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Formula One Stratos Window Tint

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Not a model 3, but I got Stratos 50 installed on my P85+ as a tester back in fall 2016 (before they even had finalized the name for the product). It has performed exceptionally well in the hot Utah heat. Looking to get it put on my new Model X soon.

It has a nice black look, not off color at all. Worked well with my black P85+, hoping for the same contrast now that I'll have a white Model X.
 
Yea on my other car I have no issues. This one due to the terrible mirrors is not working out.

I think what may make it worse for you on the 3 is the field of vision out of the back window is not the best even in daytime because the back of the trunk angles up. This limits the field of vision somewhat and the combination with the dimming mirror at night compounds that.
 
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Here you go. first pic is looking up and back towards the rear seats, second is looking directly up from driver seat. These were taken at 5:37pm. Sorry about the glare. Hope this helps.

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Was the back roof done in one piece? Do you have any concerns about tinting the back roof? I have read a bunch of people say thee were concerns about it which i cant really understand. Thank you! I need help figuring out what to do with my back roof, my tint shop recommended just doing the lower portion which I didn't really think would look great.
 
Was the back roof done in one piece? Do you have any concerns about tinting the back roof? I have read a bunch of people say thee were concerns about it which i cant really understand. Thank you! I need help figuring out what to do with my back roof, my tint shop recommended just doing the lower portion which I didn't really think would look great.

Yes, back window/roof was done with one piece. I personally would not tint the lower half only as I recall seeing pictures where you can see the edge of the tint from the inside the car which would bug me.

No concerns. Provides more heat protection in general and heat protection specifically for the heads of passengers in the rear. For some people 15% on the back window may be too dark especially at night, but I have no problems with it.
 
l am debating to get either 3M Crystalline or LLumar F1 Stratos for my Model 3 MSM.

For 3M, I think about CR40 or 50 for Windows, Rear Windows and Sun Roof. CR70 for Windshield.
For F1 Stratos, I think 35 for Windows/Rear Windows/ Sun Roof. 70 for Windshield.

Based on the specification, it seems Crystalline seems better. But it seems Stratos looks less brownish tone. It seems looks better for my car as I have white seat.

Is Crystalline tone a bit different than Stratos?
 
I think you made a good decision. I could have saved a couple hundred dollars and gone with Stratos instead of Photosync. I ended up with photosync for the extra heat reduction, but it's really diminishing returns at that level I think. I also think the color of the Stratos looked great. It's a thinner film too, and I wonder if it would cause less deflections from the defrost grid on the rear window than photo-sync does.
The guy at the shop I took my car to had tint on his car and guess what, it was Stratos, not photosync :)

I think Crystalline has more of a brownish tint, for better or worse. The Stratos I looked at was a nice gray color. Funny though, I prefer my brown tinted Maui Jim sunglasses over my gray ones, except maybe for when I'm driving.
 
I have the stratos. Can't speak for the Crystalline, but the stratos is a black tint, no hint of brownish, or blueish, or greenish that I've seen with others. It's black.


/edit. There's a few pictures of my car with the tint in this thread.

I specifically have the 40 on sides and rear hatch. Nothing on the front windshield.
 
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I use the Stratos on my Model 3 this spring.

70% front
40% sides
Nothing on the back (I was going to do 50% but they couldn’t get the film big enough to do it right away, then after waiting for them to get the film in, I realized it doesn’t need it. The non-tinted part on the back window is really small.). I probably would do 70% if I ever go back and do it.

Chrome delete, powder coated rims satin black, painted calipers red, Tesla “T”’s in red as well.

P.s. this photo is before I had them redo the chrome delete - they did a crap job on the side mirrors, when they folded you could still see the chrome. I took it to someone else to fix the first installer’s crap chrome delete work. Make sure your installer knows what the heck they are doing and look at their work on other cars before you pick someone. I learned the hard way and had to have it redone by someone who knew what they were doing.


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I think you made a good decision. I could have saved a couple hundred dollars and gone with Stratos instead of Photosync. I ended up with photosync for the extra heat reduction, but it's really diminishing returns at that level I think. I also think the color of the Stratos looked great. It's a thinner film too, and I wonder if it would cause less deflections from the defrost grid on the rear window than photo-sync does.
The guy at the shop I took my car to had tint on his car and guess what, it was Stratos, not photosync :)

I think Crystalline has more of a brownish tint, for better or worse. The Stratos I looked at was a nice gray color. Funny though, I prefer my brown tinted Maui Jim sunglasses over my gray ones, except maybe for when I'm driving.

Thanks Glamisduner! I haven't bought it yet but I did a side by side comparison. Although 3M has better IR heat rejection, I think I like the Stratos. I probably will pick it.
 
View attachment 363238 View attachment 363240 I use the Stratos on my Model 3 this spring.

70% front
40% sides
Nothing on the back (I was going to do 50% but they couldn’t get the film big enough to do it right away, then after waiting for them to get the film in, I realized it doesn’t need it. The non-tinted part on the back window is really small.). I probably would do 70% if I ever go back and do it.

Chrome delete, powder coated rims satin black, painted calipers red, Tesla “T”’s in red as well.

P.s. this photo is before I had them redo the chrome delete - they did a crap job on the side mirrors, when they folded you could still see the chrome. I took it to someone else to fix the first installer’s crap chrome delete work. Make sure your installer knows what the heck they are doing and look at their work on other cars before you pick someone. I learned the hard way and had to have it redone by someone who knew what they were doing.


Thanks Indy3! The picture helps a lot. It seems 40% is a lot darker than I saw the film at the store. Maybe I should pick 50% instead. If you tint sunroof, what percentage would you pick? would 40% too dark for the already tinted sunroof?

Thanks!
 
Thanks Glamisduner! I haven't bought it yet but I did a side by side comparison. Although 3M has better IR heat rejection, I think I like the Stratos. I probably will pick it.
they are both premium films, the photosync rejects more heat if you measure with a meter, I'm not sure you can tell 10-15% difference without a tool though. Unfortunately we found a scratch on the rear window when they were timing so i have one window untinted until i get ahold of the service center. Hopefully warranty will cover it since no one has really ridden in the back...
 
I went with formula one pinnacle -70/30 including 30 on the sun roof.

They didn’t have the stratos in wide sheets to do the back window single piece. Said stratos and pinnacle look identical and offered to mix, but I just went pinnacle.

Roof is a bit dark, but not bad.

Edit - this was our 3. Out stratos on the S. Have not had the 3 in summer heat to compare yet.