Window Film/tints

[nokia]

dear motoring folks,

Which window film/tints is good? Is 3M brand the only reliable one for tints, how about local brands?

Is silver colour or the dark/black colour better? What is a reasonable cost?

Would a vehicle with Black tinted windows, front & rear windscreens, full of privacy but not safe to drive because it's harder to spot incoming motorbikes with more blindspots?

Cheers!

[Bung]

When I bought my new car I had Lamina installed on a recommendation from the salesman. He told me not to get the Toyota supplied tint as it wasn't that good and had the price of it taken off the total. Apparently, Lamina is the best.....Who knows?

I had full treatment on the sides and a much lighter tint on the front and rear windscreens. I was hesitant at first for safety reasons but found it to be hardly noticable and not a concern. You really notice it on the outside though with its "mirror" look. Stops the plod from seeing who's driving until it is too late and your away again

I did want black out as it would have looked better imo but the mirrored is aparently better (with it's reflective nature)

Look for a good shop though, preferably with an air con room as any dust that gets under it when they apply it will cause a bubble and that will be the beginning of the end. I had to take mine back as one window didn't "set " well.

I'm trying to think of how much it was...around 4500 for my Vigo I think

[tom yum goong]

i recently had my car tinted and went for a brand called Myridium. my gf is friends with the owner of a car accessory/audio shop so i got it done there, i asked him what brand he used and went for the same. Its also got a nice mirrored effect without being very dark from the inside. Its actually working really well at keeping my car cool, although its a white car so that probably helps.

as far as i know, Lamina and Myridium are good middle of the road brands (about 4-5,000 baht)

3m is a little more expensive but very decent (i had my windshield done with 3m because it had a nice light tinting but is supposed to be very good at keeping out the heat, which i can confirm).

apparently the best is V-Kool but its not cheap, over 15,000 for a Jazz.

Just shop around for a good deal.

[nokia]

Thanks tom yum goong & Bung for sharing their views.

Will check out Lamina and Myridium at the auto shops.

Cheers!

[chanchao]

Quite expensive though for a bit of plastic innit? 4-5K ? That's more than I thought?

BTW I once drove a car with the stuff on it, but it had the film brand (or something else, small lettering on the film itself) written visibly on it!! How daft is that!

[moonoi]

BTW I once drove a car with the stuff on it, but it had the film brand (or something else, small lettering on the film itself) written visibly on it!! How daft is that!

Mine was the same when I picked it up from the showroom. They had left the window tint with Lamina printed along it on all the windows. They did this to proove to me that they did install the real Lamina stuff and hadn't swapped it for a cheaper brand cleans off easily with a bottle of white spirit they provided. Guess whoever's car it was you drove hadn't got round to wiping off the branding

[penzman]

Our car used to have it all around until the windshield got craked. I almost ran some guy dressed in black one night. The film made it real hard to see at night and I don't need glasses. We haven't had it on the windshield since. I'd rather feel a bit hotter than kill someone. We ve got aircon, the heat only bothers me for a few minutes when we get in the car.

[johnh101]

Our car used to have it all around until the windshield got craked. I almost ran some guy dressed in black one night. The film made it real hard to see at night and I don't need glasses. We haven't had it on the windshield since. I'd rather feel a bit hotter than kill someone. We ve got aircon, the heat only bothers me for a few minutes when we get in the car.

I had a similar experience.

We just bought a new truck and had all the standard film replaced with a bluish colour UV filter, works great, can see perfectly and I never need to wear sunglasses when driving.

[chanchao]

> Guess whoever's car it was you drove hadn't got round

> to wiping off the branding

My sister in law is worse.. Her 7 year old Honda City still has the original plastic wrappers on some bits, like the sun guard flaps inside. Keeps it looking 'new' I suppose even though she's trying very hard to make it fall apart by the way she drives and maintains it. (or rather, not maintains it)

It runs in the family I think, as I removed some plastic protection film for the missus' new phone on the second day, noticing that it hadn't been removed yet. Mrs gave me an utterly horrified look as if I just set the damned thing on fire. Not 'new' anymore.

Cheers,

Chanchao

[The Dan Sai Kid]

> Guess whoever's car it was you drove hadn't got round

> to wiping off the branding

My sister in law is worse.. Her 7 year old Honda City still has the original plastic wrappers on some bits, like the sun guard flaps inside. Keeps it looking 'new' I suppose even though she's trying very hard to make it fall apart by the way she drives and maintains it. (or rather, not maintains it)

It runs in the family I think, as I removed some plastic protection film for the missus' new phone on the second day, noticing that it hadn't been removed yet. Mrs gave me an utterly horrified look as if I just set the damned thing on fire. Not 'new' anymore.

Cheers,

Chanchao

When I first got my film I was living in Pi'lok - which is full of narrow streets - the film was a nightmare there - also anywhere without much street lighting. You always need someone to guide you if you performing reverse manouvers.

But it's also Gangsta, and good for drive-bys. Bust-a-cap, etc.

[pichai]

When it comes to tinted film for your car, never compromise safety and cost. I noticed a lot of cars in LOS using cheap tinted film that looks dark from both inside and outside. Its really dangerous to drive at night, as the roads in LOS is poorly lit.

Mine installed with V-Kool though it cost more expensive, but the quality is good as it cuts UV and one can feel that its cooler when parked under the sun.

[Plus]

Dark tint over 60% is illegal, I don't know about mirror films, do they grade them? The original idea was that the cops can't see people inside.

Mirror film doesn't match evey vehicle, too.

[rcalsop]

When it comes to tinted film for your car, never compromise safety and cost. I noticed a lot of cars in LOS using cheap tinted film that looks dark from both inside and outside. Its really dangerous to drive at night, as the roads in LOS is poorly lit.

Mine installed with V-Kool though it cost more expensive, but the quality is good as it cuts UV and one can feel that its cooler when parked under the sun.

One of the sad facts of aging is the loss of night vision ,which uses different bits of the eye .

Day vision can remain largely unaffected whilst night vision deteriorated badly and is rarely checked .

I have a friend who had fairly good day vision and such bad night vision he could not walk around at night . The normal reaction to this is that the (normally the male ) starts to find excuses not to drive in the dark ...never because he admits he cannot see , often the get around is to have the wife drive ...because he has been drinking ... or the lights give him a head ache !!!! .

[BlackRose]

the cheap black film is realy bad

I take it of from the front window that was already tinted

you have to open the windows to see the motorbikes without the lichts on if you want to turn left at night...

its realy dangerous

a friend of my take the gold mirror film from the dealer in his new car

its realy good at night to.

[up-country_sinclair]

ok, i'm really confused now.....

i'm going to buy a jazz or a yaris in the next week or so, and am thinking about asking them to put on film. honda claims to have 78%...but according to an above post anything over 60% is illegal.

honda is charging me 3500 baht for the film (toyota is including it in the price)...does anyone have any experience with the quality of the film from these two dealers?

a friend recommended that i only get the top third of the windshield covered....do you think this will solve night time driving issues?

thanks.

[moonoi]

ok, i'm really confused now.....

i'm going to buy a jazz or a yaris in the next week or so, and am thinking about asking them to put on film. honda claims to have 78%...but according to an above post anything over 60% is illegal.

honda is charging me 3500 baht for the film (toyota is including it in the price)...does anyone have any experience with the quality of the film from these two dealers?

a friend recommended that i only get the top third of the windshield covered....do you think this will solve night time driving issues?

thanks.

It is true that anything over 60% is illegal. But then I know lots of people who have 80% film on there cars.......personally I think its dangerous...at night you can barely see a thing out of the windows.

On my car I went with 40% film on the front and 60% mirror film on all other windows....no problems with night vision and looks really nice.

Another note, I would check with the dealer on the brand of the film......you should ask for Lamina or 3M (you could try V-Kool but I doubt they'll give it you for free, its the best but significantly more expensive than other brands). If what they fit isn't one of the brands mentioned I wouldn't bother with it. Normally its just a tint.....doesn't provide any UV filtering.

[up-country_sinclair]

moonoi,

thanks for the info.

in one sense i suppose honda is giving it to me for free (10,000 baht discount, but subtract 3500 for the tinting), but i'm wondering if i should just wait and get it done at an outside shop. from what i've read, i should really focus on UV filtering and making sure that it is easier to see 'out' than it is to see 'in'.

btw, does anyone know of a good tinting shop in chiang mai?

[moonoi]

moonoi,

thanks for the info.

in one sense i suppose honda is giving it to me for free (10,000 baht discount, but subtract 3500 for the tinting), but i'm wondering if i should just wait and get it done at an outside shop. from what i've read, i should really focus on UV filtering and making sure that it is easier to see 'out' than it is to see 'in'.

btw, does anyone know of a good tinting shop in chiang mai?

Just check the brand that Honda use. If its not one of the ones mentioned, ask them to quote for one of them. That way you get everything done when your car is delivered I used to own a Honda Civic that I bought in BKK and managed to get them to put Lamina film in for the same price as the stuff they originally planned to fit........dunno about in chang-mai but its probably worth a shot anyway

[bino]

ok, i'm really confused now.....

i'm going to buy a jazz or a yaris in the next week or so, and am thinking about asking them to put on film. honda claims to have 78%...but according to an above post anything over 60% is illegal.

honda is charging me 3500 baht for the film (toyota is including it in the price)...does anyone have any experience with the quality of the film from these two dealers?

a friend recommended that i only get the top third of the windshield covered....do you think this will solve night time driving issues?

thanks.

Honda put 3M film on my City. And similarily to your friend's suggestion, they only did the top 1/3 of the windscreen.

I was constantly impressed by the 3M film. The UV blocking capabilities are excellent and make a noticable difference. My Gf's car uses a cheaper and darker film, but the car is much hotter inside when sitting in traffic under the midday sun.

As mentioned in another post, the 3M film has tiny logos printed on it- there are about 5 in all of my window area. Never considered trying to remove them with solvent. Not sue whether I should try or not, as I'd hate to damage the film coating. The logos are not really obtrusive. I'll probably just live with them.

[rcalsop]

ok, i'm really confused now.....

i'm going to buy a jazz or a yaris in the next week or so, and am thinking about asking them to put on film. honda claims to have 78%...but according to an above post anything over 60% is illegal.

honda is charging me 3500 baht for the film (toyota is including it in the price)...does anyone have any experience with the quality of the film from these two dealers?

a friend recommended that i only get the top third of the windshield covered....do you think this will solve night time driving issues?

thanks.

Honda put 3M film on my City. And similarily to your friend's suggestion, they only did the top 1/3 of the windscreen.

I was constantly impressed by the 3M film. The UV blocking capabilities are excellent and make a noticable difference. My Gf's car uses a cheaper and darker film, but the car is much hotter inside when sitting in traffic under the midday sun.

As mentioned in another post, the 3M film has tiny logos printed on it- there are about 5 in all of my window area. Never considered trying to remove them with solvent. Not sue whether I should try or not, as I'd hate to damage the film coating. The logos are not really obtrusive. I'll probably just live with them.

After adding the film leave it for a week to dry out /settle in and the dealer or the film fitter should have left you a little ziplock bag about 2inches square ,usually with the name of the company on it . Inside is a small wad of cotton wool and a small bottle or phial about the size of an AA battery this has a screw top and a plastic plug on the top and contains the solvent to remove the logo printing it takes 2 seconds to clean the lettering /logo off . If you ask at the dealers they may have some or any film fitting shop . The last time I asked ( the dealer /fitter forgot as normal ) the guy I spoke to lifted a cardboard box about the size of beer crate on to the counter and said help your self . The box contained hundreds of ziplock bags that should have beeen given out free ..?????

Many locals love to leave coating protective film / labels /signs etc on their newly purchased items as long as possible . I am manic and must remove labels signs etc immediately I cannot stand to see fridges with stickers all over them in bright yellow an orange telling me about the features and energy saving ..equally so I must remove logos from windows , the stickon badges about rust proofing or paint protection from the out side of the car .

A further point when placing the insurance and tax registration discs sorry squares to the windscreen they are frequently supplied with an adhesive ( sticky ) cover to hold them . These are very agressive and can damage the film on the screen Spend 10 baht at Tesco etc and get the plastic cohesive square ( non sticky type ) to hold your discs they cause no damage,and reposition easily . .

[spacebass]

I have read somewhere on a board that the 60% thing is no longer law.

[lopburi3]

Having been forced to use dark tint in the Philippines during the 80's for security reasons I would never consider using for any other reason. The visibility at night is almost nil. A light tint for sun at top of windshield and windows would be my choice. It is just too dangerous driving when you have no visibility to the sides or rear.

[up-country_sinclair]

thanks for the info everybody!

[Patex]

Dark tint over 60% is illegal, I don't know about mirror films, do they grade them? The original idea was that the cops can't see people inside.

Mirror film doesn't match evey vehicle, too.

60% Lamina "quan Burii" is the choise for our cars. Also the windscreen. It is noticeable cooler inside and you can reduce the aircondition what results in lesser benzinconsumption. We also like the diming quality at day- and nighttime. The plasticparts inside the car are also less stressed from the influence of UV-rays.

The Cop-thing is perhaps interesting for the wannabegangstas/paranoids .

Film with the full mirroreffect ("fiim balood") is illegal; not because the cops but of dazzle other road user.

Patex

[JimmyGreaves]

When it comes to tinted film for your car, never compromise safety and cost. I noticed a lot of cars in LOS using cheap tinted film that looks dark from both inside and outside. Its really dangerous to drive at night, as the roads in LOS is poorly lit.

Mine installed with V-Kool though it cost more expensive, but the quality is good as it cuts UV and one can feel that its cooler when parked under the sun.

Is there any tints available where your night time vision is not impaired?

[barryofthailand]

We were just at a Toyota dealer in Saiw Keow. I wanted to stop outside of Pattaya to see what kind of deal I could get. They say that the Lamina is better than the 3m and the maximum you can put by law is 60%. They say most people put 60% on the side and back windows and 40% on the front windshield. the Lamina has the mirrored look and is not illegal. Toyota is offering free tint, free floor mats free exsaust pipe cover, and free liscence plate holder with a 10% discount. Total price for a Toyota Corolla new G model 862,000 baht. Not bad.

Barry

[Nordlys]

Mine installed with V-Kool though it cost more expensive, but the quality is good as it cuts UV and one can feel that its cooler when parked under the sun.

Is there any tints available where your night time vision is not impaired?

I have V-Kool on my Fortuner which cost me 21,000 Baht of which the dealer bore 3,000 Baht as a result of a deal we worked out with Toyota instead of getting a free, 5,000 Baht-worth Lamina. The V-cool I have has 99% UV and 97% IR cut spec, there is a higher spec, 99% UV and IR cut film but at much higher price (almost 30K). It is only slightly darker than non-tinted window and night visibility isn't at all compromised.

[rcalsop]

Mine installed with V-Kool though it cost more expensive, but the quality is good as it cuts UV and one can feel that its cooler when parked under the sun.

Is there any tints available where your night time vision is not impaired?

I have V-Kool on my Fortuner which cost me 21,000 Baht of which the dealer bore 3,000 Baht as a result of a deal we worked out with Toyota instead of getting a free, 5,000 Baht-worth Lamina. The V-cool I have has 99% UV and 97% IR cut spec, there is a higher spec, 99% UV and IR cut film but at much higher price (almost 30K). It is only slightly darker than non-tinted window and night visibility isn't at all compromised.

Great all you need now is a radar system to spot the Black Honda 125 driving on the wrong side of the road with no lights working.... loaded with 3 drunk Temporary Thais ( no helmets ) , the bus driver going back to the depot drugged to the eyeballs after driving a return journey from the north , and the overloaded pick up with only one side light working ( and that is pointing down wards ) . Then just avoid the hugh new hole dug in the road with no signs or cones , Three wheeled cart food stalls occupying the road on both sides and to add flavour to the event 4or 5 Burmese illegal immigrant construction workers on pedal bikes who have worked 14 hours in the blazing sun and have just had a bowl of rice and shared several bottle of local whiskey and are riding and weaving about (with no illumination ) like the red arrows display team .

Sounds like an exageration ????no !this was my drive home last night over the last 2 kilometers of my journey . Basically film or not i just close my eyes and pray ,half the time even when I see the hazard in time there is frequently no where to go !! they manage to avoid me.

ps I use V Cool also

[nikster]

I have V-Kool on my Fortuner which cost me 21,000 Baht of which the dealer bore 3,000 Baht as a result of a deal we worked out with Toyota instead of getting a free, 5,000 Baht-worth Lamina. The V-cool I have has 99% UV and 97% IR cut spec, there is a higher spec, 99% UV and IR cut film but at much higher price (almost 30K). It is only slightly darker than non-tinted window and night visibility isn't at all compromised.

Thanks all for your input, this saved me from getting some crap film.

Based on what I read here I wanted to go with 3M but then the place where I went to everyone was wearing V-Kool shirts and they talked us into that.

Thanks to Nordlys I avoided paying 26,000 they asked for my Fortuner and paid "only" 21,000 for it. I guess I was thinking I already paid ungodly amounts of $ for this car so what's another 20K.

I have the lightest shade and it is indeed amazing in terms of cooling effect and is hardly noticeable at night. My wife even likes it at night because it cuts out the glare from other's lights.

It's great. But... I want to forget about the price as quickly as possible

[Tywais]

My wife even likes it at night because it cuts out the glare from other's lights.

What percent of the front windscreen did you have covered, top only?