Ceramic?

jh812 · September 13, 2014

Huper is super clear. No haze.

What's the start fee with them like 25k?

wickedtint · September 13, 2014

Haha, nah way less than you may think. It is expensive though.

Naples Tint Company · September 15, 2014

Ive had QDP ceramic on my car for about a year and I haven't noticed any haze. When I pull it off the roll and the sun hits the scratch coat side of it, some shows.

I previously had the "Express ceramic" from EWF and they phased it out. That film would haze a lot. We had some issues with the adhesive too. Absolutely no problems with QDP ceramic.

jh812 · September 15, 2014

Yeah this isn't like that. It's all the time. I've contacted Howard he'll get me straight.

EWF · September 15, 2014

Over the last 2 years, something very peculiar has been happening in regard to haze with films in the 38-42% range. It is not a Ceramic vs. traditional issue. It’s not even brand specific. It persists to the present day and I have not been able to figure this out.

As many of you know, Global/Garware is our primary partner and supplier. But the Express Private Label catalog is very diverse we do work with 3 other major manufacturers at present.

Over the last 2 years, we have received very sporadic haze complaints in various different films that fall within the 38-42% range. These reports were not limited to a type, or even to a single manufacturer. The only common aspect is the VLT range (38-42%).

This is where is gets strange:

When a customer reports to us that they are seeing haze in the film, we believe them 100%. But not every person can see it. We have had dealers tell us that they can see haze in the film, but the customers drive the car around and do not see it. We have also had the opposite report. The customers report haze in the film but the dealers do not see it.

Even more strange – a true story that occurred less than 2 weeks ago.

My wife got tired of the Honda Fit she was driving around, so I arranged to trade it in for a new Toyota Camry. I am not very fond of the whole new car buying process, so I generally do all of the negotiations via email and request that vehicles be delivered to us at home. The local dealer in Florida was happy to oblige.

So two weeks ago, he drives up in my wife’s new Camry. Unbeknownst to me, the new car dealers in our area install window film every new car they deliver – they never even asked me. The film in her car is 3M. I know this because I had to wipe their logos off her windows.

So I am sitting in the new car and my wife and the salesman are outside doing paperwork. Naturally, my eyes are drawn to the film on the window (wouldn’t your eyes be there?) and I am just astounded at how hazy the film looks under the direct afternoon sun.

So I ask both my wife and the salesman to join me in the car and I ask them if they can see how hazy the windows look. They both tell me that they have no idea what I am talking about. Three of us are sitting in the car – I am seeing haze and my wife and this guy are seeing nothing. The salesman tells me that they deliver every new Toyota with that film in it and not one of his customers has ever complained about haze as far as he knows.

I drove the car on two subsequent occasions and I find that haze to be so bad, I told my wife I simply must replace that film. Her response is to not waste my time, the film is fine and she does not see any haze. It's her car and if the windows look good to her - I will just leave well enough alone. It's not a bad looking film and the workmanship was quite good IMHO.

I simply cannot figure this out.

The first initial batch of QDPC-42% produced 2 years ago definitely had a haze issue. All of the Global distributors noticed it and quarantined the inventory. But ever since then, we are back to the very occasional/sporadic reports and it’s on all of the films, not just the Ceramics and not just our Global/Garware. It's just the 38-42% VLT range.

-Howard

wickedtint · September 15, 2014

What are the chances you're only getting reports of haze in that vlt range since its most commonly used on the fronts? I used a sample of ceramic on my personal vehicle. I only notice the haze on the drivers window since its right in front of my face....just a thought.

EWF · September 15, 2014

Just found this article on Toray's website.

Many of you know the name Toray. If you do not, they have been one of the primary base film suppliers to our industry for decades. The particular product referenced in this article boasts a "very low" optical haze rate of 0.4% (a little less than one half of one percent). So apparently it's not zero.

And they do refer to "high angle sun haze" which is the condition under which the haze is generally observed. At low angles and dusk/dawn, the haze is not present.

An interesting read:

http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/Polyester-Film-features-haze-levels-of-0-4-5559

-Howard

What are the chances you're only getting reports of haze in that vlt range since its most commonly used on the fronts? I used a sample of ceramic on my personal vehicle. I only notice the haze on the drivers window since its right in front of my face....just a thought.

Definitely possible - but with all of the 35, 20 & 15 we sell, you would think that we would get reports on that as well. I honestly do not know.

Just found this article on Toray's website.

Many of you know the name Toray. If you do not, they have been one of the primary base film suppliers to our industry for decades. The particular product referenced in this article boasts a "very low" optical haze rate of 0.4% (a little less than one half of one percent). So apparently it's not zero.

And they do refer to "high angle sun haze" which is the condition under which the haze is generally observed. At low angles and dusk/dawn, the haze is not present.

An interesting read:

http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/Polyester-Film-features-haze-levels-of-0-4-5559

The product discussed in the article is used in our industry.

-Howard

-Howard