[razrman]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

I can definitely feel the difference now. I usually park my car outside in the sun when am at office. Before, I couldnt get inside the car and I used to keep the AC at the max. Now after going for darker shades and front sun films, there is a considerable rejection of heat. The max I have kept the AC is at the second position now.

I second that. I had lighter films and ripped them and got dark films on my car and the difference was immidiately noticible. Many will argue that its all about TSER and not about VLT but practically I have definitely felt a difference.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by razrman

I second that. I had lighter films and ripped them and got dark films on my car and the difference was immidiately noticible. Many will argue that its all about TSER and not about VLT but practically I have definitely felt a difference.

True. Lighter sun films that I had earlier didnt prove to be useful. Didnt cut the heat and was horrible. Now after going in for the darker shades, there is a considerable amount of heat rejected.
Find the pics below of the before (lighter) and after (darker) shades of films.

[razrman]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

True. Lighter sun films that I had earlier didnt prove to be useful. Didnt cut the heat and was horrible. Now after going in for the darker shades, there is a considerable amount of heat rejected.
Find the pics below of the before (lighter) and after (darker) shades of films.

I noticed that you changed the rear windshield film too. Any problems with the defogger thereafter?

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by razrman

I noticed that you changed the rear windshield film too. Any problems with the defogger thereafter?

Yes, I changed the sun films completely. No defogger in my car since it's a Vdi. No problems with the defogger. My friend's car(blue swift) is Zxi and he didnt report any faults.

[RajaTaurus]

Originally Posted by maverick145

Ok taking into account all the suggestions and reading a lot into this thread, this is the information that I have gathered for a front windshield sunfilm:

Vkool V70
Price: Around 8.5K
Users: Ace_F355

Garware Icecool Shield
Price: Rs. 2750 - Rs. 3000/-
Users: CESC, icemanz

Llumar Charcoal Black CH05
Price: Rs. 1800/- or so (Maruti Suzuki Swift)
Users: naveen.raju, Xryder

3M CR70
Price: Rs 7.5k (Honda Civic)
Users: dot

The Vkool V70 is totally out of my budget. The Garware Icecool Shield and Llumar CH05 are in my budget. But somebody reported dashboard reflection problems with the Garware.

I am totally confused but inclined towards the Llumar CH 05.

@dot
What is the price of the 3M CR70?

EDIT: Just adding the car models for which the prices have been quoted.

I just got my car back from Maya Motors, who are dealers for Huper Optik in Chennai. For my Cedia Spirit, front windshield sunfilm KLAR CR70 ST - total cost including installation and taxes is INR. 4,260.44.
Hope this info helps all.

[Gansan]

Guys, I need a piece of advise. I installed Garware Ice cool shield sun film at MSM yesterday. While driving today, I noticed the front right side (dashboard) speaker of my sound system was giving abnormal noise/vibrations. This was not there before installation of the sun film. As they spray a liquid repeatedly and clean the inside of the wind shield during installation, I thought some of it could have got in to the speaker. So I brought the car back to MSM to check. A technician opened the speaker and sure enough, some water/dust was there. So he cleaned and put it back and it is now normal.

But after he re-installed the dashboard cover and the side beading near the wind shield and left, I noticed a scratch in the film at the bottom of the wind shield. I raised an issue and they have called for the guy who installed the film. I am right now awaiting his arrival.

The scratch is thin, horizontal and two inches long, obviously caused by some sharp tip. Can be felt by the finger tip and is about a couple of inches from the bottom of the wind shield. It is not exactly in the prime viewing area but still I am very unhappy. I am unable to take a photo of it with my cell phone - it is not showing in the picture.

Please advise whether to ignore it or make an issue of it. The guy will be here in another half an hour.

[rr_zen]

Originally Posted by Gansan

Guys, I need a piece of advise. I installed Garware Ice cool shield sun film at MSM yesterday. While driving today, I noticed the front right side (dashboard) speaker of my sound system was giving abnormal noise/vibrations. This was not there before installation of the sun film. As they spray a liquid repeatedly and clean the inside of the wind shield during installation, I thought some of it could have got in to the speaker. So I brought the car back to MSM to check. A technician opened the speaker and sure enough, some water/dust was there. So he cleaned and put it back and it is now normal.

But after he re-installed the dashboard cover and the side beading near the wind shield and left, I noticed a scratch in the film at the bottom of the wind shield. I raised an issue and they have called for the guy who installed the film. I am right now awaiting his arrival.

The scratch is thin, horizontal and two inches long, obviously caused by some sharp tip. Can be felt by the finger tip and is about a couple of inches from the bottom of the wind shield. It is not exactly in the prime viewing area but still I am very unhappy. I am unable to take a photo of it with my cell phone - it is not showing in the picture.

Please advise whether to ignore it or make an issue of it. The guy will be here in another half an hour.

Since you have paid for it and the flaw in the first time installation is no fault of yours, I suggest you ask for a replacement. Or else you will have to live with this eye-sore.

Also, I am apprehensive that in future the cut may give way to dust/air bubbles that could spread to the other areas of the film as well.

[Ace F355]

Originally Posted by maverick145

Ok taking into account all the suggestions and reading a lot into this thread, this is the information that I have gathered for a front windshield sunfilm:

Vkool V70
Price: Around 8.5K
Users: Ace_F355

maverick145 bro, by the time of this post of yours, I didn't even have any sunfilm installed on my car! What gave you such hints?

Anyway, here are the details. I got sunfilms installed on my Shark during April 1st week.

Llumar PP 60 for the front - INR 3600
Llumar SR 50 Steel for the sides and rear - INR 4000

Prices include installation charges on my Civic and come with a 5 years warranty. Hope this helps.

Edit: Attaching pics of the car from inside and outside, just to give you an idea.

[Sridhar K]

@Gansan,
Agree with Rr_Zen. My install today also went wrong and the dealer (Motozone) has promised a reinstall tomorrow.

BTW, did you get to drive it at night and feedback if you did?

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by rr_zen

Since you have paid for it and the flaw in the first time installation is no fault of yours, I suggest you ask for a replacement. Or else you will have to live with this eye-sore.

Also, I am apprehensive that in future the cut may give way to dust/air bubbles that could spread to the other areas of the film as well.

Originally Posted by Sridhar K

@Gansan,
Agree with Rr_Zen. My install today also went wrong and the dealer (Motozone) has promised a reinstall tomorrow.

BTW, did you get to drive it at night and feedback if you did?

The chief guy from the Garware dealership came and saw the film. He accepts that though the scratch was caused by the MGA technician attending the speaker, the root cause was his own guy who let water in to it in the first place. He says the scratch will not compromise the performance/life of the film in any way but the only alternative is to replace the film. The choice is mine.

I said I will drive for a week/ten days and see. If it bothers me in any way, especially at night, they will replace the film. This is mainly to buy time while I mull over it. I doubt if it will cause any issues though. Have you guys seen the strip of black film installed on the top portion of the wind shield when new cars are delivered? Well, if such a strip were to be installed at the bottom of my wind shield, this scratch will go underneath it.

Can re-installing the film affect the wind shield in any way? Except for this one blemish, the install is perfect. What should I do?

[Twiny]

Removing film don't ham windshield.. more care is needed for removing film from rear glass with heating elements.. IMHO keep it, if its not an eyesore from inside/outside. Either ways you could make up your mind after few days..

[JustCause]

Originally Posted by Gansan

What should I do?

In night time, get inside your car & ask someone to flash a torch light on the area of the scratch in various angles(Emulate headlights of car coming towards you). If the scratch is magnifying the effect of light & causes glare, ask them to remove & reinstall. A reinstall has no effect on glass, only thing you need to look out for is that they remove all of the adhesive of the earlier film & clean the glass thoroughly.

[rr_zen]

Removing the film doesn't affect the windshield in anyway. However, if you decide to go in for a replacement, I suggest you do it ASAP. The sooner the film is removed, the easier will be the removal process. On whether to replace or not, if you feel the scratch will not give way to dust particles/air bubbles (depends on the intensity of the scratch - if it is superficial) like I pointed out earlier, you can afford to live with it, not otherwise.

On a side note, I appreciate the approach and the response of the Garware chief and his root cause analysis.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by Twiny

IMHO keep it, if its not an eyesore from inside/outside. Either ways you could make up your mind after few days..

That is my inclination too, as of now. It is visible, but not at first glance.

Originally Posted by JustCause

In night time, get inside your car & ask someone to flash a torch light on the area of the scratch in various angles(Emulate headlights of car coming towards you). If the scratch is magnifying the effect of light & causes glare, ask them to remove & reinstall.

That is a very good suggestion, will do that. I will also take it out for a spin at night for good measure.

Originally Posted by rr_zen

On whether to replace or not, if you feel the scratch will not give way to dust particles/air bubbles (depends on the intensity of the scratch - if it is superficial) like I pointed out earlier, you can afford to live with it, not otherwise.

On a side note, I appreciate the approach and the response of the Garware chief and his root cause analysis.

He said the scratch is superficial and has not gone through the film (he says it is a thick film), so the effect is only cosmetic according to him. He is still willing to replace the film. "I will not like such a blemish on my own car", were his words. I am worried if the second install will be as perfect.

@Sridhar
Please let me know how it goes, after your re-install.

[rr_zen]

Originally Posted by Gansan

I am worried if the second install will be as perfect.

If the installation is to be done by the same person I wonder why it will not be as perfect as the first time. Nevertheless, its a call you would have to take on replacing it or not.

P.S: Would have really helped if you could have managed to post a pic of the damage.