Clarification on Tint

[K9handler]

I’m picking up a model 3 soon (2022). I normally tint all my cars with limo tint all the way around. I use a company called mobile tint one (so cal based) they come to my house and do it on the spot. Never had an issue.

I’ve been reading the M3 can be tricky with the roof. Is this a wives tale? Do I need to seek out a Tesla tint specialist? I spoke with the tinter and he said he’s done a bunch of them with no issue.

If I’m ceramic tinting the entire car with limo, what should I do the roof?

 

[PaulSu]

A lot of tint places won’t do the rear glass in one piece and will leave an annoying line. My preference is one piece as I know having a line will drive my OCD nuts. But of course it’s up to you and your tastes. Ask them if they’ve done Model 3’s and some references and pics. Good luck.

 

[K9handler]

He said it will be in one piece

 

[Ren.OG]

My friend is a tint guy, he's tinted a few Model 3's so I had him do mine..
He said doing the big rear glass in one piece can cause the glass to crack, could have something to do with the flex.
He did my rear window with a small piece and I have that line you're talking about, its not so bad.
I'll post a pic later when I get back to my car.

 

[Jeremy3292]

I personally wouldn’t touch any of the roof glass as there have been reports of it cracking. Also most tint shops do not carry sheets that wide to tint the whole roof. I got all of the side windows tinted and left it at that personally.

 

[Mr. Frodo]

I've had mine done with one piece tint for 3 years with no issues. I had to go to a specialty shop due to the difficulty of doing it all in one piece, so it kinda sounds bogus to me.

 

[jawnly211]

take it to a reputable place that will do it in one piece

i got ceramic 20% driver and passenger windows and backseat windows and rear at 15%

limo tint is 5% i believe - could have issues at night

no reason at all to tint the roof

the place i went to is in sherman oaks called "sunshield" - they do teslas nonstop - very well known in the LA area

 

[DblOSmith]

One piece is preferable. Despite that, mine isn't in one piece and the line isn't bad. It's above my rear view view and I never see it. Also, you can't see any line from the outside of the car.

 

[SocalM3P]

I did all my windows in Huper Optik ceramic, the rear and roof in one piece in 5%. the sides are 15% and the front, 60%. my tint guy never mentioned issues of glass cracking or whatnot and he's done tons of Teslas and exotics as well. (Fresh Window Tint in Redondo.) I've taken my previous Porsche and wife's Lexus, no issues.

 

[Shelburne]

I'm glad I live in cloudy, foggy, snowy, rainy New England. No need for tint here.

 

[TBrownTX]

I'm glad I live in cloudy, foggy, snowy, rainy New England. No need for tint here.

Aesthetics though? No tint feels like sitting in a fishbowl. Getting mine done over the next couple of weeks.

Tim

 

[m3hh]

I recently got my car tinted 5% front and back. My tint guy had to order a larger roll in order to do the back windshield. His advice to me was since I did 5% front and back windows are to do the rear windshield 15% for visibility sake.

 

[snowthewitch]

I'm jealous of the low tint percentages everyone is going with, years ago I got dinged a few times on a civic for tint that was below the limit.

Here it's like 50%...

 

[KnightRiderKit]

Doesn't the CHP still hassle you if you have ANY tint on the front side windows? When I use to live there years ago, I had one CHP guy chased me down on I-5 like I was a violent felon and give me a ticket for having 25 on my front sides.

Currently, on my MS Plaid, I run SunTek nano-hybrid carbon 25 in the back and rear windows and 35 on the front sides. I also have 18 windshield tint down to about an inch below the "A" line. The roof looks like limo tint built into the glass and I'll be interested to see how it does in the summer months. Have no idea about its heat and infrared rejection, glare reduction or UV protection. I am hoping it'll handle it all real well. I'd really like to go darker all around, but my eyesight isn't what it use to be and it's tough for me to see out with the real dark stuff.

 

[0CO2]

Had mine tinted with 20% on the rear doors and roof (single full glass piece), 35% on the front doors and nothing on the front roof. You can’t see any difference between the roof panels from outside although I have a black car and black interior so that might help. There are very few tint shops in Melbourne that will do the front roof, not sure why but there seems to be a majority of tinters that say it shouldn’t be done.

 

[Jo060]

Can't say I understand tinting the roof. It's already tinted and it takes away from having the open roof...especially at 5%

 

[m3hh]

Can't say I understand tinting the roof. It's already tinted and it takes away from having the open roof...especially at 5%

For me, it's because I don't want to see the break between the tint and the window.

 

[Jo060]

For me, it's because I don't want to see the break between the tint and the window.

But the window directly above the front seats?

 

[m3hh]

But the window directly above the front seats?

Oh no that is being left as is. I was just referring to the very back window.

 

[boriszima]

Doesn't the CHP still hassle you if you have ANY tint on the front side windows? When I use to live there years ago, I had one CHP guy chased me down on I-5 like I was a violent felon and give me a ticket for having 25 on my front sides.

Currently, on my MS Plaid, I run SunTek nano-hybrid carbon 25 in the back and rear windows and 35 on the front sides. I also have 18 windshield tint down to about an inch below the "A" line. The roof looks like limo tint built into the glass and I'll be interested to see how it does in the summer months. Have no idea about its heat and infrared rejection, glare reduction or UV protection. I am hoping it'll handle it all real well. I'd really like to go darker all around, but my eyesight isn't what it use to be and it's tough for me to see out with the real dark stuff.

CHP has tons of other issues now to loo after (smash and grab to name a few), so from what I have seen driving here on "the" 5/10/405/101/110 They dont care too much unless you doing standout stuff. Then again only my experience

I had tint for 3 years, I tinted everything. Sounds odd, but back then in mid 2018 when model 3 were rolling it, i was a bit hard to find a tinter who is willing to do once piece and do fronts due to all the electronics there. I did read about cracking, I am likely wrong, but because here in SoCal weather does not change quickly and often, i doubt its an issue. Especially if you @K9handler keep in the garage overnights most of them. Now, likely any establish tinter have done a model 3, especially you being in Huntington beach, there are tons of Teslas in Los Angeles county. For my ting guy i took him 6-7 hours? back glass i think he had to redo couple of times before he was happy how it came out. dont get cheap tint, get top of the line ceramic. Pay once, cry once

I did do limo tint on rear, upper glass, and back glass. I regret getting it that dark as at nights looking in rear is often fairly dark. Still not sure if putting limo on on top helps with heat, but at night looking up i cant see stars (well and damn light pollution here). I also added 4-5 inch limo tint on the front to help against the sun plus 20% tint to help with sun glaring.