The only practical advantage (for me) applies to rear boot/tailgate window. By double tinting, you don’t run the risk of damaging demister strips.

For the rest of the car, personally feel doubling just causes more issues. Loss of clarity is one thing, but you could also cause issues for the power windows.

It’s a thing because some people believe more = better.
The usual reasons are “more cooling” or “more security”.

Some people double tint until the combined VLT is like 15% or 5%, on the front windshield. I have no idea how these people drive at night or in indoor carparks.

This post has been edited by dev/numb: Aug 10 2023, 05:21 PM

What’s the advertised TSER for their 70% VLT film?

It’s as Cavino says – in our climate, no matter what brand, you will still feel some heat coming into the car on sunny days if the VLT is high, mainly because almost half of solar heat comes from visible light. Even if your premium tint film is doing its job blocking most of the infrared and ultraviolet heat, the 70% VLT would mean you’re still allowing a good chunk of regular visible light heat in.

The burn/sting from that sunlight is mostly traveling via the infrared wavelengths and should be reduced with a higher IRR rating, though the range of wavelengths it’s measured against varies with manufacturer (same for UVR). Anything below 95% IRR will still sting in our climate, and the higher up the IRR scale you go, you will notice even 1% extra makes some difference. To truly get rid of all the sting, you’d likely need to be 98% IRR or higher.

Also take note the all films work best at a certain angle from the sun, and that varies with car design, especially nowadays with super sloped windshields.

This post has been edited by dev/numb: Aug 11 2023, 10:55 PM

99% IRR on 70% VLT film is virtually impossible if measuring against a broader 780nm-1700nm range of infrared wavelengths. With such light film, you likely will only get 99% IRR reading on the narrow 900nm-1000nm spectrum. In layman terms, the narrower spectrum signifies the infrared heat let in the first 60 seconds, while the broader spectrum represents infrared heat entering after the initial minute. Some film might measure well in the narrow range, but perform poorly in the broad range, and vice versa.

For example, with this meter: https://www.edtm.com/ss2450-solar-spectrum-meter

3M Crystalline 50
Advertised with 97% IRR
Measured with EDTM SS2450 meter: 900nm-1000nm IRR = 99% / 780nm-1700nm = 87% IRR

Llumar F1 Stratos 50
Advertised with 97% IRR
Measured with EDTM SS2450 meter: 900nm-1000nm IRR = 96% / 780nm-1700nm = 93% IRR

If not mistaken, those typical China handheld meters measure IRR from 900nm-1400nm, so somewhere in the middle of the ranges stated above, although we cannot vouch for their accuracy. Some shops have more expensive meters but they’re usually tabletop types (need to connect wired to power point) so you can measure the film but can’t bring it to the window after application.

TSER is a calculation based on readings for UV, IR and VL heat, but we have no way to determine consistency if we base on manufacturer advertised numbers, because the wavelengths they test their films with are not (to my knowledge) standardized across the industry. The only way your 70% VLT windshield tint achieved that high 72% TSER number is by measuring IR and UV heat on very narrow spectrums before calculation. Upper limit for TSER measured on real-world wavelengths for a 70 VLT film should be around 60% (meaning it’s still allowing 40% of total solar heat to pass through), and even that is optimistic. Realistically, only 40% VLT or darker should be able to approach above 70% TSER (or higher) levels.

TL;DR
35% VLT = 70% TSER – can believe
70% VLT = 70% TSER – talking cock

This post has been edited by dev/numb: Aug 11 2023, 04:38 PM

As I stated, this car was bought for mum so I’ve had limited time behind the wheel, but initial impression is that it’s much better than the Toyota factory tint and the 3M Crystalline (which might have been a bad batch or fake) that was in her previous car. Front can still feel slight heat on very hot days (because there’s still a limit to what 60% VLT can do, same for my own car with V-kool 70 on the front and 55 on the sides), but there’s no stinging on the skin. Rear 30% VLT is extremely good. Possibly the best I’ve experienced. Car also cools down relatively fast after parking out in the sun, and once cooled down you don’t hear the “Auto” function on the air-con increasing/decreasing the fan speed to maintain temperature. It just stays low throughout the trip, whether driving under sun or shade.

Downsides are that my condo entry card reader doesn’t work, but auto-gate remote for mum’s landed house works, just that the distance is shorter (3 houses became 1 house distance). This is likely because the tint is blocking the signal but it’s still managing to pass through other parts of the car like the A-pillar or door seals. For keycard reader, no hope because window has to be parallel to scanner, so no choice but to wind down window. Phone signal also seems compromised a bit. Haven’t experienced any no-signal issues while on cellular or GPS so far, but when at mum’s house previously this phone could receive her wifi when inside the car while parked in the porch, but now cannot. Haven’t tested any SmartTag yet, because I use regular TnG or RFID on bumper.

Lastly, as with most multi-sputter/metallic tints, there’s a glossy mirror effect from the outside with a blue/green-ish color which might not suit all car colors. IrisPro is more blueish (aquamarine maybe), while V-kool is more green/yellow. If you prefer a charcoal/neutral tint then I guess ceramic tints are the best way to go.

This post has been edited by dev/numb: Aug 14 2023, 12:25 PM

What cars, if you don’t mind me asking?

The IrisPro sales rep I spoke to did claim that it would work with SmartTag, but the installer said it won’t work in most cases with their Diamond spec. He claimed that it would work with the Elite spec (one tier lower) though. One of the users on this forum also claimed the same thing – didn’t want to roll the dice at SmartTag gates so opted for Elite instead of Diamond line.

As for degradation, both the series’ I mentioned above come with a 10yr performance warranty (along with the usual bubbling, peeling, discoloration, fading warranty) where they will change the tint if IRR and UVR readings drop by 10% or more. Here’s the thing though; let’s say you lose only 5%, you cannot make a warranty claim and are stuck with a tint that performs on the level of cheaper tints again. So I wouldn’t put too much stock in all the performance warranties available here (Raytech also state same 10% thing in their warranty, iirc). The reason I went with them is because of their reputation with architectural film (my own company recently had them installed as well). One benefit of their warranty is that I can claim it at any authorized outlet, whereas with V-kool I’d need to visit the shop that installed it or make a trip to NVK Interior main HQ.

There definitely are alternatives out there similarly priced or cheaper. It’s just a matter of finding a trustworthy installer.



Yes, it covers that dotted bit surrounding the ADAS unit (funny that I don’t see it in your pic). In fact, that top part of her windscreen is double tinted with a darker strip. She doesn’t really travel on highways that require tolls, so not too bothered.

This post has been edited by dev/numb: Aug 14 2023, 09:45 PM

Would be more prudent to not spend too much in that case. Where are you based?

Totalgard posted some specs on page 415 of this thread. Also posted contact info on page 416. The rep’s name is Marn and he’s an employee at the HQ (I verified via LinkedIn). They’re wholesalers, but if you’re based in the KV/Selangor region, you can have installation done at their factory in Kepong. Iirc, their highest spec is around the RM1.5k mark. On this forum, ayamxxx and dogbert_chew use this brand (probably others as well), and I believe dogbert has been to their factory (correct me if I’m wrong dogbert).

Above RM2k, with regards to IrisPro, aside from myself, there’s ZZR-Pilot who has had it installed on two cars since last year, I believe. He also uses SmartTag, so maybe you can PM him to ask about his experience. If you decide on IrisPro, you can PM me for sales manager’s contact, since she promised she’d give a small additional discount to any friends I recommend. She’s based in their Puchong HQ, but she can set up appointments for any of their branches/installers in the country.

There’s also one popular seller somewhere in this forum who sells 3M and has good reviews from the people who installed at his shop. Can’t remember his nick, but his avatar is some One Piece anime character. Maybe someone else can help you here, or use your search-fu. Edit: it’s dog999 who posted below.

Definitely other brands out there, but I can only recommend based on what I’ve used myself or based on more recent postings from this thread.

This post has been edited by dev/numb: Aug 16 2023, 09:01 PM

Would help if you included your budget and location.

As for tint tech, basically it’s all dye, ceramic and metallic based. You can just ignore all that nano nonsense.

Cheapest tint films are purely dye based and tend to wear out fast, and if really cheapo the dyes are potentially dangerous as the film wears out since you can inhale dangerous fumes.

More expensive tints also have a layer or two of dyes, followed by additional layers of ceramic or metallic sputter, or a combination of both (multilayer/double-sputter).

Metallic based tints would, in theory, provide the best heat rejection since metals reflect heat, but it depends on the kinds of metals used and how they degrade over time (some metals oxidize faster than others). Metallic tints can also potentially degrade some electronic signals like GPS.

Ceramics absorb instead of reflect heat, so their performance is more dependent on factors like wind (which will disperse heat collected on the windshield on top of the tint film) when the car is moving, but ceramics tend to degrade slower than metals so ceramic based tint films should, in theory, experience less performance degradation over time.

Obviously none of the above matters because this is Malaysia and everybody can tell cerita dongeng marketing story and display fake certs on their wall.

Not expert here. Just giving my 2 cents.

If you want to stay below RM 1.5k, with today’s inflated prices, you have 3 choices;
[a] get low/mid spec from established brand, which frankly isn’t great for heat rejection
[b] go with local shop’s in house brand, which is a lottery
[c] buy rolls from manufacturer/wholesaler and pay tint/accessory shop to install, no warranty.

I suggest you just ignore option [a] unless you know some shop giving huge discount (also risky because might be fake). With the current market prices, likely impossible to get top spec from established brands.

For option [b] it greatly depends on the shop and installer. Some small shop can be very skilled installers and the unknown brands they sell can actually perform quite well, but it’s like maybe 1 out of 10 shops that can be trusted. I don’t know about Kedah, but where I live (JB), some of the accessory shops offer brands like Riken or Parasol which are quite high spec in terms of IRR/TSER for under RM1.5k. Reviews from locals are good, but in terms of warranty you’re limited to that one shop where you installed.

Option [c] can be most cost effective of you stick to 1 or 2 types of VLT (eg: 50 for front and 30 for back, means you buy 2 rolls, or if whole car same VLT then just 1 roll), provided you can find an installer in your town/suburb who is willing to install for you at a decent price. In terms of warranty, likely impossible to claim if encounter problems because manufacturer will blame the installer’s application skill and installer will blame manufacturer’s film quality, but you will likely have excess film from the rolls to just install again if needed.

This post has been edited by dev/numb: Aug 22 2023, 01:50 AM

Offer from panel means this is a new car and it’s the panel from the showroom or salesman? Or do you mean manufacturer OEM option?

Usually, these kinds of offers are overpriced, but can’t be sure unless we know what brand they are offering?

From the specs you listed, likely they’re giving you the brand’s top spec for the front and roof, and mid spec for side windows.

Never heard of them. Likely they just get from a local or China OEM and rebrand. Marketing is all over the place. Their ads say “97% heat rejection” which is impossible. Likely the person in charge of the ad cannot tell difference between IRR and TSER, so he/she assumed IRR = total heat rejection.

Aside from that, a lot of bogus emblems at the bottom. No tint is JPJ endorsed, so I have no idea why they put the JPJ logo there. At most, a tint film distributor/manufacturer can apply for Sirim approval – like this example: https://windowtint.irispro.com/wp-content/u...2022/11/PDF.pdf – and show a Sirim logo on their brochure. Afaik, JPJ does not do any sort of certification process like that. Likely this company did not work with any of the agencies and just copy-pasta their logos.

Still possible it’s a decent tint in the real world though. All depends on which OEM they order from. It’s just that nobody here can verify their quality from their bogus marketing alone.

This post has been edited by dev/numb: Aug 24 2023, 04:02 PM

Penang? My search-fu only yielded results for some “Shine Guard” shop in Bkt Mertajam offering “Lustro Sputter Tinted” along with coating and PPF services. Some facebook pages, but I couldn’t check because I don’t have/want a FB account (my DNS filtering blocks FB anyway). Maybe you can perform your own search to verify. That pricing for a panel shop is really high though.

Master Cool Film at Tebrau (just input into Google Maps) is the authorized installer in JB. Boss name is Ah Chai.

Probably too late, but if you happen to read this before leaving the place, could you ask them for MSRP for rolls of their Infusion Pro, Titanium Plus and Ceramic Plus lines?

No worries. I already have their number.

I realize it’s still curing, but how does the installation quality look so far?

I’m not questioning the quality of the film. Just the quality of installation. Because if we go back a few years in this thread;- some people (like yourself) had no issues, while others complained of trapped dust and streaks. I asked the question to gauge if their installation QC at the Kepong warehouse has improved over time.

I mentioned in a prior post that for older cars they will always say it’s impossible, likely because the tint has gone through many cycles of heating and cooling against the demister strips, so the material used for the strips has effectively “fused” with the film and will undoubtedly come off when removed.

The only shop that gave me a 100% guarantee (he was so confident he even said he would bear cost of replacement screen if demister was damaged) also claimed that it was only for new cars. Any car that has been on the road for some time or had previously had tint replaced, no such guarantee.

The guy (not the same shop I mentioned in above paragraph) who removed my rear tint film did use a heat gun and worked very slowly, but even he claimed there was a small chance of demister damage. I rolled the dice and everything went well.

There is a (supposedly) surefire DIY method with guides available online. It involves a trash bag, soap and heat gun, iirc. Not sure if it’s semi-related to the method you employed. If anyone has the time and patience (and self confidence), they could remove the rear film themselves before going to the shop for new film installation.

This post has been edited by dev/numb: Sep 6 2023, 10:01 PM

You need to take many of these 99% IRR claims with a pinch of salt, especially for lighter VLT, as they’re likely measured against a very narrow spectrum, usually just 900nm - 1000nm. If you take a more realistic range, for example 900nm - 1400nm (the spectrum that makes your skin burn) or 700nm - 1700nm (the spectrum that cooks your seats and dashboard), there’s likely no solar film in the market lighter than 40% VLT that can reach such high IRR numbers

Edit:
See here – https://gguard.com.my/wp-content/uploads/20...-Poster2022.pdf
If these specs are to be believed, only their darker VLT will reach such high 96-98% IRR along narrow and wider spectrums. Your JPJ approved VLT70 front windscreen tint will never achieve those IRR values.

This post has been edited by dev/numb: Sep 7 2023, 11:38 PM

I think it depends on what wavelengths are being blocked and whether the SmartTag reader uses those particular wavelengths. Some >96% tints still allow the signal to pass due to a certain spectrum containing that particular wavelength not being strongly blocked.

Even for Photosync IRD there are testers from overseas forums who claim the numbers are too good to be true and just don’t add up, so we really shouldn’t simply believe any manufacturer 100%. Really hard to verify every make of tint unless all manufacturers agree to send to the same independent body for testing one day.

Bro, can elaborate please? Both top and bottom seem to be ~60% VLT, but top one has superior IRR (really good for such a light tint). Are the two meters measuring different wavelengths?

Edit: Ooh, okay. I went to the Linshang Technology website and searched their meters. It seems the non-A model measures IR at 940nm and the A model measures at 1400nm. Props to Totalgard for demo’ing with two meters.

This post has been edited by dev/numb: Sep 9 2023, 01:13 AM