2 questions:

1: What's a decent price for having all the windows tinted? My car is a 2017 Fiesta hatchback, so minimum 9 windows [4 doors, 4 1/4 windows [2 front, 2 back] and the hatch glass]. Would also want to get near transparent [80-90%?] UV tint on the windshield. Has a sunroof too, not sure if it'd be worth getting it done in the same as the windshield or a darker to match the doors. All in, that would be 11 windows.

2: Brands/models to seek out?

If anyone has N Houston tint shop recommendations, that would be great too. The place I go to for state inspection does tint, but no idea what they use. They quoted me $300 for everything but the sunroof.

Call around, there are a bazzillion and one shops that do this.
I had my trucks done by All Out Offroad and they did fine.
Then stop by and check out their work if you are concerned.

Last time I looked into this, ceramic tint was the preferred. Can get level of darkness you want/don't want and still good heat rejection.

About 10 years ago, I had 3M Crystalline film applied; not sure if there is anything newer / better offered now but I my default choice would be the Crystalline for IR/heat reduction (self measured w/ IR temp meter).

At the time, I think it was about $300 per window, $500 for rear windshield. Film was applied with windows in place (I've gone to installers that remove the windows to apply the film border to border - costs a little extra, takes a little more time. Comes out seamless but for this car, I didn't need it).

I would seriously run from a place that charged only $300. For 4 windows + rear windshield, I'd expect to pay about $1200-$2000. YMMV.

https://llumar.com/na/en/autom...formulaone-pinnacle/

I've put this on two different vehicles. Lifetime warranty. I've been happy with it.

I had a couple pieces go bad on the first install like a year into it. They used two different rolls, and apparently the one roll had defects. They replaced with no hassle.

I think install costs are going to vary wildly depending on regions. Like Konata88's estimates look *really* high for PA.

300 for that car sounds about right

Agree with comment that prices, especially labor, will vary by region with west coast prices perhaps on the higher end. And I should have mentioned the vehicle is a truck (say, 25-50% larger window area than sedan). So cost adjusted for a car may be about $1000-1500. Again, around here.

You guys are lucky if you're only paying $300 for the whole car (for 3M Crystalline film?). Not sure I can pay that around here even for bubble fade film that is only tint.

But normalize prices by specific film model (ie - 3M Crystalline) as that will vary considerably in price per foot.

I'd first pick the film you want then shop around for a pkg price (film + install) from well reviewed installers. In my opinion, there is a dramatic difference in films - don't let the installer choose it for you.

You want Ceramic with a lifetime warranty. That will cover you just fine.
Huper Optik is the best hard to come by and big money
Llumar and Formula One are like next

All ceramic for the Navigator front/rear windshield, all rear windows, and panoramic sunroof at 95% and 35% on the front windows was $550.

Ceramic is a must for heat rejection but also it does not interfere with all the fancy electronics these vehicles have these days.

I had the Tesla tinted in Phoenix. It was a lot of glass. The back window on a model 3 is huge. The whole top half of the car is glass. I had them use XPEL Prime tint (nano ceramic heat rejecting tint) I also had the windshield done in 85%. Side and rear windows were legal 35%. Sunroof was 20%. It was $1400 for the whole car. I would expect around 1000-1100 for a Ford Fiesta.

Huper Optik was the best back in the day. It’s hard to find and was very expensive. XPEL Prime is every bit as good. It’s not any cheaper, but it’s fantastic tint and more readily available.

Call around. Most also have a "per window" base price.

I had mine redone by a mobile guy a while back. His Google reviews were all positive and pricing was much lower than a shop with a lot more overhead. He showed up on time, setup and was done in about 2 hours. I’ve sat in some shops for half a day waiting after I was told it “it will only take about an hour or two”.

Long story short - check to see if there’s a reputable mobile company that will come to you.

I paid $300 for metallic tint...in 2002. Anybody charging that little today probably doesn't understand how much labor is required, they're using garbage material, or both.

^^^^^^^^^^^^
Labor on window tint is nowhere what it used to be.
Everything is cut so precisely by a computer now. Way less work than cutting them by hand like the old days.
Unless you have something extra special or brand new labor is very minimal.

XPel.

3M Crystalline for the win.

I did all the glass on my car including the windshield.

Does a good job repelling the heat.

Looks great too…

I realize what the windshield tint could do for that GIANT hunk of glass up front. The problem would be when it gets replaced.
Around here, windshields last longer than Phx (less driving too), but I’m on my second one. If you get 3+ stars in the window my insurance company will want to replace it. Especially if there is a crack formed in your line of vision. I have glass coverage.

Edit to add: Beancooker, you have email inbound.

I had my 4runner done a couple years ago with ceramic 50%. $500 for all windows minus the front windshield.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
(I've gone to installers that remove the windows to apply the film border to border - costs a little extra, takes a little more time. Comes out seamless but for this car, I didn't need it).

Do these installers remove the front and rear windows as well?

quote:

Originally posted by KMitch200:
I realize what the windshield tint could do for that GIANT hunk of glass up front. The problem would be when it gets replaced.
Around here, windshields last longer than Phx (less driving too), but I’m on my second one. If you get 3+ stars in the window my insurance company will want to replace it. Especially if there is a crack formed in your line of vision. I have glass coverage.

Edit to add: Beancooker, you have email inbound.

27 years of driving a quite a few cars never had to replace a windshield.
I guess even if insurance didn’t cover the film. You’re talking less than $100 to do just the windshield.

quote:

Originally posted by MattW:
I had mine redone by a mobile guy a while back. His Google reviews were all positive and pricing was much lower than a shop with a lot more overhead. He showed up on time, setup and was done in about 2 hours. I’ve sat in some shops for half a day waiting after I was told it “it will only take about an hour or two”.

Long story short - check to see if there’s a reputable mobile company that will come to you.

This is my route. But I've got a buddy of mine that is a local mobile tint guy. Shows up at your house at your convenience. No big shop overhead. Spends a couple hours and knocks it out. I think my Tesla Model 3 was like $450-$500 ish. And the big roof window thing is HUGE.