I don't now ler...I also search a long time for premium tint to replace VKool Elite. I think currently, this is the closest premium metal-based tint beside 3M. So I can't say for other brands. Considered other brands pro and cons (all got both good and bad review, so confusing).

If want metallic and don't mind the price, I would still recommend the proven VKool Elite, the real one from VKool HQ and Tintshop. Really satisfied with their long term performance but now priced out from my reach liao. Crazy 4K plus for Honda City and 5K plus for CRV, Civic.

I try go back to metal-based sputter tint, smart tag friendly is A MUST. So 3M is a no go, VKool Elite I want to go but cannot afford to go. Hahaha...

If you have read, I've just installed Irispro Diamond X (their listed top range is Diamond) on both my old Civic and City. Ya, crazy paying premium price for old cars but I cannot afford to change cars liao, so they are here to stay.

Diamond X is their new Silver-based metallic sputter vs Diamond's Titanium sputter. Have full UV and HEV Blue Light protection. Half or 2/3 the price of VKool Elite. Diamond X not listed in their website yet. DX has better heat rejection than the D series but silver-based tint...might discolor but with 10 years warranty, giving it a go. DX is about 4 to 5mm while D is 3mm. I think DX qualified as security tint liao if based on thickness.

This time, instead of full clear VKool Elite tint all around, following the trend, I used D60/DX60 for front and side, rear side and demister, I used D30X. Smart tag friendly, surprisingly IR for those housing estate can work too albeit with some delay (VKool Elite don't work). RFID is on my car lamp. Not recommended to put on RFID on windows for metal-based tint.

Of course DX30 performance with only 21-22VLT noticeably reduced the heat a LOT more than VKool Elite BUT....for D60, I feel VKool Elite performed a tiny bit better in heat rejection no matter what they listed on paper but this is just unsubstantiated feeling, no prove. Forget about the device reading. I feel DX60 is nearer to VKool Elite in heat feel (feel is just that, no prove). However D60/DX60 is noticeably darker due to their VLT at 60 on paper vs VKool Elite 70. Quite like the light penetration lighting tho, cabin have a comfortable hazy slight greenish lighting. VKool Elite is much brighter without any greenish lighting although their hue on outside is greenish.

DX30 with 21-22VLT lighting in cabin is light brownish, not dark, not greenish black. The DX60 light for front side windows are more toward greenish and a hint of brown.

At 20+ VLT, I expect it to be dark (ecotint black pearl experience) but no, it's light brown instead, likely the effect of HEV Blue Light filtering. Under the sun, from outside, dark mirror finish , can't see inside clearly but from inside, surprisingly it's light brown, no claustrophobic feel, quite comfortable brown. Just initially feel a bit weird having brown lighting at the rear and greenish with a hint of brown in front. I could see thru them the DX30 tints quite clearly at night, no glare. Reverse parking at night in my car porch, no problem. I guess, if really want to go dark, cannot use 30, have to go at least 15 or below.

So am I satisfied with the tints after a month? Yes, feel premium, DX series cabin lighting is much darker (that's the idea) than previous VKool Elite, the rear heat is greatly reduced due to the DX30 tints. Comfortable hazy light penetration (HEV Blue Light filtering comfortable to eyes??), not too bright, not too dark. View and glare at night is good. Just DX60 and DX30 gives different colour hue...some might not like it if they want the same hue. From outside, more mirror reflection, can comb hair.

Just sakit hati becoz of the premium price...for old cars. I think the tint warranty might last longer than the cars. Workmanship to remove old tint from demister is superb, installation workmanship is ok. Got to replaced a couple of windows tint due to dust and some bubble, but they don't delay or give excuse, got problem, come in check, straight replace, I'm satisfied with their response to replace any tints due to issues.

This post has been edited by Cavino: Jan 15 2024, 06:41 PM

RM2688 Diamond series for Civic. I upgrade to DX RM2900. Mentioned price might go up slightly if launch formally but that is just saying. For elite series, I think should be 2388. Note in future SST comes in, etc price may increase, thus I rushed to do everything before March 2024, just in case, since I need to replace them anyway.

Also do note, I don't negotiate too much on pricing due to 2 factors

1. They arrange for my windscreen replacement at their centre. Pre-tint the windscreen, then the team come in to replace when I arrived. One stop centre, I no need to go windscreen center, no need to go tinting after windscreen dry, save lots of time. I take a pic of car reg card and insurance to ensure right windscreen, they do the rest.

2. Remove old tints including superb skill on rear demister. Luckily used good tint (VKool Elite, 15 years old), no demister damage. Luck and removal skill.

Due to the above, they already did a lot of works and makes my life easier already, so I don't negotiate much.

I can't say for sure, Honda is using Ecotint Sumitomo's Raybarrier, quite ok but for IMO, only my 2 cents, its considered mid or maybe mid-lower range tints (not the house brand type lower range but branded type). Many years ago, Ecotint used to have 10 years warranty for raybarrier (if I'm not wrong) but now down to 5. Might not be the same raybarrier tint...

If really want to compare to premium top range of other branded tints....it just can't compare. The quality difference for me, is like you compare City vs a Saga. You get what you pay. It's ok to drive a saga, it gets you there fine with good costing but you want more efficient, spacious and better quality car, then... they are really in a different category. Thats how I view Honda Ecotint vs top premium tints. If warranty is not an issue, I would top up another K for a noticeably better tint, but that is just me.

But if I buy Honda now, likely will used the raybarrier coz of warranty issues. Honda nowadays are extremely stringent, even something small goes wrong with door panels, might risk blaming the externally installled tints...Rarely happened many years ago but happened nowadays. Anyway, it is still a Sumitomo branded tint, got minimum quality there kuah...

Of course Ecotint is definitely JPJ compliant...that is why the front windscreen heat resistance is very celup...Other premium tint front windscreen TSER very nice....but not JPJ compliant. Give and take.

Only VKool cost that much lar...most top brands premium should be around 3K plus at most.

This post has been edited by Cavino: Jan 16 2024, 03:26 PM

Hehehe...499 is cheap tint to me...comparing to the prices of premium. Many vouched by their ïn-expensive tint and I don't doubt that it worked if they can vouched about that already. Got it cheap and it is to their satisfaction, nothing wrong about that.

We have our own preferred standards but then this is just a forum for opinion and guides, listen if the opinion is good and to your liking, ignore when it does not sound right to you.
And I am the sucker who installed premium tints on old cars. Or should I say I got sucked...and I can't help it, I put MUCH emphasis on good tints for car care. But that really burned a hole in my pocket right now.

The smart tag cannot read might be due to the IRR same wavelength conflict, so even degraded also got interference.
UV / Heat resistance, etc that protect the car dashboard, leather likely makes a different with good tints and lousy ones.

IMO, the difference of good TSER tint vs low ones is how long does it takes for the heat to fill up the car.

Lets say a good tint with TSER of 60 have 40% heat penetration will take 3 hours to heat up to 100%.
A lousy tint with TSER of 30 have 70% heat penetration will take only less 1.5 hours to heat up to 100%.

So if a car parked under hot sun for 3 hours, for heat, it makes no difference between cheap tint and expensive tint, all same affect, the cars will feel as hot but if you parked for only an hour, then you can feel the heat difference with good tint car at 40% heat but lousy tint car at 70% heat liao.... So if 2 hours, the good tinted car not reach 100% but the lousy tint will be cooked inside...

Heat comes in at about 40+% from VLT and 50+% from IRR. So of course dark tint will reduced the heat further but not everybody like to tint cars as dark in front where the driver is. So we try to use clear tint, with more heat coming in from light but try maxed out the 50+% heat resistance from IRR. So thats the reason, now I used VLT 21-22% for rear...reduced the heat further for the my kids but front also maximize with VLT50+ for side and VLT 56 for front (still have to look like clear tint (albeit not as clear as VKool 70), so don't get stop during roadblock.

So now on a good daily drive where we are driving in the car under hot sun with air-conditioning, good tints will slow down the heat penetration a lot more than lousy tint meaning while it will less hot while we are driving in the car with good tints, we can use lower air-conditioning vs the one with lousy TSER, have to use full air-cond blasting to achieve the same temperature in the car while driving under hot sun. Both cars will be hot under noon sun but one car will be much lesser than the others.

I really don't know about technical on tint but this is a layman perspective on how I feel on heat...does not work exactly that way but that is how I look at it to explain high TSER and low TSER affect...might be wrong tho...but when you spend hours and hours in car everyday, I try to maxed out the comfortability in the car.

Some like you don't feel it is worth the price to max out the TSER.....and you are right. That is why I feel a bit stupid spending so much to max out and its is really not that value for money thing to do...but I just am crazy enuf to do that and it hurts my pocket and I still can't prevent heat from other source...car body....lost my reasoning..hahaha...

btw. The sides are as important actually for me as we do drive not only at noon but morning near noon and evening, the heat from side windows are as bad especially during driving. The front and rear windscreen tint reduced the heat directly from sunlight into the car and dashboards, steering wheel while the sides worked in reduced the heat from direct sunlight directly onto the skin when ppl sits in them. Its all about comfortability.

This post has been edited by Cavino: Jan 17 2024, 01:14 PM

The same mindset I have earlier. I have VKool Elite installed on all my cars but have been searching for metallized clear tint to replace VKool Elite. Not only is VKool Elite the best clear tint in heat resistant, it also is the longest lasting tint without much degradation in quality. Unfortunately it has been priced out from my budget. Over 4K for Honda City, 5K for CRV spec. At least that is the previous quoted price from VKool HQ.

If you read my post above, I have currently re-tinted both my cars (old City and Civic) to silver sputter Irispro Diamond X series but my Civic windscreen is using the titanium sputter Diamond 60.

Their tints listed specs are great (so are all other cheapo house brand...hehehe) but they have detail description on their sputter spectrum test and additional blue light filtering that no other tints have. Their pricing is still premium although almost half lesser than VKool.

D60 and DX60 VLT are have noticeably lower VLT than VKool Elite very clear tint. Unfortunately, any higher VLT are lower spec tints (Irispro Elite, etc).

I have my old City windscreen VKool Elite measured 63 VLT and Irispro D60 measured 56 on Civic FD, not too much difference but reality is D60 clearly darker (still clear tint, not black darker but lower VLT light darker). The new D60X VLT is even lower...measured VLT 54 (on real life, vs D60, can see the lower lighting difference). So for front screen, D60 might be a nearer option to VKool Elite vs D60X if you want the clear tint here.

On Heat rejection, I have to say, I still think D60 with lower VLT still lose out slightly to VKool Elite....but the silver-based sputter D60X comes near to it...lower, equal or better, can't say for sure coz all based on feeling only, no prove. Issue is the VLT of DX60 seems substantially lower than VKool Elite...so give and take. VKool Elite is the prefect balance of clear VLT and working heat resistant, we can only find something near to its match but so far none is its exact match in clear tint.

For my comparison, I have my City with FWS still using VKool Elite (change windscreen few years ago), side front windows DX60, and the rest DX30 (VLT 22%) at rear. My Civic FD has front tinted D60 (not X), so try comparing from that.

City is definitely cooler than before due to rear DX30 (low VLT, high spec, silver-based sputter). I tried comparing FWS VKool Elite vs side windows DX60. Not apple to apple comparison coz windscreen definitely thicker than side windows. So under the sun, try putting my hand near the windscreen of City VKool vs DX60 side windows. Then put hands under Civic D60 windscreen and DX60 side windows (there is a difference in my side windows coz Civic DX60 side windows have additional layer...aka security tint while City side windows is 1mm thinner...just pure DX60 without additional layer).

My conclusion is DX60 feels similar or slightly cooler than VKool Elite but VKool Elite is still slightly cooler than D60. Problem is DX60 is substantially darker (lower VLT) than VKool Elite. D60 nearer optically to VKool Elite VLT but heat resistant not as good (close lar...)

Please note that the dark here is not VLT30 type of dark but vs VKool clear tint.... but still clear.

Mismatched mixed of tints, right....a bit confusing.

If I'm not wrong it is 58% for DX60. For D60, it is advertised as 60% and on windscreen real reading is is 56%. The fact that my side windows with single DX60 on City showed VLT 54%, it should not be different coz my rear side windows and rear windscreen using DX30 showed exact same reading 22% although windscreen are supposedly thicker.

Adding security layer shoot the DX60 down to 48% but windscreen won't use security layer. I'm not sure the quality of Elite heat resistant. Some might say, side windows not important but while driving, actually the hot sun shining on driver, the side is particularly important as it hit directly on on arms, hands, etc. I put particular attention to comfort (maximized them).

The problem of doing individual window tints is just like ala carte menu. Set menu much cheaper but when you go piece by piece, it is much higher price in general. My initial plan to change the whole car tint to VKool Elite again is VKool Elite front, VK-55 front side and VK30 rear...for Civic, its RM4850 quoted price from HQ for VKool Elite. Did Irispro DX series at near 3K. Diamond series is around 2688 whole package, Elite around 2388. Just tint windscreen alone is RM1600++. So for figure which one is more worth it. That is the previous quoted price. Come March 2024, I figure price might goes up again due to 2% ST taxes.

So I rushing to do all stuff that needs to be done before March 2024. Impact might be small but then again, it might adds up. Since it needs to be done, why not do it now. Thats my 2 cents.

This post has been edited by Cavino: Jan 26 2024, 01:28 PM

I think misunderstand liao....Irispro Elite is 2388....not VKool. VKool, if I'm not wrong whether using Elite or VK55, V30, all same price package. I can't remember correctly but if I'm not wrong, even City, whole VKool Elite is around over 4K liao...

This post has been edited by Cavino: Jan 26 2024, 01:55 PM

Whoa....how come my reading is so low..this is for my City front side windows using a new Linshang reader....
If add 2%...that will be 56% if it is D60 for my windows. Cross windows default VLT so bright kah...or the it is becoz of the new reader different type...I saw your old readers type left unused at corner of the room..

I'm not sure if there is any difference in reading for rear windscreen (which should be thicker) and rear side windows. Coz both reading same at 21%. Same with my other car reading, rear windscreen and side windows same reading.



This post has been edited by Cavino: Jan 26 2024, 02:09 PM

VKool officially has only 2 official sources. VKool HQ and Tint Shop. There is lots of fake outside.

At 1.3k for front windscreen, I would have gone for VKool Elite...assuming it is from either 1 of the 2 source. Coz last I heard Diamond 60 is around RM1.6k, not sure tho. 1.3K VKool Elite. 5 years ago, I re-install with Tint Shop for that price. Sure tint-shop still give this price now? If got, can go wor...

This post has been edited by Cavino: Jan 26 2024, 03:39 PM

Err....don't be surprise, this type of tint arrangement from car sales man (not official company) can be personal connection, meaning don't under company. Many does that. In that case, the source might not be verifiable. Checked the warranty card for the tint comes from what source.

From what I know, there are 2 official sources, NVK Interior (VKool HQ) and their Master Distributor TINT-SHOP. The warranties to tied back to either 2 parties. I may be wrong tho.

Also 3M got 1 big problem for me....Smart Tag tak boleh guna. Not acceptable for highway traveller like me. Got RFID but many times forced to use smart tag too...

This post has been edited by Cavino: Jan 26 2024, 03:55 PM

The cheap tint might damage the VKool Elite as well once they start peeling. VKool last really long. If you want darker tint at rear and tinting whole car with VKool, why not just go direct with VKool 55 for front side, VK30 or lower for the rear. Should be same pricing when I last asked.

Raytech also got many range. 3M Crystalline has to be compared with Raytech highest range the R series follow by Q series. Raytech also not cheap. But so far, they are good tints too just price also premium for their high range series. If SA offer 500, I'm quite sure they offered the A or F (lowest range series). Raytech have 5 series, (R, Q, M, F, A).

3M is always compared with VKool Elite but they have 1 major weakness for highway smart tag users...smart tag don't work for 3M Crystalline.

I have re-check these 2 days on tint heat on hands and arms on direct noon hot sunlight...

I have to say, VKool Elite feels the heat markedly hotter than Irispro DX60 with direct sunlight. D60 tho are almost similar to VKool Elite.

Do note DX60 and D60 are also lower in VLT than VKool Elite. They are still clear tint tho...meaning can see inside clearly unlike those dark tint.

The thing is can we afford the VKool series that have double the price vs 10 years ago? It is the best clear tint but the price also drastically priced out of budget for most ppl liao.

Wait...VKool Elite only RM2800!!!! Coz last I verbally request VKool HQ for pricing and via VKool online shop, they are around 4K++ for whole car. The VKool HQ online shop price still listed a min. of 3950 and above.

VKool got publish TSER lar...55% for VKool Elite. All the tints TSER are even listed in their HQ online shop.

Coz I install 2.4K VKool Elite on another City about 12 years ago. Last year, I ask HQ for VKool Elite got about 3.8 to 4.2K, can't remember exactly but Sporthandling just say he get quoted 2.8K.

Did I mixed up the pricing?? coz even the website also showing 3950 min. pricing for VKool Elite.

Not free tint lar. Free tint is when there is no tint package and SA say he will throw in a free tint for you separately for you, maybe another carpet, petrol card... This one package price. Either you take the whole package with overprice items or you select the items you want separately at even more overprice cost.

All pakai hantam the TSER, when they put TSER so high for VLT 70%, you can forgo whatever they try to claim.

If I'm not wrong Toyota usually comes pre-tinted already although the tint could not match premium tint outside.

Actually 3rd party tints other that those officially authorized by car manufacturer can void certain warranty such as door related issues, etc. That depends on the car manufacturer. In most cases, they just ignore BUT there is a case with H brand does not want to replace a door parts under warranty coz they say they use 3rd party tint when common sense say its a defect but H brand for that case, insist got 3rd party tinting, no replacement. So go figure..