Are you parking in a secluded area with a special someone? 
Ha, we just do a lot of shoots so we carry equipment and people change in the backseat, so we need as much privacy as possible.
Fake taxi?
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I know absolutely nothing about tint.
Is this 3m FX good?
Should I get that done on my 340i?
I know virtually nothing about tint, but I think the āadvantageā of ceramic is that you can get decent heat rejection w/o the loss of visibility, if you want (and thatās why Iām looking at ceramic b/c I wouldnāt want to do darker than, say, 70% b/c privacy isnāt a concern).
They do, however, make fairly dark shades of ceramic (down to 20% for 3M Crystalline), I and I think ceramic tends to be reflective, so I imagine you could get what youāre looking for.
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If anyone is looking for a ceramic tint in Norwalk, Cerritos, Santa Fe Springs area then I strongly recommend Star Window Tint. Kennyās(owner) workmanship and service is second to non and his perfect yelp review confirms it.
He carries Phantom S9 ceramic film which is a top notch. Itās a perfect film for a leased car. (cost and performance)
https://www.yelp.com/biz/star-window-tint-santa-fe-springs-4
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Any pictures of your tinted vehicle? What did you pay for it?
Thanks for the input! Iāll have to see if I can get a dark enough ceramic, but if not, opt for carbon.
I went to Sunshield (mentioned earlier in the thread) a few wks ago to ask the owner (Hamid?) some questions. I didnāt get my car done yet (not sure if I want to backlight at 50% to reduce headlight glare at night), but he seemed super knowledgeable, and he also seemed to have a lot of business.
If I do end up tinting, Iāll go back to him (esp since itās close to where I work). Might be worth contacting him.
Just called him - seemed like a nice guy!
They charge $185 for either 3M FX Premium or Xpel CS, neither of which do a very good job with heat reduction according so some quick Googling.
Just by the numbers, the Rayno S5 seems like it does a better job than both of those, and appears to be at a similar price point (I guess because itās off-brand).
I think I have it narrowed right now to either the $99 3M Obsidian (which appears to be basically the same as the 3M FX Premium) at VIP Auto Customs using their Groupon, or $150 Rayno S5 at Film Kings. Will update if I get anything that feels even better value as I get more quotes today.
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Dukez
I didnāt save any pictures but they are all uploaded on yelp page. (white 2018 i3, White Infiniti 2017 QX50, Black Infiniti 2016 QX60) All Ceramic.
Price will vary a little on the size of the vehicle but i paid $320~400 for sides and rear(bring cash hint hint). This is cheapest youāll ever find on quality ceramic film. There are cheaper places out there but film turns purple in the sunlight. annoying glareā¦
I have 2 little kiddos in the car seats, i can personal guarantee that Phantom S9 has an amazing heat rejection. For my black on black QX60. I had cheap ceramic on, then i went to this place get it redone with S9. World of difference.
if you are close by, you should call and swing by. He got a really cool demo setup for all types of brands and shading for you to see. He can demo the heat reject for each of the film he carries.
how much did they charge for phantom s9 ceramic
I use Theo at Monumental Workx: https://www.yelp.com/biz/monumental-workx-san-diego-12
They have various pricing options, but are also the only people in San Diego approved by Prestige to use their Photosync line. Have taken ~10 cars to them for tinting and never had an issue. The one time I got a fix-it ticket they also removed the tint for free and gave me a discount for reapplying after getting the ticket cleared.
They also do chrome deletes, full wraps, paint protection, headlight/taillight smoking, etc.
Warbeast, $320~$400 was for Phantom S9 Ceramic.
I think Iām on the lower end since Iāve been his returning customer but based on the review, my price is not far off. Helps to pay in cash for sure:smiley:
Of course he gives lifetime warranty on all of his work and heāll take care of you if/when you get a ticket.(might be even for free) Definitely ask him more about that
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Was this for Windows all around including windshield?
I recently got mine done at Sun Tamers in south OC (Laguna Niguel)
$530 for XPEL Prime XR all windows except windshield and front sunroof.
Considering Tesla M3 has a huge back window this price is pretty decent.
wow some great reviews on theo - thx for sending!
Thatās a great price for S9, we paid 750 or something for our financed Clarity, but that included the front windshield.
Alright, I think Iām going to pull the trigger on Film Kings in Santa Fe Springs for the $150 Rayno S5. They have S7 for $250, but as Iām no tint expert, I donāt know whether thatās really worth the extra cost.
If anyone else is interested, maybe thereās a chance we can get some kind of group rate. I havenāt asked yet but if anyone else wants in, itās worth a try.
Nice~ FYI: My wifeās BMW X1 was only 24m lease so we did Rayno S5(30%) for driver/passenger windows and S9 in the back(10%) to save some money and S5 was more than adequate.
Enjoy your new 530e~
Thanks! Good to know. Doesnāt seem worth it to me to splurge for any of the higher end films.