Window Tint Recommendation.
12-31-2004, 07:25 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Miami
Posts: 1,246
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Window Tint Recommendation.
Hey guys, I need to find a shop that does quality tint installs. I had a shop that did good work, but they sold the shop and moved. Any of you guys have any recommendations for a good shop in the Miami area that does top quality installs for tints. I dont mind paying top dollar for good work. Please let me know.
12-31-2004, 04:34 PM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Frisco, TX
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I used a shop up here in Boca that did great work. Sorry, can't help you regarding Miami. However, I had them put on 15%. It LOOKS great, but with the limited visibility in the S to begin with, 15% significantly decreased night visibility with the top up. You might want to consider 20% when you do it.
01-01-2005, 04:08 AM
#4
Registered User
I have some general advice about window tinting. After getting burned on the so-called "lifetime warrantee" with other brands, I now only buy 3M products from authorized dealers. The price is a little more (+10%) than other quality films, but the warrantee is real.
Here's the story. I purchased a new 1989 Civic Si hatchback, did a lot of research, and had the car tinted in South Miami from a company that sold a high end tint product (Solarfilm?). I paid $10 more for their lifetime warrantee. When the film finally began to ripple after about 7 years, I returned to the shop that applied the film. The shop was there, the same manager and technician was there, so I figured that I would get the film replaced for free. Wrong! The owner had "closed" the previous store and reopened under a new name and corporation. Since the warrantee was from the store that I had purchased the film from, not the manufacturer of the film, I was screwed. I have since learned that this is a typical business practice of many film installation companies.
There may now be a 3M authorized shop in the Miami area, but I haven't researched locations for over 10 years. I now have all of my vehicled tinted at Tint King in Pompano Beach. It's a bit of a drive for you, but I started going there back when I was a graduate student at RSMAS and I lived on Key Biscayne. It has been worth it as they really stand behind their products, and even if they go out of business, 3M backs their film for as long as you own the car.
Tint King
110 South Federal Highway
Pompano Beach, FL
(888) 727-3636
(954) 782-3815
Here's the story. I purchased a new 1989 Civic Si hatchback, did a lot of research, and had the car tinted in South Miami from a company that sold a high end tint product (Solarfilm?). I paid $10 more for their lifetime warrantee. When the film finally began to ripple after about 7 years, I returned to the shop that applied the film. The shop was there, the same manager and technician was there, so I figured that I would get the film replaced for free. Wrong! The owner had "closed" the previous store and reopened under a new name and corporation. Since the warrantee was from the store that I had purchased the film from, not the manufacturer of the film, I was screwed. I have since learned that this is a typical business practice of many film installation companies.
There may now be a 3M authorized shop in the Miami area, but I haven't researched locations for over 10 years. I now have all of my vehicled tinted at Tint King in Pompano Beach. It's a bit of a drive for you, but I started going there back when I was a graduate student at RSMAS and I lived on Key Biscayne. It has been worth it as they really stand behind their products, and even if they go out of business, 3M backs their film for as long as you own the car.
Tint King
110 South Federal Highway
Pompano Beach, FL
(888) 727-3636
(954) 782-3815
01-01-2005, 05:31 AM
#5
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Miami
Posts: 1,246
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Joshua,
Thats the exact recommendation I wanted to here. I dont mind driving and paying extra to have the work done right and fully backed by the manufacturer. I will have my car's tints done there. Thanks.
Alfredo
Thats the exact recommendation I wanted to here. I dont mind driving and paying extra to have the work done right and fully backed by the manufacturer. I will have my car's tints done there. Thanks.
Alfredo
01-01-2005, 09:38 PM
#6
Has anyone had any experience with Tint World? Here's their website:
http://www.tintworld.com/default.asp
Sounds like a pretty good operation, multiple shops, computerized film cutting instead of making/tracing window templates. However, they don't specify what brands of film they use, at least not on the website.
My wife's car just might become the guinea pig, and we'll see what happens.
http://www.tintworld.com/default.asp
Sounds like a pretty good operation, multiple shops, computerized film cutting instead of making/tracing window templates. However, they don't specify what brands of film they use, at least not on the website.
My wife's car just might become the guinea pig, and we'll see what happens.
01-02-2005, 03:59 AM
#7
Registered User
Here is more informartion about automotive window tinting in general with some specific information about 3M films.
ALL plastic films will reject nearly 100% of UV irradiance. This is an inherent property of plastic film, irrespective of manufacturer.
Window tint benefits include UV rejection to reduce fading and deterioration of interior plastics and fabric, and heat rejection to keep the car cooler in the sun. Since all films perform nearly equally with regards to UV control, to me, film selection is all about heat rejection. Heat gain is mostly from IR (Infra-red) irradiance, but energy in other spectra are also sifgnificant. That's why it's important to consider total energy rejection rather than simply IR (solar heat)rejection.
When selecting tint darkness, keep in mind that darker films will make it more difficult to see other vehicles and objects at night. For that reason, Florida law requires film to be no darker than 15% on side glass next to the driver and rear glass. Passenger and cargo compartment side glass can be darker, but this is a moot point for the S2000 and most people don't like the look of multiple tints anyway. A 15% tint allows transmission of 15% of the visible light spectra. That means that a 15% tint is darker than a 20% tint.
My my vehicles, I choose 3M Panther medium film, 35%. This gives me good visibility at night and allows the rejection of nearly half (48%) of all solar energy. Darker tints give slightly more energy rejection (52%), but outward visibility is compromised. Some people want the look of a darker tint, but I don't want to sacrifice safety for appearance, and since there is little additional heat rejection benefit with a darker tint, I go with a lighter one.
Here is the gist of the 3M warrantee - compare it to the language of a competing company's warrantee to make sure you're getting good value for your money:
If the 3M scotchtint product is found to be defective, the warrantee covers all labor costs including removal and replacement and full material costs for the entire period of the warranty (as long as you own the car). There is no small print which pro-rates the warranty value over the years so that the customer has to pay an increasingly large percentage of the replacement costs as the end of the warranty period approaches. Further, warranty repairs can be carried out at any Scotchtint outlet and not just at the tint shop where the film was applied.
ALL plastic films will reject nearly 100% of UV irradiance. This is an inherent property of plastic film, irrespective of manufacturer.
Window tint benefits include UV rejection to reduce fading and deterioration of interior plastics and fabric, and heat rejection to keep the car cooler in the sun. Since all films perform nearly equally with regards to UV control, to me, film selection is all about heat rejection. Heat gain is mostly from IR (Infra-red) irradiance, but energy in other spectra are also sifgnificant. That's why it's important to consider total energy rejection rather than simply IR (solar heat)rejection.
When selecting tint darkness, keep in mind that darker films will make it more difficult to see other vehicles and objects at night. For that reason, Florida law requires film to be no darker than 15% on side glass next to the driver and rear glass. Passenger and cargo compartment side glass can be darker, but this is a moot point for the S2000 and most people don't like the look of multiple tints anyway. A 15% tint allows transmission of 15% of the visible light spectra. That means that a 15% tint is darker than a 20% tint.
My my vehicles, I choose 3M Panther medium film, 35%. This gives me good visibility at night and allows the rejection of nearly half (48%) of all solar energy. Darker tints give slightly more energy rejection (52%), but outward visibility is compromised. Some people want the look of a darker tint, but I don't want to sacrifice safety for appearance, and since there is little additional heat rejection benefit with a darker tint, I go with a lighter one.
Here is the gist of the 3M warrantee - compare it to the language of a competing company's warrantee to make sure you're getting good value for your money:
If the 3M scotchtint product is found to be defective, the warrantee covers all labor costs including removal and replacement and full material costs for the entire period of the warranty (as long as you own the car). There is no small print which pro-rates the warranty value over the years so that the customer has to pay an increasingly large percentage of the replacement costs as the end of the warranty period approaches. Further, warranty repairs can be carried out at any Scotchtint outlet and not just at the tint shop where the film was applied.
Trending Topics
01-02-2005, 10:14 AM
#9
Registered User
Originally Posted by pikkashoe,Jan 2 2005, 10:04 AM
Do you know if Tint King has computerized film cutting or if its hand cut using templates.
I'll be going there soon to have some tint put on my wife's truck.
01-02-2005, 11:25 AM
#10
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Miami
Posts: 1,246
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How can I research Tint Places in Miami. I just realized how far Pompano Beach is from me. I guess I could start by just looking for places that use 3m exclusively.
Hmm..
Hmm..