Basic understanding of car tinting

While the body of our cars protect us from general external elements, there is still exposure to the invincible danger of sunlight when we drive. To fend off this invincible danger, tinting comes to mind. Before we jump into deciding how much to tint our cars, we need to understand some of the key elements below:

 

1. Visible Light Transmission (VLT)

VLT levels are usually represented in percentage (%) that spells out the percentage of visible light that may enter through the car window. This means that a 30% VLT only allows 30% of VLT to enter the car and filters out 70% of visible light! In other words, darker window film will have a lower percentage.

 

2. Sun Protection Factor (SPF)

On the other hand, SPF measures how long the sunscreen will protect your skin from ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. UVB rays are harmful and will damage our skin’s outer layer, the epidermis. To articulate the meaning of SPF, SPF 30 means the sunscreen will provide 30 times more protection than having no sunscreen at all. The 3 most common SPF levels that we can easily find on sunblocks are SPF 15 (blocks 93% of UVB rays), SPF 30 (blocks 97% of UVB rays), and SPF 50 (block 98% of UVB rays).

 

3. Film Quality

Have you seen colour change, bubbles, warping or peeling on a car tint? These defects are tied in closely with low-quality tinting.  While low-quality but cheap films seem to save you a lot of money upfront as the price could be only a fraction of the more reputable brands (ranging from RM 700 to RM 5,000 for an established auto film brand), it may not be able to protect you and your car interior from the harmful UV rays, or even the heat. In other words, you may be paying money for pure aesthetics without realising the intended benefits of car tinting. Low-grade films lack quality, lifespan, protection and security.

 

4. Safety and security

Do you know that auto films can also prevent your windows from shattering into tiny pieces during an impact? Security films can hold broken glass pieces together to prevent them from flying all over the place that may cause collateral damage during an accident or car robbery. In Malaysia where car break-ins/ robbery are very common, security films have proven to be very useful as it makes it more difficult and time-consuming for the crime to take place. Do note that security films are not designed to be impenetrable in case of any emergencies.

 

The best auto film for car tinting is of personal preferences. Before applying car tint, be sure to check Malaysia’s current tint regulations to avoid any unnecessary penalties and cost of replacement!