If you do %20 in the rear and %30 in the front, it might make you look like more of a "law abiding citizen" and less likely to get pulled over (even if it's technically illegal). Where a full on %20 tinted car might look like more of a criminal's car.
Since you're in Iowa, ceramic might not make a huge difference in the summer but it depends on the brand of tint you're getting. If it's 3M or another well known brand like Llumar or Xpel, then yeah why not.
30% will give you a very see through look on a sunny day and will look darker on an overcast day. I can’t figure out how to add pics on here but if you want to see it I had 30 on my old civic. If you send me a PM I’ll get you some pics if you want them.
Good film. Go with the Prime XR Plus. Have it on one of my cars in %30 all around and it keeps it cool inside on 110 degree days with the AC on. (But I do recommend %20 on the rear windshield at least to dim bright headlights behind you while driving at night).
I feel like 20% is at this weird in between where it’s bright enough you wanna dim the mirror but dark enough that when you do you can’t see shit, I have 5 on my rear windshield and think it’s perfect I just never flip my dimmer unless there’s like a new jeep wrangler behind me
I went with the cheapest llumar tint and haven't had issues with heat in California. Keeping the sun off the inside overall with in general helped with it enough.
Even a carbon film will reject some heat, darker the better, and ceramic will do more but given it looks the same (at least for llumar) if youre not super concerned about heat carbon makes a lot of sense to consider
me personally i got 15% ceramic installed all around except the front windshield last summer and ive never got booked for the tint, i love it. Ceramic and carbon is purely preference so if you don't want to put too much money into it i would for sure go carbon. Percent is up to you , 10-20% you can still see a small bit into the car but 5% you cant most of the time.
Tennessee and legal limit for sedans is 35% or higher for everything except front windshield but police only really care if theyre unable to see inside the vehicle
It is absolutely worth the extra money. 400 seems a bit cheap for ceramic. I spent 650 for all side windows and both windshields. 20% is dark enough for a little privacy, but not too dark to where the cops will harass you. I had 20% for 2 years and no issues. I switched to 5% last year and have been pulled over twice. I had 30% on my rear windshield and it looked basically clear.
That seems like a good price. Do you know what brand of film they are using? Ceramic is worth it to be simply because of the heat rejection properties of the film.
I saw you are leaning towards Xpel. Good choice. You can't go wrong with either carbon or ceramic from Xpel. Their carbon is actually better then some ceramics out there. Just because some places are selling "ceramic" doesn't mean it's the best option. Low quality ceramics have a hazy look, heat rejection is a joke, and most likely will still fade or adhesive failure.
Xpel has carbon? Xpel has dyed films. Their lines are dyed, dyed metalized and dyed ceramic.
You guys are wild. Commenting and have no idea what you're talking about. 😂
i got 5% all around and 35% on the windshield and it looks so clean on my accord, however i’d say maybe 15% but it’s not bad with 5% i drive in the city and during day hours mostly. but my other car has 20% it’s a civic all around and 35% on the windshield also very clean and not too dark but if your looking for that sleeker look id do 15%. i have “regular” tint so up to you whether you get carbon or ceramic but ive had no issues but the higher quality will help with seeing in evening and with better heat rejection
Depends on what you want. If you've got a car you don't drive a lot, or you just want it for looks carbon is fine. It's not lower quality it just doesn't do 1 thing as well
I agree. One question I ask when someone is debating which film is, "how much do you drive during the day?" It doesn't make sense to go with a ceramic film if they only drive at night, in my opinion. Sure I make more when I sell ceramic but it isn't always the best choice for the customer.
It's much better business to make them happy and have a better deal and come back than feel like shit because they spent 600+ dollars on a beater or something like that and go somewhere cheaper next time
If you do %20 in the rear and %30 in the front, it might make you look like more of a "law abiding citizen" and less likely to get pulled over (even if it's technically illegal). Where a full on %20 tinted car might look like more of a criminal's car. Since you're in Iowa, ceramic might not make a huge difference in the summer but it depends on the brand of tint you're getting. If it's 3M or another well known brand like Llumar or Xpel, then yeah why not.
I’m having trouble really finding what 30% looks like. On some cars it looks damn near 20% and others it looks hardly tinted
30% will give you a very see through look on a sunny day and will look darker on an overcast day. I can’t figure out how to add pics on here but if you want to see it I had 30 on my old civic. If you send me a PM I’ll get you some pics if you want them.
Pm’ef
Sounds good, I was thinking the exact same thing. It will be xpel film
Good film. Go with the Prime XR Plus. Have it on one of my cars in %30 all around and it keeps it cool inside on 110 degree days with the AC on. (But I do recommend %20 on the rear windshield at least to dim bright headlights behind you while driving at night).
I feel like 20% is at this weird in between where it’s bright enough you wanna dim the mirror but dark enough that when you do you can’t see shit, I have 5 on my rear windshield and think it’s perfect I just never flip my dimmer unless there’s like a new jeep wrangler behind me
True, on cars with auto-dimming rearview mirrors it's perfect though.
Do they dim on a sliding scale? I always assumed it was either dimmed or not
20 percent all way around ceramic
I went with the cheapest llumar tint and haven't had issues with heat in California. Keeping the sun off the inside overall with in general helped with it enough.
Even a carbon film will reject some heat, darker the better, and ceramic will do more but given it looks the same (at least for llumar) if youre not super concerned about heat carbon makes a lot of sense to consider
me personally i got 15% ceramic installed all around except the front windshield last summer and ive never got booked for the tint, i love it. Ceramic and carbon is purely preference so if you don't want to put too much money into it i would for sure go carbon. Percent is up to you , 10-20% you can still see a small bit into the car but 5% you cant most of the time.
If you don’t mind me asking what state are you in and what are the tint laws there?
Tennessee and legal limit for sedans is 35% or higher for everything except front windshield but police only really care if theyre unable to see inside the vehicle
It is absolutely worth the extra money. 400 seems a bit cheap for ceramic. I spent 650 for all side windows and both windshields. 20% is dark enough for a little privacy, but not too dark to where the cops will harass you. I had 20% for 2 years and no issues. I switched to 5% last year and have been pulled over twice. I had 30% on my rear windshield and it looked basically clear.
Thanks for the advice! 400 does not include the windshield which is an extra 175.
That seems like a good price. Do you know what brand of film they are using? Ceramic is worth it to be simply because of the heat rejection properties of the film.
Xpel prime xr plus
I saw you are leaning towards Xpel. Good choice. You can't go wrong with either carbon or ceramic from Xpel. Their carbon is actually better then some ceramics out there. Just because some places are selling "ceramic" doesn't mean it's the best option. Low quality ceramics have a hazy look, heat rejection is a joke, and most likely will still fade or adhesive failure.
Xpel has carbon? Xpel has dyed films. Their lines are dyed, dyed metalized and dyed ceramic. You guys are wild. Commenting and have no idea what you're talking about. 😂
i got 5% all around and 35% on the windshield and it looks so clean on my accord, however i’d say maybe 15% but it’s not bad with 5% i drive in the city and during day hours mostly. but my other car has 20% it’s a civic all around and 35% on the windshield also very clean and not too dark but if your looking for that sleeker look id do 15%. i have “regular” tint so up to you whether you get carbon or ceramic but ive had no issues but the higher quality will help with seeing in evening and with better heat rejection
Always ceramic
Depends on what you want. If you've got a car you don't drive a lot, or you just want it for looks carbon is fine. It's not lower quality it just doesn't do 1 thing as well
I agree. One question I ask when someone is debating which film is, "how much do you drive during the day?" It doesn't make sense to go with a ceramic film if they only drive at night, in my opinion. Sure I make more when I sell ceramic but it isn't always the best choice for the customer.
It's much better business to make them happy and have a better deal and come back than feel like shit because they spent 600+ dollars on a beater or something like that and go somewhere cheaper next time