- How to choose a tinting film
- Rating of the best manufacturers of tinting films for the car
- Llumar
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- 3m
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- Global
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- Armolan
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- SunTek
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- Solar Gard
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- JOHNSON
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- SunControl
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- ASWF
- Disadvantages
- Disadvantages
- MTF
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- Sun-Gard
- Advantages
- disadvantages
When the burning rays of the sun penetrate into the salon of a car for a long time, there is an acute desire to close the windows with a lightproof material. But of the different variants of tinting, the rules of road traffic allow only tinting. GOST 5727-88 allows operating vehicles with a light transmission of not less than 75% of the windshield and up to 70% of the front side windows. The easiest way to get the desired coolness inside the vehicle is with tinting film. Today American manufacturers dominate on Russian market; their production is famous for its high quality and longevity. The domestic and Asian brands try to lure the buyer by reasonable price. In the sea of automobile films it is possible to choose optimum variant for your car only with the help of experts.
How to choose a tinting film
Percent light transmittance.First of all it is necessary to understand the light transmittance of tinting.
- If the light transmittance percentage is not more than 5, then the situation in the salon is not visible from the street. The use of such a film allows one to visually fence oneself off from the surrounding world.
- At 15% light transmission, passersby will only see the silhouettes of the passengers. But to distinguish their faces, as well as to determine the type of objects people in the street will not be able to.
- From 35% light transmission, faces of people and things lying in the car are clearly visible.
- These films may only be used on the rear windows of a vehicle.
Types of tinting films.There are several varieties of film materials, which are used for tinting car windows.
- Dyed films are considered the most affordable and the easiest. During the production process the colorant is introduced into the polymer base material, forming a shading effect. Service life of such toning is not long, i. e. k. paint fades quickly.
- Metallized films have a better durability. Usually an aluminum-based coating is applied to a layer of paint. But it does cause radio interference.
- The energy saving film looks transparent, but it efficiently fights the reflections and UV rays, without letting them into the passenger compartment. With the help of such toning it is possible to save fuel, including the air conditioner at a lower capacity.
- Carbon film is a modern and expensive material. The film is coated with graphite, which retains the sun’s rays, thanks to a special technology. This product combines the best properties of all the other kinds of tinting, but the price discourages many motorists.
Film color. Manufacturers use several colors in the creation of the tinting film.
- Metallized coating gives mirror shine to blackout on the street side. It reflects a large percentage of sunlight, but in the dark, visibility deteriorates.
- Anything from black to yellow can be matched to the body color. However, according to experts, any color shade in the tinting leads to rapid eye fatigue.
- Some motorists prefer the combined option of tinting. Shading of front windshields (front and side windows) with a light film, as required by the traffic regulations. Dark tinting is glued on the rear windows, it forms a shady area in the car with a comfortable microclimate.
We’ve reviewed 11 best manufacturers of tinting films. They all sell their products on the Russian market. Opinion of the expert community and feedback from car enthusiasts were taken into account when assigning the places.
Rating of the best manufacturers of tinting films for the car
| Nomination | place | manufacturer | rating |
| Rating of the best manufacturers of car tinting film | 1 | Llumar | 5.0 |
| 2 | 3m | 4.9 | |
| 3 | Global | 4.8 | |
| 4 | Armolan | 4.7 | |
| 5 | SunTek | 4.6 | |
| 6 | Solar Gard | 4.5 | |
| 7 | JOHNSON | 4.4 | |
| 8 | SunControl | 4.3 | |
| 9 | ASWF | 4.2 | |
| 10 | MTF | 4.1 | |
| 11 | Sun-Gard | 4.0 |
Llumar
Rating: 5.0
American company EastmanChemical offers a wide range of Llumar toning films for Russian consumers. Llumar was founded in 1920, but the Llumar trademark appeared in 1956, after the development of technology for producing dyed polyethylene terephthalate. Thanks to strict controls at all factories, products are of high quality, resistant to burnout and have a long service life (up to 6 years). Experts note the high strength of the film, which is achieved by applying the smallest metal particles. The brand becomes the winner of our rating.
National motorists praise Llumar films for their effective obstacle to ultraviolet light, increased strength of glass, and transparency (light transmission percentage 15-68). They believe that the disadvantages are the high price and the appearance of counterfeits on the market.
Advantages
- high quality;
- durability;
- durability;
- transparency.
Disadvantages
- high price.
3m
Rating: 4.9
The leading position on the domestic market of tinting films is held by another American company, 3M. Experts liked the responsible approach of the producer, he confirms the quality of his products with guarantee promises. The base of the multilayer film material is nanocarbon polyester. It has no metallic coating, so the film does not interfere with electrical appliances after tinting windows. It provides reliable protection for the driver and passengers from the effects of UV rays. The brand is number two in the ranking.
Russian car owners especially like the Metal toning film
Advantages
- product warranty;
- high quality;
- does not create any obstacles;
- Effectively retains UV rays.
Disadvantages
- deficit in stores in Russia.
Global
Rating: 4.8
Tinting film Global has recently appeared in the Russian market. Russian car drivers have come to appreciate the benefits of these products, achieved through innovative technology. Experts note the full cycle of manufacturing film material, from development to packaging. The most important advantages of tinting are durability, reliable protection of the car interior from UV rays and increasing strength of the windows. The manufacturer uses a ceramic coating that does not create radio interference. The brand gets a bronze in our ranking.
On auto forums there are many flattering words to address the tinting Global. It really protects from the burning rays of the sun, improving the microclimate inside the car. While the brand can not boast of popularity in our country.
Advantages
- innovative technologies;
- durability;
- Effectively reflects the sun’s rays;
- ceramic spraying.
Disadvantages
- Little known in Russia.
Armolan
Rating: 4.7
A number of advantages found by experts in the American Armolan film. High level of sun rays filtration (up to 100%). Tinting eliminates the sun’s glare from the glass and headlight oncoming cars. It gets cooler in hot summer and retains heat inside the car in winter. Applying Armolan toning, you can highlight your car, make it recognizable. The producer carries out the competent pricing policy that favourably influences the level of sales in Russia. The brand gets into our rating for perfect adhesion.
Users are pleased with the protection from sunlight, durability and visibility in daylight. Driving a car at night becomes uncomfortable.
Advantages
- Effective filtration of UV rays;
- glare suppression;
- Thermal insulation properties;
- affordable prices.
Disadvantages
- bad visibility at night.
SunTek
Rating: 4.6
Often there are disputes on automobile forums, where SunTek tinting film is mentioned. Many users consider it one of the best tint on the domestic market. Experts have analyzed the technical characteristics of the material, finding many advantages. The quality filtering of sunlight is commendable. The film has thermal insulation properties, so a pleasant microclimate in the cabin is formed both in summer and winter. Tinting material makes glass stronger and safer. Service life of the film reaches 5 years. The brand gets in the TOP 5 of our rating.
Among the disadvantages of SunTek car tinting owners often mention high price and complicated installation. It is also difficult to find a film for one car.
Advantages
- resistance to burn-out;
- anti-scratch coating;
- high quality;
- good visibility.
Disadvantages
- high price;
- installation complexity.
Solar Gard
Rating: 4.5
Another American company Solar Gard successfully competes on the Russian market. It specializes in the production of automotive and construction films. Getting into our rating of the brand is not accidental, the tinting has a number of attractive factors. Experts note the high reflectivity (up to 60% of sunlight), excellent filtration of UV rays (up to 99%), no distortion. After removing the tinting there is no glue or film material residue on the glass.
Car owners are satisfied with the multilevel system of light transmission, protection of glass from mechanical damage, no interference with GPS, GSM, GLONASS receivers. But in the light of street lamps appear multicolored iridescence.
Advantages
- High reflectivity;
- Excellent filtration of UV rays;
- reliable protection of glass from scratches and scuffs;
- does not interfere.
Disadvantages
- At night there are multicolored shimmers.
JOHNSON
Rating: 4.4
JOHNSON brand drew attention of our experts to a unique technology of manufacturing tinting films. The American manufacturer makes the base of the tint from charcoal. Thus the filtration of ultraviolet light reaches 99%, and the reflection of thermal rays is at 65%. The film has an anti-reflective coating that levels out direct sunlight or headlight from oncoming cars. The quality of the material is at the highest level, as evidenced by the manufacturer’s warranty commitments.
On a number of parameters the brand is inferior to the leaders of the rating. Tinting has a bluish tint, which leads to eye fatigue. Not the most outstanding are such qualities as glare control and evenness of the film after sticking (shagreening).
Advantages
- advanced technology;
- high degree of heat reflection;
- good filtration of UV rays;
- long warranty period.
Disadvantages
- bluish tint;
- uneven surface.
SunControl
Rating: 4.3
American brand SunControl has entrusted the production of tinting film to a company in India. Such move made it possible to achieve the best combination of price and quality. According to experts, tinting looks decent in such parameters as UV filtration (up to 99%), noise isolation capabilities, protection of the driver and passengers from electromagnetic radiation. Tests confirmed lower fuel consumption (up to 3%) for the vehicle’s climate system. The brand higher in our rating was prevented by a large number of fake products.
Russian motorists praise toning SunControl for the small thickness (28 microns), good glare suppression, noise reduction in the cabin. Negative reviews are due mainly to counterfeiting.
Advantages
- High level of UV filtration;
- Noise isolation;
- low thickness;
- fuel economy.
Disadvantages
- A lot of counterfeit.
ASWF
Rating: 4.2
One of the easiest to install tinting films is the products of the American company ASWF. Tinting is not inferior to the world’s best products in terms of appearance. The combination of antireflective coating and a high degree of color rendering makes the microclimate in the passenger compartment as comfortable as possible. Experts praise the brand for the development of advanced technology, through which the film material is environmentally friendly and safe. The brand ranks among the top ten manufacturers in our ranking.
Domestic car owners like to stick their own tinting. In case of an error, the film can be removed, with no traces of glue on the glass. The disadvantages of the brand users include high price and low resistance to mechanical damage.
Disadvantages
- high quality;
- easy installation;
- environmental friendliness and safety;
- quality adhesive.
Disadvantages
- high price;
- is afraid of mechanical damages.
MTF
Rating: 4.1
The most affordable products for fans of tinting is produced by the Russian company MTF. The brand’s catalog has a wide range of films, which differ in light transmission and appearance. The domestic manufacturer can compete with well-known American and Chinese companies due to modern equipment and advanced technology. Experts praise the quality of the product, excellent visibility, resistant protective coating. The brand is deservedly in our rating.
MTF tinting is in steady demand among domestic drivers, as confirmed by the staff of specialized service stations. They mention the necessity of a long heating when installing it.
Advantages
- good quality;
- reasonable price;
- excellent visibility;
- resistant protective coating.
Disadvantages
- Requires a long heating time during installation.
Sun-Gard
Rating: 4.0
The American company Sun-Gard has a good reputation among Russian motorists. The manufacturer sells three series of film material on the domestic market. Experts praised the multi-layered structure of the tinting (6 layers). There is a reliable protective coating to protect the polymer base from damage. The use of innovative technologies borrowed from the space industry should be added to the company’s assets. Probably, therefore the prices for Sun-Gard products are also spacey. the brand gets into our rating for high reflective (up to 65%) and filtering (up to 99%) ability.
Car owners, who choose American toning, are satisfied with its quality and the degree of comfort in the cabin. The film gives minimal distortion of road conditions.
Advantages
- space technology;
- high quality;
- Excellent filtering of UV rays;
- good reflectivity.
disadvantages
- high price.
