Tinting advice

[UncertainTimes]

I know there’s been a lot of threads but wondering if I could get some advice since I’ve never had tint before.
I have blue paint and white interior. I’ve chosen a shop that offers Pinnacle and Stratos. I thinking of getting Pinnacle 25% in the rear windows and rear glass and Stratos 35% in the front windows. No windshield for now. My reason for mixing films is to save some money and for mixing percentages is hopefully to save me from getting a ticket. CA doesn’t allow any front tinting but I know it’s not that big of an issue. Shop quoted $550.
Will Stratos 35 in the front look too dark at night for someone who’s never had tint? Will it be enough difference from Pinnacle 25 in the back to make it appear that it doesn’t have any tint to cops? Am
I overthinking things and just get Pinnacle 35 all around? Stratos all around worth $300 difference?

 

[jjrandorin]

Since you have never had tint before, and are talking about mixing brands, you need to check the tint "color" / hue. Tints have an underlying color, and many times they are different between brands.

Some will have a greyish undertone, some a blueish grey, some a slight beige, etc etc. Mixing tints (and tint percentages) can make the car look "mish mash".

I personally am not a fan of lighter front windows than rear, but there is something to the fact that if the front windows are lighter than the rear, it "lessens" the chance of an officer giving you a ticket for it. with that being said, they can tell if its tinted, if you go below about 50% so if they want to give you a ticket for 35% they wont have to try to pull out something to check it.

More expensive tint tends to have better heat rejection, so "whats worth what" depends on why you are actually getting tint. I have tinted every car I have had for the last 25 years or so (maybe longer actually), so I am used to tint. I normally buy "higher end" tints because I want maximum heat rejection that those offer. Any tint is better than none as far as helping with heat rejection, but if heat rejection is the main concern and you are not that into the tint "look" I would tell you it would be better to get something like 3M crystalline 50% which performs very well in the heat department, but doesnt have much tint to it relatively speaking.

So... TL ; DR

Check the underlying tint colors of the mixed brands VERY carefully, or at least ask your shop if the tints are the same color. If possible, ask them to show you a sample up against your windows in the sun of both so you can see what the underlying color is in the sun.

If tinting for looks, usually better to stay with same brand all around because no worry about underlying color. If tinting for heat rejection normally better to pay for higher end tint that offers more / better heat rejection than lower end tint that may be darker.

In all cases, the shop matters, so the quality of their work on other cars matters more than tint brands in all cases.

 

[UncertainTimes]

Since you have never had tint before, and are talking about mixing brands, you need to check the tint "color" / hue. Tints have an underlying color, and many times they are different between brands.

Some will have a greyish undertone, some a blueish grey, some a slight beige, etc etc. Mixing tints (and tint percentages) can make the car look "mish mash".

I personally am not a fan of lighter front windows than rear, but there is something to the fact that if the front windows are lighter than the rear, it "lessens" the chance of an officer giving you a ticket for it. with that being said, they can tell if its tinted, if you go below about 50% so if they want to give you a ticket for 35% they wont have to try to pull out something to check it.

More expensive tint tends to have better heat rejection, so "whats worth what" depends on why you are actually getting tint. I have tinted every car I have had for the last 25 years or so (maybe longer actually), so I am used to tint. I normally buy "higher end" tints because I want maximum heat rejection that those offer. Any tint is better than none as far as helping with heat rejection, but if heat rejection is the main concern and you are not that into the tint "look" I would tell you it would be better to get something like 3M crystalline 50% which performs very well in the heat department, but doesnt have much tint to it relatively speaking.

So... TL ; DR

Check the underlying tint colors of the mixed brands VERY carefully, or at least ask your shop if the tints are the same color. If possible, ask them to show you a sample up against your windows in the sun of both so you can see what the underlying color is in the sun.

If tinting for looks, usually better to stay with same brand all around because no worry about underlying color. If tinting for heat rejection normally better to pay for higher end tint that offers more / better heat rejection than lower end tint that may be darker.

In all cases, the shop matters, so the quality of their work on other cars matters more than tint brands in all cases.

Pinnacle and Stratos are both Llumar's Formula One line so they should match but it’s a good point I’ll try to see some actual samples. Stratos is Llumar's higher end ceramic/IR film which is why I think I can get away with a lighter shade in the front and still get good heat rejection. Maybe I’ll just bite the bullet and get Stratos all around or just Pinnacle for the rear window. I think the rear window is the most expensive part because it’s such a large window done in one piece.

 

[Brickell M3P]

The white interior can really make the tint look lighter than it is. Just something to think about. I have 20% and it appears much lighter than that. (Xpel prime plus)

 

[XLR82XS]

The white interior can really make the tint look lighter than it is. Just something to think about. I have 20% and it appears much lighter than that. (Xpel prime plus)

All mine have Xpel Prime and I agree - white interior lightens it up some. I'm at 5% around and 20% windshield. Looks fantastic and stays uber cool in my hot and sunny climate.