MMM users

hey mmm users I am thinking of switching to this brand and wondering what you think of it as far as
1. Installation Easy to install or hard
2. Price higher or lower than other manufactures
3. Dealer Support How well do the distributors do with the orders and marketing support .

I have very little to add about this because I have been using MMM for 16 of my 18 years tinting.
That being said:

1. Priced a bit higher than other brands. I think.

2. My dealer is Awesome! I have no complaints. I talk to the same people everytime I call and have never sat on hold. I personally have had maybe 2 warranty claims in that period of time, from what I understand....other manufactures pay more on warranty claims. They are so few and far between that I haven't even thought about it.

Just my .02¢

Strange you should bring this name up in flat glass Precision because i'm against them on a large commercial job as we speak and you know what they have done in selling warranty? Offered film and "labour" covered for a full 12 bloody years.
Now in order to be at least somewhere in the same ball park, I have to put my knackers on the line too because of all this evil deception. It's that or lose the bid.
It's times like this I hate being in window tinting!
Devil

So are you saying It sound like a good idea to go with mmm

I like the product, I like my distributor, I have no reason to change. Some here feel the same as I do some don't. There is only one way to find out if it work for you though. If it feels right make the switch.

i like the line for the most part. used it for years.

If you want to pay for the name in a nothing better than product ...do so.
Devil

Try it. The majority of users for auto don't stay with it, although some do and love it.

For flat, I prefer CDF to hang for time savings. Others don't have any differences here.

Price - you'll pay more for a film that has comprables which are at least equal and in some cases better.

Back when I used it for about 6 months I didn't care for the detack PS adhesive... too much time washing away... and did not allow me to install by wetting the glass only, which was what I did on occasion with PS and always with CDF.

I do know from my gaining access to many film brands through present employment, that it does not shrink well... has a greater learning curve for those who have used other products with better shrink characteristics.

Other than this, I have no other experience with installing MMM film.

Been installing 3M for years, here's my $.02:

Pros:
I think it easy to install, we only wet the glass, not the film.
If you do get a kink in it, you can rub it out without leaving a mark.
You will get more calls out of the phone book using the 3M logo.

Cons:
Hardly anything comes in 72" widths.
Narrow product line.

I have never done autos, just flat glass.

Cons=Autofilm

Pros=flatglass film

What sort of warranty length does 3M provide commercial clients where you are? Labour and product.
Devil

not materials just labor and glass cost up to 500$

The warranty forms we have cover 10 years, material and labor for commercial.

This is the coverage for the customer. If there is a warranty issue, they only reimburse the installation company for the film, no labor.

[QUOTE=Readyman,Sep 3 2004, 12:53 PM]
The warranty forms we have cover 10 years, material and labor for commercial. [/QUOTE]
This is the coverage for the customer. If there is a warranty issue, they only reimburse the installation company for the film, no labor. [/QUOTE]
If that is the case then, how is it supposed to get off the glass and the new go on without compensation?
This sounds like a typical you know what for the tinter.

There should be a boycott of all this going on.
Devil

Yeah it sucks, but fortunately we haven't had any big issues with failed film. (yet)
The few cases we had our distributor always took care of us with a roll of film or credit.

At least there are a couple film companies that pay a labor fee... peanuts compared to the going rate, but better than 0.

Not to mention each year the dealer is personally responsible for the first $300 of glass breakage /seal failure they experience. No other company I know of has this unusual policy.

Hi everyone, I am planning to film tint the windows in my apartment (300 sq ft). Need some opinions from the 3M experts here. I have quotes for Huper (ceramic 30), Solargard (Hilite ST40A) and 3M (NV35). All come with a 10 years warranty. The Huper ceramic 30 has good specifications but the price is 50% more than 3M. The Solargard is slightly better in the heat rejection department than 3M but too reflective in the evening for me. Right now I am leaning towards the 3M.

My questions are:
Why is the 3M significantly thinner than the other two?
How hard is it to remove the film in the future?
Will the 3M cause the slight greenish tint glass to break?
Anything else that I should be concern about?

Thanks in advance.

My questions are:
Why is the 3M significantly thinner than the other two?
You are probably looking at a different 3M film such as RE35 because NV-35 is pretty thick

How hard is it to remove the film in the future?
3M will be the easiest to remove

Will the 3M cause the slight greenish tint glass to break?
Depends on the sixe of the glass, flaws on the glass edges, as well as shadowing. All of the films you have talked about are safe for insulated windows

Monkees eat peanuts too Metint and looks like so do poor disadvantaged mug tinters.
devil

my .02 would be that I've used it for a couple years in flat and started out with some auto and enjoy the film. I think for auto the film is nice to handle and doesnt crease as bad as other films Ive tried. It seems a little softer than others. I havent tried the new SP line for auto yet, but that may be the hard one to shrink. Correct me if Im wrong, I always thought the CS wasn't too difficault to shrink.

If your apartment is considered commercial, then Huper offers 15 vs 3M's and SolarGard's 10 year warranty.

If each of the consultations did not give you a heat box demo, then the performance may differ from the #'s listed without you knowing any better.

Each of the films will be similiar to remove and have the potential to spread an imperfection or crack of an imperfect glass pane.

Each will serve you well.

Thank you all for the info But I have decided to go with LLumar
PT

Somewhere, somehow, you just made Metint smile. I'm sure of it.

Yes OT had a talk with him and then talked to the company and a rep
Think I will be very happy with my choice

I'm sure you will be.

Which way is it to the lounge?

3m is fine for name regocnition but solar zone is an exact match kinda makes u wonder who makes it {mmm}

SunTek makes 3M Night Vision

Hanita makes Solar Zone

Smart man you are!!!

They changed the NV film recently; its much harder to install then it used to be, simiar to prestige now.

Warranty reimbursment sucks. They cover labor and material, but the labor rate is $0.75 Sq. Ft. WTF

Here's one for you... My distributor was also a dealer for about 25 years. This past year they had to give up the dealership, now that they no longer do installations they expect us dealers to cover their warranty work at the above SF price. I had 3 suchs calls in the past 2 months.
Must be nice to install millions of sf of film then all the sudden be absolved from any warranty responsibility even though your still in the film business. I wouldn't mind doing someones elses warranty work for a resonable rate or have a free roll of film sent my way. At least I could make up the differance in pay with the left over film, but .75 is just bad business

Vclimber do you have any proof that SunTeK makes NV film? PM me if you would, as I am becoming increasingly dissatisfied.

Just ask to tour the factory

Kind of like asking the Advantage guys to tour theres

I'd be a quick tour. I'm sure it goes something like, "Well, there's our one machine. Gift shop is by the coffee machine."

How is Hanita Film for auto and flat glass?

mmm for autos last long time cs films keep color, shrinking is the nightmare, but i haven't tinted many cars with it.

for flat glass it last a long time with the exception of (72" rolls) it lasts a long time, great glue, great substraite, durable, but looses on clarity compare with the other major bands, tech data is unparalled, but the division running window film is hard to deal with, under responsive, and with a few exceptions none of them could tint there way out of a paper bag. I do think there security films are the strongest, but the clairity is not good at all lot of haze in even the 6 mil. If they wanted to they could be the best film manufacturer over night and I cant understand why status quo get rewarded. Years ago mmm auto markets wanted the window film end but lost out to construction markets, if it were the other way around I belive they would be all around best product within a very short time.

not a bad film though. It has its uses.

Please explain " tech data is unparalled" I'm curious...

OK let me clairify the tech data thing. Forget what ever is on the paperwork we all get that really means nothing these days... but if you call 1-800-3mhelps you get A tech guy who tries to answer all you questions. He is working for 3m products in general, not just windowfilm. They offer all data that is available, not just whats published. When they can't find an answer you will get sent to either a tech is the fabrication end or in the research end. These guys could not tell you the difference between 3m or vkool, but the data that have is unbeliveable. They are not the ones who market the products but actually make the products to spec or figure out how to solve or overcome problems. These guys work on all sorts of products not just the windowfilm. This data can be obtained through that 1 800 number, you do not have to be a dealer. The information that they have is unparalleled. The spec cards you may get from the window film end is often filtered down to the common stuff that every other manufacturer puts on there cards. 3m is not my first choice of film ever anymore, but some of there products are great. There 20% silver film (p-18arl) has been modified over the years but more or less the same for over 30years and is better then anything they have come up with in years with the exception of the cs auto films. P- performance, cause it cuts heat and reduces heat loss too. 18 is the approximent vtl. ar- abasion resistance was an addition about 16 to 20 years ago. L- is for liner, about 10 years ago they first started putting a liner on this film before that there was no liner. They also started making this in a 72" roll about 7 years ago other then that There has been no major improvements, though I can be wrong. 3m has also performed numerous in house testing for all such data and were the original trend setter of this. The only problem with their in house testing is that when a customer requires independent testing (like the government with blast films) it takes a long time or just doesn't get done. This is because they already paid to have it tested themselves and think why should we pay to have it tested again. Also not everyone has a 200,000.oo dollar spectormeter lying around just to zap tint. 3m likely does because its becomes cost effective with all the other products they make in the medical field.

*Pant pant pant*

I hope this sheds a little light on my comment.

James

PS. My family used to be a preffered and authourized dealer.......nowadays we are unathourized/unpreffered dealers!