Model S - Window Tinting

[simplesolar]

What impresses me about the photosync is how cool it keeps the water in my car. I can leave a water bottle in my center console and it will not get hot even with outside temperature reaching 90. I have the pano roof tinted as well.

 

[Lump]

The San Diego Tesla Club has negotiated the following prices at Mr. Tint in Escondido:

All sides and rear hatch window in Formula One Pinnacle (any shade) for $300. We recommend 35% for the sides and 15% for the rear hatch (to match the color of the pano roof). If you want to tint the pano roof, it's an additional $140.

AirBlue 80 on the front windshield is $120. Yes, you do get a rainbow effect with polarized sunglasses using AB80, as you do with many other tints. I've gotten used to it, or get driving sunglasses that are not polarized if it bothers you. Or you can get PhotoSync put on the front windshield in Cerritos.

At Mr. Tint, the process takes 3-4 hours. They do a great job.

Thanks for the info, I am considering Mr. Tint even though its a 2 hour drive.

While I was disappointed in the prices & none of them offered XPEL paint protection, driving the car around without the wife & kids was a blast, I am going to hit up a few more shops this Saturday, hopefully I can find a shop in Malibu :biggrin:

 

[GEJ]

Get the PhotoSync, you won't be disappointed.

I couldn't agree more. We put 45% Premier PhotoSync on all four side windows and rear to look consistent. Driving home from Premium Protective Films in Fremont, we immediately noticed the heat now coming from the windshield. This weekend I had them put 75% on the windshield. Premium did a great job and really seem to care about their work product. David explained a large part of the cost for the windshield was the prep work to make sure no water would drip down into the dash and therefore the electronics. He put together a video showing the difference between tints (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uppEGWJi0Jw&feature=youtu.be)

 

[slickbond007]

Hi GEJ,
How much did it cost you? Thanks in advance.

I couldn't agree more. We put 45% Premier PhotoSync on all four side windows and rear to look consistent. Driving home from Premium Protective Films in Fremont, we immediately noticed the heat now coming from the windshield. This weekend I had them put 75% on the windshield. Premium did a great job and really seem to care about their work product. David explained a large part of the cost for the windshield was the prep work to make sure no water would drip down into the dash and therefore the electronics. He put together a video showing the difference between tints (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uppEGWJi0Jw&feature=youtu.be)

 

[rdrcrmatt]

Since I've only seen a rare few pics.. Here is my P85 Multicoat Red with 35% tint. 3M film.

I can take more pics in a few days if requested. (let me know what you want to see)

 

[Panacea]

rdrcrmatt: many thanks for the photos of the 3M crystalline 35%. Does it have a bronze tint? I have heard reports of the tint over the hatch looking purplish. Do you find this to be the case?

 

[HHHH]

I'm finally getting my Photosync installed this Thursday in Las Vegas. I'll try to post pics after.

 

[simplesolar]

I'm finally getting my Photosync installed this Thursday in Las Vegas. I'll try to post pics after.

What % did you decide to go with? You'll love the tint especially in Vegas.

 

[CarlK]

This weekend I had them put 75% on the windshield. Premium did a great job and really seem to care about their work product.

Did you notice if night vision got affected in anyway with the windshield tinting?

 

[SteveW25561]

I got my Photosync installed last night at Northwest Auto Salon near Seattle. Blake & his installer did an awesome job -- they were so pleasant to work with and I'm extremely happy with their work!

I got 75% on the windshield, side windows, 55% on the rear passengers and hatchback and 35% on the pano roof. Went with minimal tints on the fronts to avoid undue attention from ticket-givers. I'll post pictures when I get a chance.

I do notice just the smallest hint of visual distortion out the front windshield, kind of like looking through very fine orange peel that causes a slight distortion of the view (note this is very very subtle, best seen on horizontal lines like car roof lines, etc, and I can't capture it on my iPhone camera). In addition, out the rear hatchback, I'm noticing the reflection of lights from cars along the defrost wires seems more noticeable than I recall before the tint was applied.

I think these might go away as the water evaporates from the adhesive as I think it's already looking better (now 24h after application). The film installation looks otherwise flawless: smooth with no bubbles, no visible seams or gaps.

I'll update this after a few days of drying (they told me to avoid rolling windows down for 3 days afterward, so I presume it takes a while for the adhesive to fully dry, which makes good sense).

Just posting to see other's experience with the very early days after tint installation: do you see similar changes? Even if these are intrinsic to the film, I'm OK to live with it given the benefits of Photosync film.

 

[Hometheatremaven]

I do notice just the smallest hint of visual distortion out the front windshield, kind of like looking through very fine orange peel that causes a slight distortion of the view (note this is very very subtle, best seen on horizontal lines like car roof lines, etc, and I can't capture it on my iPhone camera). In addition, out the rear hatchback, I'm noticing the reflection of lights from cars along the defrost wires seems more noticeable than I recall before the tint was applied.

That distortion will dissipate in a week or less, as the water evaporates. It is perfectly normal, so not to worry.

 

[laalan]

Just to add a note about the photo sync. I didn't do the windshield yet. With a laser thermometer, my dash was at 156 degrees F and the areas with tint were 130 degrees. Through rear hatch, it was 104. Not sure if darker tint or impact of defroster lines. This was on an 80 degree day in direct sunlight. I have repeated this a few times with consistent results.

Might be interesting to hear other owner differentials with photo sync and non photo sync.

 

[wdimagineer]

I had my car done yesterday. Huper Optik 35% all around. Looks terrific. The windshield and panoramic roof remain untinted.

 

[rdrcrmatt]

rdrcrmatt: many thanks for the photos of the 3M crystalline 35%. Does it have a bronze tint? I have heard reports of the tint over the hatch looking purplish. Do you find this to be the case?

No, I haven't noticed the bronze tint on the newly tinted windows at all.

 

[rawady]

I just got my car tinted with Photosync 75 on the windshield and pano roof and 65 everywhere else. It works great. However I notice that looking though the windshield everything looks hazy. This happens when light hits in a certain angle. I am not sure if it is just a reflection of the dashboard on the windshield or if just Photosync when it activates with the light. Has anybody else's noticed this?

 

[yobigd20]

rdrcrmatt: many thanks for the photos of the 3M crystalline 35%. Does it have a bronze tint? I have heard reports of the tint over the hatch looking purplish. Do you find this to be the case?

yep. the rear hatch on my S is purple with the 3M Crystalline 40. BTW, rdrcrmatt does not have 3M Crystalline. The lowest % possible that 3M Crystalline is made is 40. So rdrcrmatt can't have Crystalline. He is probably using 3M Color Stable. And that probably does not have the purple look that the Crystalline does.

 

[onesixeight]

I have Crystalline 40 and it certainly does have a purple-ish hue at the rear hatch area. Its not a bad purple hue look, more like that purple-bluish hue you get with high-end multi-coated glass and optics.

 

[EarlyAdopter]

I just got my car tinted with Photosync 75 on the windshield and pano roof and 65 everywhere else. It works great. However I notice that looking though the windshield everything looks hazy. This happens when light hits in a certain angle. I am not sure if it is just a reflection of the dashboard on the windshield or if just Photosync when it activates with the light. Has anybody else's noticed this?

Yeah, I've noticed this too on my side windows. With the sun just at the right angle it looks a little cloudy. Also, dust, smudges, and haze on the outside of the glass are much more noticeable now. I especially notice this on the rear hatch glass.

 

[Tommy]

I just got my car tinted with Photosync 75 on the windshield and pano roof and 65 everywhere else. It works great. However I notice that looking though the windshield everything looks hazy. This happens when light hits in a certain angle. I am not sure if it is just a reflection of the dashboard on the windshield or if just Photosync when it activates with the light. Has anybody else's noticed this?

The Photosync 75 on the windshield does have a very slight haze. This is from the angle of the windshield and why it is not noticeable on the side windows. I had 3M's crystalline 70 on my windshield and replaced it with the Photosync 75. It was a good decision. Some observations: The Photosync 75 has better clarity than the Crystalline. Looking through the Crystalline it was always apparent one was looking through a film. Moving the eyes up and down one could see the artifacts of distortion looking at straight lines. The Crystalline also had the effect of shifting the paint color of cars as they moved by. Much more pronounced when wearing polaroid glasses. Also the Crystalline had more than a slight haze effect, the view out the windshield is more like looking out at a real smoggy day. Both brands of tints really block the heat coming in through the windshield and I would put them on par with each other. Also, the haze effect is really only noticeable when driving into the sun for both brands of tint. Personally I like the Photosync better on the windshield than the Crystalline.

 

[Lloyd]

for price comparison. I just had Lumar done rear and all sides for $335.