Went to a tint shop the other day and found out some decent info. He said the f150's are factory tinted at 18% in the rear. He carries llumar and 3m brands of tint, said he was getting rid of his llumar line and going strictly with 3m because he felt it was the best. I looked through some plastic pieces w/ tint on them for both brands, the 3m was definitely better to look through. Llumar is a double sheeted film, while 3m is single. 3m has one out now called scotchtint colormatch, which is supposed to look better w/ your factory tint in the rear and it will never turn purple looking over time, guaranteed by the 3m company. He said if he had a new truck that's what he'd go with. Also, the llumar film is lighter in color than 3m, I saw the 2 brands at 35% on a piece of plastic and it was a very noticeable difference. The 15% llumar film is about like the 20% 3m.

Here's the prices he made me, let me know what you guys think. To put 20% all the way around on all windows and the strip across the windshield, w/ the new 3m colormatch tint, he is charging $185 plus tax. Pretty high in my opinion, but he said the stuff costs $600 a roll. He said if he put 20% all the way around that my rear windows would meter at about 11%....probably too dark for my liking, plus it won't match my front 20%. He will do just the front 2 windows and the strip across the windshield at 20% w/ the 3m colormatch tint for $65 plus tax. That might be the route I take.

Has everyone else's tints matched up well or what? Post what % you have and what brand and how it matches up, how you like it, and how much $.

Also, he told me he's had trouble getting the rearview mirror off to do the strip across the windshields, said there is a special tool ford has and he said he'd do the strip if I get ford to take the mirror off. Sounds like too much trouble, but there's not too many good tint shops around this area so I'm having to do what I can. You guys know anything about that mirror problem? What are your experiences w/ that?

 

I went with 30% on the fronts and it's too dark at night to see backing up. If I were to do it again I'd go with 35%. From the outside, the 30% matches the factory tint on the rear windows almost perfectly.

If you never drive at night, ignore my opinion. What do I know? It's better to look cool than to actually be able to see where you are going.

I have factory tint on the windshield, so I can't help with that part.

 

I have 3m 20% on the 2 front windows. I highly recommend it.

This is what it looks like.

 

i had my fronts done at 20% for $60. the color is pretty close, but not exact, but the darkness is right on. i will probably have another layer of 20 put over everything because id rather have mine pretty dang dark. at night you can see out just fine, cant see in. during the day you can make out shadows if youre not in direct sunlight. if you're in the sun it looks like the 2nd pic. ill probably go darker within the next few months. check out my tints:

 

I have 20% Llumar tint on the front. And if I remember correct, it did read at around 12% when tested.

 

Just had this done on mine last week... 20% up front, not sure brand name on the tint. Matches to the back perfect. Perfect color, but just a shade darker (im probably the only one that notices)..

Front 2 plus strip was 70..

 

I had the fronts done on my truck with 30% Llumar a little over a year ago.

I think any darker would be tough to see out of at night, but I've only had the front windows done, everything else is as is from the factory. The Llumar has a lifetime warranty, and it was only $70 to do the two front windows. It is bubbling just a touch on the edges though.

 

use a credit card to smooth em out. work from the center toward the edges. works like a charm.

 

CB, That would mean that you're front windows are tinted at about 90% out of the factory right? Did the guys at the shop get a reading beforehand?

Does anyone know what the front windows are tinted out of the factory? Anyone in the industry, how do you calculate exactly which film to add to factory tint to obtain desired result? Say for example, if someone in SoCal wanted to stay near or within the legal limit of 70% for the front windows, what film would they have installed?

 

I had my front windows tinted to about 12% but I wasn't happy with the large difference between the fronts and backs so I brought it back to have the rear 3 windows done. Now everything looks uniform and its all holding up well here in the Texas sun. Paid 180.00 to have 5 windows and the eyebrow strip done. My guy had no problem removing the rearview mirror.


Cheers,
Ox

 

I went with 15% smoked lumar on the fronts and a brow on the windshield. They match up with the rear windows very well.

Be careful with a brow tint, do not let them remove your rear view mirror. The shop tried removing mine, and it came out, but with a 3" diameter chunk of glass with it. The shop had to pay to replace my windshield.

 

05rousch,

Sweet truck man. The tint guy I talked to actually admitted to breaking some windshields trying to get the rearview off. He said he wouldn't do it unless I had ford take the rearview off. There's actually a ford garage just up the street from him. Anyway, you got any side view pics or close ups of your truck? What kind of wheels you got and where did you buy them?

Everyone: All your tint job pics look good, thanks for posting. Does anyone have any pics taken from the front so you can see the strip across the windshield? Are most of you getting it straight across or does it curve down at the ends and follow the contour of the windshield? Also, what have the rest of you done about the rearview mirrors? What are the tint guys doing on your trucks or how are they getting the mirror off? They must have that tool to do it with, because apparently it is nearly impossible to get off otherwise.

 

How do you get a tint sticker in MS with 20%?

 

I have LLumar 15% ceramic on the front and I think it matches perfectly. I paid $90 for the two front windows.

 

we just got 5% on all but back window. they put 20% on it. i must say it is DARK! the back windows are a little darker than the front, but doesn't look bad. the window strip was split above the mirror and laid around it. i just noticed the slight gap where they didn't get it back together exactly - nothing that obvious. the strip does get longer on the outer ends i paid $150 cash.