Front Windshield Tint

[DarkSkyForever]

I got a quote from a local place to do Xpel:

Front Windows: $160
Windshield: $275
Rear Windows: $325
Moonroof: $200.

How does look compared to what you guys have had done? $960 for all glass?

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[Pedaldude]

The plastic laminations in safety glass windshields blocks 98% of UV without any visible tinting.

Many plastics that appear to be clear block UV light.

Ultraviolet, infrared and near infrared are not in the visible light spectrum; so most humans have absolutely no way to see that a perfectly clear plastic can block just as much UV as one that’s darker than a set of Ray-Bans.

 

[hotrodmex]

The plastic laminations in safety glass windshields blocks 98% of UV without any visible tinting.

Shiiiii I never put that together. Even if the plastic blocks all UV by it's nature (polycarbonate), it has to have UV blocking applied otherwise it would still degrade on a long timeline and you'd have a splotchy windshield develop. So no matter what, UV blocking.

 

[SpaceWhiteF150]

$960 seems like a lot! What film is that quote with? I would like to see what others have paid because I’m looking into getting tint on mine!

 

[DarkSkyForever]

$960 seems like a lot! What film is that quote with? I would like to see what others have paid because I’m looking into getting tint on mine!

Xpel, not sure if prime or regular. It does seem high. I've asked asked a few other places, but I've used these guys before and they do good work.

 

[Beercity]

Just asked dealer for quote today, they don't do it but a place across the street does. Was quoted $370 all around with roof but no windshield. Not sure the brand, dealer is in Milwaukee Wi. Truck not scheduled until 7/18 week so we will see how much it changes by delivery.

 

[StoneGray22]

How does look compared to what you guys have had done? $960 for all glass?

I had my front and rear doors and back window done in Xpel prime for ~$360 if my memory serves me correctly.

 

[Bryan Simon]

The plastic laminations in safety glass windshields blocks 98% of UV without any visible tinting.

Many plastics that appear to be clear block UV light.

Ultraviolet, infrared and near infrared are not in the visible light spectrum; so most humans have absolutely no way to see that a perfectly clear plastic can block just as much UV as one that’s darker than a set of Ray-Bans.

Those that go with a ceramic tint may not necessarily getting more UV protection, but heat protection.
my pickup is a lot less hot when left in the sun all day.

I would imagine that if the laminate in the windshield blocked UV, chances are pretty good the dash in my Chevy pickup would not have disintegrated and caved in. (Parked facing sun, no tint, standard AC equipped shaded glass)

 

[Antimatter22]

I got a quote from a local place to do Xpel:

Front Windows: $160
Windshield: $275
Rear Windows: $325
Moonroof: $200.

How does look compared to what you guys have had done? $960 for all glass?

I paid $900 for every window, including windshield and moonroof in Xpel Prime XR. It broke down to $400 for the four doors and back glass, $300 windshield, and $200 for the moonroof. That seemed reasonable compared to another shop in town that quoted $2400 for the same job but in Xpel XR Plus.

 

[hotrodmex]

I would imagine that if the laminate in the windshield blocked UV, chances are pretty good the dash in my Chevy pickup would not have disintegrated and caved in. (Parked facing sun, no tint, standard AC equipped shaded glass)

I didn't realize UV testing was so easily done. I'll probably pick up a test card just for curiosity sake.

This isn't conclusive. Radiant heat from the windshield absorbing heat would still transmit to the inside, and be strongest at the dash.

Those that go with a ceramic tint may not necessarily getting more UV protection, but heat protection.
my pickup is a lot less hot when left in the sun all day.

Ok, so I see what the difference is with ceramic infused films in how they can block infrared as well. This would also explain why the windshield would block UV, but still pass all that infrared to the dash, so it could bake out all its plasticizers over time.

Damn, I thought I might get away with not doing the windshield, but since reading up on ceramic and nano-ceramic films, looks like it will be worth the expense in the long run.

 

[DarkSkyForever]

I would imagine that if the laminate in the windshield blocked UV, chances are pretty good the dash in my Chevy pickup would not have disintegrated and caved in. (Parked facing sun, no tint, standard AC equipped shaded glass)

I'm not sure it does block any, or very much. I have a UV bracelet from my dermatologist and that thing turned bright blue very quickly (from pale white) when I set it on my front dash of the Mustang.

 

[Pedaldude]

...Even though its illegal in MN, I have an Rx...

...I'd like to tint the front windshield too, but I'm worried about seeing at night.

How dark would you guys recommend? Are there any UV blocking films with 100% transmission?

I would imagine that if the laminate in the windshield blocked UV, chances are pretty good the dash in my Chevy pickup would not have disintegrated and caved in. (Parked facing sun, no tint, standard AC equipped shaded glass)

OP’s question was specifically about visible light and UV radiation. IR radiation, solar gain and dashboard damage is another story entirely.

A microscopic ceramic particle in a thin plastic film has even less of a chance of being effective at blocking heat as a coffee mug does. The tint industry is more opaque than their product about actual performance and just like paint coatings, I don’t think that there are any legal definitions; so like the supplement industry, they can almost say whatever they want. If they were half as great as the claims, not only would they be used for more than window coatings in the housing industry but they would likely be required by federal law on newly constructed buildings; however extensive third party research and testing is done in that case which would lay bare all claims.

The active ingredient for ‘ceramic’ paint coatings is silica, which also happens to be what glass is mostly made of. I have no clue what’s going on with the plastic window films. It’s hard to find unbiased sources. Even 3M’s website has asterisks for their numbers on thermal transfer saying it’s for the performance of the bare film and not when applied to glass.

The best materials for reflecting IR radiation are gold, silver and copper. Aluminum is a good compromise between cost and effectiveness, so that’s why aluminized heat shields are popular for engine bays and exhausts. Much of that relies on distance between the heat source to prevent conductive heat transfer. The other problem is that blocking IR energy is also over time, so while you might be able to impact heat transfer for an hour or two, after that it’s still the same if your car is parked in direct sun.

When parked, there really isn’t much other than a roof or carport that can outperform one of those cheap folding aluminized windshield covers:

While in motion, your truck’s AC is more effective at removing heat than anything.

Entropy is a bitch!

I'm not sure it does block any, or very much. I have a UV bracelet from my dermatologist and that thing turned bright blue very quickly (from pale white) when I set it on my front dash of the Mustang.

My guess is that the bracelet is impregnated with the same material as these cards:

https://www.amazon.com/Quantadose-Light-Wavelength-Indicator-Intensity/dp/B08CZ43RCP

Just about everything I’ve seen has mentioned that the plastic in laminated glass blocks UV, however; you can make plastics that doesn’t block it, though I think it actually takes extra effort.

https://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/postings/2016/05/uv_windshield.php

In aircraft it’s even more important to block UV, since at altitude there’s less atmosphere to block the rays. Somehow though, there’s still some canopies that are made of polycarbonate or acrylic that have very poor performance blocking UV:

https://methodseven.com/blog/aircraft-windscreen-uv-see-how-you-measure-up/

So who knows what performance that some batches of laminated windshields are seeing. I just ordered one of those cards, so I’ll see what all my various cars are getting.

One of the things that is certain is that plain tempered glass side windows don’t have full UV protection.

When I ordered my truck, I did a bunch of reading on the subject and also the legal issues; which I feel are total BS. One of the things that a tint prescription doesn’t help with is parking tickets and there’s enough places where they’ll issue them that it’s a consideration. Same with traveling through states that have different laws; where even though they should be going off the vehicles titled state’s equipment regulations when traveling through, I’ve seen and heard of that not mattering. Here in AZ, we are only issued a single rear license plate and some Arizona drivers have been ticketed out of state for not having a front plate and the same is true for tint and most AZ cars/trucks have much darker tint than is legally allowed in other states.

 

[SRHAGEN]

Read ur window the factory tint is marked. My 22 XLT is tinted and listed on the soundsheild windshield and side windows.

 

[satexas]

Dark,

This may really help you... I did an extensive review of what I did to my truck - including the 70% Prime XR tint, which I think is of the best quality - on the windshield.

70% is what's legal in MOST states, and I think if you used that, you'd never, ever, ever, ever even get a second look by any cop because it's so see-through AND it still stops like 90% of everything ray-wise.

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/thr...build-w-full-details-tires-addons-links.2154/

- Russ

 

[DarkSkyForever]

Dark,

This may really help you... I did an extensive review of what I did to my truck - including the 70% Prime XR tint, which I think is of the best quality - on the windshield.

70% is what's legal in MOST states, and I think if you used that, you'd never, ever, ever, ever even get a second look by any cop because it's so see-through AND it still stops like 90% of everything ray-wise.

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/thr...build-w-full-details-tires-addons-links.2154/

- Russ

Appreciate it, Russ. No tint is the only thing legal in MN, thankfully I've got a "doctor's note" on that one.

I stopped into the tint shop and they showed me a few vehicles with varying specs of tint, and I was settling in on 70% for the windshield as well. You can hardly tell it is there, and it blocks UV.

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