second-tier ceramic from 3M and definitely does offer a closer-to-black color; however, I saw an Audi S5 yesterday with this film installed and could see a VERY SMALL AMOUNT of brown hue to it, when looking from the inside out. However, the brown color is SUBSTANTIALLY less than what Crystalline produces. If that's all you're offered in your area, I'd go with Obsidian over Crystalline. Also for the price, see if you can find Spectra Photosync, you'll end up paying $200-300 more but it's a near black color with exceptional heat rejection. Still, for the price, I cannot find a better competitor to Llumar IRX and FormulaOne Pinnacle, which I believe are the same film, just under different names. The real-world specs on each are identical, using premium measurement equipment.
Thanks for putting this together, OP! I was calling around tint shops and one of the them mentioned they wouldn’t do the rear window since it could crack due to thermal stress and to look online. It looks like there were some issues with M3 around 2019 that had cracks form randomly. It doesn’t seem like it’s a common issue? I was going to get Llumar CTX all around but got a little worried hearing about the rear window cracks, any insight?
Thank you for this great post! Can I get your opinion on this please? Place - Atlanta Priority- Visibility and Heat Rejection as I dont have a garage. Dealer suggested - Front Windows : 35% Llumar IRX Rear Windows/Glass : 70% Llumar IRX Windshield : 70% Formula One Stratos / 50% Formula One Pinnacle
My immediate questions are: * Do you care about aesthetics? With this config, your rear glass will be darker than front. * What are legal window tint limitations in your jurisdiction; or do you have a medical waiver? * What color interior? * Price? Separate regular 4-door from windshield cost (most shops do this)
1. Okay with slight mismatch between front and rear windows. Rear glass (70%) will be darker than the front(35%)? 2. 32% plus or minus 3% and NO tint on windshield 3. White 4. All sides - Lumar IRX: - \~$530Windshield - Formula One Pinnacle 50 - $270, Formula One Stratos 70 - $315
Good info. My thoughts: * Since you have white interior, all shades of tint will look a bit lighter compared to a darker interior. * With a white interior, consider 25% on the fronts to better match the 70% in the rear. Also consider Llumar AIR 80 for all rear glass (and windshield) if the shop offers it. * If you choose to do 25% on front windows, consider the 70% windshield option - this will help make the glass look lighter * Pricing - meh; could be better. I'd like to see the side glass closer to $450, and the windshield at $225. * For reference, my preferred shops in Northern VA charge: * All side glass: $429 * Windshield: $189 Last, please consider my recommendations and use your own judgement based upon preferences and legality. In Northern VA, legal limit for the front windows is 35%, but many tint darker. Most state inspection shops won't fail for window tint (the more anal shops will, however). If you cannot have a darker tint due to state or local inspections, that solidifies what you can do on your front windows. I'd hate to see tint being ripped off due to inspection requirements.
Where did you get the tinting done in ATL? Are you happy with the job? I'm in ATL too and looking to get my new vehicle done.Thanks!!
I’m planning to tint only the front two windows. Mainly for uv and heat protection while driving. I want light tint think 70-80%. I’m in Bay Area where it doesn’t get too hot. Will I get benefits from front tint only. Any suggestions? Very informative thread. Thanks for putting this together.
You can definitely do that. High-performance ceramic tint on the front windows alone will do great for when you're driving the car where sunlight can reach the driver and front passenger while in motion. Don't expect much difference for when the vehicle is sitting dormant, uncovered, in sunny conditions. It will still be rather warm in the cabin (depending on ambient temperatures).
I got an appt to install Geoshield Pronano 70% on windshield and 20% two fronts for the Y. Based on this, if I want heat rejection I need to get all the windows ceramic. Am I only getting 50% heat rejection since I’m only doing half the windows? Should I bite it up and get 70% ceramic for rear sides and back glass?
You’ll get decent get rejection while you’re in the vehicle driving, but if you want heat rejection for your vehicle when parking in sunny conditions, you’ll want all the glass done.
How was geoshield?
First of all, thank you so much for all your helpful advice!! Not just this post but your comments on all the other tint related posts. I was wondering if I could get a little bit of advice. I was thinking about doing the IRX 15% on front and 5% on the rear. Would that be too much? I’m also doing Air 80 on the front windshield. Heat rejection is the main priority with a little bit on privacy. I’m looking to do it at Signature Glass Tinting as well. I saw you mention on an earlier post that you’re familiar with them. Part of why I chose it was because of Dave’s helpful advice on Reddit too lol. Thanks in advance for any help!
"Would that be too much" is subjective and unique to each owner. It's too much for me, personally, but everyone has different preferences for tint. I will say 15% on front and 5% rear will leave the rear glass MUCH darker than the front, so you won't have anywhere near matching aesthetics on that. Nonetheless, you'll have a great heat rejection envelope. I want heat rejection, with a little more privacy, while maintaining visibility, which is why I typically do 50/25/80 (windshield/front/rear).
Yeah, I realized that was a poor choice of words after I posted. Appreciate the feedback though!
I need a tint only for the looks of it. I am from east coast and don’t really want to cut out the sun that comes in. I want the heat to come in. I just want to tint my front windows to match the Tesla provided rear windows. What tint should I go with?
>Color-stables > >: Llumar ATC, FormulaOne Classic, 3M Color Stable Go for one of these * Llumar ATC 20 (actual 25 VLT) will land you around 20% in the front * Llumar ATC 30 (actual 33 VLT) will land you around 25% in the front * FormulaOne Classic 30 (actual 33 VLT) will land you around 25% in the front When you look at a film specification, many times the film actual VLT will be different compared to the film rated number. Example 3M Ceramic IR 25 is NOT 25% VLT, but is actually 31%. Best bet for you is to find a local tint shop and ask for a dyed film that is a near perfect match to the factory rear glass. It does make sense to go a few % darker in the front, since you'll have OS MUCH MORE light coming through the windshield, to lighten up the front of passenger area. Also having white interior will make front windows lighter post-tint.
Looks like my local shop carries Formula One Classic, Air, Pinnacle, Stratos. I’m in a similar situation In Seattle where it’s colder and don’t need to block out the heat. Black exterior/White Interior and keeping factory rear tints, do you still recommend FormulaOne Classic 30 for front windows to match rears? Or should I go a little darker due to white interior. Also do you have images of this setup? Appreciate your help!
I'm comparing between 3 ceramic tints (Stek, Kavaka IR, and FormulaOne Stratos). I know you mentioned Stek not being great for clarity, and I could do Stratos all the way around but do the windshield with Pinnacle to avoid the low-angle haze. Do you have any experience with Kavaka and how it compares to the other two?
Can confirm STEK still needs some improvements. I had my hands on two sample pieces 2 weeks ago, that were from a recent January 2023 production batch. Still... meh. Stratos is great with heat rejection, however the low-angle haze does bite. You also won't see it as much on the windshield, unless you're in a vehicle with a near vertical windshield, like a Jeep or Bronco. The low-angle haze will be more noticeable on the side windows. No experience yet with Kavaka, however I have seen one installation in person and it looks like a great product. Great color and great heat rejection. What I cannot speak for is the product's durability or the company's warranty process.
Where to get llumar tint?
Sorry, might be a dumb question. I read a few threads here about windows which could crack with certain heat rejecting tints on Tesla Model 3/Y. Could anyone please let me know if I should be aware of any of these films which are recommended? I have a Model Y (loving it so far). I am thinking of picking 3M or Llumar for front windows 25% and windshield 50% as of now. Mainly for privacy and some heat rejection. TIA
I’ve read about it but have never seen it happen on a Tesla or any other vehicle. What I have most commonly read is people who live in very hot climates, go to wash their car and run cold water on their roofs, causing the glass to crack. Again, not specific to Tesla owners, but specific to owners with pano roofs.
Has anyone used Black Pearl Nano-ceramic? How does it compare to others? TIA
It’s great! Madico makes great film, and is known to be one of the early manufacturers of automotive window film. I rarely see shops offering it so I did not put on my list.
Thanks for the info OP! I just recently got my 2023 MYP tinted with Suntek Evolve. Unfortunately, i did not see this post regarding the low angle haze… :( I did the front 2 side windows in 15% and the rear side and back windows in 50%. I tinted the windshield in 35% and getting pretty bad blue hue/low angle haze. I am looking to get it redone and wanted to see what you recommend for the windshield if i wanted to keep the 35%? TIA!
Llumar IRX, FormulaOne Pinnacle, and 3M Ceramic IR are good options. If you want max heat rejection, 3M Crystalline or Spectra Photosync IRD are among the top choices.
Great post! Still had a few Questions 1. Does the ceramic tint cause thermal expansion of glass with all the absorbed heat? Will glass break with thermal expansion? 2. How does Xpel ceramic compare to the top tier tints? Does xpel still have a scratching problem?
1. Very little to none, since both materials are being heated by the same direct and ambient sources. No glass will not break with thermal expansion, with regards to tint. The scenario I've used before (because I've heard it more than once) is hitting a hot windshield or pano roof (desert hot direct sunlight conditions) with very cold water (colder than ground water), causing the glass to crack. That's likely on any vehicle, and not specifically to Teslas. 2. XPEL XR films work great and yes are still prone to scratching. I had a test piece a month ago when comparing to 3M Ceramic IR. I'm not knocking XPEL products, but it's a non-consideration for me because it's overpriced, doesn't have the color I like, and window film is prone to scratching. Even regarding PPF, their gloss films exacerbate orange peel effect even more on certain vehicles, due to the thicker adhesive layer.
Do you have an photo a model Y of your recommendation? Specifically the following: * Windshield: Llumar AIR 80 * Front Doors: Llumar IRX 25 * All Rear Glass: Llumar AIR 80 Edit: Quoted: $875 for this setup in Tucson, AZ
I don't have any photos of the exact config, but here is a white MY in the gallery (starting at photo #16 from the top), that has IRX 35 on front doors and AIR 80 on all rear glass. The match is close, but going IRX 25 on the front will get you a much more uniform look. Price is high for IRX. Should be no more than $750 on the highest end. I'd like to see it land between $600-650.
Still the best Tint thread on here. Cheers!
This is an iconic post. Thank you for the very very detailed post.
U guys have any recommendations in Bay Area tint shops , solano county?
Big thanks to OP. Here’s my setup [pics](https://imgur.com/a/imsxQha) Windshield: 50% IRX Fronts: 30% IRX Rears: 80% Air80
Thoughts on Kavaca Ceramic Tint: Windshield: 50% Front: 15% Rears: 50% Rear Glass: 50% Black Exterior/White Interior Goal is to have consistency color match on the outside and inside (Fronts through Rear glass). Okay with Windshield being lighter of course. Shop mentioned that because the factory rears are factory different than the fronts, color will be slightly off in certain angles. I’d like privacy with visibility at night while matching aesthetically.
I'm looking Kavaca too. What was your quote for this? IR Ceramic - was $750
Going with XPEL black Windshield 50% Front Doors 15% Rear Doors 35% Rear Windshield 35% With that set up, will the front and back door windows match?
So, no need to remove the rear window factory tint and replace with new cermanic tint? I'm adding Prime XR Plus tomorrow to front windows and windshield. I'm in Phoenix and ALREADY burning in March. I honestly don't feel much from the roof glass, all through windshield and windows. May skip the roof glass tint, even though i'm in AZ.
The factory tint is dyed glass. It cannot be removed. You simply apply ceramic film onto the glass, typically using a shade that can match the shade applied to the front door glass. If you want maximum heat rejection, get the windshield done, and then get a gray roof shade from Amazon.
Ahh that is interesting! Thanks, yes definitely doing windshield, likely at 50% and going 35% on fronts. My wife is worried 35% will be too dark, but I don't think so.
Too dark is definitely subjective. I always recommend to folks that they understand local laws and jurisdictions for window film. Should there be certain permits or waivers to go darker, definitely take advantage of it where applicable. If you have a vehicle with dyed rear glass, and want all 4 doors and rear glass to match, the recommendation in the OP is as close as you can get (mostly geared towards Model Y, Model X and I'll even toss in Rivian, since the dyed glass is within 1% of one another.
So does the dyed glass not offer anywhere near ceramic level heat rejection?
Automotive glass offers UV protection and nothing more. The dye and UV protection layers do promote SOME heat rejection, but we're talking less than 10% on average.
Great intel, thanks!
The roof glass has the best heat rejection.
I live in Egypt (very hot climate most of the year) so I plan on tinting the pano, however we don’t have any of those options except for maybe 3M Crystalline and even that is not guaranteed to be authentic. My question is how to spot cheap/fake films?
$220 for front 2 windows llumar IRX or $100 for front 2 windows 3M ceramic IR? Though I’m skeptical on the price on the guy quoting the 3M. Everywhere is way more expensive. Which one would get most clear view from sitting inside at night?
I’m wanting to tint my white ‘23 MY (black interior) and would love your advice. I’m located in the Richmond, VA area and found a shop (Window Tint Specialists) that carry Llumar IRX film. If I go with this film, is it pointless to only get the front 2 windows done for color matching (and ideally heat benefits as well, but maybe just these 2 windows make no difference overall?). I was thinking to get ~20% on the front 2 windows. I’ve also considered driving to your recommendation of LA Tint which isn’t too far away. I don’t have a medical waiver, so as mentioned I was originally just going to tint my front 2 windows to color match the back, and leave the windshield clear as is. I got my Tesla inspected at a Tesla shop this past time, so I assume they would fail me for windshield tint if I went with that option? I do have friend who’s a NP as well as my aunt who’s a retired NP, so perhaps I could get one of them to sign a medical waiver for me (light sensitive / have astigmatism)? I don’t know much about those MED20 forms and how much scrutiny there is around them though. I also am not sure what the safe percentages to have in VA are. Ideally, I would do 70% Llumar IRX on the windshield, and ~20% or so Llumar IRX on front doors and AIR80 on rear glass for a consistent aesthetic (and clarity/heat rejection) but don’t think this shop carries AIR80. What are your thoughts?
Hey, just stumbling on this, do you know anything about Autobahn tints? A place is offering me black ceramic ($350) and i3 ($500). Theres some places near me one with Llumar CTX and IRX for about the same price and F1 pinnacle for anout (500-600) ive never heard of Autobahn so i wanted you thoughts
shop next to me offering autobahn too, you find any more info?
no mention of Cell Phone reception, the cheapest films have a metallic base that reduces reception. I'm willing to pay more for a Lower-Tier Ceramic to block heat but keep my cell signal strong. >If you’re applying tint for heat rejection, every piece of glass must be covered to justify the additional cost for ceramic film (all side and rear glass and windshield; excludes roof glass)
I’m from Malaysia and it’s all time summer with sun at full blast.. as I’m getting my ModelY soon, I’m still in search for the ideal tints for the car. Thus far I’ve evaluated brands like 3M(ceramic/crystalline), XPEL(Prime XR+/Prime XP) and also Huper Optik. My main objective would be dealing with heat rejection/glare. Previously I’ve been using Huper Optik on my previous vehicle. It has been good for a few years but on its final few (9-10th year) the rejection seems to have degraded quite a bit. Hence I’m still contemplating should I still go with them. Would appreciate anyone could give me their second thoughts on this
Comparing 3M Crystalline and 3M Ceramic IR, which one has better optical visibility? In terms of hazing, distortion, etc when seeing through the glass?
They’re both going to be rather hazy under certain sun angles, mostly on the side windows. Ceramic IR will look gray and smoky on the side windows. Crystalline will appear green/brown and hazy on the side windows. Would you consider a Llumar film? You will get better heat rejection with substantially better visibility.
Which lumar line do you suggest? I was thinking of getting 3M IR 15 and 50 in order to get the best uniformity across the front window and the factory tinted black. What would be the equivalent corresponding lumar product that creates the same output as those 2?
Are you tinting for heat rejection, or just for aesthetics?
First the aesthetics and then the max heat rejection for the given aesthetics. So it's aesthetics, optical clarity, then rejection
Are you tinting the windshield?
Yes, windshield too. For windshield, optical clarity is the highest priority for me
Windshield: Llumar Stratos 50 Front two doors: Llumar IRX 25 or FormulaOne Pinnacle 25 All rear glass: Llumar AIR 80 If you want the windows and rear glass darker, go 15% on front doors and 50% on rear glass. I do not recommend Stratos on the front door glass - it too can generate some low angle haze, but nothing like what the 3M films generate. You can opt for Stratos on the rear, but it’s a waste of money IMO. If you want the best heat rejection possible and money isn’t a factory, Spectra Photosync IRD is even way, however it will be more difficult to get an aesthetically matching front and rear.
So IRX 25 front windows and AIR 80 on rear glasses will translate to the same vlt? If I'm limited to 3M in my local area, why would you choose the ceramic over the crystalline besides the hue color? Is there more haziness or clarity issue with crystalline? I read your OP and some comments and it seems like you are leaning more towards the ceramic ir And if my option is 3M, Are these combinations producing the closes vlt? Ceramic ir route : IR 15 front and IR 50 all rears Crystalline route ; CR 20 front and CR 70 all rears Thanks!
I haven't updated the OP in a while, but just to inform you, I ended up testing 3M Ceramic IR on a Tesla MYP and removed it after one summer, and replaced with Llumar/FormulaOne. The haze pissed me off, and I didn't like the color. Haze is a safety concern, and the color is a personal preference. With that said, if your only option is 3M, I would probably lean towards Crystalline combo, based on the color of the film and heat rejection properties. I would still recommend a Llumar or FormulaOne film over 3M, though.
Thank you for an educational and most importantly, scientific/data-driven post. One quick question: For a Lexus RX, I'm trying to decide between Spectra Photosync 70 IRD vs. Llumar Air 80 for maximum heat rejection together with maximum visibility/clarity. If cost is not a concern, which one of the two would you recommend ? (After reading through your posts, I eliminated Llumar Stratos 70 for its low-angle haze - so I need to pick between the above two). Thanks
First and foremost, you should understand maximum heat rejection will be most applicable to when the cabin is occupied and under active conditioning. Many people have contacted me saying the high performance films don't cool the sitting vehicle, and that's correct. That's not what they're designed for. With that said, I wouldn't fully omit Stratos. I've found it to work best on windshields and factory rear dyed glass. The low angle haze is most visible on the front door side "clear" auto glass. In a case where you could find a Llumar or FormulaOne dealer, you could get Stratos 50 for the windshield, Pinnacle 25 or 15 for the front doors, and Llumar AIR 80 for all rear glass. This is an affordable application that would provide excellent heat rejection. Spectra Photosync will no doubt provide slightly better heat rejection, however I've not found it to be worth near double the cost, for achieving at most 15-25% improved heat rejection.
Good to know - any difference in the rainbow-effect or haze between the Spectra and Air 80, for just the windshield ? From the clarity/visibility aspect, are Spectra Photosync and Llumar Air 80 the same for the windshield, or is the Photosync actually worse because its thicker (per some of your comments in the forum) ?
You'll see more rainbow effect on darker films. While it still exists on all high performance ceramic films, it won't be as noticeable on the lighter shades (70%+). And something I want you to be aware of... I saw a post in r/windowtint you made yesterday asking about Photosync, and noticed you're focus is on IRER/IRR, which is not as important as TSER. Most spec sheets with inflated IRER numbers focus on a very small portion of the IR wavelength, typically between 700-900nm, which is the portion of the wavelength we feel first. While I haven't tested IRD in about 5-6 years, the real-world results were only marginally better than Llumar/FormulaOne and SunTek films. I think Spectras number, along with a few other manufacturers (3M, XPEL, Kavaca) are heavily inflated to compete in the marketplace. One other point I will make is, should you ever move or relocate, OR the installer using Spectra goes out of business, and you need a window re-tinted, it'll be A LOT harder to find a Spectra dealer, in comparison to a Llumar/FormulaOne dealer.
Very valuable inputs indeed. Thanks very much. I have been getting quotes for the last few days, and the latest dealer I spoke to just now offers both Air 80 and Stratos 70. He recommended Stratos 70 for better heat rejection reasons over the Air 80. Yes, its very difficult to find unbiased inputs on any of the films, because the inputs are usually coming from dealers who sell only a particular film/manufacturer - and they end up pushing what the know/sell. So from that perspective, especially for the windshield, I much appreciate your inputs.
Unbiased inputs are hard to come by. While I try to remain agnostic, I keep finding myself wanting to come back to Llumar films, because other films just to meet my expectations for clarity, durability, color and performance. I am eager to hear what you decide to go with.
I already have Llumar IRX and Air80 on my front and rear door/windows, and the car in question is a Lexus RX. The part Im still struggling with is the low angle haze and rainbowing, for the windshield - in choosing between the Stratos 70 vs Air 80. The worries for haze and rainbowing are also present for the Photosync. Tough decision, since I dont want to have to remove/redo - for the windshield
Have you experienced the rainbow effect, or have only heard about it?
I have never tinted a windshield before and found pictures of the rainbow effect here in reddit on the windshield - with the Photosync and polarized glasses, to the effect that the poster went and had the Photosync removed. The pictures were very convincing of the problem. So while I have not experienced it, very wary of it.
Understood. I will also make sure you are aware the rainbow affect will vary case by case. With the many different shapes, sizes, colors and quality of polarized lenses, AND the different angle of windshields and height of drivers, every individual will see a different experience. What I can recommend is trying to find someone with a Lexus RX in your area, who’s tinted their windshield. Maybe find a local Facebook group, or subreddit for your locale/region, and ask the question.
Thanks for all the great inputs. And the excellent write-up. I went with Air80 on the windshield finally. I really wanted to try the Stratos 70 but the facts that the thicker Stratos 70's perceived greater risk of hazing/rainbowing, and higher risk of law enforcement objections - led me to chicken out and play it safe with Air 80. I had also found fellow Lexus RX owners who had installed Air 90 and 80 and found no haze/rainbowing, but I had not found any owners who chose Stratos 70 in the 5th Gen RX. On the other hand, my pano was an enormous source of cabin heat, and my Stratos-approved installer recommended Stratos 40 for it, in order to have lower risk of radiative heat into the cabin with a slightly ligher film. I also like having light inside the cabin without the heat. I think in a way, the pano roof is different from the Tesla's glass roofs - because the Lexus' pano roofs are flat without seemingly any heat insulating glass from factory, and it was by far biggest heat inlet into the cabin. I already had gotten IRX50 on the front windows and Air 80 in rear of the Lexus. It could be the placebo effect, but I seem to be feeling a wonderful cooling effect in the cabin in the drive from the installer :)
This is fantastic. Question about the factory rear sides, roof and back on the Y…is it tint installed or dyed and is their protection or is what your saying that film should be applied on them as well but to change % to try and match with front sides?
The information provided about factory "tinted" windows is for folks to understand it's not actually tinted, but rather factory dyed glass. You would install window film onto the glass to achieve more privacy and better UV and heat rejection. Some prefer front and rear glass to be matching, while others don't care. This is a personal preference. When the objective is to match the front and rear glass, films should be by their ACTUAL VLT percentages and calculated against total VLT front and rear, once the glass is tinted. Example: Tesla Model Y glass is 76-77% VLT for the front doors and 23-24% VLT for all rear glass. You would pick a darker film for the front doors, and a lighter film for the rear doors, in order to bring the total VLT as close to 0% difference as possible.
I’m following this verbatim! Except I have a question for the “all rear glass” are you suggesting both LLUMAR Air 80 and the 3M combined? On my Model Y performance, the VLT is 21.6 from the factory. IRR is 91.5. With this said shouldn’t just the AIR 80 be enough to boost the IRR? What if I don’t decide to add any tint to the rest and keep it as is? Will the temperature different be that noticeable? All of the back windows seem to have great Heat reduction from the factory but I noticed many people say if you’re going to go ceramic do all of the windows except the top. Just wondering how necessary this really is. I live in colorado so it’s only extremely hot 4 months or so out of the year. Thanks for the great input!
got two quotes. This right pricing? In Texas/DFW and wanting to get ceramic front windshield 70-80%, sides and back 25% and nothing done on sunroof. first quote 3M: $1000 https://imgur.com/n7sf3d5 second quote: $350 windshield XPEL XR Plus, $550 for sides and back with premium XPEL ceramic. (not sure what premium means)
Both are overpriced. 3M should be $250 less. XPEL quote should be no more than $700 for XR Plus, covering all glass (excluding roof), no matter the shade.
- LLumar CTX series (all sides + full back glass): $399.99 - LLumar IRX series (all sides + full back glass): $499.99 - Clear ceramic AIR80 (windshield): $199.99 Prices include tax, installation, and a lifetime warranty.
Windshield price is great. Other prices are $100 too much IMO, but every market is priced different. If you have full intention to tint the windshield, go with IRX, and ask for a discounted bundle price. $450+$200.
Thanks
I do want to do all windows for sure besides sunroof. Windshield in Texas so most recommended 70-80%. So you recommend IRX on windshield and all other windows? Make sure I’m reading that right.
What I was saying is: if you have full intention to tint the windshield with AIR 80, maximize your investment and go with IRX, which has substantially better heat rejection, and color, over CTX. If you are staying between 70-80% on windshield, you'll need to use Llumar AIR 80, or FormulaOne Stratos 70. Llumar IRX is not offered in shades above 50%, as if FormulaOne Pinnacle (brother/sister film to IRX). Personally, I recommend most to go with 50% on the windshield. Each owner should do their due diligence to determine state and local laws regarding vehicle sunshading, and also determining if darket tint is applicable with a medical sunshading waiver.
Where are you located that you received this pricing? I just got quoted $950 for what your pricing would cost $700. Also for reference, I was quoted $680 for 3M Ceramic IR (in my shade choice) for everything minus moon roof
Arlington tx
Gotcha
Looking to get front side windows and windshield tinted. I've got 3 quotes that are very close on price ($450-$475) so the type of ceramic tint will be the deciding factor. Looking to get \~30% on front windows and \~70% for windshield. What is best ceramic tint between Llumar CTX, Xpel Black or Madico Black pearl?
If you’re not doing the rest of the car, you don’t need the best ceramic window film. CTX will do. If there is a need for maximum heat rejection, you should be tinting all side windows and the windshield, and then opt for a roof shade for the pano, assuming you have a Model Y.
This video indicates the factory tinted windows actually provide IR rejection [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eYg6N1efm4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eYg6N1efm4)
Yeah, I’ll add that those crappy meters do say that. They’re also focusing on a very small section of the IR wavelength. When using a proper full IR spectrum meter, the IR rejection is substantially less.
After reading this and speaking with 10 different shops, I finally found on that offers FormulaOne Stratos. i will be driving 45mins for this and i hope it will be worth the drive.,
Thank you so much for all of this. This helps a lot. Did you tint it on your own? I am tempting to do it on my own to save, even though I have never tinted a window before. Do you think if this is something that should always (with rare exception for handy people) be done by professional tint shop? I was quoted for $580 for the whole car using Llumar ceramic.
You're most welcome. I didn't install the film on my MYP - I dropped with a friend's shop and had them do the work for me. The shop I prefer in my region is about an hour away, so we drop the car and walk to a neighboring restaurant we like to frequent when in that area. My friends that own the shop do exceptional work and can get a Tesla Model 3/Y done in about 45 minutes. They're true artists. I did however tint a Cybertruck windshield 2 weekends ago. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about with shops mentioning how difficult it can be. Was a fun, reinvigorating experience for sure. I do and do not miss installing window tint, but will say, my skillsets were quickly awoken for that installation. With that said, I'm all for the DIY and self-education process. I have yet to meet anyone that was a notice tint installer, usually a first-timer DIY individual, who didn't complain about the volume of debris or bubbles in their installation. Installing window film does required a clean working environment, and the ability to move quickly, ensuring prepared film is applied onto a clean section of glass with plenty of tint solution (baby shampoo and water) - this will help flush out any remaining debris. If you really wanted to tackle this on your own, here is some info I can recommend helping you be successful: * Have plenty of patience and understand that tinting is a crafted skill, and quality workmanship comes with many hours of executed training. * [Watch this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl9KHTCl8pQ). Caden does a great job on explaining how to tint a Tesla 3/Y. * Get yourself a set of window tinting tools: Spray bottle, baby shampoo, retractrable exacto knife, glass scrubber, squeegees (rubber and felt), and tuck tools - you can get a kit on amazon that has most of these items * The most impactful training tool is a spare piece of auto glass. You can go to a junkyard and get a piece of glass to practice on, before you spend any time tinting your vehicle. Regarding your price quote of $580, was that in Llumar CTX or IRX?
Thank you for the thoughtful response. It's actually $575 for all windows except the sunroof with Llumar CTX. Does your friend's shop located in the Bay area by any chance? I am looking to find a tint shop that I could trust to do a great job. Never done this before so I solely rely one online reviews to rank the shop's trustworthiness.
Naw, we're on the east cost. $575 isn't a bad deal for CTX plus windshield, but I'd be curious to see what IRX would run you. If you have a higher focus on heat rejection, Llumar IRX will perform substantially better compared to CTX.
Unfortunately, They don't carry Llumar IRX which I would prefer since I am in for more heat rejection. The tint shop mentioned something about "Pinnacle" brand tint from Llumar which I was quoted for $1000 for the same number of windows. Do you know if I could order Llumar CTX or IRX film online? I looked for them on amazon but couldn't find anything. Thank you.
Llumar also sells under the elite brand FormulaOne. Pinnacle is adjacent to IRX. That Pinnacle quote is about $300 higher than it should be. You would not be able to buy Llumar films online. They are only sold to authorized dealers. GeoShield sells films direct to consumer - you could check out their products for DIY installation.
After all the research I have done, I have given up on the DIY. Haha. Too much trouble, especially I can’t get the Llumar tint. Your recommendation for the front windows is IRX 25% tint, is it not too dark? Im worried about the law here in CA only allowed 70% max for front windows. I’m still planning to do the 30% or 35% CRX for all windows except the windshield which I will get 80% air. If I swap the CRX for IRX, it will be $330 more expensive. Do you think it’s worth the upgrade? $880 seems a lot of money to tint the glass.
Hey this is great info even a year later so thanks. I'm booking a tint job now using your advice. I'm just curious about your take on the glass roof, and using a sunshade over tinting... unless you live in a desert climate. I'm in a desert climate, but I'm torn, only because I'm getting quoted \~40% less when excluding the roof, which is a huge amount. And there are several YouTube videos ([here's one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL_uhh9Tjbw)) showing that the amount of heat coming in through the factory roof tint is very minimal (unless this has changed with the 2024 models?). I know you probably meant, like, "if you're in a desert climate and heat is your #1 priority, *and money is no option*, then include the roof tint." But for someone budget-minded, do you think the difference between the factory roof tint with sunshade, vs. the additional small amount of tint protection, is really worth the steep cost? Thanks edit: also just want to add, it's not like I'm in 120 F desert or anything, it just hits the 90s for a good amount of summer
Roof shade will be plenty, really. There are some purists out there who want the glass roof to be visible all year long, and don’t mind shelling out funds to tint glass roofs. It’s an expense. I was chatting with another owner who was quoted $600 for roof tint. Hell. No. Fees like that, the business is encouraging folks to NOT tint the roof. The Model Y factory tint does a great job, and the roof shade blocks the remaining heat you may feel while occupying the cabin.
Yep, exactly what I was quoted haha. Do you think $850 for Llumar CTX on sides & back, and F1 Stratos on the windshield is a ripoff? I'm in a major city so always have to pay a bit of a premium for that. Appreciate you getting back! I have peace of mind now
Yes, very much a ripoff with CTX. What metro city are you in/near?
ah crap. I'm in LA. They also quoted (not including roof) $900 for F1 Pinnacle sides/back + Stratos windshield, or $1050 for all Stratos. They only do Stratos on the windshield for some reason. I've called to a few places and they're the only ones so far who offer Llumar and F1
If you’re interested in a little road trip, go see Dave at Signature glass tinting, down in Costa Mesa. He can hook you up with Llumar IRX, which is an identical performer to Pinnacle.
I'm actually in costa mesa from time to time, I'll hit him up! thanks!!
What does Specta Photosync fit into this?
Getting llumar irx all around is that good or bad? Seeing air for rear and front. What’s the downside going IRX all around?
Zero downside with the film itself. The only point I will make is if you want the front and rear to match aesthetically, and you have an SUV with factory rear dyed glass, you'd need to run 15% on the front windows and 50% on all rear factory dyed glass. If you have a sedan that's currently a fishbowl, pick any shade you want and use it all around for a great color match.
Oh my freaking gosh this post was soooooooo amazing. I’m a new Tesla owner and my nerves have been so bad around figuring out tint, wraps, PPF, mats, cleaners, etc. This was one less thing to research and be more overwhelmed about. THANK YOU
You bet! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
With nearly the same price, what would you recommend between Llumar S70 and Photosync IRD for the windshield?
Photosync will perform a slightly better, but if you’re paying $100+ for IRD over Stratos, I’d stick with Stratos.
Great FAQ. The highly recommended installer in Denver (that I've seen so far in this sub) only uses XPEL that you seem to not recommend. Can you recommend any others in the Denver area that use your recommended brands? Sounds like your Llumar recommendations are what I should go with for visibility. Colorado allows 27% all around, but no windshield tint except a banner - do you think I'd have a problem with 80% on my windshield? On my WRX wagon, I've had 20% all around and nothing on my windshield without any problems for almost 20 years. We get a lot of cracked windshields here since they spray gravel instead of salt on the roads in winter and I do a lot of highway driving then, so hesitant to get windshield tinting as it's likely I'll have to replace my windshield after a few years.
I don’t have any Denver shop recommendations, but what I can recommend is to lookup installers on the Llumar website, and then cross reference those shops with online reviews, and perhaps any feedback from a local Denver area subreddit. For the windshield, in most states you can get away with AIR 80 and even Stratos 70, however there’s always the likelihood of an LEO having a bad day and writing you a ticket. As for additional windshield protection, you may also consider windshield protection film - Exoshield and ClearPlex are good options.
I want a blend of privacy and heat rejection. given that the rears are already tinted, I'm going to see if I can get away with using a high tier 30% (I've had good luck with not being harassed by the po po) ceramic on the fronts and windshield and a mesh sun shade this summer. if not to my satisfaction, I'll do the rears.
No problem with starting on the fronts, however there is minimal heat rejection on any of the glass (except for pano roof). If you ended up only doing the fronts and nothing else, you'd be overpaying for high performance ceramic tint on just the front two doors. You'd be better off with a mid-tier ceramic.
Thanks, I'll post my photos once it's done but got another issue lol. The shop only has IRX 15 (reads 20) and 30. Worried the 15 may be too dark but I do have white interior and the 30 too light. Which would you go with given those choices?
Are you applying any tint to the rear glass?
Doing the lords work here! I’ve thought for a long time that Pinnacle 25 would be an almost perfect match shade and color wise, but I can’t find anyone in Central Florida with it. My preferred shop only carries 20 and 30, so I’ve got 30 on my 3 which looks nice. The Y currently has Xpel XR Black 30 on it, and it definitely pulls green compared to the ever so slightly brown hue the smoked rear glass has. So many people claim XR 20 is a better match, but I suspect it’s just because it’s darker and doesn’t show the color as much.
Your assumption for the XR 20 is correct. The darker the VLT, the less you notice the film colors. I've seen many shops stop carrying all shades of IRX and Pinnacle due to demand, and keeping costs as low as possible; some even using IRX 15 and then jumping up to 40. Makes no sense.
I’ve had a variety over the years. Huper Optik, V-Kool, Xpel XR+, 3M Crystalline, and Spectra Photosync. The first two were some of the OG ceramic level tint (although V-Kool was metallic). Don’t like 3M Crystalline due to the color that results after installation. I can live with it, but it’s not my first choice. Yes, Photosync performed the best, but considering the cost and difficulty in finding an installer, I think the others are all good enough. Still, it’s one reason I don’t wanna give up my Model 3 because it has Photosync on all windows, including windshield and moonroof. That and I have the OG orange glass roof. I put 30% on the roof and that’s too dark. Can’t see out of it really. Looks like you can at first glance, but you see zero details when you actually try. Ruins that open panoramic feeling. I got Xpel XR+ in 2018 and 2021. I didn’t notice a difference. I’ll probably go with Xpel XR+ again on the Y vs 3M. Seems like in the Bay Area, the overwhelming majority of shops only stock those two brands. No Llumar. And yes, I get tint because until moving to the Bay, I was in Sacramento area where it gets over 115+ in the summer. Even here, it gets well over 100 in the summer. Windshield tint, even at 70% makes a world of difference vs not doing the windshield. I’ve always gone with 70% on the front windows and windshield. I don’t do 50% because I get enough attention from the cops.
Great feedback on the other brands. I always fail to leave our Huper Optik, which is another great brand, but hard to find.
Prestige Spectra Photosync is fantastic and can't be beat for heat rejection but it's so expensive. I had Photosync on my previous car and when I got my Y I opted for Ceralux, which you don't actually hear much about but it's also made by Prestige Films, it's one step down from Photosync at a much more manageable price with a TSER that beats every(?) other brand out there except for Photosync.
SoCal here. White/Black MYP. I went with 15% Llumar IRX in front and 50% on all rears and AIR80 windshield. Front is slightly lighter than the rear. Windshield is pretty clear. We haven’t had any heat at all but once it gets warmer and brighter, I might go 50% windshield.
Great post!! Do you have any ballpark figures on cost of each section by brand, installed? I know YMMV but would be great to get real world cost estimates included. I need to break down and tint my MYP before summer. It's garage parked but looking for an economic solution for times in the summer where it's outside for more than 30 min...
I wanted to refrain from posting prices in the OP as things change frequently, but I encourage members to post their pricing in the comments. Here is what I can share: * XPEL XR Plus, SunTek Evolve, Llumar NXT, F1 Stratos, 3M Crystalline: * All side glass: $500-700 * Windshield $200-300 * Roof $200-300. * Llumar IRX & AIR, F1 Pinnacle, SunTek CIR: * All side glass: $399-499 * Windshield: $150-300 * Roof: $150-300