High Quality Window Tint?

[Brent]

Hi all.

Looking to get the windows on my GT tinted (car is black). However, tinting places are everywhere and I'd rather spend a few more $$$ and get a great, high quality job than a shoddy one.

Any suggestionsrecommendations greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Brent.

[robjh80]

Hi Brent

I got MEP Ultima done at Express Tinting in Brisbane, it costs around $400 for the average car to get done with it.

I did a lot of research and was sold on the 3M Black and actually went ahead and booked the car in to have it done at Express Tinting but on my arrival the bloke who owns the place steered me toward the MEP Ultima as it was a far superior film, he reckons it's about the best available on the Australian market.

The 3M Black is a dyed film (albeit a very good one), whereas the MEP Ultima is a sputtered twin layer metallic film with better heat rejection properties and longevity, the MEP Ultima is also approximately twice the thickness of the 3M Black, I actually felt both films side by side and the MEP film felt a lot thicker as well as just looked to be a much better quality product than the 3M film.

MEP (as well as many other brands) are made by CP Films USA who are by far the worlds largest manufacturers of heat rejection films, here's a link to their site

http://www.cpfilms.com/

here's a link to Express Tinting's site who I might add did a fantasic job on the tint job, I dont know where your located but my car was done by the guys at the Slacks Creek branch up here in Brisbane, they did a perfect job, definately recommend them and I would have to be about the fussiest so and so in Australia!!

http://www.expresstinting.com.au/

here's a link to more info on the MEP Ultima film

http://www.mepfilms.co.nz/ultima.html

Good Luck mate.

[dave351cid]

Originally Posted by robjh80

Hi Brent


The 3M Black is a dyed film (albeit a very good one), whereas the MEP Ultima is a sputtered twin layer metallic film with better heat rejection properties and longevity, the MEP Ultima is also approximately twice the thickness of the 3M Black, I actually felt both films side by side and the MEP film felt a lot thicker as well as just looked to be a much better quality product than the 3M film.

.

hate to give you the bad news mate but the "3M CS Black " film is not a dyed film at all. it is an extruded carbon impregnated polyester film and contains no dyes. the reasons that they swiched to use carbon to colour the film are colour stability - carbon never changes, able to make a darker black coloured film thats still legal, carbon gives the best UV protection, very good heat rejection - comparable with metal film, clearer vision from inside looking out, does not interfere with window mounted radio aerials -gps - etc unlike metal films, extruded film is made in one piece as opposed to metal film which is made from several layers glued together -this gives the extruded film a softer more flexable feel off the roll where the laminated layered film is stiffer off the roll- once its stuck to the glass there is little difference in the strength.

i had my own tint shop for 9 years (sold last year) and dealt with most manufacturers and i would have removed more faulty MEP product than any other.
i beleive that the 3M CS black is the best film available for a new falcon. i have had it on my BA ute for 4 years and still looks as good as when it was put on.

there is no doubt that "Coutaulds" the parent company of MEP is probably the biggest tint manufacturers in terms of quantity but that doesnt mean they make the best film, just better at marketing hype. was even told by their rep once that they were too busy making tint to do any new research and development.

:

[robjh80]

Originally Posted by dave351cid

hate to give you the bad news mate but the "3M CS Black " film is not a dyed film at all. it is an extruded carbon impregnated polyester film and contains no dyes. the reasons that they swiched to use carbon to colour the film are colour stability - carbon never changes, able to make a darker black coloured film thats still legal, carbon gives the best UV protection, very good heat rejection - comparable with metal film, clearer vision from inside looking out, does not interfere with window mounted radio aerials -gps - etc unlike metal films, extruded film is made in one piece as opposed to metal film which is made from several layers glued together -this gives the extruded film a softer more flexable feel off the roll where the laminated layered film is stiffer off the roll- once its stuck to the glass there is little difference in the strength.

i had my own tint shop for 9 years (sold last year) and dealt with most manufacturers and i would have removed more faulty MEP product than any other.
i beleive that the 3M CS black is the best film available for a new falcon. i have had it on my BA ute for 4 years and still looks as good as when it was put on.

there is no doubt that "Coutaulds" the parent company of MEP is probably the biggest tint manufacturers in terms of quantity but that doesnt mean they make the best film, just better at marketing hype. was even told by their rep once that they were too busy making tint to do any new research and development.

:

Yea, sorry mate your absolutely correct, my mistake........the 3M Black is indeed a carbon film..... :togo:

You had your own tint shop for 9 years, sounds like you would be the guy to talk to in relation to this stuff then..........I only work in IT, I only know what I'm told and research off the net etc when it comes to most anything else, makes me look a bit like this guy after a while > :

Your right as well of course about the metal films interfering with the aerials reception, mine on the Fez of course is not in the glass, but roof mounted......I presume the BA Falcons aerial is in the glass?

Brent might be better off going for the 3M Black after all then, presuming he has a newish model GT..........he didn't say if it was an old one or not.

[dave351cid]

no worries mate. got any questions just ask. i will try to help.

the falcons from BA on do have the aerials built into the back screen with the demister . metal film can cut down the reception distance on FM and cause bad static on AM.

[mustang70]

i've got MEP films on my cars and havent had a problem at all.
as for getting a decent job, i'd go for a solo guy or small shop that can take their time not pumping them out for car yards, that said from what i've noticed the quality of your average job pushed out by tint shops seems to be alot better (in perth here anyway) than a few years ago.our tinters at work use MEP films and have no complaints about the film

[Brent]

Thanks guys for your feedback. I probably should have mentioned my car is a BF series GT, and also that I'm based in Melbourne.

All the research I've done so far seems to suggest that the metallic films are superior to the dyed ones. Will keep my eyes open and might drop into a few places to see hoe professional the workshop/installation areas are.

Brent.

[MeestaNob!]

Geez, I'm still looking to tint my XR5. It has an aerial, so metal wont be a negative in that regard. I'm looking for an absoloutly DARKEST of DARK but entirely legal tint possible. Also, I'm looking for something that rejects plenty of external heat (my XR5 is plenty warm inside as it is!!!).

This 3m carbon stuff sounds the business, but I'm open to suggestions (other technologies/brands).

I'm in the Western suburbs of melbourne, but will happily make a trip out the other side of town to a reputible tinter and wait for it to be done. Money no object for quality, but I wont throw away money either.

[XR6Dan]

I'v got the 3M stuff - it also has a matt finish, not a mirror'ish finish like some metal tints. I think the matt finish makes the tint look darker. I got the 3M one for $399 from the local Ford mob.