looslip

iTrader: (3)

I've got a black 2k3 SE and I'm in the process of researching tints. I've heard a lot of good things about LLumar on this board but it doesn't come with lifetime warranty against fading at the place that I talked to. However, another place tells me they have Madico brand film and it does cover lifetime warranty against fading as well as bubbling and peeling. The price they quoted was $275... Is this a good price? Any recommendations here as to which way I should go? The Llumar might be $50 cheaper. Is madico really that much better? Thanks in advance.

NT2SHBBY

I Have Madico Onyx 20% black reflective all around..I like it, but I'd rather have Llumar titanium reflective...I just couldn't find a shop in NYC that did it....

pix are on my homepage, pages 2 & 3 if interested

looslip

iTrader: (3)

NT2SHBBY, Thanks for the reply. What do you prefer better about Llumar's film? Would you feel the same way if the Llumar doesn't cover fading and the Madico does?

What are other people's thoughts about fading? Do I really have to worry about it in the SF Bay Area?

jjs

You may want to research a film called HP. Good things have been said around here in teh past couple of weeks. If you go back about 3-5 pages worth of threads you might come across some on this topic.

NT2SHBBY

I like the Llumar titanium series..it looks almost chrome but with a greenish hue, thats not 100% reflective but its reflective enough to give that sliverish tinge that would've matched my car better plus give me the privacy I wanted.

For Cali, you definitely wanna go 100% metalized film with reflective capabilities unless you plan on re-tinting in maybe 2-3 years. I know Cali sun must bake the crap outta your cars and I know that its a 365 day a year thing, unlike NY where we actually have a winter

I'd go Madico if they had a more reflective tint like the titanium (silver) colored. If it's illegal over there for reflective tint like it is here, then go Madico Onyx because its true BLACK film, not smoke, its metallized, and its reflective, just not as reflective as the titanium Llumar film

Maxman2000

iTrader: (5)

Where can you get the reflective luminar tint??

NT2SHBBY

I dunno...where do you live? check your local tint shops and ask for Llumar tint thats titanium or silver-reflective.

looslip

iTrader: (3)

If you are in the Bay Area, the place I checked out was Dragon Tinting in Santa Clara. They have a website too, here

slickrick

iTrader: (12)

i have llumar 20% titanium tint and it comes with a lifetime warranty for everything. i paid $100 for it but i live in FL. i highly recommend this tint because in the day its reflective so you can barely see in, but at night its dark but not too dark that you cant see out.

krmaxima

iTrader: (13)

get HP tint its one of the best becasue its 100% metal. Hp os made by solar guard and they are top. check out my webpage for HP quantom film. this film is the most reflective out of all the hp tints.

Maximax2

I think for black I'd go with a charcoal tint (vs. reflective silver), but that's just me. Like krmaxima I have a Solar Gard tint (HP Charcoal in my case), which looks great.

bose2000gle

ive got metallic charcoal film on my windows, 5% back and 20% fronts...

by the way, anyone think its a good idea to have two layers of film on a window? i want my fronts darker (down to 5%), and since i cant find a shop to put 5% on the front i was thinking they could put a layer of 35% over the existing 20%...

thoughts about that? dumb idea or will it work?

NT2SHBBY

most definitely can be done and not a dumb idea..I was gonna do this to my 02 Altima...I made the mistake of having my father take the car in to get tints done because I had no time, and kids, NEVER LET PARENTS GET MODS DONE!!! he had my front windows done 35%...I almost freaked.....I was gonna get another layer but I said screw it...

but you can do it and its cheaper than having the film removed and reapplying a darker layer

jjs

I agree!! Going in probably this Friday to have mine retinted that way. The original tint is starting to go purple on me (yeah, I know, I know, but it was dirt cheap when I got it done 2 years ago). Found a local place (with help from other members in the regional forums) who will strip and retint the car for under $200.00 with the metallic non-fade 'good stuff'!

Can't wait!

MadMax1996

iTrader: (1)

With all the talk about getting the windows tinted I have a question for you guys:

How do you have the tint on the back window? I talked to a guy who does it and he knew that the Maximas have the little dots along the top 3-4 inches of the glass and that putting the tint on these doesn't allow it to adhere very well and it can bubble up or something. He recommended having the tint go up to the dots but not beyond it. He said it looked ok from the outside but was noticable on the inside.

How was it done on your cars and how is it holding up?

I'd also like one piece of tint on my window so there aren't any seams showing. I know it's hidden on a defroster line but I'm a picky bastid. I figure with all the SUVs and minivans around they should have a roll of tint that should cover the height of the glass in the back.

Thanks..........

I gotta get the friggin moonroof done too - what's up w/ the clear glass?!?!?!?!

NT2SHBBY

wow jjs I would say thats a GREAT deal....to strip AND re-tint for under $200...****..what state do you live in?? I'd do the drive for that $$$!!!

It'll cost around $200 just to REMOVE it in NYC....removing it is worse than applying it

thrasher

you guys think the titanium reflective tint would look good on a merlot max...i'm thinking about it, but i'm not sure. anyone have it done, or have pics??

jjs

It would be one heck of a drive and not save you anything...

I am down here in Houston.

MadMax1996

iTrader: (1)

I have a Merlot Maxima too and I'm thinking the tint will look great on the car. I'm hoping to get mine done in the next month or so (B-day).

My fiancee thinks I'm nuts for putting money into the car that I'm leasing but it'll look nice and keep it cooler in the summer. Those black leather seats I'm sure will be toasty!

Hey thrasher - your homepage link doesn't work. It has an extra "http://" in there.

NT2SHBBY

i'd tint a leased car...as a matter of fact I have done that...it serves a function for me because I'm very white and I can't have sun in my eyes, kills my retinas......

I'd do it, if it was the only mod u plan on...remember this, the more you put in, the more you waste if you dont buy the car back.

MadMax1996

iTrader: (1)

No, I know better. I'm doing the tweeter mod because they're driving me crazy (under $100) and that's worth it to me. I picked up a WAI for under $100 from someone here on the .ORG so it has no permanent mods to the car AND I won't have any problem selling it when the time comes. So the tint is probably going to be the most costly thing I do. I just got the car in Dec. '02 so I figure if I do the tint soon I'll be able to enjoy it a long enough time to be worth the cost.

I just want to do something that will set the car apart from the crowd. I know tinting isn't a big deal but it's enough for me. If I had the cash I'd put some rims on it. That won't happen because I'm saving for a house. MUST RESIST MODDING!!!!

Regime

iTrader: (2)

The shop that did mine had a 3m tape product specifically for those dots up there. It does black the section out but it looks way better than just leaving it empty(which i had for a day before i came back to get the tape installed). And no, having it blacked out doesn't impede my rearview to a point that bothers me at all.

I have a one piece rear window tint, looks amazing and has held up great so far(8months). Has even survived a mean scrap by a friend's snowboard edge on the rear sidewindow that i thought would have surely gone thru the film.
And yeah i never could figure out why nissan decided to leave the moonroof clear...doesn't make any sense to me...but nissan is nissan i suppose.

Maximax2

The guy who did mine said the same thing, so he went over the first couple rows of dots and that's it. There's a lighter demarcation line you can see between the edge of the tint and the blacked out part of the window, but that works for me - it looks factory and doesn't leave me worrying about the tint coming loose from the dots. It's not particularly noticeable from inside the car. Hadn't heard about the tape, but think I'll leave mine as-is.

Yes, one-piece for back windows is available and recommended.

NT2SHBBY

my guy did the dots....they came out fine...no bubbles, just that when you look out the rearview mirror, you can see "shading" on that part like the tint adhered perfectly on some parts and not on others, but I've cleaned the glass and ran my hand across it, the tint is down to stay!!

tita6

same here, except I see the "shading" from outside too if you look thru the top of the back window when sun shines in the front window. I am thinking about taking mine back and having them cut it and put the 3m tape on. I'm really **** about that kind of stuff for some reason

MadMax1996

iTrader: (1)

Any more info on this 3M tape would be greatly appreciated. I think others here would like to know too.

So does this tape completely block out that section or can SOME light pass through?

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

Regime

iTrader: (2)

The Tape is completely opaque...no light.
Don't really know anything more than that about the tape other than the shop called it "3M blackout tape"

MadMax1996

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like it's just like electrical tape or something....I got tons of that stuff!. I imagine it's a one piece strip that's hopefully thinner than electrical tape though.

Cool - I'll bring it up to the guy when it gets closer to the time I get it done.

Thanks!

NT2SHBBY

Mad Max..if you get silver reflective tint, don't get that 3m stuff, it won't match and will look ghetto.....just have em do the whole window in 1 piece

MadMax1996

iTrader: (1)

Not sure what silver reflective tint really looks like but it doesn't sound like something I want to get. I just want to make sure when light does pass through it, it won't look purple or brown. I'd like more of a gray/black tint. I'm talkin out my **** right now because I'm no expert at tinting.

][ 35

iTrader: (2)

i love the silver reflected tint... b/c my car is silver so during the day.... my whole car looks silver and like someone else posted... it's hard to see in during the day time..... and at night it's not so dark that u can't see out of it.....

SHPatel

iTrader: (1)

Anyone heard of a film called Solar Guard? Is it made by 3M? I have a guy who says he'll install it for $165 not including the sunroof.

MadMax1996

iTrader: (1)

Where are you getting the quote from? I'm in the same area as you. If that stuff has a decent warranty and the shop will back up their work then that's a good price.

I was quoted about $260 for the high end stuff from the Ziebart in Arlington Heights. My friend had his car done there and they did a good job.

Maximax2

It's called Solar Gard, made by Bekaert Specialty Films. http://www.solargard.com/Products/Auto_body.htm

The HP stuff (which includes Quantum) is the metal film - they have another film which is dyed (and so can fade, although I think it's warrantied).

SHPatel

iTrader: (1)

Hey man I'm actually living in Washington DC right now but will be moving back to Hoffman Estates in a week. Since the prices are so high out there I figured I should just get it done here. And yes the shop I'm doing it at is a high end shop that guarantees the tint for life.

Regime

iTrader: (2)

It is defenatly not electrical tape..much much thinner and yes it is all one piece.

Quantums Dyed tint is not warrantied. only their Metalized tints are.

digimax

Can anyone recommend a tint place in the Chicagoland area (western suburbs)....plus cost of job - thanks

Regime

iTrader: (2)

Ummm...Excuse you, have you ever seen a well done tint job with the blackout and reflective tint?....Thats right...didn't think so. That is what is on my car and it looks simply amazing... I get compliments all the time specifically about the tint.
Not to bust your ***** at all NT2SHBBY just know what you are talking about before calling somebody's ride "Ghetto"

Phoenix1911

I have the Llumar reflective 18% and it looks absolutly amazing.... One piece in the back and there is no bubbling around the dots at the top of the rear windows. Simply flawless...

The problem is people say reflective and bad things come to mind... Its still black tint, just at certain angles it has a reflective look... At night it is pitch black and not as dark as during the day unless you hold a light to it... It keeps the interior VERY cool in the hot sun as well...

Check out my homepage for lots of pics.. Pages 1 & 3 are the best...

http://www.cardomain.com/member_page...page_id=328146

The tint picks up the hue in the colour of the car, or sometimes what car your parked next to...

MadMax1996

iTrader: (1)

The tint looks pretty nice! The reflective tint doesn't necessarily look bad, but it's not my cup of tea. I prefer the windows to look darkened during the day.