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Possible switch to 3M auto film

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b_faulk75

b_faulk75

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 I wanna add to this older thread, glad I found it. I basically want to ask the same question but a few years later, lol. I have been mainly using Suntek Carbon for 10 years now. I have had good luck with it for the most part and my customers almost never ask what brand of film use, only how much will the job cost?

 Looking to step up my game a bit with my new shop, like the idea of adding the 3m lineup. Spoke to a rep from EPD, he told me no problem, sent me the pricing info and all that. FXP is almost exactly the same price as the carbon, so I was thinking of bringing that on as my entry line, then up to the c/s for the mid and crystalline for the over the top film.

  I do have a few reservations though. First is that the rep will not send me a single sample, but expects me to buy several hundred dollars, if not thousands of dollars worth of film without trying any of it. From what i'm reading the C/S line seems to be good stuff. But how about the fx premium? I'm also not to pumped about dealing with a large corporation for anything. Am currently leaving my Service Manager job and divorcing GM. They can kiss my butt! So sick of all their BS self serving policies. Kinda fearing 3M may operate in the same manner. I already see they support setting up hacks in dealerships with a plotter to slap on film in the back shop. When I told the EPD rep I have deep connections with ALL of the local dealers he seemed to get a bit giddy! lol... Not to worried about that anyway!

 

So my question is, stay with Suntek, decent film with almost no support. Or just step up to the big boys?

I do not need their name to sell my service, just wanted to offer a better product, if it is in fact better. TSER reading actually look better on the CXP than the CS, but I hear they have a new line coming out. I'm also considering trying a film like carbonFX.  

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highplains

highplains

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&While I can't speak to any comparison with Suntek since I've never tried it I do have ample experience with FX PREMIUM and some experience with Color Stable. I've had good luck with both films, just recently added the color stable but I like it better than the FX Premium in every way. I haven't seen any failures of the FX, just some minimal fading after several years but no detectable color shift. I've heard some rumblings of a new film coming that will fill the gap between color stable and crystalline, but I haven't seen any specifics yet. I've had very good luck with my rep but when I took over this program it was already established as a 3M shop.

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highplains

highplains

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For sure, I agree completely with that. Although it has helped with the up selling to Color Stable for me. In my area heat rejection doesn't seem to be a huge selling point, at least not this time of year, and I've had some customers pick CS based on color alone, but the majority of the ones I've up sold have jumped on the guarantee that it'll never turn purple. 

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b_faulk75

b_faulk75

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I actually thought about only offering C/S and Crystalline to keep it simple. But it's almost $200 more a roll for the C/S compared to the Carbon. I found out a long time ago that too many choices and the customer takes forever to decide, lol... 

I do want a quality product out there though and am willing to fork out the extra if it really is a superior product, from the reading i do here, it sure seems like it is, i just wanted to make sure i'm not just over paying for the brand name..  Up to this point in my tinting career i rarely have people ask what kind of film i use, only what my warranty is and how much it will cost. I do know for a fact that i have some failed film out there, i fix it if customers bring em back.  I plan to be in this business full time for atleast the next 20yrs or so and i don't want cheap film to bite me in the rear 10yrs down the road.  Thanks for the info!!! :beer

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DynamicATL

DynamicATL

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It is a more expensive film than Suntek Carbon, but also better quality and appearance.  3M CS uses their patented Carbon polyester while the last time I checked, Suntek Carbon barely has any Carbon in it.  The 3M name will help sell more for sure and you should be charging more for it.  Depending on your current pricing, I would charge atleast $30 more.  This will take care of the additional $200 you are paying and adding $100 to your profit.  Also, they have sales typically atleast once a year where can get the film cheaper.  You also earn points for every dollar you spend and can apply that to merchandise, displays, or even coupons for money off film orders.

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