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Old 05-29-2017, 05:41 PM   #1
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3M Crystalline Window Tint

We had it put on today. Cost around $1100 for front & cab side windows. Here are some photos, taken after application, on a very cloudy day. I'll add more on a sunny day when we get a chance.

https://goo.gl/photos/5J4WdkrxfMpeqD9J7

We put 70% (transmission) on windshield, and 40% on side windows. The installer put a "sun visor" strip of very dark film at the top, because the standard rolls of 3MC are not tall enough for the Sprinter windshield. It's a nice effect.

The "No" sticky notes on the side windows are to remind us not to lower the glass. It takes several days for the film to fully cure.
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Old 05-29-2017, 07:25 PM   #2
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Looks good. Was it a mobile vendor or did you take the van somewhere?
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Old 05-30-2017, 02:23 AM   #3
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I had my side windows tinted late last year. Waited about five days to be sure the film was fully cured before opening the windows. It works great but my only concern is that it is not very durable. I already have a tiny nick in the film on the driver's side. Must have accidentally struck it with something hard or sharp.
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Old 05-30-2017, 06:46 AM   #4
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Looks good. Was it a mobile vendor or did you take the van somewhere?
We took it to Midtown Motor Trends https://www.facebook.com/MidtownMotorTrends/

According to the 3M site they are the only certified installers of the product in the area. I think they did a quality job. I didn't compare prices to other dealers.
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Old 05-30-2017, 08:16 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by TayaraTravel View Post
...

The "No" sticky notes on the side windows are to remind us not to lower the glass. It takes several days for the film to fully cure.
Oh, I love this! It's so very Houston! Like in Apollo 13 when the NO note was placed to remind the astronauts not to jettison the lunar module prematurely!


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Old 05-30-2017, 11:59 AM   #6
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3m Crystalline has no competitors
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Old 05-30-2017, 03:56 PM   #7
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Looks good from here. I hope you will let us know how much, if any, change you notice in internal temperatures in Texas summer heat.
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Old 05-31-2017, 10:07 AM   #8
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The seatbelt buckle will do it every time.
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Old 05-31-2017, 10:45 PM   #9
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i have had 3m Crystalline on several of my vehicles for years. the difference in comfort is significant. it is most noticeable when you are driving and the sun is shining through the side window. I have never installed it on my front window, although I am tempted. Crystalline reduces heat by using a different technology whereas you can get the same reduction as a competitor's product without having to go to a darker shade of film. You will still be able to see out of your window, and people will not think that you are in a rap video.
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Old 06-02-2017, 07:29 AM   #10
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Looks good from here. I hope you will let us know how much, if any, change you notice in internal temperatures in Texas summer heat.
My report won't mean much: our van is brand new and we have not experienced full summer sun, so this was a "preemptive strike" against heat.
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Old 06-07-2017, 03:50 PM   #11
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Oh my freakin' gosh... 93 degrees in Houston this afternoon, our first full-on summer assault. And I had to take our Interstate over to our local MB to order a spare key (which is a surprisingly involved process BTW). Sheer misery coming at me through the front windshield!! Like a fist-pummeling!!

Question because I cannot tell from your photographs: how did the tint contractor deal with your Texas registration sticker? Did they just apply the tint over the top of it, or did they cut a hole for it? Or did they remove it and re-apply it on the inside surface of the tint? The stickers tend (by design) to fall apart when removal is attempted.
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Old 06-23-2017, 04:15 PM   #12
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I'm very curious on how the 3M is working on the front windshield. I have one of my cars at XPEL at the moment getting an exterior windshield film designed to protect against chips. While their I asked about the thermal products they have and the installer provided me the attached. I'm going to have it done with the XPEL so we will have a compare and contrast.

VLT = Visible Light Transmission
VSR = Visible Light Reflectance
TSER = Total Solar Energy Reflectance (I think)
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File Type: pdf XPEL_PRIME.ComparisonCharts_XR.Ceramic.pdf (25.7 KB, 58 views)
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Old 06-23-2017, 10:24 PM   #13
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Because of this thread, I have also made an appt with the local 3M tint installer here in Silicon Valley to have my windows tinted with 3M Crystalline. This forum makes me spend money $$$ LOL
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Old 06-24-2017, 06:08 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by Mcrider View Post
I'm very curious on how the 3M is working on the front windshield. I have one of my cars at XPEL at the moment getting an exterior windshield film designed to protect against chips. While their I asked about the thermal products they have and the installer provided me the attached. I'm going to have it done with the XPEL so we will have a compare and contrast.

VLT = Visible Light Transmission
VSR = Visible Light Reflectance
TSER = Total Solar Energy Reflectance (I think)
So, if I'm understanding this PDF correctly, there's only an analogous XPEL product up to 3M Crystalline 70? Nothing available in the range of 3M Crystalline 90, which is what I'd need?

The prospect of having a chip-resistant product is attractive, but only if it doesn't impede visibility (I have bad eyes).
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Old 06-24-2017, 05:08 PM   #15
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I'm very curious on how the 3M is working on the front windshield.
We are currently on the road and have given the film a stress test leaving Houston. Up to 115F driving west into the sun Houston to Lubbock. Subjectively, it made a large difference. I will report more when I have a good Internet connection.
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Old 06-30-2017, 06:03 PM   #16
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Leigh,

Now that your back we need a "First long voyage" report and evaluation. Still enjoying it? I'm keen to know how the film worked.

I changed course and went with LLumar Air 80 (By Eastman) for the front windshield and had all the side and rear windows done. I was worried about the 70 in night driving after Interblog's comment so decided to go a bit more clear. Eastman claims 43% Solar energy rejection so with all the windows done it should help keep the greenhouse effect down. I'll give it a good workout in August (Panhandle of TX and New Mexico). Will have the MC in-tow.
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Old 07-01-2017, 06:04 PM   #17
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Left Houston for Lubbock late morning Jun 17. By the truck thermometer, the external air temp all day ranged 100-115F, mostly 105-110. Driving west into sun, clear sky, direct sun. The cab stayed cool, 80-85F using 1st or 2nd position of A/C fan and temp set to 72F. Rear part of coach was 85-90F. Reached Lubbock around 8pm, air temp still over 100F. Stayed at a KOA with hookups and ran coach A/C all night, kept coach about 75F.

These are all "after" measurements; I have no objective data prior to installing the 3M. But subjectively, it seems to make a big difference. My wife reports a huge improvement in comfort from sun coming in the side cab window.

We have the "70%" on the windshield, and it cuts glare enough I don't really need sunglasses most of the time. I haven't driven at full dark, but I don't feel a problem with low-light vision yet.

Once we reached higher elevations (New Mexico, Colorado), the heat was a non problem. A couple of times we parked an hour or two during the day with full sun on the cab windows, and it did heat up inside, but not unbearably.

So bottom line, I think the 3M film is doing a good job for us.
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Old 07-02-2017, 06:54 AM   #18
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Am I thinking correctly about what the terms mean (per definition in earlier post):
VLT= visible light transmission: We want this to be as high as possible so that we have good visibility out.
VLR=visible light reflectance: We don't care about this number per se. But state or local codes may require this to be below some value.
TSER - total solar energy reflectance. UV= percent of UV rays that do not come through: We want each of these values to be as high as possible, but they are not totally independent of VLT and VLR.

I am impressed with the results reported - but not $1100 worth of impressed.
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Old 07-02-2017, 07:18 AM   #19
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I misspoke on TSER. It actually means Total Solar Energy Rejection. I went with the Eastman Llumar. I suspect it is a notch below the 3M, but still good performance numbers and was able to do all windows for $750. XPEL was another option, but the are an inconvenient drive for me and where not able to get to it in a time window when I was not traveling.

Leigh, when we travel in hot climates, we keep the Sun and Night shades down and I place Reflectix over the roof fan. Makes a huge difference with in coach temps.
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Old 07-02-2017, 08:16 AM   #20
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The direction that this thread has taken well-illustrates the challenges that we face in the south, whether it's Houston or Phoenix.

Even if we are vectored toward a cool (literally) destination, we have to drive through THIS MESS for a day or two until we get there. Or if there's a continent-wide heat wave as LB_3 and I encountered last summer, it can take three or four days to drive clear of it.

Even a day or two is a long time to be dealing with triple-digit heat. That's one of the reasons why we decided to bite the bullet and get the Vitrifrigo fridge that hopefully we will install today. Especially given my upcoming solo travel, having an absorption fridge falter under extremely hot conditions would represent a huge logistical challenge. In those conditions, I wouldn't even be able to leave our dog in the Interstate for 15 minutes to run into a grocery store to replace spoiled food. Everything has to function adequately or there's a real problem.

Given our other projects, I don't know if we'll get the 3M accomplished in the short term, but I certainly haven't given up on it.
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