Any metallic based tint, cannot use RFID on WINDSCREEN. RFID cannot be place too near to metal as they may interfere with RIFD signal.
All my RIFDs are stuck on middle of left headlamp.

This post has been edited by Cavino: Nov 18 2024, 11:23 AM

I can't say for sure about 3M Crystalline and Raytech RX but if it was me, I would have gone for 3M Crystalline if smart tag can detect if price are similar...haha.

However when I say 3M Crystalline cannot detect smart tag, it happened to my friend current City's FWS although one poster with Toyota Harrier got not problem with it.
So it's hit and miss for 3M, at least for me, it is more of a miss than hit, so I gave up on 3M Crystalline as I cannot afford to stick 3M on windscreen and then only discover it is a miss. I got 6-8 tolls I have to go each day with both RFID and Smart tags. (RFID line full, I go smart tag and vice versa)..So convenient to have both RFID and Smart Tags in Klang Valley.

For Irispro, as mentioned the DX range hit almost 3K liao for sedan. However I can vouched for their extreme effectiveness in heat resistance, worked excellent, at least for me who are very particular about tint comfort in cars that I'm willing to spend a fortune re-tinting premium tint on old cars (ya, I think I'm a bit over and crazy, burned my pocket on this).

Only weakness for me is still its thickness, making it much more difficult to tint and dry out. They hit so many layers of metal sputters and hev layer protection, I guess its the price to pay. Also the slight white haze looks under certain direct sunlight angle that it inherently has (DX series, for me), a side affect that some might not like although I got used to it.

Can check out their Diamond (that is very clear) and Elite (the cheapest of their metallic range, but I got no experience with that). The Elite range also above 2K liao. I guess a bit hard to fight 3M Crystalline but I have preference to metallic-based tint and 3M Crystalline is not.

This post has been edited by Cavino: Nov 18 2024, 11:44 AM

Smart tags worked with VKool Elite.

However as mentioned, all metallic based tint are not compatible with RFID.

If no metallic signal interference, that means the metallic tint does not contain enuf metal sputter.

The issue with VKool Elite are the pricing nowadays, it is way too high...

The last I checked, a Civic FE with specs as below
1. Front Windscreen - Vkool 70 Elite
2. Side Front Windows - Vkool 50
3. Rear Windscreen and Side Windows - VKOOL 30.

are officially quoted RM4850 from VKool PJ HQ about a year ago, now maybe higher. Sure you can get cheaper outside but make sure it is original VKool, not fake ones. Still cheaper or not, the pricing will still be significantly higher than most competitors.

In terms of durability of VKool Elite, I just changed them off this early this year for 2 cars, 17 years and 15 years respectively.
My proton still using it but started to blur a bit now...and this car always parked outside in hot sun, abt 12-13 years before it goes. That is how durable it is.

As for reflections, what do you mean by reflection and mean bad on VKool Elite? VKool is one of the top bright and clear tint in the market.

For Irispro, they are quite new to market (a few years) and are building their local brand name with dedicated installation shops with 10 years warranty and 10 years performance warranty for their premium flagship metallic tints, from DX to Elite. So that does give some peace of mind if quality degraded after a few years.
Unfortunately for me, silver-based DX series and Diamond does not have 70VLT clear tint but Diamond 60 is pretty clear and not too far behind in actual brightness in the car.

My DX FWS should be the DX60 with 55% VLT (real life FWS is about 52% to 53%). I would have prefer brighter front but when I install, they have not introduce the DX70 yet. Still not the 70% VLT I initially wanted after VKool experience.

Oh...the VKool Elite even if marked as 70%, after install on my old City, its 66% VLT, will still fail Puspakom. Depends on car FWS colouring and thickness kuah.

This post has been edited by Cavino: Nov 18 2024, 07:37 PM

Nah, just tint a good clear tint with 70 or 60% VLT. Usually never get stop as they look like clear tint.
It is those tinted obviously dark aka below 50% that usually have risk of being stop.

These tint only need to be remove if you sell or transfer ownership of car. Otherwise, I don't see any issue in slapping in a GOOD 60-70% clear tint to add heat resistance and dashboard protection.

If you want 70% VLT clear tint, VKool Elite is the one. That is my own opinion based on my own experience, other might have different opinion.

As mentioned the pricing I was quoted are sedan size, SUV and MPV should be higher.

VKool has super high pricing and for almost the same specification, Irispro premium DX range with silver-based with titanium metallic offered about 2/3 of the price then for same sedan size.

The issue for me then with Irispro is they don't have 70% VLT for the best range. The highest offered are 60% VLT (on paper, realistic it should be 55 to 57% meter reading).

Still their Diamond 60 are bright enuf, it don't differ too much in reality (still when compare side by side, VKool 70% is obviously brighter but only when compare side by side). Their DX range 60 is noticeably dimmer (55%, that is the one I have) but they have new 70 range (reality, VLT at 60% only). Still at a glance, it is still clear tint.

You can still consider Irispro if you still want metallic based tint if VKool pricing is too hard to swallow. But if you want bright 70%, VKool Elite is still the best, IMO only, other might have different say.

Currently I do have preference for the VLT spec as below that you can consider when you tint. A full VKool Elite is actually a bit too hot nowadays.

1. FWS - 60 to 70% VLT (For Puspakom and JPJ, most tints are not compliant even when listed as 70% VLT on paper, very borderline depending on windscreen thickness, colour, etc. Only those listed 80% VLT are truly safe and compliant but also super hot) - bright front equal more heat thus using the best metallic clear tint are the best in heat resistance and reflection.

2. Front Side - 55-60% VLT on paper (JPJ compliant) - Bright for daily drive, dark enuf to resist more heat.

3. Rear Side and RWS - 30% VLT on paper (JPJ compliant - there is not guidelines here tho, any VLT will do). It is dark enuf to resist most heat BUT it is surprisingly bright and clear for night view, reverse and likely won't cause any claustrophobia for even small cars.

If quality of both tints are on par, do take the TSER difference with a pinch of salt. We are not even sure how each brand calculate their TSER. IMO, I don't even think they use same formula to calculate them.

Does Hamel Platinum truly have much higher TSER than Irispro Elite?

Becoz I saw in their website (no detail specs), their listed TSER range from 63 to 77. Did not mentioned the VLT, but at the same screen uses 50, 15 and 5 VLT pic. So I am assuming that it might mean that TSER 63 refers to 50%VLT and TSER77 refers to 5% VLT. Just a guess work as I might miss seeing the full specs of their platinum series.

If above is correct, then Elite 50VLT has TSER of 67 and 5VLT has TSER of 85. That should be higher than hamel if you just want to compare paper specs.

However as mentioned I would take the TSER as an initial guideline only. It likely won't be an apple to apple comparison. So if reading a near a similar range, just treat them the same (for branded tints, no name brand can listed sky high TSER but likely can't really back it up long term).

I still feel VKool Elite TSER 55 seems to worked more effectively than others that listed 60++ at 70VLT. So my bias of high quality metallic sputters vs nano-ceramic (just my preference due to metallic has better heat reflection differs than that of ceramic absorbation properties.

As for JPJ summon warranty, I think I saw in website that the warranty apply if you follow using JPJ compliant tint....but then if choose JPJ compliant specs.....then what is there to summon? Mmmm. Maybe in reality, they just cover all JPJ summons regardless of tints compliancy? Some brands do that.

I think only metallic based tints affect RFID and all my cars are using metallic based tint coz IMO, high quality metallic based tints reflect heat better than ceramic that absorb them. I always stick RFID on my left headlamp of all my cars, so my tints don't matter to the RFID.

For smart tag friendly metallic based tint, I would recommend VKool Solitaire series (previously used, ultra expensive now) or homegrown Irispro Diamond and DX series (that I installed currently for all my cars). Do note that high quality metallic based tints are usually significantly more expensive than ceramic due to the high quality metal sputter contents and multiple sputter layering involved. The effectiveness of heat resistance (at least for 55 front, 50 side and 30 side/rear VLT) are superb for Irispro that my cars under hot sun are significantly less hot than all my sisters cars with various tints. Do note that less hot is still hot, if left under super hot sun for hours no matter what tints you used.

3M Crystalline are mostly not smart tag friendly tho some such as Harrier (a poster used that), etc can still work. So its more like lottery for me if you can pass smart tag, no garantee. At least for Honda CRV and City that I know if, it can't get thru. Beside smart tags issue, the tints have good reputation on heat resistance. There are many fakes out there tho, so be sure to get from trusted source if you go for this.

Ceramic based Raytech highest range R or RX series is not smart tag friendly tho the 2nd highest Q or QX range is reported as smart tag friendly.

This post has been edited by Cavino: Dec 26 2024, 11:16 AM

Those dots are called frits. If I'm not wrong the tints normally don't cover those frits area coz the tints won't stick well on the frits dotted rough surface and can causing peeling and bubble.

So you can put smart tag there and see if it works.

Depends on what vehicle you drive. Previously I tot smart tag cannot work for all cars (3M), but some like an owner of Toyota Harrier (i think) says it worked. But for Honda, at least Civic and City, it does not. If cut hole, sure can work lar if the tag aligned with the hole but do you really want to do that (cut hole) if your car smart tag don't work for 3M. If it does not, there are many other tints with good quality to look at (if you use smart tag a lot).

Can also try out Irispro. The few higher quality metallic based tints. Nice coloring for the Diamond and DX range. Smart tag friendly. RFID cannot put on screen tho...just like VKool. I used that for my cars after VKool hike up price so much I cannot afford it anymore. The tints are thicker than other brands on the same range tho. The pricing should around 3K to 3.5K if using D or DX range.

This post has been edited by Cavino: Jan 14 2025, 03:29 PM

Can't say for sure. For non security tint, it usually stays between 2 to 3 mils (that is 1/1000 of an inch)....I also not expert in it...haha.
For security tints, 4-6 mil is common.

For front FWS, if you want to ensure follow JPJ guidelines (they never officially approve any tint), have to go for those tint with VLT around 80. That also means, the heat rejection are pretty lousy. Even VKool Elite tint supposedly at VLT 70 or 75, most of time cannot pass coz our FWS also contribute to the VLT calculation...

My old City VKool Elite actual reading on my FWS is 65 VLT. So you might want one at VLT 80 to be 100% JPJ compliant.

For front side windows, VLT 60 to lowest 55 rated tint should be ok.

Actually too thick can be more difficult to install, take longer to dry up for installation but for users, you no need bother how thick. It worked the same, some put more layers on it like Irispro with extra blue light feature, some uses even better metallic material like VKool and can maintain lower thickness but that comes with the price as you can see on VKool.

For eg, Irispro DX range comes up 4 to 5 mil (they have few multi layer sputters and then add blue light filter layers, etc). It worked great in filtering heat but for the front FWS, they supposedly remove another layer to reduce thickness to 3mil+...the side windows, they maintain that thick 4-5 mil for maximum protection.

I can comment only on Irispro a lot coz all my cars now using them in replacement of VKool Elite (that all my cars previously used) as I am biased to using metallic based tints that I feel reflect heat much better than ceramic based tint that absorb and disperse them. Just my personal preference as I have survey them for long long time before replacing the aging VKool. They have their great pros but with cons that I can accept. Have posted multiple reviews on them here. Not salesman...haha. Just a user who post very much needed detailed review that I would have like to see when I surveyed all other tints then..

If you want change car, likely have to remove any tints with VLT 70 and below. If you takut operasi, then any tints with VLT 60 and above likely won't get caught, it still looks very clear. Operasi usually catch only those with dark tints on FWS and front side windows like those that goes below 50 (very obvious too dark).

That is unless you have very cialat bad luck or have face that ppl feel like bashing that they stop you even if you have clear looking FWS..hahaha

This post has been edited by Cavino: Jan 15 2025, 10:22 AM

I have my bias in metallic-based tints that are not so common in the market. They are some cheap one BUT for me, a good metallic based tints used high quality metallic sputters and those don't come cheap. So my preference would have been

1. VKool Elite, 55, 35, etc, very durable and lasting. Excellent heat rejection but as you noted, the price shoot so high that I cannot afford it anymore. It is worth the extra bucks if you are rich tho...IMO.

2. 3M Crystalline for clear tint but got 1 great weakness that I cannot accept. Smart tag....that I need to pass multiple each days.Yeah, I have RFID but those tolls in Kesas, some RFID very long queue or worse, someone got stuck inside have to reverse. So no smart tag, no go for me. Other than that, it would have be in my preference if I go for clear tints. Like VKool, there are a lot of fakes out there tho...some got cheated fake and complain 3M not working as it should be, so watch out and go for trusted installer if you go for this.

3. Irispro....why, coz I looking for VKool replacement at lower pricing. Metallic based tints. Local homegrown company tho with multple main branches in key cities. This one has about 3/5 of the price of VKool. Worked excellent in heat rejection and coloring. Just a bit thick and have slight white haze under certain sunlight angle. Loves the heat rejection tho as I have expected (or above my initial expectation). Surprisingly VLT 30 at rear is dim but not dark (bright enuf to avoid phobia)...Like the dim slight bluish purplish lighting in the car. Very nice. Pricy tho if you compare with other ceramic-based tints but for metallic-based tints and extra features they have, it should be on par with other premium tints. Metallic based tints with good metals are usually higher pricing than ceramic. Metal sputter cost more money to produce..hehe. Smart tag friendly similar to VKool.

4. Raytech is also a good brand, ceramic-based tint. Quite pricey tho vs other brands. However their highest range Ultra 70 for fws not smart tag friendly. So out it goes for my preference. Their 2nd range tho is smart tag friendly but I always prefer maximum heat rejection for clear or near clear tints.

Others, I can't comment coz no experience in them. Skip surveying them in-depth coz not metallic-based tint due to my preference.

This post has been edited by Cavino: Jan 15 2025, 10:23 AM

Haha, I also wonder the same.

Unlike others that might think the rear windscreen tint is not as important as the front, I put them on same level aka must have same quality.

Tesla model 3 has a pre-tinted roof (factory tint). The most heat will comes from front, roof and rear. Since the front windscreen, we have to use clear tint, we usually have to spend higher for clear VLT with highest heat rejection as those heat can reach the steering area, thus the high pricing. For rear, we can skimp a bit on the quality of tint by getting the darkest tint (low VLT) we are most comfortable with.

However the rear windscreen has demister that can possibly be damage every time we remove tint. So for me, getting the best quality tint for rear windscreen to avoid changing the tint as long as possible is a critical aspect when choosing tint quality. Also rear windscreen rarely ever need to change thus whatever tint are tinted there will stay there for the lifetime of the tint. The front windscreen actually has possibility of being change due to stone cracked, etc especially if the car run constantly on highway.

Rear windscreen is generally as large as front windscreen AND are exposed to solar heat as much as the front and roof, so we should still choose the best quality tint with the highest heat rejection (material) and darker tint to increase the heat rejection as well. So if it is to lower the cost, it would be a mistake to target rear windscreen for that. For me, the side windows can be of lower quality especially the rear side if really want lower cost. Not the front side tho especially the driver side.

This post has been edited by Cavino: Jan 22 2025, 10:41 AM

Usually about RM80 for whole car and none would garantee demister would not be damaged. If you tint rear windscreen, they would likely do it FOC for you.

This post has been edited by Cavino: Jan 22 2025, 10:39 AM

Unfortunately TSER is just a number many brands quoted. There are so many quoting sky high numbers like 60+ but in reality, cannot match the certain branded proven lower TSER.

So I tend to read users' real life experience the tint usage.

Actually that can be very subjective too, coz the same tint on one car, ppl say shit...but other ppl use say good wor...So who is correct. Some ppl, 28 degree warm say ok, normal, but some say super hot, cannot tahan. It depends on each person tolerance, expectation, etc.

So I always try to read ppl review that have used the brand that I have used before and have similar opinion on that brand effectiveness AND then they use other brand and compare...that will be closer the the truth but very very hard to find such reviewers or ones that used similar brands before and then try others.

For rear, legal, as dark as you want. You can hump inside also nobody can see if fully dark. However if too dark, you might have some issues to see at dark or dim area aka for reverse parking, etc.

I don't recommend fully black out. For me, VLT30 is dim enuf even under bright sunlight and yet gives sufficient dim lighting. If you want to go darker, VLT15 or 10, not lower in order not to impair rear view and are very dim to sleep in.

Pricing of tints can range from RM300-500 to RM1.5K for rear windows and windscreen depends on the brands and quality you choose.
Since you don't even tint the front, just the back for sleeping, I guess you would want low-mid end pricing tints.

I cannot recommended any of those no brands tints that goes for low hundreds.
Got no experience on low and mid-range tints so others might want to recommend. Can check out Totalgard for low and mid-end pricing with some quality assurance vs those no name or so-called made in USA, Korea or Japan cheap tints.

This post has been edited by Cavino: Feb 28 2025, 07:42 PM

RFID signals are sensitive to interference from metal. If you place RFID too close to car metal body or on metal body, the signal will go haywire as well.

So if you used metallic sputter tints and RFID can still work on it, that is fake metallic sputters...hahaha.

Users of metallic sputters tints like me always place our RFID on left headlamp.

Frankly, I changed windscreen more often than headlamps. At least all my decade old cars have change windscreen (stonecrack) at least once but most never change headlamp (coz no accident). If put on windscreen, all my RFID tags have to buy again.

On tint warranty especially if you tinted the premium one, you right on it. Even if 10 years warranty, it will likely be voided or blame the 1st tint inside. If you don't care about warranty, no issue. Of course if anyone one of the tints cause issues, both tints kena...

This post has been edited by Cavino: Mar 20 2025, 03:16 PM

As mentioned before, 3M has very high chances of smart tag not working. Some cars do but most cars won't work, have to cut holes for smart tag. The last tried on my friend's Honda City (latest gen), smart tag still cannot work although 1 poster says his Toyota Harrier can.

Others I no comment, no experience in using them.

I myself using Irispro metallic sputter highest range Diamond X and Diamond series for 3 cars, a bit pricey on the highest range due to premium metallic based sputter. You can check out Irispro as alternative, maybe their Diamond or Elite series pricing at 3K or below depending on what car you have. You can check out my previous post on Irispro DX and Diamond range in-depth review (based on my own experience only). Check the latest one tho if you interested coz earlier DX series totally change colouring vs the current DX. Diamond should still be the same.

For those using metallic tints and stick their RFID on left headlamps, you have to watchout for your headlamp design.

If the design of the car headlamps placed lots of metal component such as chrome, etc very close to the inside glass / plastic surface where you stick the RFID, that can also interfere with RFID signal. The result is when passing RFID, sometimes it don't work or the signal takes much longer to be recognised.

I have 5 cars with RFID on headlamps, 3 decade old cars, no issue, VIOS 2019 no issue but when it comes to latest gen City when internal chrome design placed very close to the front glass where my RFID is, the reading of my RFID is much slower than other cars that I have to do an almost stop for every RFID reading and it occassional don't work especially on the Kesas Bukit Kemuning RIFD lane.

Yesterday, I gave up after almost a year and replace the tag. Now the fitment center just stick it on the bumper (coz I'm using metallic sputter tint, cannot put on windscreen). Due to design of bumper, we placed the RIFD stick facing upwards in front of bumper (less chance of stone or minor accident bump damage), nearer to the left as required for RFID reading. Now the RFID detection is the fastest among all the 5 cars (no metal even close to the RFID).

ps. I occasionally see cars with RFID on bumper instead of headlamp and windscreen and I think they look a bit weird/out of place, sticking on bumper with contrasting colour instead of almost invisible sticker on headlamp or windscreen.....now I know why. The white lines of the RFID stands out on my dark bumper, cannot miss it. Luckily the design looks hi-tech and somehow looks ok on City near the RS front symbol, still when I look at my bumper, the first thing I see is the sticker that stands out due to the while line on dark bumper.

This post has been edited by Cavino: Mar 27 2025, 08:05 AM