Tint question

[arkitek]

Possibly picking up my MSP this weekend. First mod is a tint for sure. So some questions:

Are there different types of regular tint films? What's a good brand?
Just want the reguluar stuff, no gradual/reflective/anything like that.
Any good place to go in Toronto for one?
Any good web resouces for info?

Many thanks.

[hawkwind101]

Originally posted by arkitek
Possibly picking up my MSP this weekend. First mod is a tint for sure. So some questions:

Are there different types of regular tint films? What's a good brand?
Just want the reguluar stuff, no gradual/reflective/anything like that.
Any good place to go in Toronto for one?
Any good web resouces for info?

Many thanks.

There are two main types, dye and metalic. You want the metalic. Dye is alot cheaper but it will end up fading, peeling and bubbling. Metalic has a lifetime warranty against those.
Good brands are FormulaOne and lumar. There are some others that I can't remember right now.

Goto FX Auto in Markham. They have a discount for Toronto Protege club members www.toprotege.com. $250 will get you Formula One Premier tint and excellent installation with lifetime warranty. Stay away from Tint King and TintMaster. FX Auto does tons of proteges and they have been just great. I beleive they have a website, just do a search on it.

[arkitek]

Thanks for the info hawkwind101.

I called one of the place and was told that the metallic tint film will interfere with our radio reception since the antenna is imbedded in the rear window.

Anyone had this problem?!
And is the dye film as bad as you make it out to be since I might end up with it due to the possible radio interference?

Found this with a search but still kinda inconclusive....

http://www.protegemp3.com/vbb225/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13928&highlight=radio+tint

[MSP-4-ME]

I installed metallic tint on my MSP with no radio interference. The only thing I would warn you about is that our glass has a slight green factory tint and will give you a slightly green mirrored look. That is the only thing I wasn't too pleased about. I used 35% Madico tint.
Good luck:D

[hawkwind101]

Originally posted by arkitek
Thanks for the info hawkwind101.

I called one of the place and was told that the metallic tint film will interfere with our radio reception since the antenna is imbedded in the rear window.

Anyone had this problem?!
And is the dye film as bad as you make it out to be since I might end up with it due to the possible radio interference?

Found this with a search but still kinda inconclusive....

http://www.protegemp3.com/vbb225/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13928&highlight=radio+tint

The tint shouldn't interfere with your reception. I believe there are alot of people with MSP that got metalic tint and have no problems. I am sure someone will clarify this.

Have you ever come across a car that had purple windows or part of the window peeling? This is what the dye tint does after a few years. It really is that bad. Spend the extra $50-75 and get the metallic, you will be thankful you did. Plus it is better with heat reduction in summer and reducing glare. The worst part with dye tint is when it does start to peel and you get it taken off, 70% of the time it will destroy your defrost lines on your rear window. Thats big bucks to get the window replaced or the lines fixed.

[hawkwind101]

Originally posted by MSP-4-ME
I installed metallic tint on my MSP with no radio interference. The only thing I would warn you about is that our glass has a slight green factory tint and will give you a slightly green mirrored look. That is the only thing I wasn't too pleased about. I used 35% Madico tint.
Good luck:D

Is that mirror tint you got or just black? I can't see having a slight green factory tint would make the tint look mirrored using black tint. In fact I have seen alot of pics of MSP's with black tint and they didn't come out mirrored.

[MSP-4-ME]

It is mirrored metallic gray/black tint.

[hawkwind101]

Originally posted by MSP-4-ME
It is mirrored metallic gray/black tint.

Ahh, that makes sense then.

[mazdadan]

Originally posted by hawkwind101


Is that mirror tint you got or just black? I can't see having a slight green factory tint would make the tint look mirrored using black tint. In fact I have seen alot of pics of MSP's with black tint and they didn't come out mirrored.

Yeah it looks like they got a slightly mirrored metallic tint to me. This would explain the green hue. It could also be that the tint hasn't completely cured yet when the picture was taken. Also if the shop used a green dish soap as a slip solution, this could cause a slight green hue until the window dries.

[Caffeine]

Tint is illegal in California, doh

[MSP-4-ME]

No, the picture is from today and the tint is curred, about 2 months old. The solution the shop used was clear and the shop gave me a sample of the same film and it was not green hued. Its just our windows. I was kind of disapointed with the results. If I do it again, I would not use the mirrored film.:(

[mazdadan]

Originally posted by MSP-4-ME
No, the picture is from today and the tint is curred, about 2 months old. The solution the shop used was clear and the shop gave me a sample of the same film and it was not green hued. Its just our windows. I was kind of disapointed with the results. If I do it again, I would not use the mirrored film.:(

Yeah, now that I think about it, when the sun hits my windows at certain angles, there is a slight green hue to it. When I installed my film, the green became less pronounced after a few weeks. Maybe the mirroring is just making the green a little more pronounced, because mine usually isn't that noticeable. But that's definitely good info for people wanting mirrored film on their cars. :)

[slamprotege5]

There is a slight yellow hue to mine :-)
MSP-4-ME...I think your windows look great. Do you not get hassled by cops with that tint?? Always heard cops don't like mirrored tint. Looks good.



http://www.mazdamp3.com/members/slamprotege5/yell window2.jpg

[MSP-4-ME]

No cop problems yet. 35% mirrored tint is legal in Washington state. :D

[krillin]

Originally posted by Caffeine
Tint is illegal in California, doh

no it isn't. check out the tint law for CA and you'll see.

[yay for cars]

in CA, the law is that you can have whatever tint you want on the rear windows, and nothing on the fronts :rolleyes: anyone know what the fines are for tint on the fronts?

[Formula1]

I have 5% on mine- Illegal as hell, but nice!

I did ge pulled once. All I received was a warning and a request to remove it. No big deal! BTW Looks like y Black Mica MSP has no windows, it is just completely black!

:cool:

[mypfizzle]

in california the back can be as dark as u want as long as u have 2 outside mirrors. the front is not supposed to have any tint but a uv coating (its not worth it) and mirrored tint is 100% illegal here.. another thing i have been seeing is alot of people tinting their moonroof (sunroof?) i dont believe this is a godo idea because the way the heat will build up on it.. but to each his own. =-)

[nattyboy513]

i am getting 80/20 tint... it looks nice and should keep the man off my back, the shop that is doing my windows also does custom vinyl so i am getting a " T " (think: university of tennessee) that will be color matched to our paint on the lower passenger side of the windshield. will post pics...

[2K3 MSP]

I got pulled over for front window tint in Cali, and it was just a $10 fix-it ticket...Not too bad, but I put the tint right back on so it cost me an extra $60 right there. I have it on my Civic and haven't been hasseled yet...I guess it just depends on how bad they wanna write you up...I was pulled over for the tint at 2:30 AM so that was all the reason they needed...

[krillin]

don't know if anyone's heard but when i had my tint done (35% all the way around) i was told that the cops no longer give fix it tickets. they just give you a ticket. :eek: just thought you guys might wanna know before going 5% all the way around.

[arkitek]

Still undecided if I should get dye or metallic tint mainly because of my fear of the possible radio interference/degradation.

I work in a building with windows that are metallized and it really kills RF reception be it radio, cell phones, or pagers.

Base on that, I would think that radio reception on the MSP would degrade somewhat if the signal has to go through the tint layer(s) depending on the source signal's position relative to the car.

There's only one way to find out I guess.

[arkitek]

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?
src=suggestions&A=1625

Found this link. "....when the antenna is inside the glass, fitting a metallised tint causes only a minimal effect on radio reception."

======================================
http://pub131.ezboard.com/fthetintingboardsfrm54.showMessage?topicID=58.topi c

Found this link also. Don't know if it's true though. Alarm systems with proximity sensor might have problems with metallised tint as it might bounce the wave back....

[MikeyG_U2]

The place by me says that Metallic tints can interfere with AM radio stations, but that it's usually not noticeable to most people. They have not had any complaints about FM reception. (who listens to AM anyway... only my mother and grandmother that I know of...)

My concern about metallic tint is that my Sirius antenna is mounted inside the car on the rear deck, so i want to know if a metallic tint will interfere with satellite signals before I get it...

[funnylittlman]

So any word on that interference yet Arkitek?

[dacalo]

Originally posted by MikeyG_U2
(who listens to AM anyway... only my mother and grandmother that I know of...)


:wtf:

hey now, sports buffs listen to AM radio!

[MoSqUiTo]

i havent had any radio problems with my silver metallic tint. In louisiana you can have pretty damn dark tint on your rear windows but on drivers side you have to have it pretty light but i got rear window tint darkness all around. i guess its good to have connections in the police force. and in new orleans its easy to get outa tickets...you just have to have a few bills in your pocket at the time lol.

MoSqUiTo

New Orleans (im sorry officer i will de-titn my windows ::slips 2 bills)

2003 Black Mica mazdaspeed protege'
dark black and silver tint
greddy exhaust