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.

Huperoptik… used for 5 years on my old car
New car 1 year already

No fade no bubble just perfect. Ceramic based so no issues with smart tag. RFID also no issue (my guard house uses rfid sticker — I stick it inside the car windscreen).

Hi all, was quoted in jb for Agh30 as follows:
The prices quoted are reasonables? And which would be the best choice. All quite within budget and price range except vkool, price diff by far. Tqvm

Vkool rm4200
front ws/passenger - vkool 55/or elite*
Rear passenger and rs, - vkool 30

Rhinepro diamond 11 Rm3300
front ws/passenger - 70/40
Rear passenger and rs, - 20

Aswf Rm3400
front ws/passenger - dimension x 70/40
Rear passenger and rs, - xir 35

3m crystalline series Rm2880 another vendor quoted this with free hl ppf.

This post has been edited by Eng_Tat: Jan 13 2025, 09:50 AM

Anyone here using 3M Crystalline with a small hole cut for Smart Tag? What's your success rate when passing through SmartTag lanes?

Previously I went for Ceramic as I did not want to risk Smart Tag detection failing, but for my other car I'd like to go for Crystalline with if anyone here has positive experience with the cut hole method for Crystalline

Noted, will look into this brand

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).

I’ve never seen smart tag work for real original crystalline tint.

Other 3M tint it works lah.

wow....so many brands to digest.

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

tint, thinner or thicker are better? seem like most dont really have jpj approve ws tinting.

What other brand would you recommend? For something similar to 3M Crystalline spec, I'm looking at XPEL & VKOOL but its nearly double the price of the 3M Crystalline, not sure if its worth the extra bucks

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

Tint thinner vs thicker are for security vs normal tint. It doesn't effect for heat rejection

rhinepro also not cheap ler. anyone using huperoptik?

MY CX5 has HuperOptik for last 10 years. No problems so far.
My new Prado is fixed with Rhinepro Diamond. Just 1 week old. But the heat rejection is really good. Aircon is so cold and windscreen hardly feel any heat coming in!

expensive film

HuperO was extremely expensive 10 years ago. But seems quite good.
Rhinepro expensive? Cheaper than HuperO 10 years ago.

i had HO on my old W205. good tint! but i saw rhinepro also in the 3k region.

I cannot find the HO in my place anymore. So i went for the Rhinepro. The heat rejection is very good.