How that's TB working out for you?

The ///Man · June 9, 2011

Howard's just been busy lately, I'm sure he'll notice this next time he's on.
I personally don't remember a single instance where he compared TB in any way to ATC other than to say "it does not compare to ATC, QDP or other films of similar construction, however it's good for the non colour stable, low level entry category".

This stuff is in line with like Nexfils cheapest offering, it is what is, and it costs what it does for a reason.

I wouldn't order regular Global QD and expect it to last longer than QDP.

A 40" roll of this stuff costs barely two thirds of what I charge for one vehicle, I'd fully expect some fading or some colour change at that price.

I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm pretty sure I've seen some autozone Gila hold color a little longer.

EWF · June 9, 2011

I understand that TB is not supposed to be "Color Stable" film, so I guess if you are upfront with your customers, its not a problem. I just don't get it though, if you told your customer that is doesn't hold up and they can pay another $5-$10 for something that will last, i think the decison would be a no brainer there.

I have yet to have a car/customer come back complaining about the film and I installed loads of it

But then again I tell my customers what the warranty actually covers(peeling, bubbling, cracking) NOT fading or illegal installations(like many of my competition says "sure you have a warranty on your 35% windshield).

I've had it on my personal car for just about two years and don't see any noticeable change at the tops where the windows roll up into the gaskets. I just removed some of the lettering off my back window and don't see any ghosting of it in the film unlike when I used to use NR smoke from SG. Just stripped some off my stepdad-in-laws truck that was on less than a year and had purpled and you could see the black strip along the top from where the gasket hid it.

Hi Scotty,

The overwhelming majority of TB users report the exact same thing. Like you, the dealers that use this film know how to make it work and are doing great with it.

-Howard

EWF · June 9, 2011

any else notice a lack of Howard's presence lately ???

Hi Slayer !!!

We are in peak season and the workload is enormous. How are things down your way?

-Howard

justn8 · June 9, 2011

Howard's just been busy lately, I'm sure he'll notice this next time he's on.
I personally don't remember a single instance where he compared TB in any way to ATC other than to say "it does not compare to ATC, QDP or other films of similar construction, however it's good for the non colour stable, low level entry category".

This stuff is in line with like Nexfils cheapest offering, it is what is, and it costs what it does for a reason.

I wouldn't order regular Global QD and expect it to last longer than QDP.

A 40" roll of this stuff costs barely two thirds of what I charge for one vehicle, I'd fully expect some fading or some colour change at that price.

I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm pretty sure I've seen some autozone Gila hold color a little longer.

:dunno fair enough.

If you add up the price though... Isn't this cheaper than Gila per 100'?

Just messing around. It's good that you posted this though, especially for people in a similar climate as you.

EWF · June 9, 2011

Howard's just been busy lately, I'm sure he'll notice this next time he's on.
I personally don't remember a single instance where he compared TB in any way to ATC other than to say "it does not compare to ATC, QDP or other films of similar construction, however it's good for the non colour stable, low level entry category".

Hi Justn8,

Thanks so much for pointing that out. You are correct, you will not find a single instance where I made that comparison, but many posts where I mentioned specifically that it should not be compared to a CS line such as Llumar or Global. On the other hand, I have made many posts in the past not only pointing this out, but mentioning Llumar & Global specifically, as I consider these to be the "industry benchmarks".

I respect dealers like Tint//Man that insist upon CS only. We service hundreds of account that share his philosophy.

But there are thousands of you guys that want to offer choices to the customers and TB is intended to be part of that strategy. Whether they are buying socks, refrigerators, cell phones, ice cream, cars or anything, consumers are used to being presented with an array of choices. Why should window film be any different? TB is an excellent film to include in such a strategy.

Ask yourself this: What product have you purchased the last year that did not offer you any choice whatsoever?

There are also many dealers that use TB as a single line. As long as they are up front with the customers, I don't see any issues. Our customers are professionals and we trust them to educate their consumers about how TB fits into the larger scheme of EWF films as well as all the other brands out there.

Every year there are tens of millions of sq/ft of non-CS films sold into this market. TB competes in that arena and continues to gain ground.

When judged fairly against it peers, this film is a great choice.

-Howard

June 9, 2011

any else notice a lack of Howard's presence lately ???

Hi Slayer !!!

We are in peak season and the workload is enormous. How are things down your way?

-Howard

phucking hot !!!

EWF · June 9, 2011

I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm pretty sure I've seen some autozone Gila hold color a little longer.

Hi ///Man,

We never tested that film, due to the fact that we have never run into a professional that uses it. For all we know, it's a good film for the price.

I would never say anything disparaging about a competitor, especially when they are the largest and best known brand in the industry. I have had nothing but respect for them since my early days in this industry.

-Howard

EWF · June 9, 2011

phucking hot !!!

Forecasts are calling for 96F= here in Danbury.

Keep cool.

-Howard

June 9, 2011

phucking hot !!!

Forecasts are calling for 96F= here in Danbury.

Keep cool.

-Howard

you do the same !!! we're used to it down here ...

The ///Man · June 9, 2011

They say it took over 75 years to convince doctors that they needed to wash their hands to prevent the spread of infection. Big changes don't happen overnight, but mark my words - this construction type is here to stay. It may never be in a league with Global & Llumar, but it will come close and for the price, it's a very compelling bargain. That is the essence of why this type of film has come to market.

We don't observe any of the major films turning purple in our tests. Not EWF, not Llumar, Solar-Gard, Johnson, Madico or 3M. None of them turn purple when we age them. I still read posts where this is a concern, but the latest generation products we test from the major manufacturers all seem to be free of this problem. The only exceptions are economy films, some being notably worse than others.
Some measurable gain in VLT is observed in many of the films we test, but unless your customer owns a light meter - you won't get a claim. Improvements in the dyes, pigments and UV stabilizers have helped all manufacturers. A rising tide lifts all boats.

TB holds up better than films selling for 2x-3x the price. It's one reason why the film is doing as well as it is.

For many years, we held the belief that the films made from the colored chips (such as TB) would exhibit better color stability. We were not correct. The films from CP/Llumar and Global did the best in our testing. The color extruded films did very, very well however. Unless your customer retains an original specimen or owns a spectrometer, don't expect to see them again until they bring in another vehicle for you to tint. The color shift is very subtle and in no way unsightly.
The CP/Llumar and Global films were just a "notch" better. You'll pay for that, however.

I never insinuated it should hold up like Llumar, I think that the fact that a few months it's already noticeably discolored is something that should be talked about though. These are a few of the posts I am talking about, they can be read for what they are, it's probably my fault for not reading between the lines more. I think it's one of those prime examples of what is not said says a lot more than what is said. Either way, it's my fault, I accept responsibility, but I also hope that I can help others when making the choice of what they put their name on.