bad luck.
That pricey tint.

If using car for long term and parking under hot sun, cheap tints might not protect dashboard colour from fading.

Not to mentioned, its ok to keep changing tints but for rear demister windscreen, everytime change, the risk of damaging the demister is higher. Cheaper tints with bubble and lousy gum might just damage them.

If cheap tints degraded greatly year to year, the protection they provided would be much lesser every year. Depends on our own preference tho.

I prefer using a premium ones... fire and forget for many years, tint degradation is minimal thus dashboard, leather, degradation due to UV and heat are minimized as much as possible.

Thus my 18 years old City and 15 years old Civic dashboard, side plastic, rear panels colour does not fade at all or at least does not looks faded.  Looks very new inside the car. It helps with annual coating and good tints.

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.