awdinut

here says he cant do the windsheild because he would have to cut it into three pieces to get it to conform and that would leave visible seams. Tell me how your Huper installer did it...or tell me his phone number so the guy here can call him and find out how its done. And what percent is the Huper on your windshield?

carsany

The installer I used for the Huper was in downtown LA area. The place is called Song's Master Tint. My windshield is in one piece, don't think you can tell it's there even if I told you to look for it. No seams and the edge is so close, you really can't tell it is on there. I haven't been back that way for 3 years, so not sure what kind of new tech they have now.

The most recent place I went to that did my back window on my 08 did not have to remove headrests or anything. They have a giant plastic squegee tool. Thin and long called a bulldozer or something. slipped between that gap perfectly on the rear shelf. Did not want anyone yanking on my interior, I hate rattles. They are in the costa mesa area in Orange county. Can't go wrong either place. Both did top notch work on my Audi's and most importantly, no seams and to the edge of the windows. Looks nice and factory.

Cheers

Brozee

I personally wouldn't ever tint the windshield. It is a huge cop target. Only if you tint it dark, as the previous poster said he cannot even tell it is on, so he had it put on to reduce heat or UV rays. Plus at times it does get blurry and can give you a headache if not done 100% correctly. Put it on the rest of your car minus the windshield you'll love it.

ModestW12

MP4.2+6.0, given that it's over a year since you posted about your ceramic tint installation, would you still recommend V Cool in front and then Suntek HP on rear sides and rear window or perhaps V Cool all around? I'm looking primarily at heat reduction and upholstery protection as well but I would also like to minimize the contrast of the amaretto alcantara showing through the rear window and the rear fixed C-D pillar side windows.

You've posted before in a different thread that it's fairly easy to remove the rear headrests on the rear power seats but did you also remove the rear hatshelf and C-D pillar window upholstery yourself? If so, was it difficult and would you recommend doing so considering the time, effort, and risk of possible damage? Fortunately, I have an acquaintance proficient in taking interiors apart that may be willing to help out with that depending on the time involved. I have the Bentley manual so I can look up the procedures but I thought I'd ask if you have any experience.

Finally, you mentioned you went to a guy who is known for HuperOptik and Audis. I don't mind taking the car to the bay area for this as I would rather get the job done as well as reasonably possible than stay local and not be happy with the workmanship. Everyone and their cousin seems to know a great tint guy. But if you are happy with results on your car that would be the best referral I could get.

Would you still recommend him or is there someone else you can recommend for a ceramic tint installation? If so could you share or PM their contact information?

Thanks,

yetis

I had my entire car done with 70% 3m crystalline and can tell you it is the best upgrade I have made to a car. The reduction in heat transmission is very dramatic. Given the recent heat wave and having a newborn, i cannot imagine the car without it. I believe if the installation is done by a 3m installer, comes with a lifetime warranty!

MP4.2+6.0

If I recall from another post, maybe you are near Sacramento? If so, I am on the mid-Peninsula, and the tint shop is in Fremont. Basically straight down 80 to 680 to south Fremont. Auto Mall Tint Specialist, owner Sidney Lee. http://www.automalltintspecialist.com/ Excellent work, not the cheapest though either. If you use the search function across the different AW boards, you can find other posts on him, at least from a while back. Also owned an S4 as I recall.

Since my post several years ago now, I also had him do a Mini S hardtop last winter. As far as the A8 tint, still 100% satisfied. No issues with tint at all as far as color fade, delamination or anything else. No interior (amaretto on mine) fade evident at all, whereas my 2000 A6 with no tint has fade deterioration galore now, and was starting to show it by year 5 or 6. I used to notice the defrost lines at night (inevitable with any tint product), but no longer particularly do.

The newer news is from the Mini experience. Sidney did that install too--WAY, way easier than the A8--and said he no longer suggested the V Cool combo with the Suntek. Again, all the work was quality and diligent; I was on site throughout both installs. It's been 6 or 8 months since I talked to him, but as I recall he said V Cool had changed their formula and it now had more of a green hue. IIRC, the V Cool stuff may come from a local company, Southwall Technologies. With a black car and amaretto, I would not have wanted a noticeable greenish hue (and ditto on the Mini, which is red w/ black roof); neutral gray was my vision in both cases. Instead, he now suggested the 3M Chyrstalline [same as the other poster's suggestion]. He suggested a similar 30% reduction front, 50% rear and roof if I wanted to keep it mild. But, I actually only went with nominally 0% (clear) in front and roof and 30% reduction in rear. My objective was as near to factory look as possible, and not to darken the roof relative to the windshield view, but yet to get the uV benefits of most good films, and to get a decent amount of iR reduction. Mini has that huge panarama sunroof and a very ineffective sunshade, so some roof sun load reduction was important. Net, today given what he updated me on, I would use the 3M product and then just pick the amount of light (and iR) reduction you want. He still does Huper Optik, and I think would do V Cool if I had wanted it with his updated info. The 3M product is also premium priced as far as expectations setting.

Then, on your more technical questions, yes I personally did the whole upholstery teardown. I took out all the rear trim--around the C and D pillars (the small side window area), and the hat shelf, plus the rear seats. I did not have to pull the center armrest stuff as I recall (or the fridge/ski boot alternate unit). To get the hat shelf out (or much of anything else), the starting place is to pull the rear seats. On the W12 4 seater, those are individual units as you would guess, and they come out as the whole seat (instead of the back separately from the bottom cushion). I have pulled apart many generations of Audi interiors before successfully, so it wasn't that daunting. For the A8, I basically just went through the Bentley steps (though their documentation of the separate 4 seater set up component was so so as I recall). Audi does use more quasi-sacrificial plastic clips now though than 5-10 years earlier; same experience w/ the Mini. Still, I probably broke or damaged <5 clips total, and didn't even come close to damaging any visible (or not) hard or upholstered surface. Maybe one clip on the lower rear door sill (I forget now why that seemed to have to come out in part), and several on the upper trim piece above the rear window at the roof-- that one is among the first pieces to come out and super easy to replace clips later if needed. It took me about 4 or 5 hours working alone to tear it down one night after work (for tinting the next day), and maybe 2-3 to put it back together.

If you use Sidney by the way, he won't do a D3 A8 main rear window unless you have it disassembled--he is the one who first showed me how the hat shelf visibly overlaps the glass for several inches, and that the film can't really be tucked in down there. Your one other option (which I have thought about since honestly) is to NOT tint the rear window at all (and avoid the defroster lines distortion), and maybe tint to only a 30% visible reduction (i.e. so it's not even obvious the rear went untinted). If you look at the tint specs, you will see the uV reduction is virtually complete, and you knock out a bunch of the iR even with the lighter shades on the side glass. As far as fade, you would then want to rely more on your rear blind [which I don't use much now].

Contact me via the board mail function if you want more info.

And by the way, if I remember another post of yours, you were thinking of getting out of the W12 due to towing needs. (?) Trust me...the W12 can tow, certainly in 3500 pound category like many unibody SUV's or minivans and actually rated meaningfully higher). Specifically, up and over the Sierras for starters. Costs $ for the right stuff, but arguably a fair/lesser tradeoff to the big transactions cost of any trade if your need (like mine) is only occasional. There is a technical issue with the trailer lighting module and the rear seat video found almost only in the W12 that no one I have found can answer, but it can be worked around more or less. Likewise, contact me offline if any interest. Sometime I will do a post on it.

ModestW12

I had some business in San Jose last Saturday so I stopped by to see the place and meet Sidney. Should have called ahead to learn that he's in by appointment only on Saturdays. I also went to a place called Deep Reflections about 15 minutes southwest. A great detail shop which I'm glad I visited. They also do minor restoration work such as renewing the chrome trim around the windows. I won't know for certain whether I'm keeping the W12 or not until October but if it turns out I keeping it, I'll go to both places.

I figured as much on the hatshelf and interior upholstery and can only imagine it will be a lot of work. Regardless, taking it all apart would give me a chance to improve the B&0 sub grill and eliminate any remnants of a bass induced rattle once and for all (happens only on with very specific bass frequencies at moderate or higher volumes... never had a problem with the 2004 D3 and Bose system). Plus the previous owner or the dealer I bought it from had rear window tint removed and there is leftover glue showing where the hatshelf rises past the rear window glass.

Also, if I end up keeping the car I will certainly ask you to share your experience and advice on towing with a D3. I've searched the net once or twice and bookmarked some euro sites that offer D3 tow kits. I'm sure there are multiple options out there but I'd prefer to go with one that's been tried and tested.

MP4.2+6.0

stay in touch on those mods if you stick w/ the W12. I've seen what I expect is your ad on Craigslist (w/ all the pics.). Looks sharp.