hi  pm me for civic fe

Pmed yea, thanks for enquiry!

Hi bro, can pm me the latest package.

Unfortunately I cannot commend much now on recent VKool Serendipity aka Elite.
Like you my experience range from 2 decade to few years ago.

I used to have all my cars with VKool Elite until recently when the price goes up to the roof. Previously when VKool just started the Elite series from basic VKool 70, they switched the front windscreen to a spec called VKool 75 aka Euro spec that is very compatible with smart tag.

VKool 70 itself is not very smart tag friendly but Elite somehow is a go....so I suspect the front then is still VKool 75 or similar spec but using a different spec UNLESS they upgraded VKool 70 to be friendly. Now I don't really know if the front Windscreen in Serendipity is using VKool 70, if it still is the old type, then same problem.

I am using Samsung S4 and then Note 8, now S22 Ultra. The older S4 series got lots of problem with VKool Elite. Note 8 better but intermittently have issues.
S22 Ultra with up to date GPS have not issue with it tho. GPS seems to be getting stronger for each phone upgrade.

I switched to Irispro high end metallic-based DX series for all my old and new cars tho. So did not try out the recent VKool Serendipity series.

However if you are using Carplay tho, Carplay GPS might have problems with high metallic based tint with super high IRR.

My kid's iPhone's Carplay has lots of problem detecting GPS in highest end metallic-based tints like the one I have. Android Auto GPS tho have ZERO issue with my current Irispro DX and Titan metallic-based tint. So if you are using Carplay, you might want to avoid highest end metallic-based tint. Android Auto tho have almost no issue at that. However DDPai z50 and z60 dashcam GPS has no issue connecting tho. Just iPhone somehow.

IMO, iPhone GPS is somehow not as strong as Android phone. Using phones without Carplay or AA in highest end Titan series, iPhones have intermittent disconnection while my S22 has zero issues with it.

I can only commend based on my usage experience and might not represent overall experience of others.

how bad is life using Vkool ?

bad enough to want to tear it and consider something else like SolarGard or TotalGard?

Errmm. Who wants to do that. VKool is one of the older brand that is the "gold standard" of car tints.

Unfortunately the pricing now is also "GOLD" standard... ..unless you can get it at a discount when buying a car (part of SA deals with you).

All my cars changed out VKool tints about 1 year or is it 2 ago, not becoz it is bad. I have to change them becoz the tints started peeling and blurring. They worked and lasted an incredible 13 to 16 years. Due to the "GOLD" standard in pricing, I have to look for my preferred metallic based tints, that is where I found and use local branded premium high end metallic based Irispro Tints. So far, so good after a year or 2, super great performance except for Carplay issue that I don't use.

So no, I don't think most will ever TEAR it out for SolarGard or TotalGard UNLESS they desperately wanted a darker tint and cannot afford or WILLING to tint back more premium tints. That is really preference. Not everyone is as crazy and particular on tints like me...hahaha.

That is not to say TotalGard and SolarGard are not good, they have pretty good reputation for their price range. . Just different price range with different expectation.

appreciate the reply

house brand that I've heard lasts pretty good up to 5 years, so I do agree with you, not brand bashing or anything

just that some things cannot go cheap, especially since these films do have chemical adhesives which can be penny wise pound foolish

My understanding of house brand for tint is brand that only that local installer shop carry. Mostly rebrand or unknown brand quality and only garantee is by the shop.
Some however understand tint house brand is local branded tints that include established brand like totalgard, irispro. That is not my understanding of house brand of tint. Not sure which is one right understanding tho.

I myself would never go for house brand (above understanding that brand a shop carry, rebranded or cheap unknown quality).

Solargard / Totalgard is not house brand (again, based on my understanding as above). These are very affordable reputable brands.

There are also premium international brands like VKool, 3M, etc.
Finally there is local established brands that produced or carry premium tints like Irispro, Raytech that have both national and international presence.

Raytech for example carry imported tints / partnership with external manufacturer while brand like Irispro and Totalgard produced their own tints.

In terms of metallic based tints, beside VKool, Irispro is one of those rare few that produced premium high quality metallic based tints. So that is why I go for it after checking them out. I am biased to metallic based tint, so that is my preference. Nothing is perfect tho, but for me, they are technically the best premium metallic tints that I can get at a pprice range I can accept.

my bad, might have caused some confusion
when I mentioned "house brand", i wasn't referring to SolarGard or Irispro or TotalGard

house brand is no brand, usually the boss (or some boss) sourced it themselves or, custom made to a certain spec and expected lifespan, and then distribute it across a region. For example like they ordered some 2k~10k rolls of film, metallic sputter with different VLT and high quality adhesives that doesn't melt when peeled, and so on; to be distributed around local accessories shops

I don't mind house brand, I've used them quite a few sputtered films and they hold up, just never compared against established metallic tints
but, I do have experience comparing with other local brands that are ceramic or other non-metallic type so I personally feel metallic is the go to

my bad, might have caused some confusion
when I mentioned "house brand", i wasn't referring to SolarGard or Irispro or TotalGard

house brand is no brand, usually the boss (or some boss) sourced it themselves or, custom made to a certain spec and expected lifespan, and then distribute it across a region. For example like they ordered some 2k~10k rolls of film, metallic sputter with different VLT and high quality adhesives that doesn't melt when peeled, and so on; to be distributed around local accessories shops

I don't mind house brand, I've used them quite a few sputtered films and they hold up, just never compared against established metallic tints
but, I do have experience comparing with other local brands that are ceramic or other non-metallic type so I personally feel metallic is the go to

I would against the house brand, those that very2 cheap, rm50 get all doors. Reason safety. The tint is dark for sure as per the customer's request, but it is even darker from the inside, that's dangerous.

I'm more on the fence, and I decide on each house brand by credibility of the shop, and of course price

each batch of house brand is custom built to order, and budget is the main factor
RM50 for all doors just means it's probably a dyed film, and unknown level of toxicity with the adhesive

of course there are good house brands, because the range from very very low end like textbook wrapping paper all the way up to premium films with premium metals - all with each their compromises - just don't get me in trouble when removing them because the adhesive gets stuck on my window glass