kneman1

I have a couple of questions and wanted to see what you guys think.

1. Window Tint-Are most of you putting this on? If so are you using crystalline 3M or something else

2. Clear Bra-are most you putting this one and if so what brand. 3M Xpel or SunTek.

3. Is anyone using Cquartz to coat their cars and wraps?

Too many decisions!!!!

Napoli

My car is not in yet, but I'm going w/ the 3M Crystaline tint, Expel clear bra and windshield film, and CQ on paint and wheels.

needmoregarage

Can't speak to window tint but we have used Xpel Ultimate on 3 cars. I had 3M on a car and it yellowed after one year. Very pleased with Xpel Ultimate.

Choose your installer carefully. The installation makes a big difference. Our guy wraps every possible edge. He cuts the patterns so they are bigger than the body part (in most cases) and wraps under headlights. It is difficult to tell the car has any film on the paint because it's clear and smooth.

I used a windshield film for a year (can't recall the brand). It was installed by a pro - but there were bubbles and it caused distortion (minor). Distorted areas weren't in direct sight line, and it did the job of protecting the windshield from some gritty tracks - but we opted to remove it after a year.

Jimmy-D

Did 3M crystalline tint 40

Xpel ultimate.

Did Cquartz on whole car(over Xpel) and Opti-coat on the rims

991RDC

I would recommend Xpel Ultimate, this product carries a 10 year warranty against yellowing, cracking, peeling, staining and it's Self Healing. For the window tint Crystalline is a excellent product, but I went with the LLumar AIR 80 window film uses nano-ceramic technology, both are excellent products. I also would recommend ClearPlex on your windshield, it was $400 but well worth it, I'd have 3 chips on my windshield if I didn't have it installed when I first bought my car.

brass4321

I will probably tint mine and I will check out 3M Crystalline. I just want to see it against Jet Black Metallic before I decide. I expect to have a Suntek clear bra installed from the A-pillars forward and to have Cquartz applied on top. Opticoat on the wheels.

MoeMistry

Keep it simple...there are many choices and even more opinions.

Your best bet is to find out what YOU want/need and start from there.

From my personal experience:

Clear Bra: What color is your GT3? How OCD are you? Is warranty more important than "look"? How long will you keep GT3?

3M - Good durability, lots of orange peel, a little difficult to remove when you ever need to, a little hassle to deal with when it comes to warranty

XPEL Ultimate - Industry standard, self-healing, great durability, does have some light texture, easy to work with when you need warranty work, make sure to get a great installer, otherwise, stretch marks

Suntek - Excellent clarity, self-healing, "feels" a little thinner than XPEL Ultimate, great to work with for installer, push the film to the limits, comes in handy when trying to do the bumper in 1-piece. Easy to work with when you have warranty claims

Tint - Lots of great choices out there. Definitely go ceramic because you can have a lighter shade and great heat rejection.

3M Crystalline - Amazing heat rejection from a non-ceramic film. Has a brownish-hue to it. Thin, which translates to easily scratched. Not very durable. Also has a slight cloudy look to it when you look at an angle

Huper Optik Ceramic - Nanoceramic film. Excellent heat rejection AND Clarity. Difficult to install by most guys, so seek out someone that does it a lot. Has a "neutral" look...it's charcoal. You can have a light shade, 60, which barely looks "tinted" and get amazing heat rejection. We install this film and it's the only film we use. I've played with several brands, chose this to keep my client's life simple and not overwhelm them with choices. It's been the best nanoceramic film from Germany for almost 20 years.

Protective coatings - Not a MUST, but it's the most cutting-edge technology that replaces waxes and sealants

Nano coating - Newest advancement in our industry that delivers unmatched protection, durability, amazing depth and shine, and self-cleaning abilities.

CQuartz Finest is on the forefront of the nano revolution because it's been around, has a solid network of skilled installers, and the product works. Lots of people jumping on the nano wagon, and some are merely industrial coating that are relabled and can damage the paint. You're safe with CQuartz and it can be applied on paint and clear bra. If it's not your driver, expect 18-24 months of protection with proper maintenance. Make sure whomever does the work does the proper prep work. Paint must be near perfect and extremely clean prior to CQuartz Finest application.

I hope this helps. Products mentioned above are some of the best in the industry. But your installer should be the main selling point. You can have the best material/product, but if the person using or installing it isn't skilled enough to extract the maximum performance from the material, you run into issues you may wish didn't arise. When shopping around, your key concern should be the monkey behind the wheels, and how he/she will perform the work on your GT3. Prices for the same product may vary from shop to shop. Those that are skilled, experienced, and can deliver an end product that is near perfect, will always demand more for their time. Just find the best installer you can afford, and don't hesitate to stop by their facility and check some current projects. We love it when potential clients come over and see "how" we do things. Once they see the sheer amount of skill, labor, and passion involved, they quickly realize where their money goes. All the mentioned services above will most likely be done once (tint/clear bra)...get it right the first time, and all you'll have to worry about is which canyon or track to drive your GT3 on

MoeMistry

Check out other tints as well.

Great choice on CQuartz...opt for Finest if available. You may want to look into CQuartz for nano coating on the wheels as well. OptiCoat was good, but recently they made some changes to their business model, and they're losing qualified and talented installers. That may be an issue down the road when it comes to warranty. They no longer offer a lifetime warranty, it's now 5 years

Jon70

I've been told that Modesta is superior to both opticoat and cquartz. Moe, what are your thoughts on it?

brass4321

Thanks Moe. The installer I plan to use for my Suntek clear bra also does tint, so I planned to use him for both. The only ceramic tint he has is 3M. Is it any good?

mwar99

Just had a discussion with my installer - the business model change for Opti really hurts their installers, especially the smaller businesses.

My understanding is that Modesta is expensive and it becomes questionable if the cost is worth it.

MoeMistry

I wouldn't say it's SUPERIOR...it has its pluses. It's not for everyone, but it is a solid coating. It's 2-2.5X CQuartz Finest when it comes to cost. So, that usually plays a big factor in the equation. We install both.

MoeMistry

Depends on the which 3M...they have several different lines. If Crystalline, their best, like I said...I'm impressed with its heat rejection, not so much with its clarity and durability. But, your installer is key. No good having the best film if there's dirt in the film from the install, razor cut marks on the outside of glass, no clean edges on door windows, etc.

MoeMistry

+1...the best VALUE is CQuartz Finest because of the product, installer, and customer support

Modesta is currently in its infancy here in the US and the support structure isn't quite there yet. We're glad to be a part of their team, but are cautious to see how they plan to expand here in the US. You can have an amazing product, but if the manufacturer isn't established to support the installer and brand, we can't wholeheartedly push that brand. So far, product delivers what it promises, we'll see if it gains further traction. We're doing our part to help

We never jumped on the Opti-Coat wagon, I could have made so much $$$$ ... it came down to we found a better technology, Nano, and we also were looking out for our company and client's best interest LONG TERM, and saw this move coming years ago. I'm just sorry to see so many talented installers that made Optimum Coating what it is today, simply abandon ship based on this move from the manufacturer.

But, some of these installers MAY become CQUartz Finest installers, or Modesta installers, IF they pass the technical knowledge-base, and most important of all, the integrity and customer care standards CarPro, makers of CQuartz, has set for its installers. Like I said, VALUE isn't just getting a good product, it's also getting a great installer and the customer support to go with it should anything ever go wrong. You want to know that there's someone you can trust and he/she has your car's, and your, best interest. It's a relationship that should last years. So far, and I've been doing this for 20 years, I've only seen it through CarPro's network. We're proud to be a part of it.

sccchiii

Had Huber Optik installed on my 512TR almost 7 years ago and it has incredible clarity and heat rejection in the peak AZ summer heat. I can't recommend it enough and if I can find a good installer again I will definitely have it installed on the GT3, I prefer a slightly darker tint but its nice because as was stated you can go pretty light shade (better if you go to track) and still get very good heat rejection.