Thoughts on tint?
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Thoughts on tint?
Taking the A4 in for her 5000 mile service, going to talk to the dealer about tint. What kind/percent did you get installed? Happy with it? I've been told to pay no more than $160 otherwise I should get it done outside the dealer.
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From: Toronto
Lots of different opinions on tint around here and over on AZ. $160 though will not get you much even outside the delaership. I'm making a similar decision on mine and expect to pay $300-400 for Pinnacle and much more if you want to go with Huper Optik. I'd rather pay a bit more and be happy with the look than have a crap tint job for cheap. Then again, if you're going with a 5% tint....it really doesn't matter.
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$160 cannot even get you ceramic...
I did 20% ceramic and paid $200 which is suspiciously cheap. I don't really care though, it is exactly what I wanted...
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From: California
Paid $500 all windows and pano roof. Went with 3M. Installer recommended the Huper Optik Ceramic for about $50 more but it didn't come in the shades I wanted
The 3M Color Stable tint went on in 5% sides and rear with 35% on Panoramic roof and front windows. Car stays quite comfortable even on the rare occasion that it gets parked in 100+ F heat as long as I put the front window cover up.
Per 3M's site:
The black interior and headliner of the S-Line make it appear much darker from the outside than it appears inside. While I like the look and have had zero issues, my main concern was how comfortable my son would be sitting in the backseat. No complaints of too bright or too hot.
I would just caution that whatever tint you decide to go with, you will typically get what you pay for as far as quality of materials and installation. Find a shop that has been in business for awhile. Most that were shoddy will have already succumbed to the economy but there are still bad shops out there if the crappy tint jobs I see all the time on new cars are any indication. Dealerships are known for dealing with shops/installers that are 2 things: fast and cheap. Do your homework and be happy.
Hope it helps.
The 3M Color Stable tint went on in 5% sides and rear with 35% on Panoramic roof and front windows. Car stays quite comfortable even on the rare occasion that it gets parked in 100+ F heat as long as I put the front window cover up.
Per 3M's site:
3M Color Stable's appearance rivals tinted factory glass, never turns purple, and provides high heat rejection with no signal interference! 3M's revolutionary nano-carbon polyester provides an incredible look, amazing color stability, and is non-metallized to ensure no signal interference.
...
These darker shaded films are designed to reject solar heat that is produced from visible light. Color Stable rejects up to 57% of the heat coming through your windows. Color Stable films also provide significant glare relief, allowing only 5% to 50% of the light into your car.
...
These darker shaded films are designed to reject solar heat that is produced from visible light. Color Stable rejects up to 57% of the heat coming through your windows. Color Stable films also provide significant glare relief, allowing only 5% to 50% of the light into your car.
I would just caution that whatever tint you decide to go with, you will typically get what you pay for as far as quality of materials and installation. Find a shop that has been in business for awhile. Most that were shoddy will have already succumbed to the economy but there are still bad shops out there if the crappy tint jobs I see all the time on new cars are any indication. Dealerships are known for dealing with shops/installers that are 2 things: fast and cheap. Do your homework and be happy.
Hope it helps.
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From: Raleigh, NC
In addition to what the others are saying, I'd advise your tint shop to be careful with how much water/solution they use on the rear window. You may want to make sure they cover your rear amps with plastic/towels to insure they don't get soaked and fried...
I got Huper Optik Ceramic 40 (42%) for $350 all around. Would have been another $50 for the sunroof, but I didn't have the extra time.
I got Huper Optik Ceramic 40 (42%) for $350 all around. Would have been another $50 for the sunroof, but I didn't have the extra time.
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From: California
I also asked them to cover the door panels. They used blue painters tape to affix a plastic sheet to each door and the rear area. I hadn't thought about the amps. I was mainly concerned with any solution potentially staining the Alcantara door inserts. Heck the car was only one day old. I also had the clear bra done at the time as well. Took 2 days but was a good investment imo. The shop was the official tint/bra installer for the local Ferrari dealer so I figured they understood what I meant by "paying attention to detail".
Last edited by QUA77R0; Jul 25, 2011 at 10:07 PM.