How many times have you gotten into your car on a hot summer’s day after it’s been sitting for several hours and it felt like a sauna? In addition to making you feel like a boiling lobster, the sun’s heat and powerful UV rays can also crack and fade your vehicle’s seats, dash and other upholstery features. A relatively inexpensive way to keep your car cooler is to have the windows custom tinted, an aftermarket service that most auto body shops provide. And if you stop by a local shop looking for a quote, don’t be surprised if the shop manager asks you several questions in return about your tinting goals. That’s because custom window tinting comes in a menu of colors, protection levels and tint types that can be specifically tailored to your individual needs. But before all that, you’ll need to decide if custom window tinting is right for your vehicle in the first place.
Benefits of Custom Window Tinting
If you are considering aftermarket custom window tinting for your vehicle, here are some of the benefits that it provides:
- Sunlight heat protection. Studies have found that window tinting can lower your car’s interior temperature by nearly 30%. That’s not only more comfortable, but it also means using the A/C less during the summer, which improves your fuel economy.
- Blocks UV rays. Intense UV rays can harm you and your vehicle’s interior. Window tinting forms a barrier that blocks up to 99% of those damaging rays from penetrating into your car. Not only is that safer for you and your passengers, but your interior will look newer and last longer, while boosting your vehicle’s resale value.
- Reduces “smash and grabs”. Notably when you park your car in high crime areas, not being able to see your valuables inside will make it less likely for potential “smash and grab” thieves to target you.
- Enhanced accident safety. Upon impact, rear and side windows can shatter into small pieces that have the potential to injure you and your passengers. Tinting helps hold the glass shards together, reducing the likelihood those fragments will do harm.
Custom Window Tinting Options
To start with, you’ll need to choose a tint color. Black is the most popular, as it never goes out of style and works well with all paint jobs. In addition, bronze and amber are also common color choice options. Next, you’ll be asked to choose a shade on a scale from 5%, which blocks out the most sunlight, to 50%, which inhibits the least. This is referred to by body shop technicians as the “visible light transmission”, or VLT, rate. Before choosing your shade level, always refer to your state’s DMV window tinting standards for windshields, side and rear windows, as they vary. With that said, these are the types of custom tinting that are available:
- Dyed film tint: This is the most popular form of aftermarket tinting, and uses a thin polymer film that is custom-shaded with dyes based upon your preferences. Consumers can also choose between flat, reflective, metallic or mirrored film tint looks. Dyed film tinting is the least-expensive method, and will last about 5 years before you could see some cracking, peeling or discoloration.
- Ceramic film tint: A little more expensive than basic film tinting, this process does not use dyes and won’t change color over time. Ceramic tinting also acts as a more efficient barrier against heat and glare than does a base film.
- Metallic window films: The materials used in this process contain tiny metal particles that reflect the sun’s heat and UV rays very effectively away from your windows. However, some drivers have found that metallic film tinting disrupts GPS, radio, WiFi and cell phone signals.
- Coating tint: As the name implies, a special solution is sprayed on your windows and dries as a protective coating. However, most body shops don’t provide this service because it requires removing the entire window before applying. Glass specialty shops are your best bet for coating tints, and it will cost more than the other processes. The upside is that coating tint will last longer when compared to other tinting methods.
Custom window tinting usually takes 24 to 48 hours to complete at a body shop, and the average cost will be $100 to $600, depending upon the number of windows you want tinted, the type of tint used, and size of vehicle you have.
Local Body Shops Do Custom Window Tinting
When you’ve finally made the decision to get your car windows custom-tinted, auto body shops in your area have the top-quality products, training and experience to get the job done right. The qualified technicians there will be happy to explain the various aftermarket tinting options available, and provide you with additional information like the manufacturer’s warranty and your state’s DMV tinting standards. To search your zip code for a reliable auto body shop in your area that does expert custom window tinting, visit: www.carwise.com now.
