Kruppa

14 minutes ago, jh812 said:

I meter everything, that's the only way to know exactly. You do have a good knowledge of it though. I explain just like you said the fronts can be just a tad darker and still match up. 20 imo on most vehicles does that just well. With the film I carry anyways. Also you can always get a small sample installed and meter that to see where things land. 

Thank you very much for the quick replies. I’ve never asked for a small sample installed and then meter as a test. Do you think that’s a reasonable request that most shops would say ok to doing? 

2 minutes ago, jh812 said:

What exactly are you driving? Only reason I ask most factory windows are 20ish with some being 30. BMW I think has some that light. 

 

He's right though that math is not right. I've proven it wrong several times with a meter, and the lighter you go the worse it gets.

Sorry should have specified, that is not my actual factory privacy glass VLT.  It was just easy math with 40% for an example

Very interesting, so what is the preferred process you go through with a customer who would say he wants even appearance of darkness all around?

Hey guys, I'm a customer, not an installer.  I've had many vehicles tinted over the years, always wanting to get an even appearance front/rear on my SUVs with factory privacy glass in rears which adds some complexity.  I have always used math to figure it out and it's always worked nearly perfectly for me yet every time I use a new place they say "it doesn't work like that".  Can somebody tell me if I'm wrong please?  I'm well aware below makes it sound like I know the answer already, but I am far from a window tint expert and am interested to get installer opinion.

Ignore all legality, product offerings etc. as it relates to %'s here I'm just doing it as an example.  I also understand with all windows the same % the front will still look lighter than the rears due to light entering from the windshield.  Also I know just because a product says it's 20% VLT, one batch could possibly be 19% and another 21% etc. but let's just assume that is constant.  Also of course privacy glass and aftermarket tint can have varying hues etc.

Let's say my front windows meter 20% after film is applied and I want the rears to read the same VLT.  If my factory rear privacy glass reads 40% and the  aftermarket tint applied is 50% VLT, math (0.4 * 0.5 = 0.2) says it will yield 20% and therefore match... right?

I've always tried to get the front 5%-10% darker to compensate for the windshield light and it's worked pretty well.

Curious on your thoughts on color difference, if any, between Stratos and Pinnacle.  I thought Pinnacle was known for it's neutral charcoal color, but seen some posts here where people think it has a green hue.  I've read Stratos is essentially Pinnacle layered with Air80 so not sure if it's more blue or a true charcoal.

2014 BMW X5, rear factory glass meters 18%.  Installed 50% F1 Pinnacle which was lightest offered at my local shop for max UV protection, glass shatter safety etc. so now they meter 9%.

The front was done with F1 Pinnacle 18% so it's noticeably lighter and driving me a bit crazy and it's also definitely more green of a hue vs the rears which are true black in color.  Suggestions on a specific brand of tint with blackest color and 10% VLT? (I have a medical exemption waiver in MA).  One place near me carries Global HP 10 but the installation job was really bad on a prior vehicle and I would never go back.  I'm on South Shore in MA if you have any shop recommendations as well.

Thank you!