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Window Tint Too Expensive
- Thread starter MCM3
- Start date
pl8dlikafiddle
Member
I’m in Georgia - place called “The Tint Guy”. I’ve had all my cars/trucks tinted there.
Just had our new Mercedes Sprinter crew van tinted in crystalline on the front windshield and the two side windows on each side, along with ceramic 5% tint on the cab sides (2) and rear (2) door windows. It was a very reasonable $1250.
They’re ripping you all a new one out West.
Edit: product used is by 3M.
pl8dlikafiddle
Member
Check out The Tint Guy in Woodstock - I had my 2020 done about a year ago with full crystalline (including entire back glass and front windshield) for $700. It’s probably more expensive now, but may be worth checking if your initial quote at another place is $900 for ceramic.
If that quote is from The Tint Guy, ignore what I just said
valem
Member
I’m in the Bay Area as well and thinking about getting my car tinted too. Where did you get yours done?
valem
Member
Who's top of the line? From a quick search looks like you are referring to 3M?
However when searching for comparison between XPEL XR PLUS and 3M Crystalline I'm finding that the XPEL top of line exceeds at heat rejection and glare over 3M top of line.
Is this incorrect?
Got a quote yesterday from a place in LA. Sides and rear ceramic (they don’t do the roof and don’t recommend doing the front windshield) is $600.
Took delivery of my M3LR yesterday and got quotes from $599 ( 2 piece rear and no sunroof) to $999 ( one piece rear and sunroof ) using suntek ceramic. Seems a bit steep so I decided just to do the 2 side windows ( driver / passenger) for now with ceramic 30 which is the darkest legal tint here. Perhaps the looming economic slowdown will provide some incentive to lower prices in a quarter or two. In conversation with my attorney friend that litigates automotive they explained that tint on front windshields gives the insurance company an opportunity to reduce or eliminate claim payout FYI.
Just had mine tinted with Llumar IRX Ceramic. $700. I got a sun strip as well so that added $40. The CTX ceramic was quoted at $500. Neither seemed out of line with the last car I had tinted (2013) and this was for an IR rejecting tint. My last time job was done at a higher end so and they quoted some $900. They are a Llumar Select Pro shop so they may have also been quoting their top of the line film which isn't available at the shop I ended up at. And the jump to the to of the line film wasn't that big in terms of performance based on the spec sheet.
The IRX specs looked to be worth the difference on paper. Car felt cooler when I got inside when picking it up. Mostly because the interior surfaces didn't feel as warm. I also didn't get a cabin cooling notice on my phone after the shop called to let me know it was done. I picked it up more than an hour and a half after they called so it had plenty of time to bake. I'll have to see how it hairs over the next few days to see how much difference it really makes, but it seems noticable already (not that I wasn't expecting a big difference).
The IRX specs looked to be worth the difference on paper. Car felt cooler when I got inside when picking it up. Mostly because the interior surfaces didn't feel as warm. I also didn't get a cabin cooling notice on my phone after the shop called to let me know it was done. I picked it up more than an hour and a half after they called so it had plenty of time to bake. I'll have to see how it hairs over the next few days to see how much difference it really makes, but it seems noticable already (not that I wasn't expecting a big difference).
pl8dlikafiddle
Member
I've had both, and have had better experience with 3M Crystalline versus XPEL XR Plus Ceramic. I have XPEL XR Plus on my Corvette and had it on a BMW wagon, and I felt more heat through the windshield and windows on those cars versus our other cars with 3M Crystalline (Model 3, Yukon, Sprinter). All of ours cars have every single glass tinted, including the windshield.
I'm not affiliated with 3M - just wanted to share my personal experience.
3M does have a sandy/tan-ish look to it, while the equivalent shade in XPEL is "bluish". 3M tint also shows a rainbow hue when the glass has water droplets on it.
Regardless, either option will significantly improve user comfort inside any vehicle.
I just did sides and rear in 1 piece Ceramic tint in LA for 700$ , I think crystalline was 900$ but my previous experience with glare from crystalline on my last car swayed me to do the ceramic. I got it done at LA Tint Shop and they really did a great job.
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Interested to know what % you did. I plan on going to the same place to have mine done.
How is the roof from the inside? Mind sharing a pic and what %?
15% on the sides , 25% on rear window. I’ll take a picture tonight and post for you !!
The pictures don’t show anything but the reflection from inside my garage unfortunately. I’ll try during the daytime for you. I have better pics of the outside for more reference
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Wow. I am going with Llumar CTX (basic ceramic tint). Had it on Lexus and it was good enough. Whole car tinted including windshield will be around 500
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