Automotive Tint Comparison

[MVOZ]

Hi All, 

 

How reliable are manufacturer provided Technical Specifications for Window Tint?

 

I've compiled a list of tints based on manufacturer provided technical data & looking for insights into long term ownership with respect to scratch resistance, colour fade, impact on driver visibility, etc.

 

Basically, I'm looking to narrow down the choice of products but different installers recommend different product lines.

 

3M Ceramic IR Series IR 35 for Front Side Windows

3M Ceramic IR Series IR 25 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

ASWF Retro IRP 35 Nano-ceramic

Black Armor Elite Nano Ceramic Series E38 for Front Side Windows

Black Armor Select Ceramic Series S38 for Front Side Windows

Black Armor Select Ceramic Series S20 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Llumar MEP Ceramic CNP35 for Front Side Windows

Llumar MEP Ceramic CNP20 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Ultragard Fusion NX 38 Nano-Ceramic  for Front Side Windows

Ultragard Fusion NX 27 Nano-Ceramic  for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Ultragard Genesis IR ultra ceramic nano IR40 for Front Side Windows

Ultragard Genesis IR ultra ceramic nano IR25 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Ultragard Genesis IR ultra ceramic nano IR33 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Solargard VTX Pro Premium Ceramic Window Film 35 for Front Side Windows

SunTek CIR (CeramicIR) CIR40 Black for Front Side Windows

SunTek CIR (CeramicIR) CIR 30 Black for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

SunTek CIR (CeramicIR) CIR 20 Black for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

SunTek CXP (CarbonXP) CXP45 Black  for Front Side Windows

SunTek CXP (CarbonXP) CXP25 Black  for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

SunTek CXP (CarbonXP) CXP 35 Black for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

SunTek Evolve 35 ceramic  for Front Side Windows

SunTek Evolve 20 ceramic  for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

SunTek Evolve 30 ceramic  for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Rayno Phantom S5-35 Nano Carbon Ceramic for Front Side Windows

Rayno Phantom S5-20 Nano Carbon Ceramic for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Rayno Phantom S5-30 Nano Carbon Ceramic for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Rayno Phantom S7-35 for Front Side Windows

Rayno Phantom S7-20 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Rayno Phantom S7-30 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Rayno Phantom S9-35 for Front Side Windows

Rayno Phantom S9-20 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Rayno Phantom S9-30 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

ASWF Carbon 35 for Front Side Windows

ASWF Carbon 28 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

ASWF Carbon 20 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

ASWF Dimension IRP 40 Nano-Ceramic  for Front Side Windows

ASWF Dimension IRP 25 Nano-Ceramic  for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

ASWF Excel IRP 35 for Front Side Windows

ASWF Excel IRP 25 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

ASWF Dimension X DX40 for All Windows

[jj]

On 5/2/2024 at 7:32 PM, MVOZ said:

Hi All, 

 

How reliable are manufacturer provided Technical Specifications for Window Tint?

 

I've compiled a list of tints based on manufacturer provided technical data & looking for insights into long term ownership with respect to scratch resistance, colour fade, impact on driver visibility, etc.

 

Basically, I'm looking to narrow down the choice of products but different installers recommend different product lines.

 

3M Ceramic IR Series IR 35 for Front Side Windows

3M Ceramic IR Series IR 25 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

ASWF Retro IRP 35 Nano-ceramic

Black Armor Elite Nano Ceramic Series E38 for Front Side Windows

Black Armor Select Ceramic Series S38 for Front Side Windows

Black Armor Select Ceramic Series S20 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Llumar MEP Ceramic CNP35 for Front Side Windows

Llumar MEP Ceramic CNP20 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Ultragard Fusion NX 38 Nano-Ceramic  for Front Side Windows

Ultragard Fusion NX 27 Nano-Ceramic  for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Ultragard Genesis IR ultra ceramic nano IR40 for Front Side Windows

Ultragard Genesis IR ultra ceramic nano IR25 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Ultragard Genesis IR ultra ceramic nano IR33 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Solargard VTX Pro Premium Ceramic Window Film 35 for Front Side Windows

SunTek CIR (CeramicIR) CIR40 Black for Front Side Windows

SunTek CIR (CeramicIR) CIR 30 Black for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

SunTek CIR (CeramicIR) CIR 20 Black for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

SunTek CXP (CarbonXP) CXP45 Black  for Front Side Windows

SunTek CXP (CarbonXP) CXP25 Black  for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

SunTek CXP (CarbonXP) CXP 35 Black for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

SunTek Evolve 35 ceramic  for Front Side Windows

SunTek Evolve 20 ceramic  for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

SunTek Evolve 30 ceramic  for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Rayno Phantom S5-35 Nano Carbon Ceramic for Front Side Windows

Rayno Phantom S5-20 Nano Carbon Ceramic for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Rayno Phantom S5-30 Nano Carbon Ceramic for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Rayno Phantom S7-35 for Front Side Windows

Rayno Phantom S7-20 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Rayno Phantom S7-30 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Rayno Phantom S9-35 for Front Side Windows

Rayno Phantom S9-20 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

Rayno Phantom S9-30 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

ASWF Carbon 35 for Front Side Windows

ASWF Carbon 28 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

ASWF Carbon 20 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

ASWF Dimension IRP 40 Nano-Ceramic  for Front Side Windows

ASWF Dimension IRP 25 Nano-Ceramic  for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

ASWF Excel IRP 35 for Front Side Windows

ASWF Excel IRP 25 for Rear Side Windows & Rear Window

ASWF Dimension X DX40 for All Windows

Steer clear of Black Armour, Suntek, ASWF. The others are good choices if you are in Australia. Check out the reviews of the installer too. It’s not just the materials that have to be proper. Never go for the cheapest!!!

[MVOZ]

On 5/4/2024 at 4:39 PM, jj said:

Steer clear of Black Armour, Suntek, ASWF. The others are good choices if you are in Australia. Check out the reviews of the installer too. It’s not just the materials that have to be proper. Never go for the cheapest!!!

 

1) Why avoid Suntek? I thought they resolved that issued with the easy scratching and that they are one of the market leaders in Australia? Also, it seems most of the well established Tint businesses use Suntek

 

2) I've heard mixed things about Rayno, with some installers raving about it and others disparaging it. Makes it difficult for the consumer to know the truth, given vested interests exist.

 

3) Is Ultragard a Australian exclusive product? The IP seems to be owned by GTS FILMS PTY LTD. How's the quality as it seems to have limited installers.

 

4) Is the MEP Films CNP that apparently are Manufactured by LLumar of the same quality as the LLumar tints (such as Llumar Formula One Stratos; Llumar Formula One Pinnacle; Llumar CTX)?

 

5) 
 

[doctor4766]

MEP Films distribute Llumar in Australia.

I for one have been using Llumar since 1984 and have very rarely had or seen any issues with quality and that is why the brand is my go-to the majority of the time.

Sun Tek have some good automotive films that I like, but other than those, I am strictly a Llumar user.

BTW Eastman Chemical own both Llumar and SunTek so I imagine their film technology may be somewhat shared.

 

 

[MVOZ]

7 hours ago, doctor4766 said:

MEP Films distribute Llumar in Australia.

I for one have been using Llumar since 1984 and have very rarely had or seen any issues with quality and that is why the brand is my go-to the majority of the time.

Sun Tek have some good automotive films that I like, but other than those, I am strictly a Llumar user.

BTW Eastman Chemical own both Llumar and SunTek so I imagine their film technology may be somewhat shared.

 

 

 

If the only tinter providing MEP Films is a mobile tinter that uses more water than normal and I don't have a garage to tint in then would you avoid the tinter and opt for a tinter with a workshop that uses either:

 

SunTek CIR (CeramicIR) CIR

SunTek CXP (CarbonXP) CXP SunTek Evolve

Solargard VTX Pro Premium Ceramic (by the way, does anyone know where the Technical Spec sheet is, I tried finding to no avail) XPEL Prime XR Black

Johnson Window Films InsulatIR IR

GLOBAL WINDOW FILMS QDP CERAMIC FILMS Global OZ Window Films CBXtreme Ceramic

[MVOZ]

I forgot to ask about Low Angle Haze (LAH), do any particular films have less LAH than others? 

 

Is LAH so much of a problem that it's better to avoid ceramic tint and go another kind of tint like SunTek CXP (CarbonXP) CXP

 

 

[MVOZ]

It's probably worthwhile mentioning that I live in a gets very hot in summer and mostly year long, and never gets to a point where snow fall is a concern.

Record High Temperature: 48.9 Celsius or 120 Fahrenheit
Mean maximum °C (°F): 38.8 C or 101.8 F
Mean daily maximum °C (°F): 31.2 Celsius or 88.2 Fahrenheit
Mean daily minimum °C (°F): 3 Celsius or 37.4 Fahrenheit
Mean minimum °C (°F): 1.6 C or 34.9 F
Record low °C (°F): -6 Celsius or 21.2 Fahrenheit

To the USA based forum users, think:
Dallas-Fort Worth Texas region (in particular around Denton/Sherman)
Houston Texas
Harlingen, Texas
Orlando, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Lawton, Oklahoma
San Diego, California
Los Angeles, California
San Jose, California
Fresno, California
Sacramento, California
Puebla de Zaragoza in Mexico

For Europeans, think:

Spain (Cordoba)
Italy (Palermo)
Portugal (Lisbon)
Greece (Athens, Crete, etc)

[MVOZ]

By the way how much coverage would I achieve from 1524mm x 3000mm (i.e. 60" x 118") 

[doctor4766]

You should cover 4.57m2 with that amount of film.