Model S - Window Tinting

[yobigd20]

3M Crystalline does come in 70. That's what I have on my Model S and I'm very happy with it.

whoops, missed 70. i meant to skip 80 but apparently skipped 70 too haha

 

[lloyds]

My colleague recently bought a 60 and decided to get 3M limo tint. Right before we went to lunch yesterday, we decided to check on the car via our phone app. It was about 2pm and both our cars were parked in the same lot outside, so our MSs have been sitting in direct sun from 10am-2pm. It was 99 degrees outside and my car showed 97 degrees while my buddy's car was VERY hot at 127 degrees. I'm a believer 100% in photosynch

 

[Bill D]

My colleague recently bought a 60 and decided to get 3M limo tint. Right before we went to lunch yesterday, we decided to check on the car via our phone app. It was about 2pm and both our cars were parked in the same lot outside, so our MSs have been sitting in direct sun from 10am-2pm. It was 99 degrees outside and my car showed 97 degrees while my buddy's car was VERY hot at 127 degrees. I'm a believer 100% in photosynch

You and I must be on the same wavelength. At 5pm yesterday (2pm your time) I was returning a 60 loaner, without tint, to the Dania Beach service center and looking at the row of Teslas parked in the Florida sun and imagining running the test that you were running at that same moment. To be fair, I thought the interior and exterior colors of each car should be the same, they should be oriented the same and any breeze shouldn't be blocked differently.

 

[TexasEV]

My colleague recently bought a 60 and decided to get 3M limo tint. Right before we went to lunch yesterday, we decided to check on the car via our phone app. It was about 2pm and both our cars were parked in the same lot outside, so our MSs have been sitting in direct sun from 10am-2pm. It was 99 degrees outside and my car showed 97 degrees while my buddy's car was VERY hot at 127 degrees. I'm a believer 100% in photosynch

What product do you mean by "3M limo tint"? Is it Crystalline, and if so what percentage, or is it one of their cheaper products?

 

[TheConnected]

Theres a lot of info on this thread and I just dont wanna read through al these pges. Can someone point me to a prestige photosynch tinter in FL? I have DG and deciding between prestige 45 and 35. Would be great to see these from a fellow TMC member.

 

[BobtheV]

Anyone who wants to know where the nearest Photosync dealer is should email Photosync. 'Mkay?

 

[darthvdr]

My colleague recently bought a 60 and decided to get 3M limo tint. Right before we went to lunch yesterday, we decided to check on the car via our phone app. It was about 2pm and both our cars were parked in the same lot outside, so our MSs have been sitting in direct sun from 10am-2pm. It was 99 degrees outside and my car showed 97 degrees while my buddy's car was VERY hot at 127 degrees. I'm a believer 100% in photosynch

I recalled seeing similar results last summer when we were ranging 105 degrees. Very happy with Photosynch and no problems whatsoever.

 

[dsm363]

Does the photosync 75 still give you effective heat blocking or do you need to get the much darker tints?

 

[Gear]

Does the photosync 75 still give you effective heat blocking of do you need to get the much darker tints?

It still gives effective heat blocking. That's kind of the beauty of Photosync. The tint level doesn't have a huge impact on the heat blocking capability. The 65 is slightly more effective than the 75, but then the 65 and 55 are very close to the same in terms of effectiveness. I think the 45 is then slightly less effective than the 55. I have the 55 on all side windows and then 75 on the windshield, and I never bother putting a sun shade in the windshield anymore, even when it's 100+ and sitting out in the desert.

 

[Sammy Nine-Toes]

 

[lloyds]

Does the photosync 75 still give you effective heat blocking or do you need to get the much darker tints?

My understanding is that it will be slightly more effective if you are getting a darker shade (I have Photosynch 75 on the windshield, 45s on the side and back hatch). Today is about 100 here in Santa Clara, California and while driving around, I only have my AC on at L2. Feel very comfortable even on a day like this.

 

[DaveT]

I'm looking on getting Photosync 75 on the front windshield and 45 everywhere else (front/rear doors, rear hatch) but I'm wondering if I'm going to get pulled over for the 45s on the front doors (ie., being in California). So, I'm thinking I could get 55s on the front doors and 45s on the rear but I'm not sure if that will keep me from getting pulled over either. Or maybe 65s on the front doors and 45s on the rear. Any thoughts?

 

[liuping]

I'm looking on getting Photosync 75 on the front windshield and 45 everywhere else (front/rear doors, rear hatch) but I'm wondering if I'm going to get pulled over for the 45s on the front doors (ie., being in California). So, I'm thinking I could get 55s on the front doors and 45s on the rear but I'm not sure if that will keep me from getting pulled over either. Or maybe 65s on the front doors and 45s on the rear. Any thoughts?

45s are not that dark. You can do 45 front doors and 35 rear door/hatch! That makes the front look even lighter

 

[Rheazombi]

Loved reading this whole thread! Very interesting to see peoples' recommendations slightly shift over time.
I find window tinting laws kind of ridiculous tho. The fact that Cali drivers only get to have 70% seems like a cruel joke, especially since it's way sunnier there than it is in MA where we can have 35%.

I also (of course) think EVs should be exempt, as the tint chosen can actually improve range so you could argue it's not purely cosmetic. *sigh*

Based on everything in this thread, I will definitely be going with all Photosync on windshield/front side/rear side/hatchback. Some questions tho…

● Is 35% Photosync for the hatchback too dark? I want it to blend seamlessly with the pano roof...

● What does it mean when the law says the maximum "reflection" from the tint can only be 35% total? (this is listed as a different criteria than the 35% of light that has to be able to pass through)

● Also, in MA they say no tinting on the windshield allowed. But would 70% Photosync go unnoticed?

● I was thinking of going with Tint King in MA - Any experience/opinions?

● In general with tint guys can you just show up and tell them make each window as dark as legally allowed? Will they already know what % that means, taking the window into consideration?

● Do they usually have enough of each tint on hand or is it a good idea to call in advance?

● Also, I noticed IR (infrared) blockage is the most common thing talked about in regards to these tints, but are there any statistics on how much UVA/UVB all the different high-end brands block? Do they also reduce the risk of cancer/tanning/aging on one side of your face/arms?

● If you're driving cross country - are you likely to get pulled over (with an out of state license plate) with darker windows than that state allows? In some states dark windows is a misdemeanor! O_O Any stories? I know NYC is very strict about tinted windows in general. Do I have to drive around that city with my windows rolled down?? :crying:

LOL sorry for all the questions. Nobody has to answer all of 'em! ❤

 

[Gear]

Loved reading this whole thread! Very interesting to see peoples' recommendations slightly shift over time.
I find window tinting laws kind of ridiculous tho. The fact that Cali drivers only get to have 70% seems like a cruel joke, especially since it's way sunnier there than it is in MA where we can have 35%.

I also (of course) think EVs should be exempt, as the tint chosen can actually improve range so you could argue it's not purely cosmetic. *sigh*

Based on everything in this thread, I will definitely be going with all Photosync on windshield/front side/rear side/hatchback. Some questions tho…

● Is 35% Photosync for the hatchback too dark? I want it to blend seamlessly with the pano roof...

● What does it mean when the law says the maximum "reflection" from the tint can only be 35% total? (this is listed as a different criteria than the 35% of light that has to be able to pass through)

● Also, in MA they say no tinting on the windshield allowed. But would 70% Photosync go unnoticed?

● I was thinking of going with Tint King in MA - Any experience/opinions?

● In general with tint guys can you just show up and tell them make each window as dark as legally allowed? Will they already know what % that means, taking the window into consideration?

● Do they usually have enough of each tint on hand or is it a good idea to call in advance?

● Also, I noticed IR (infrared) blockage is the most common thing talked about in regards to these tints, but are there any statistics on how much UVA/UVB all the different high-end brands block? Do they also reduce the risk of cancer/tanning/aging on one side of your face/arms?

● If you're driving cross country - are you likely to get pulled over (with an out of state license plate) with darker windows than that state allows? In some states dark windows is a misdemeanor! O_O Any stories? I know NYC is very strict about tinted windows in general. Do I have to drive around that city with my windows rolled down?? :crying:

LOL sorry for all the questions. Nobody has to answer all of 'em! ❤

If you want the hatch to match the pano roof, 35% is probably spot on.

75% on the windshield will go unnoticed. Nobody knows I have 75% Photosync on my windshield unless I tell them.

The tint shop should know what is legally allowed in your state. That's their specialty. If the shop is an authorized Photosync installer, they probably do good work. I'd definitely call in advance to set up an appointment and make sure they have the tint on hand, as Photosync isn't super common.

I'm not sure if you could legally be pulled over in another state for not complying with their tint laws if you're complying with your own state's. Even if they can, I can't imagine anybody being that much of a jerk unless you were already being one yourself, so I wouldn't worry about it much.

 

[nkohlimd]

Agree with 35% on rear and sides and 75% on the windshield....I had that done by tint king.....highly recommend Brian and randy...great work/service at a fair price.......

 

[YoteDown]

Loved reading this whole thread! Very interesting to see peoples' recommendations slightly shift over time.
I find window tinting laws kind of ridiculous tho. The fact that Cali drivers only get to have 70% seems like a cruel joke, especially since it's way sunnier there than it is in MA where we can have 35%.

I also (of course) think EVs should be exempt, as the tint chosen can actually improve range so you could argue it's not purely cosmetic. *sigh*

Based on everything in this thread, I will definitely be going with all Photosync on windshield/front side/rear side/hatchback. Some questions tho…

● Is 35% Photosync for the hatchback too dark? I want it to blend seamlessly with the pano roof...

● What does it mean when the law says the maximum "reflection" from the tint can only be 35% total? (this is listed as a different criteria than the 35% of light that has to be able to pass through)

● Also, in MA they say no tinting on the windshield allowed. But would 70% Photosync go unnoticed?

● I was thinking of going with Tint King in MA - Any experience/opinions?

● In general with tint guys can you just show up and tell them make each window as dark as legally allowed? Will they already know what % that means, taking the window into consideration?

● Do they usually have enough of each tint on hand or is it a good idea to call in advance?

● Also, I noticed IR (infrared) blockage is the most common thing talked about in regards to these tints, but are there any statistics on how much UVA/UVB all the different high-end brands block? Do they also reduce the risk of cancer/tanning/aging on one side of your face/arms?

● If you're driving cross country - are you likely to get pulled over (with an out of state license plate) with darker windows than that state allows? In some states dark windows is a misdemeanor! O_O Any stories? I know NYC is very strict about tinted windows in general. Do I have to drive around that city with my windows rolled down?? :crying:

LOL sorry for all the questions. Nobody has to answer all of 'em! ❤

70%?, In Cali you can put any shade you want on the car behind the driver. The front doors can have a clear UV or up to a 88% VLT which you can barely tell is tinted. Front windshield can only have a 4" sunstrip. If you do the front windshield running something like Air Blue at a 78% VLT is hard to detect so you may get away with it.

 

[S4Life]

I have followed this thread for some time now. I tried really hard to stay away from it. After the unwarranted beating Moe took when he should not have I thought better but I just can't take it any longer . My skin is thick so I can take it if you don't agree, not everyone will and thats fine. You have every right to your opinion as well, thats what makes this country great after all!

I am a tinter with over 25 years experience and I am also a Model S owner. That kind of makes me unique in this discussion I think. I run my own shop in Cali and have worked for many tint shops over the years and have used many films, some good, some bad. I will give my .02 towards these discussion, again as a disclaimer, all of this is just my opinion. We all know what they say about opinions right LOL.

Now to my thoughts. Model S owners do more research than any other owners I have ever seen! I am one of them after all and I guess while waiting for the car I too did the exact same thing. This thread is a perfect example of that. Also read the one on paint protection, I can't believe the lengths in to which some individuals will go to create and test many products. Hats off to those as its really comes down to being happy with your purchase. I can say I am extremely happy with my purchase of the S. Ecstatic in fact! So any customizations to it I too would make sure I get the best I can get to make it even better.

This is not to put down any film as I am one that believes that film choice should take a back seat to the installation. You can have the best film but if the installer is not good its worthless. Installing film is an art. Doing it with little contamination is not easy and over the years I see maybe 1 out of 50 that try that have a chance at doing it right. Hand cutting, prep work, and protection of the car inside and out while work is performed would be things I recommend you look for in an installer as well. With that said I highly recommend you find the best installer in your area first and go from there. See if they carry a reputable brand of film. LLumar, Formula One, 3M, etc. You notice I did not include Photosync (more on that in a min). If you have a great installer and a good film, go speak with them and they will help you decide the best fit for your needs. They will be knowledgeable about local laws and such. This should be 80% of your decision making when getting tint installed. See if the shop extends the warranty beyond the manufacture. Most manufactures do not warranty illegal tinting to front doors/windshields probably are not covered but a good shop will take care of you.

So now for the next 20%, picking the best film for your needs. Tons of choices out there today. So many more than when I first started in this industry. When I got in they just had ended with flow tinting, thats a liquid tint if you did not know. Way old school, LOL. Truth be told, not many manufactures actually manufacture their film. Some do 100%, but some buy components to make their film. Its kind of a mixed bag out there so finding one that had a good reputation with many years in the industry is of the upmost importance. You can get caught up in the numbers like VLT, TSER, SC and so on but their is so much more to a film than that. You have your top coat, adhesive, shrink capacity, color stable (won't fade/turn purple), warranty and so on. Many manufactures make claims all over the map why their film is the best but do you believe everything you read on the internet, of course not. Many give lifetime warranty on the product. Some know you won't have the car long enough to come back when it goes bad. How to find the real ones from the BS ones? Thats not easy of course. Do they have their product independently tested? Are they members of the IWFA? Are they listed in the nfrc database? What kind of support do they offer? Those are a good start and since you all know how to research you can find your answers there for sure.

Now to Photosync, lots of buzz about this film. Most of it coming from the Tesla forums alone. Seems a few here really pushed it from the get go. Makes me wonder if they have friends or an interest in that company? I mean this company is making huge claims about this product. They claim some things that raise quite a few flags. First off their TSER is way higher than all these others that have been around so much longer. How did they magically up everyone out of no where? Their numbers don't make sense, TSER increases with shade but SC does not lower, that alone is a huge concern as it makes no sense and other manufactures have also agreed this raises some red flags. They are not independently tested, they don't attend SEMA, not members of the IWFA, and so on. Not surprised its a foreign company making these claims. Do I believe the numbers? Nope, I don't, not even little. Could I be wrong, yep, won't be the first and certainly won't be the last LOL. Life is just a lesson so always learning right? They have 2 guys listed on their site, no reps, huge territories which makes me wonder if they can't distribute much of it to support more having it. Maybe this is the master plan to keep the buzz going? The prices people are paying for it is outrageous too. I saw some posts at $1300+, thats just crazy. Sure ceramic film is a bit more difficult that a dyed film to install but to increase the price like some shops charge for it is just gouging as the install is the same. Even if it costs 3 times another manufacture it does not justify the cost. Film is but a fraction of the cost, its the installation and profit that account for the majority of an install cost. These shops are working it on the buzz and making the upsell is all. For the most part this film is unknown to most tinters still. That alone tells you something. Hell, maybe they cracked it and its for real and your all on the bleeding edge of it being the biggest thing sense sliced bread, who knows? I though will remain skeptical at best and I am very happy with my line of film (will remain unnamed as not here to see who has the biggest #$^% LOL) but I love to test everything out there so maybe one day I will test it against my line. I have a couple of different films on my car right now in fact as I like to tinker. I hear a lot of talk about it being blueish and I am not a fan of that too much. Don't like the 3m for that same reason. Thats just my preference though, nothing wrong if it does not bother you, I just prefer a more smoked film. I do like the Air Blue on windshields so maybe I would like it for that? Will this film hold up in the long run? Time will tell I guess, hoping some Vegas S owners that park outside can provide feedback down the road. Now with that said I am not saying anything negative about this film, I can't verify any of it so I would have no grounds to do so. I only point out what I can see and hope you all do more homework before jumping on the bandwagon. So many proven films already out there and all.

 

[EarlyAdopter]

S4Life,

Welcome to the forum. Thanks for the info and contributions. Totally agree that the skill of the installer is what matters most.

I've had Photosync on my Model S since last summer and can certainly say its for real. Heat rejection is amazing. Yes, it does tend slightly to blueish in color, so it's not going to be the right tint for someone looking for a smoke effect. But at lighter shades it really still works at keeping things cool. That's why I went with it - I didn't want to diminish nighttime visibility, and more importantly for me, dark underground parking garage visibility at work.

It took a lot of back and forth with the Photosync rep to find an installer here in Seattle willing to try it, as much like you, pro installers want to test and try it before considering adding anything new to their lineup. One of the best in the industry up here sampled it, ran it through the paces, and was happy with it so decided to offer it. They are a stickler for detail and have a long established reputation up here, so I took that as a positive sign and indeed have been happy with the install and film. And they charged a 33% premium for it, not 300%.

I think part of the reason they only have 2 reps, don't attend the conferences, etc is because they are small, new to the market, and ramping up. Judging by everyone on this thread who's been happy with the film, I'd say they have a winning product but have a long way to go to build up a dealer network and break into the larger market. Always challenging for a new upstart in any industry.

Why don't you get a sample and check it out for yourself? Or maybe you can find someone in your area who's already had it installed and can check it out on a car. You seem skeptical, rightly so, but obviously somewhat intrigued. I'd encourage you to go take a look.

 

[Gear]

I have followed this thread for some time now. I tried really hard to stay away from it. After the unwarranted beating Moe took when he should not have I thought better but I just can't take it any longer . My skin is thick so I can take it if you don't agree, not everyone will and thats fine. You have every right to your opinion as well, thats what makes this country great after all!

I am a tinter with over 25 years experience and I am also a Model S owner. That kind of makes me unique in this discussion I think. I run my own shop in Cali and have worked for many tint shops over the years and have used many films, some good, some bad. I will give my .02 towards these discussion, again as a disclaimer, all of this is just my opinion. We all know what they say about opinions right LOL.

Now to my thoughts. Model S owners do more research than any other owners I have ever seen! I am one of them after all and I guess while waiting for the car I too did the exact same thing. This thread is a perfect example of that. Also read the one on paint protection, I can't believe the lengths in to which some individuals will go to create and test many products. Hats off to those as its really comes down to being happy with your purchase. I can say I am extremely happy with my purchase of the S. Ecstatic in fact! So any customizations to it I too would make sure I get the best I can get to make it even better.

This is not to put down any film as I am one that believes that film choice should take a back seat to the installation. You can have the best film but if the installer is not good its worthless. Installing film is an art. Doing it with little contamination is not easy and over the years I see maybe 1 out of 50 that try that have a chance at doing it right. Hand cutting, prep work, and protection of the car inside and out while work is performed would be things I recommend you look for in an installer as well. With that said I highly recommend you find the best installer in your area first and go from there. See if they carry a reputable brand of film. LLumar, Formula One, 3M, etc. You notice I did not include Photosync (more on that in a min). If you have a great installer and a good film, go speak with them and they will help you decide the best fit for your needs. They will be knowledgeable about local laws and such. This should be 80% of your decision making when getting tint installed. See if the shop extends the warranty beyond the manufacture. Most manufactures do not warranty illegal tinting to front doors/windshields probably are not covered but a good shop will take care of you.

So now for the next 20%, picking the best film for your needs. Tons of choices out there today. So many more than when I first started in this industry. When I got in they just had ended with flow tinting, thats a liquid tint if you did not know. Way old school, LOL. Truth be told, not many manufactures actually manufacture their film. Some do 100%, but some buy components to make their film. Its kind of a mixed bag out there so finding one that had a good reputation with many years in the industry is of the upmost importance. You can get caught up in the numbers like VLT, TSER, SC and so on but their is so much more to a film than that. You have your top coat, adhesive, shrink capacity, color stable (won't fade/turn purple), warranty and so on. Many manufactures make claims all over the map why their film is the best but do you believe everything you read on the internet, of course not. Many give lifetime warranty on the product. Some know you won't have the car long enough to come back when it goes bad. How to find the real ones from the BS ones? Thats not easy of course. Do they have their product independently tested? Are they members of the IWFA? Are they listed in the nfrc database? What kind of support do they offer? Those are a good start and since you all know how to research you can find your answers there for sure.

Now to Photosync, lots of buzz about this film. Most of it coming from the Tesla forums alone. Seems a few here really pushed it from the get go. Makes me wonder if they have friends or an interest in that company? I mean this company is making huge claims about this product. They claim some things that raise quite a few flags. First off their TSER is way higher than all these others that have been around so much longer. How did they magically up everyone out of no where? Their numbers don't make sense, TSER increases with shade but SC does not lower, that alone is a huge concern as it makes no sense and other manufactures have also agreed this raises some red flags. They are not independently tested, they don't attend SEMA, not members of the IWFA, and so on. Not surprised its a foreign company making these claims. Do I believe the numbers? Nope, I don't, not even little. Could I be wrong, yep, won't be the first and certainly won't be the last LOL. Life is just a lesson so always learning right? They have 2 guys listed on their site, no reps, huge territories which makes me wonder if they can't distribute much of it to support more having it. Maybe this is the master plan to keep the buzz going? The prices people are paying for it is outrageous too. I saw some posts at $1300+, thats just crazy. Sure ceramic film is a bit more difficult that a dyed film to install but to increase the price like some shops charge for it is just gouging as the install is the same. Even if it costs 3 times another manufacture it does not justify the cost. Film is but a fraction of the cost, its the installation and profit that account for the majority of an install cost. These shops are working it on the buzz and making the upsell is all. For the most part this film is unknown to most tinters still. That alone tells you something. Hell, maybe they cracked it and its for real and your all on the bleeding edge of it being the biggest thing sense sliced bread, who knows? I though will remain skeptical at best and I am very happy with my line of film (will remain unnamed as not here to see who has the biggest #$^% LOL) but I love to test everything out there so maybe one day I will test it against my line. I have a couple of different films on my car right now in fact as I like to tinker. I hear a lot of talk about it being blueish and I am not a fan of that too much. Don't like the 3m for that same reason. Thats just my preference though, nothing wrong if it does not bother you, I just prefer a more smoked film. I do like the Air Blue on windshields so maybe I would like it for that? Will this film hold up in the long run? Time will tell I guess, hoping some Vegas S owners that park outside can provide feedback down the road. Now with that said I am not saying anything negative about this film, I can't verify any of it so I would have no grounds to do so. I only point out what I can see and hope you all do more homework before jumping on the bandwagon. So many proven films already out there and all.

If you're in SoCal, I'd be happy to bring my car to you to do some real world tests. I'm all about real world data. I know it's made a huge difference for my car, but would gladly put it to the test against other tints.