Windshield Tint (XR Black 70% VS Autobahn I3 56%)

[TheHulk]

I'm deciding between these two films for my windshield and I'm note sure if the autobahn is worth twice as much, I got a quote for $400!

 

Here in MI I believe there's only one tint ship that even carries the Autobahn brand so I guess he can charge whatever he wants.

 

Looking at the specs there doesn't seem to be that much of a difference.  For the last 10 years I've had Solar Gard Ultra Performance 70 on my windshield which I believe has TSER of 40%, so even the XR Prime 70% would be an upgrade. 

 

Also, is XPEL XR cermaic? I'm confused about that, I believe XPEL PLUS is ceramic but what about the XR line? It seems that here in MI 99% of the tint shops don't even use the PLUS line, stating that:

 

1.  Customers don't like the unnatural blue hue

2. The minimal benefit of the PLUS heat rejection isn't worth the extra $$$

 

I'm thinking of going with the XR Black 70% for the WS but wanted to hear other's opinions. 

 

Prior to the Solar Gard 70% on my windshield I had some cheap no brand name 50% tint on my WS on my 4Runner, but I also had retrofitted HIDs with 55w ballasts so the lighting at night was a non issue.  Now that all cars come with LEDs (which I believe are worse than HIDs, especially when it rains/snows) I'm thinking of sticking with 70%.

 

 

 

Edited October 5, 2023 by TheHulk

[DynamicATL]

Autobahn I3 56 has a higher TSER (overall heat rejection) than XR Black or XR Plus. It also has a high IR rejection, but both films are metered at 1025nm so across the whole spectrum, those numbers could be very different. I would check out both films in person to see which looks better to you. If the Autobahn I3 looks better, it might be worth the price due to that and the performance. If the same level of appearance, the performance jump might not be enough for the price difference. Go with the shop that you feel gives you the best results since the difference in the films is not drastic.

 

As for the LED lighting, it depends on your vehicle. Some OEM LED headlamps are great, like Acura, and other brands are garbage. My S63 and Tesla both have amazing LED headlamps that are much better than HID. However, I drove a Cadillac XTS rental, and I could barely tell they were on. I literally had to pull over and check. I also drove a Mercedes C Class that had good LED headlamps and a GLA Class that had horrible LED headlamps. So it varies from brand to brand and even between models. My CL63 that has factory HID has horrible light output, so I upgraded the bulbs to LED, which were about 30% brighter. We are also an automotive lighting store which is why I chimed in on this.