Best Window Tints: Block the Sun & Make Your Car More Stylish

The best automotive window tints for privacy and to keep the heat away

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PUBLISHED ON April 18, 2019

Whether it’s to upgrade your vehicle’s look or block light on hot days, the best window tint can completely transform your car or truck. Auto tints are applied to the glass surfaces of your vehicle, such as the windshield, rear glass, and side windows. The best auto tint has several advantages that will make driving not only more comfortable but also safer.

This window tint provides good heat reduction and has a 99% anti-UV rate. You can choose a shade up to 50%.

This scratch-resistant tint blocks 99% of UV rays and is non-reflective. It includes five tint shades, and the company provides thousands of tint patterns for 1990-2018 vehicles.

Written by Noelle Talmon

Published April 18, 2019

All of our reviews are based on market research, expert input, or practical experience with most products we include. This way, we offer genuine, accurate guides to help you find the best picks.

Benefits of Window Tints

• Keep your car cooler. During the summer or in hot climates, the interior of your car can get very hot. The best auto tint will keep the interior cooler.
• Block UV rays. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun can be very harmful to the human body. It can cause a number of health issues, such as skin cancer (melanoma), cataracts, and premature skin aging.
• Cut down glare. When you’re driving, the sun can be very bright, which can cause eye fatigue. The best window film for cars is particularly useful if you’re driving a long distance on a sunny day.
• Get more privacy. The best auto window tint will conceal items inside your vehicle, particularly things in the back seat. It’s also more difficult to see people inside a car with a window tint.
• Reduce fuel consumption. Since window tints keep your vehicle’s interior cooler, you’re less likely to crank up the air conditioner. This reduces the amount of fuel you use, saving you money.
• Keep your interior from fading. The best-quality window tint will prevent the hot sun from penetrating the glass and fading your front and back seats, dashboard, and other interior areas.
• Boost glass protection. The best window tint film has an adhesive layer that may prevent the glass from shattering if it is struck in an impact. This can help protect you and your passengers.

Types of Window Tints

Dyed Film

This type of tint includes a layer of dye between an adhesive layer and a polyester top coating. The tint appears flat and opaque from the outside and gives the driver and passenger good visibility. Dyed film is non-reflective, less expensive, and blocks glare. However, it provides the least amount of heat and UV protection. It can also deteriorate in high temperatures. Eventually, UV rays will turn the dye from black to a shade of purple.

Metallic or Metallized Film

Metallic tints have a metallic look and feature an adhesive layer, a layer that blocks UV rays, a metallic layer that reflects light, and a protective outer layer. This type of tint does not fade, is very durable, and is great at reducing heat and UV reduction. However, it can obstruct radio waves and other electronic signals, such as a cell phone signal, GPS, or TPMS.

Carbon Film

Carbon tints block UV rays and interior fading. They reflect as much as 40 percent of infrared light with their dark, matte finish. They do not fade over time, and they help reduce overall fuel consumption because they cool your vehicle enough to reduce the amount of air conditioning you need.

Ceramic Film

The best ceramic tint features ceramic particles that are non-conductive. It performs very well and is the newest type of tint on the market. It blocks up to 99 percent of UV rays, reduces glare more than other types of tint, and does not fade. It keeps your vehicle at the desired temperature and does not interfere with electronic signals; however, it’s more expensive than other types of tint.

Factory

Several car manufacturers offer you the option of having a factory tint. Windows are permanently tinted via a process known as «deep dipping.» While this darkens the glass, it is not the best car window tint for heat reduction or UV protection. Typically, factory-tinted windows have a VLT index of 15 to 26 percent. This can cool your car’s interior but won’t offer a lot of privacy or protect you completely from the sun.

Top Brands

Suntek

SunTek is headquartered in Martinsville, Va., and is under the Eastman umbrella. The parent company has more than 60 years of experience in film production and technology. One top product is the Suntek Window Films Carbon 18 Black 40 Inches by 100 Feet 1.5 Millimeter Non-Fade — CARBON 18 40X100.

MotoShield Pro

MotoShield Pro is based in Commerce, Calif., and focuses on using nano-coating protection for your car inside and out with an easy-to-clean, ultra-smooth surface. One popular product is the MotoShield Pro PreCut Ceramic Tint Film All Windows Any Shade.

3M began as a small-scale mining venture in Northern Minnesota over a century ago in 1902. The company operates in 70 countries and produces more than 60,000 products. One popular auto window tint is the 3M 1080 G12 GLOSS BLACK 5 Feet by 7 feet (35 Square Feet) Car Wrap Vinyl Film.

LEXEN

LEXEN is based in Catonsville, Md., and is a Formula One/LLumar-authorized window tint dealer. One of its top products is the LEXEN 2 Ply Premium Carbon 20 Inches by 100 Feet Roll Window Tint Film.

Gila Window Film is manufactured by CPFilms Inc., a subsidiary of Eastman Chemical Company in Martinsville, Va., which has over 60 years of experience in film production. One popular product is the Gila 550001807 Heat Shield 5% VLT Automotive Window Tint DIY Heat Control Glare Control Privacy 2 Feet by 6.5 Feet (24 Inches by 78 Inches).

Window Tint Pricing

• Under $25: There are several window tints on the market in this price range, but they sometimes cover just a couple of windows and not the whole car. A few may be applied with static cling instead of adhesive.
• $25-50: Some of the best window tints fall into this category. You can get a decent-quality product for this price, and they typically come in larger square footage.
• Over $50: Window tints can cost upwards of several hundred dollars. More expensive products tend to be more pliable and easier to use with curved surfaces. They also are more resistant to bubbling and peeling.

Key Features

Pre-Cut Versus Rolled

Pre-cut films are cut precisely to match the dimensions of your windows. Conversely, you must cut rolled tints yourself to make a proper fit. Pre-cut films are typically more expensive compared to the DIY version. If you are proficient at measuring, consider a rolled tint to save some money.

VLT Levels

The shade measures how much light can pass through a tint. The best types of window tint typically come in various shades of black and are rated by the percentage of visible light transmission (VLT) that enters the vehicle. Tints with a lower VLT percentage are darker, while tints with a higher VLT percentage are lighter. For example, a VLT with 50 percent means that 50 percent of the light will come into the vehicle. The best window tint percentage is up to you.

Difference Between Car Window Film and Car Window Tint

When people are looking for window tint, they may have been confused between the terms car window film and car tint. In fact, these two terms are relevant but different both at the same time. It is better to clarify these terms before you search for “where can I tint my car windows near Culver City CA.”

Here are some things that make car window film different from car tint:

What Is Car Window Film?

A car window film is a material used in window tinting. Polyester is the primary material of window film, and shops sell it in rolls. During the installation process, the film is attached to the interior of your car’s windows. Aside from that, window films have different levels of darkness that can help block light, heat, and UV rays.

In fact, there are several types of car window film available on the market. There are dyed, metalized, ceramic, and crystalline. Each of those kinds of window films has various benefits, functions, and disadvantages. In making those window films, manufacturers use different materials which make them vary from each other.

Most window films are the shades of black and grey. But if you want, you can also have colored window film installed on your car. These colored window films are chosen by car owners to add flair and style to their vehicle.

If you are planning to tint your car’s windows, you can search for “best place to tint windows around Culver City CA.” In fact, there are many companies in your place that offer you high-quality tint services. However, aside from considering the quality, you must also think about the price of the window film service. You can search on the Internet for car window tinting prices in Culver City CA to give you an idea of what window tint shop fits your budget.

What Is a Car Window Tint?

Car tint refers to the type or brand of film applied to your vehicle. It also refers to the percentage of your vehicle tints, such as 5%, 15%, and 20%. However, you should take note that some darkness percentages are illegal in some states. Before you purchase tint, make sure that you have checked your state’s law regarding window tinting. There are instances that a certain percentage is allowed on commercial cars but are not allowed for non-commercial vehicles.

In short, car tint means that your car has a window film installed on it that has darkened your vehicle’s windows. Aside from those things mentioned, car tint can also block glare, heat, and UV rays.

It is essential that window tinting can protect you from heat and provide you privacy and protection. You can look 3M window film around Culver City CA if you want to have one installed. Aside from car tint, you can also search for office glass tinting in Culver City CA, which would be perfect for office buildings. Car window film and car window tint are always interchangeably used, but that is not entirely important.

What’s The Difference Between Car Window Tint And Window Film?

Some of our customers at We Tint Windows, Brisbane, have asked about the difference between car window tint and window film. So we thought we’d clear up the differences in terminology and what each is referring to.

WHAT IS CAR WINDOW FILM?

Car window film is the material used during window tinting. It usually comes in rolls and is made of polyester. During tinting it’s attached to the inside surface of the glass windows in your car. Window film is a darkened laminate that is able to block out things like:

• Light
• Heat
• UV Rays

WHAT TYPES OF CAR WINDOW FILM ARE AVAILABLE?

There are a wide variety of window films that correspond to the different types of window tinting services available. For example, window film can be:

• Dyed
• Metalised
• Ceramic
• Crystalline

Most car window film is a shade of grey or black, but coloured window film is also available and installed on many cars to add a bit of flare.

WHAT BRANDS OF CAR WINDOW FILM ARE AVAILABLE?

Brands of car window film available from We Tint Windows include:

• 3M
• SunTek
• Sun-Gard
• Solar Gard
• Llumar

WHAT IS A CAR WINDOW TINT?

When someone talks about a ‘car window tint’, they may be referring to the brand or type of tint film installed on a car, or the percentage of the tint itself—5%, 15%, 20%, etc. For example, our ‘commercial 20% tint’ is illegal for non-commercial vehicles, but perfectly legal for commercial on-road use.

In basic terms, a car window tint usually means that a vehicle has had a window film applied that has darkened the appearance of the glass. A car window tint also blocks out heat, glare, and UV rays.

WHAT TYPES OF CAR WINDOW TINT ARE AVAILABLE?

At We Tint Windows, we have heaps of car window tinting options for you to choose from. There are budget tints, right up to the highest quality and darkest legal tint.

WHAT ABOUT A FACTORY TINT?

Not all car window tints are applied after the fact. Some windows are tinted at the factory. Instead of using a tint film, the inside of the glass is dyed with a pigment in an electrical process known as ‘deep dipping’.

While factory tint will darken the appearance of your car windows, it doesn’t reduce the amount of heat or UV rays entering your car, like window films do.

CONTACT US FOR CAR WINDOW FILM AND TINTS

If you would like your car windows tinted, or want to enquire about our range of car window films, contact us. We have many products and services to choose from, with one of them sure to be perfect for you.

You can also see examples of our work on Houzz and Pinterest.

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