To Window tint, or not Window tint?

[ColinA]

thanks, went through it and found an installer. Sent them an email, but they don't seem to have done Teslas in the past. Seems reputable, however, and good reviews on the web.

the 3M crystalline stuff is about $600 more expensive than the "standard" 3M Colour Stable tint, so I don't think i'll go with it.

Also i've been doing some research into the opticoat paint protection side of things. It seems the best stuff right now is the GTechniq Crystal Serum (CS). More expensive than the "standard" GTechniq Crystal Lacquer (C1), but new technology etc etc and only about $100 more expensive. Both CS and C1 seem to be better than opticoat. The installer will do both tinting and paint protection which is convenient.

[edit] ECIT they were the mob i found as well. Colin - they have an presence in the central coast.. a bit better than sydney, but still a long way from you [/edit]

I've found what appears to be a good company in Brisbane for the GTechniq (he also does Opticoat so he can talk about the pros and cons of each). He was recommended by GTechniq distributor for Australia. It is Auto Carma: http://brisbanecardetailing.com/

 

[omniwolf]

he also does Opticoat so he can talk about the pros and cons of each

let us know!

 

[Homer]

I'm just bumping this thread as I think I want to tint my windows and I'm looking for a recommended installer in Sydney. Tesla at St Leonards doesn't want to recommend anybody...

 

[WhiteStar]

I'm just bumping this thread as I think I want to tint my windows and I'm looking for a recommended installer in Sydney. Tesla at St Leonards doesn't want to recommend anybody...

Universal Tint at Brookvale did a faultless job on mine. They use 3M film & it took about 4 hours to complete. I went with Crystalline due to it having the highest TSER - Total Solar Energy Rejection - available in Australia. Is it worth the extra expense? I don’t know because I have nothing else to compare it with.


3M Automotive Film | Window Tinting | Car Window Tinting Sydney |Office Window Tinting | Universal Tint Auto Centre - 3M Window Tinting, Safety films, Security films, Decorative films, automotive accessories, paint protection, tow bars, brookvale, car alarms, window tin

 

[PJF000]

I'm just bumping this thread as I think I want to tint my windows and I'm looking for a recommended installer in Sydney. Tesla at St Leonards doesn't want to recommend anybody...

Go to the 3M website and find an authorized dealer near you. Find a Dealer - Residential & Commercial
CR 40 is the highest rated for heat, uv etc (not the darkest though). The front windscreen cannot be touched so there is still penetration there however for a couple of hundred more you get the best. I would think with your specs you would want that.

 

[paulp]

Universal Tint at Brookvale did a faultless job on mine. They use 3M film & it took about 4 hours to complete. I went with Crystalline due to it having the highest TSER - Total Solar Energy Rejection - available in Australia. Is it worth the extra expense? I don’t know because I have nothing else to compare it with.


3M Automotive Film | Window Tinting | Car Window Tinting Sydney |Office Window Tinting | Universal Tint Auto Centre - 3M Window Tinting, Safety films, Security films, Decorative films, automotive accessories, paint protection, tow bars, brookvale, car alarms, window tin

Its very easy to compare to no treatment at all. Park at 45 degrees to the sun so that an equal amount of heat is applied to the untreated windscreen and the treated side window. On a hot day, put your hand on each piece of glass. That is the difference.

 

[ICUDoc]

Universal Tint at Brookvale did a faultless job on mine. They use 3M film & it took about 4 hours to complete. I went with Crystalline due to it having the highest TSER - Total Solar Energy Rejection - available in Australia. Is it worth the extra expense? I don’t know because I have nothing else to compare it with

Did you get the CSerum treatment as well?
Care to PM me the cost of th treatment, WhiteStar? These guys are local to me...

 

[omniwolf]

I just had my car paint protected and tinted by UniversalTint
I had the Crystal Serum and EXO top coat put on.
I had the 3M Color Stable 35% window tint put on

They have a package deal, it cost $1122 all up, and they also do leather protection (or fabric protection if you don't have leather). They had the car for the whole day, started at about 8:00am, finished at about 2:30pm, but I could only pick it up at 4:30pm.

I've only had it for an hour, so no opinions yet, but I couldn't really notice any change in my colour (I have solid white).
The tinting is the darkest legal, I didn't really notice it while driving but it was an overcast day, maybe it's more noticeable on a sunny day?

I had a positive experience with these guys.

 

[championi]

I just had my car paint protected and tinted by UniversalTint
I had the Crystal Serum and EXO top coat put on.
I had the 3M Color Stable 35% window tint put on

They have a package deal, it cost $1122 all up, and they also do leather protection (or fabric protection if you don't have leather). They had the car for the whole day, started at about 8:00am, finished at about 2:30pm, but I could only pick it up at 4:30pm.

I've only had it for an hour, so no opinions yet, but I couldn't really notice any change in my colour (I have solid white).
The tinting is the darkest legal, I didn't really notice it while driving but it was an overcast day, maybe it's more noticeable on a sunny day?

I had a positive experience with these guys.

Hey guys,

I'm a new Model S owner and would like some advice on the window tinting and paint/leather protection. The 2 places in Sydney that you guys mention are Reflect Effect and Universal tint and auto. Since a couple of months have passed since someone last posted here, can you guys give me your opinions in relation to what worked really well.

I have the obsidian Black with black interior and grey wheels. My Model S doesn't get garaged, so the paint protection is important and I think leather protection is a must. Obviously don't want to change the look of the black, does the paint coating change the look?

 

[EcoCloudIT]

I'd be careful about treating the leather interior, you're often doing more harm than good. Just keeping the seats clean, so dirt isn't slowly scratching away at the protective coating, is probably your best defence...that and window tinting, front wind screen shade etc.

This is a good read:
Real leather care for all modern cars | Bowden's Own Premium Car Care

-ECIT

 

[RichardMcN]

The RACQ Temperature in Cars Survey may be instructive ...

 

[meloccom]

Hey guys,

I'm a new Model S owner and would like some advice on the window tinting and paint/leather protection. The 2 places in Sydney that you guys mention are Reflect Effect and Universal tint and auto. Since a couple of months have passed since someone last posted here, can you guys give me your opinions in relation to what worked really well.

I have the obsidian Black with black interior and grey wheels. My Model S doesn't get garaged, so the paint protection is important and I think leather protection is a must. Obviously don't want to change the look of the black, does the paint coating change the look?

I had Reflect Effect apply Opticoat to the paintwork and a leather protection when my car (Anza Brown) was about 2 months old.
Last month it went in for its annual maintenance plus I added plastic film protection to the front.
I was hard pressed to see much of a difference after the initial Opticoat application, particularly in terms of colour change, but I perceived that some of the orange peel effect was removed so the car looked shinier, but the difference was not great.
It certainly seemed to repel dirt better as the car seemed to not seem to get as dirty between washes.
Biggest issue with my tan leather seats is blue dye transfer from jeans, but this is largely removed by simply wiping down with a chamois. Once every few months I follow up with a leather cleaner and that removes all trace.

 

[paulp]

Hey guys,

I'm a new Model S owner and would like some advice on the window tinting and paint/leather protection. The 2 places in Sydney that you guys mention are Reflect Effect and Universal tint and auto. Since a couple of months have passed since someone last posted here, can you guys give me your opinions in relation to what worked really well.

I have the obsidian Black with black interior and grey wheels. My Model S doesn't get garaged, so the paint protection is important and I think leather protection is a must. Obviously don't want to change the look of the black, does the paint coating change the look?

I had my obsidian black opticoated at new last oct, and the wife's obsidian black last july.
Very happy with the outcome. The colour didnt change, but the car became shinnier. Its lasted well, and no washing scratches so far, although I changed processes and products to what the applicator recommended. It's so much easier to clean, and seems to stay cleaner longer than my last car, which was also black. With the leather, I just keep them clean with a regular moist towel wipe then dry towel to dry. No staining or marks yet.

 

[championi]

I'm leaning towards Universal Tint, I spoke to them today and they seem like they run a professional setup

 

[paulp]

I'm leaning towards Universal Tint, I spoke to them today and they seem like they run a professional setup

In Adelaide I found a guy who comes to the car, and relies on doing a brilliant job to get his next referal. He spent about 8 hours polishing and applying opticoat to the tesla, and was more than happy for me to watch whenever I wanted. He did a great job, and I didnt have the risk of a faceless junior rushing the job through.

 

[Oli C]

Had our car Tinted, clear 3M protection wrap, chrome blacked out and wheels painted black by Provinyl, 3 min walk from Tesla Sydney very happy with the result, the car was showed with rocks from a truck in week 1 and only had one mark in the wrap which they took out with a heat gun.

 

[AndrewNSW]

Ozicozi did my Window tint (through 3rd party) and wrap in Artarmon about 5 mins from Tesla. I'd recommend. I'm a few hundred off 20,000kms (90% freeway) and no stone chips. Every time I go to Tesla Artarmon they ask who did the tint. For the tint I went darkest poss while still legal plus added the Tesla mesh under sunroof plus back which works really well...

 

[championi]

Had our car Tinted, clear 3M protection wrap, chrome blacked out and wheels painted black by Provinyl, 3 min walk from Tesla Sydney very happy with the result, the car was showed with rocks from a truck in week 1 and only had one mark in the wrap which they took out with a heat gun. View attachment 177486

Ozicozi did my Window tint (through 3rd party) and wrap in Artarmon about 5 mins from Tesla. I'd recommend. I'm a few hundred off 20,000kms (90% freeway) and no stone chips. Every time I go to Tesla Artarmon they ask who did the tint. For the tint I went darkest poss while still legal plus added the Tesla mesh under sunroof plus back which works really well...

Hey Oli & Andrew,

Oli, your Tesla looks stunning! I have the same Colour.

I have a few questions, did you end up doing a full body wrap? Is this a better option then using paint protection, eg. Opticoat, CS1 etc. What did they charge and how long did it take. Sorry about all the questions and thanks in advance

 

[Oli C]

Provinyl tinted the roof, windows, and back glass, they wrapped the whole car and blacked out all the chrome, the wheels, emblems and tricky chrome pieces were powder coated piano black all up $4200 they had the car for 3 days as the wheels and others bits had to be sent out for powder coating. The wrap works well, a truck showered mine and a few other cars with gravel at 110km/h and I had a small mark on the wrap which a heat gun fixed in two minutes. I went with them because they did everything bonus was they were really easy to deal with.

 

[championi]

Provinyl tinted the roof, windows, and back glass, they wrapped the whole car and blacked out all the chrome, the wheels, emblems and tricky chrome pieces were powder coated piano black all up $4200 they had the car for 3 days as the wheels and others bits had to be sent out for powder coating. The wrap works well, a truck showered mine and a few other cars with gravel at 110km/h and I had a small mark on the wrap which a heat gun fixed in two minutes. I went with them because they did everything bonus was they were really easy to deal with.
View attachment 177566

Mate, it looks amazing!
I'm really keen on protecting my car, on my previous cars, they started developing swirl marks from the car wash. I've been very reluctant to have my MS washed for that reason. I was thinking of doing the paint protection, however it looks like the wrap would be a better way to go. Does the wrap need to be reapplied in a few years?
Does the roof need the tints?

Thanks for the info