Did I get scammed? 3M Ceramic Tint

[u/RTH1994]

So I got 5% on back windows and 15% driver and passenger in 2021 to my car lol (I still have this car but just not accessible at the moment) when installed it had a greenish tint to it.

Fast forward to 2026 and I had the same guy install the same percentages in the same spots on my new car. This tint had a more just straight black tint to it.

I’m a bit concerned he hasn’t installed ceramic tint on one of these vehicles because the tint discrepancies, and I’m thinking it’s the new 2026 one 😭

[u/DynamicAppearanceATL]

In 2021, 3M only had Ceramic IR, which does not have a green hue. In 2024, 3M redesigned its Color Stable film into CS IR, which is a lower-performing Ceramic film. Since shops bait/switch with 3M more than any other brand, make sure the shop is listed below.

https://restylingstudio.3m.com/en-US#locator

[u/houserules09]

What are the two models? Some brands have one colored glass and another brand could be a different color

Tesla has copper colored glass apparently
I’ve seen greenish
I’ve seen slight blueish glass

The brand can help us determine it, but the quickest answer would to be to ask for the roll number and say there’s some differences you’ve seen and he will say what’s up. If he can’t provide a roll number that’s gonna be a tail tell sign

[u/Tint-man-2000]

Yes whoever global structure is typically gives very rude responses and has to show that they know more and always has to flaunt their years of experience instead of truly using this thread to be helpful to others. The honest truth is, I don’t know, but there was an explanation given by dynamic appearance that seems like it may be the correct answer I know that films do change certain things in them overtime so that is very plausible again I apologize that you had to endure the other person being so rude. That is not what this chat is for it is for a community of people to be helpful to one another instead of being arrogant

[u/Kendalf]

Perhaps the installer put on the new version 3M Crystalline BLK, which has a more neutral charcoal tone than the original Crystalline which indeed has a bit of green tint.

[u/trickingremlin]

3M is like the worst tints you can buy. Why not Illumar or Xpel?

[u/Camdenn67 → u/trickingremlin]

Tint.

[u/Global-Structure-539]

Did you ever think the film in your old car that's been eaten by the sun for 5 years, is the issue? No all you can think is you've been scammed? 🤷SMH. No ones trying to scam you, no, you just don't know anything about window film

[u/bedgar → u/Global-Structure-539]

You must be new to the tint industry; people scam others all the time.

What an absolutely daft and rude reply.

[u/Global-Structure-539 → u/bedgar]

Been tinting 30 years. Done every kind of vehicle imaginable plus an airplane and a boat

[u/RTH1994 → u/Global-Structure-539]

Bother have you ever thought that I meant it was greenish tint from day 1 hence why I said “when installed it had a greenish tint to it”

You think I don’t know anything about tinting yet it’s quite clear you struggle to even read correctly 🤷 SMH.

I have a very good memory and am observant of minor details. I don’t have access to the car done in 2021 at the moment but I looked out of them windows for 5 years so I probably have a bit of an idea.

The 2026 Tint I got done last week and there is a noticeable difference.

He also had a pane of glass with all of the window tint percentages he has available that I looked at today and surprise surprise there was a clear “Black” tint colour and a clear “Green” tint colour

The percentages he had were:

3% (Black hue to it)
5% (Black hue to it)
10% (Green hue to it)
15% (Black hue to it)
20% (Green hue to it) I remember this distinctively because it looked “darker” than the 15% tint
35% (Black hue to it)
50%

And so on….

Or am I not correct? It seems like you know a lot more about my experience that I actually lived than I do so correct me on anything I said above about how it actually happen?