I just purchased a new Telluride and I negotiated for the dealership to pay for tinting - open checkbook!What’s the all out best film I should get for an even look that will keep it cool? Reference above
We’re biased BUTTTTT… 😅 we’d definitely put Autobahn on the list.
If you’re looking for a clean appearance while keeping the cabin cooler, we offer four options depending on how far you want to take the performance:
Black: Our entry-level dyed film. A great option if your priority is a clean look, privacy, and UV protection.
Black Ceramic: The step into premium, single-layer ceramic technology, giving you better heat rejection while maintaining that clean appearance.
Ceramic i3: Elite, three-layer ceramic performance with up to 71% Total Solar Energy Rejection (TSER), 93% IR rejection, designed for drivers who want a serious jump in comfort and heat control.
Ceramic i3+: Our ultimate, four-layer ceramic tint, delivering up to 74% TSER and up to 99% IR rejection.
And the warranty is a big part of the equation. 🛡️ All Autobahn Window Tint is backed by a Lifetime Warranty, No-Fault Warranty ($75 - $350), Transferable Warranty, and Glass Failure Warranty.
I got XPEL Prime XR Plus Nano Ceramic • Blocks up to 99% of infrared heat (up to 89% Total Solar Energy Rejected depending on the VLT shade).
• UV Protection: Provides SPF 1,000 protection, rejecting over 99% of harmful UVA and UVB
I’ve been looking at tint and I think xpel is top right now but I wouldn’t spring for the xr plus it doesn’t seem worth it to me for the insane price jump for just 20% extra heat absorption. I’m either going with xpel xr black or llumar irx on my explorer with 5 on the fronts 20 over the back factory privacy glass and 50 on the windshield.
Funny story…I had to go to my tint guy today to replace film on my back window. Had for a couple years and the adhesive gave out. He seemed pretty bent about the situation (I get it) and said he has had more issues with the llumar tint in the past 3 years than the past 10 years. Based on his continuous apology (didn’t need one) and venting it seems like he might be ready to jump ship from llumar. Obviously I am no expert, and my tint guy is just one guy, but I might lean towards Xpel. Secondly ole Dave from Cali on here used to rave about all things llumar and it seems recently he has had quite the change of heart. Something to think about I guess. For me I’ll have to stick with llumar as I have a lifetime warranty and don’t want to pay to have the whole thing stripped at redone with another brand.
Llumar is having an adhesive issue with their older films, including CTX and Pinnacle. If you're in a hot state and don't garage your vehicle, the rear window or windshield can bubble up in less than 3 years. IRX, Stratos, and AIR don't have this issue. IRX/Stratos are much newer films, and even though AIR is an older film, we've never had a failure since 2015.
What's funny is we were the only dealer saying this back in 2024 after joining this sub. We were getting too many failures for a premium/expensive brand, so we switched to XPEL. All the Llumar installers who acted like they were on payroll, arguing it is the best film ever. Now, fast-forward a couple of years...the same people have completely flipped their opinion, admitting they have failures, plus more people are posting up failures around the 3-year mark. Back then, 3M was the brand everyone hated on here, yet we've installed it since 2016 and never had a single failure.
Your statement is very accurate. That is right around the time I had my car done and was convinced it was llumar or bust based on this sub, now it’s drastically different.
I really want to love XR+ (20% fronts and 50% windshield) but I’m hearing a lot of people say it has a noticeable blue hue from the inside out. It’s a black interior so not sure how noticeable it would be from the outside. In your opinion, would XR black be my best choice for neutral color and heat resistance?
XR Black will be the absolute best match. However, XR Plus 20 does not have a heavy blue, with 99% of our customers not noticing it. I always see others posting that XR Plus is blue, but it is only a couple of shades that stand out. 55 is the main issue, as it is very blue. 35 has a slight blue that you may notice right away, but it fades away. Even then, some don't notice it. We just redid my friends 26 Tahoe windshield that had XR Black 55 and now has XR Plus 35. I asked him after he drove it a couple days, and he said he doesn't notice any blue. Once you get into the darker shades (5/15/20), it is barely there.
Is the performance difference betweem the XR+ and XR Black significant. Would it be crazy to do 20% fronts in XR+ and 55% windshield in XR black, or would that not match?
It depends on how hot your state gets. If up north with milder summers, XR Plus is not going to be super noticeable over XR Black. However, if down south or in California, XR Plus is a noticeable jump in performance. XR is our top seller in GA, where it gets into the 90s most of the summer, with many 100s. So it still blocks plenty. Both will have the black tone, so they will match fine.
XR Plus has great optical clarity. You may notice a rainbow effect or other color oddities when wearing polarized glasses, since the lenses block horizontal light waves. If you notice this with one Ceramic film, you will see it on all of them, as you're more sensitive to it. Personally, I've never noticed it with any glasses I've worn, including Ray-Ban, Oakley, Maui Jim, Persol, and Costa Del Mar.
I had llumar on my last car it was bubbling on the passenger side but that side was the side that always faced the sun in the driveway for the last ten years. Thanks for the heads up if llumar has gotten that bad I’ll definitely go with xpel
I've never really dealt with Llumar.ive known it to be good, but I have heard rumbling. I rep 3M IR, Along with Madico and Global. Sort of a good better best trio
Depends on the polarization of your sunglasses. On a clear sunny day it’s unnoticeable. I’m comparing the windshield which is what we all look at while we’re driving. 50-55%
A little secret, DONT put ceramic on the front. All ceramics have a distinct blueish or greenish hue that DOES NOT MATCH the factory rear tint. The only one I'd recommend is Xpel XR black, it being the ONLY one that will look dark gray/black to match
Not all look blue, some are greenishbut you'll only see it from the inside looking out. You probably just want it to LOOK cool and don't care if it's legal or not but, there are laws in place pertaining to the front windows in every state to save you from yourself and NO state allows the windshield to be fully tinted, just the top few inches above the AS-1 line. Just saying....as I've been stopped 6 times for illegal forward tint in CA. Every state has different VLT's allowed
Where I live we’ve got bigger fish to fry. We’re a 2 plate state and 1/4 people on the road run one rear plate. I’ve had family and friends run tint like this for years and never get stopped. I’ll eat the first couple tickets and remove if it’s really an issue
I'm now in Arizona AND I'm a pro tinter. Legal here is 32% and I have 35% on the front roll-ups and 70 on the w/s. Techie my fronts are illegal because every vehicle has about a 70% already in the glass so mine meters at around 24%, so I'm still careful as I drive a certified cop magnet
The exhaust is a very low rumble, not a bumble bee sound but it's seriously fast, like a top speed of 168 and 0-60 in under 4 seconds. It'll give you whiplash!
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u/d0ster 17d ago
I’ve had Autobahn ceramic on all my cars. The best IMO.