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      07-29-2019, 04:32 PM   #1
egar2099
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Question Stratos tint

I'm new to tint. I've read good things about Stratos.

They are charging $259 for the front windows only. Is this a fair price?

Also, was curious and asked about the cost for the entire car "$1149.00 (Stratos Full Install, Windshield and both sunroofs).
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      07-29-2019, 07:43 PM   #2
claykin
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Quote:
Originally Posted by egar2099 View Post
I'm new to tint. I've read good things about Stratos.

They are charging $259 for the front windows only. Is this a fair price?

Also, was curious and asked about the cost for the entire car "$1149.00 (Stratos Full Install, Windshield and both sunroofs).
"
Stratos is top end Film. It's from Llumar who is owned by Eastman chemical.

$1149 is a big chunk of change for tint. Yes, Stratos is better on paper than many other tints (except for Xpel XR Prime and Spectra Photosync). Real world performance usually proves the highest end tints are overpriced. The slightly lower interior temperature and cooling recovery might be worthwhile in an EV where every amp counts, but in a fuel vehicle you likely won't realize the benefit to offset the high cost.

Also, if using a film like Stratos, be careful tinting the sunroofs. The glass will get extremely hot since it faces straight at the sun. The glass could crack, though it's not likely to. Stratos heat rejection is higher than many other tints and most of that heat gets held in the glass. Same for the xpel and spectra Pbotosync mentioned above. Ask the dealer to show you a sunroof tinted with Stratos that's been sitting in the sun for an hour. Touch the glass for a quick moment and you'll see what I mean. The glass gets damn hot. Measure it with a laser thermometer.

Personally, I'd not tint the sunroof. That said, consider saving a ton of $ and look for a dealer that sells Suntek CXP. This film is also made by Eastman chemical and is excellent. Way better than average for heat rejection and probably 1/2 the price of Stratos. Another good alternative is Xpel XR black and Llumar IRX. Even Formula 1 Pinnacle is a better buy than Stratos.
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      07-30-2019, 10:14 AM   #3
egar2099
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Quote:
Originally Posted by claykin View Post
Stratos is top end Film. It's from Llumar who is owned by Eastman chemical.

$1149 is a big chunk of change for tint. Yes, Stratos is better on paper than many other tints (except for Xpel XR Prime and Spectra Photosync). Real world performance usually proves the highest end tints are overpriced. The slightly lower interior temperature and cooling recovery might be worthwhile in an EV where every amp counts, but in a fuel vehicle you likely won't realize the benefit to offset the high cost.

Also, if using a film like Stratos, be careful tinting the sunroofs. The glass will get extremely hot since it faces straight at the sun. The glass could crack, though it's not likely to. Stratos heat rejection is higher than many other tints and most of that heat gets held in the glass. Same for the xpel and spectra Pbotosync mentioned above. Ask the dealer to show you a sunroof tinted with Stratos that's been sitting in the sun for an hour. Touch the glass for a quick moment and you'll see what I mean. The glass gets damn hot. Measure it with a laser thermometer.

Personally, I'd not tint the sunroof. That said, consider saving a ton of $ and look for a dealer that sells Suntek CXP. This film is also made by Eastman chemical and is excellent. Way better than average for heat rejection and probably 1/2 the price of Stratos. Another good alternative is Xpel XR black and Llumar IRX. Even Formula 1 Pinnacle is a better buy than Stratos.
Thank you for the information. What do you think of Xpel XR Plus?
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      07-30-2019, 11:28 AM   #4
claykin
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Quote:
Originally Posted by egar2099 View Post
Thank you for the information. What do you think of Xpel XR Plus?
XR Plus is what I meant to write. Xpel has some weird naming and they're pretty new to the window tint game. On paper it's good stuff and I've seen it compared to Spectra Photosync, which is arguably the leader in heat rejection.

If you have an Xpel dealer nearby who uses a plotter (computer cutting), and will do your job in an enclosed garage, that's a good start. Obviously the skill of the person doing the install is key, it's always a plus when they set up the job from step 1 to be a success. That means no razor blades on your car and an enclosed garage to minimize airborne debris. The rest is on the skill of the installer.

So, whether you go for one of the Formula 1 films, Xpel, or Spectra Photosync, choose based on your belief who will do the best work and stand behind their work.
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      07-30-2019, 02:48 PM   #5
egar2099
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Thanks for the insight, Claykin!
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