Vinyl Wrap vs Paint?

Many inquiring customers ask, “Why should I wrap my car instead of painting it?” A paint job can range from $2,000-$10,000+ depending on the quality and color choice. Whereas a vehicle wrap can cost $500-$5000+ depending on the the material and extent of the project. Along with this much cheaper price tag comes MANY benefits that paint cannot offer. Paint quality can vary depending on materials used and skill level of the painter, especially while looking for a cheaper price. Cheaper paints will look great at first, but within a few years will begin to look awful, and need to be redone or paint corrected. Professionally installed vehicle wraps will leave your vehicle with a breathtaking finish for years to be admired, and will keep the original paint of the car protected. A paint job may take a few weeks to complete, a typical vinyl wrap will take 3-5 days to finish.  

How is window film applied?

There are a few steps and special tools required for a clean, professional installation.
The window must be cut, in our case it is cut by the plotter for a perfect line every time. Next the window is prepped with cleaning solution and cleaned to perfection, on cars with felt moldings extra steps may need to be taken. Lastly the window is squeegeed into place. Where things get tricky is the back window. One of our most frequently asked questions is about the film going on the outside. The rear window must be heat shrunk into place on the outside, once it is formed the inside of the back window is prepped and the film is applied.

Benefits of Detailing

Every car is different, but in general, a thorough detail will leave just about every surface of the vehicle improved; from beautifully glossy and slick feeling paint to UV protected, low sheen rubber and vinyl, cleaned and conditioned leather and sparkling chrome. The difference is dramatic and not one that can be achieved by a standard car wash.

When you consider how expensive it would be to respray your car, detailing or a full paint correction represents very good value for money. We can preserve or restore the original paint while achieving amazing results.

For a good variety of examples of what can be achieved, visit our Gallery, or Instagram which includes a selection of the cars that we have detailed and below is a summary of just some of the benefits:

• Removing marks and reducing fading in paint - rejuvenating paint by removing/reducing existing fading, swirls, scratches, etching, etc. and at the same time ensuring it stays in better condition for longer
• A stunning looking finish - Detailed cars really do stand out. From Fiestas to Ferraris, our customers are often surprised at how much better their car looks even if they have been regularly looking after it themselves
• A car which is easier to clean and tends to stay cleaner, longer - the slickness brought about by extensive decontamination and protective treatments keeps the dirt from sticking quite so easily
• Providing long term protection - By removing contaminants which can eat into the finish (leather, chrome, vinyl, paint, etc.) and then where appropriate, sealing it or Ceramic Coating, your car will stay in top condition for longer
• Retaining the value of your car - a well presented car will always sell better and a detail takes things to the next level with cars often looking better than new and standing out from the rest

Frequently Asked Question

Hello everyone! Today we will answer some frequently asked questions we receive.

How long will it take for my vehicle to be tinted?
- A typical tint job takes about one and a half hour to two hours, for all the windows excluding the windshield to get tinted, some films way take longer depending on the film construction.

Are all window films the same and carry the same warranty?
- Not all window films are created equal, some are dyed, made of nano-carbons, ceramics, or light re-direction films. Refer to a previous blog for more info on this.

Will the tint stick to the dot matrix?
- Tint does not always lay flat over the dot matrix, we do have a dot treatment where the dot matrix is shaved down making the tint lay flatter over them.

Do darker films do a better job of  heat rejection?
- Darker films do not always do a better job at rejecting heat. A dark object attracts more light and heat to it. Some of the best performing films as far as Infrared rejection and UVB rejection come in lighter shades of 50-70%. Heat rejection also depends on greatly of the make up of the film.

What is the legal limit in Pennsylvania?
- There is no exact legal limit in the state of Pennsylvania. In the State Law book Section 4524, Title 75 under E(1) it states: No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any sun screening devicer or other material which does not permit a person to see or view the insides of the vehicle through the windshield, side wing or side view windows of the vehicle.

As always give us a call at 610-544-8468 and we will answer any questions you may have about any services or films we offer.

Panel Pulling vs. Tucking Method

A big debate when installing window film is pulling the door panel, or tucking the film through the seal. Here at Elite Glass Tinting we choose to pull panels instead of tucking the film through the seal, we choose this method for various reasons. Pulling the panel insures that the film will be down past the seal completely, a lot of cars have double seal setups in the door. While you maybe able to press down past the first seal and tuck it underneath the second seal does not always go down. Tucking the seals down can also cause damage to the seal it self since it is being forced to go down, pulling the panel insures a safe removal of the seal and that the film will be placed below the second seal. Taking the extra step of removing a door panel is going the extra step to insure quality work. We believe this is the proper way for any quality tint job, instead of short cutting and tucking the seal.

Not all Window Film Is Created Equal

Not all films are created equal. Some films are made of a dye construct, that is when the film is dyed to its desired VLT to give you the look you are going for. Different films are dyed of different colors and materials achieving a greater lifetime. Meanwhile other films are made of a Nano-Carbon, or Hybrid Nano-Carbon construct, these films carry no dye. This is a newer technology of making window film, it offers better heat rejection, clarity through the film, and guarantees that the film will not purple or shift color. If one is out to achieve the greatest heat rejection, UVB rejection, while keeping the window film at a lighter shade, one should look at Ceramic or Light re-direction films. These films are again constructed differently than the dyed, or nano-carbon films. Ceramic or light re-direction films are for people who are seeking the highest performing films. If you have any more question about our films feel free to give us a call at 610-544-8468.

Hello Everyone!

Long time, no blog. We have moved from our location in Morton, PA to our new location in Prospect park, PA. The new location allows us to offer some new services and new window films. We are now the only authorized Huper Optik films installer in the Tri-State are. Huper Optik is a German based company which has a great emphasis on clarity, heat rejection, and their superior warranty. All of our vinyl wraps are now done on location. We are also offering full paint corrections in house, along with ceramic coatings, we are your local Ceramic Pro authorized installer shop. As always feel free to give us a call to schedule an appointment or with questions for any of our services. We look forward to taking care of your vehicle.