When you own a valuable vehicle like a Porsche, it’s just as much an investment as it is a means of transportation. You want to keep it as close to mint condition as possible yet still be able to enjoy driving it. One way to make your Porsche more of a match for the elements is to have it coated with a protective layer that shields it from paint chips and scratches. Paint protection film (PFF) is recommended for any valuable sports car, but the question becomes, which paint protection kit is best for your Porsche?
Kinds of Protective Paint Films
Developed from thermoplastic urethane coatings originally designed for military helicopters and other transport vehicles, the PPFs that professional automotive detailers use currently are more flexible to fit the aerodynamic curves of such cars as Porsches. However, they require professional installation due to the skill, speed and accuracy required to apply them flawlessly. After application, PPFs are virtually invisible, resistant to rock chip and chemical damage, self-healing, and high gloss.
Types of PPF Applications
You can select from a number of different application options for your Porsche or other vehicle:
- Partial
- Hood and bumper
- Front clip
- Track
- Full car
The partial PPF provides a clear bra coating that covers part of your car’s fenders, the front bumper, the forward section of the hood, and the backs of your painted rear-view mirrors. These are the areas most vulnerable to damage from rock chips, insects and dirt. A hood and bumper package covers not only the front bumper and mirror backs, but also the entire surface of your hood.
The front clip kit adds coverage for your car’s side front fenders while the track kit, also shields the A-pillars that frame the windshield, the rear splash panels, the rocker panels, plus the lower door edges and cups. The full car kit provides complete bumper-to-bumper coverage.
Which PPF for a Porsche?
We recommend the highest quality protective coating for high-end luxury and sport vehicles. The PPF you select for your Porsche should provide advanced stain resistance, heavy-duty water resistance, superior self-healing capability and a solid warranty. We recommend our Suntek Ultra Paint Protection Film applied by our professional installers. They frequently work with Austin’s top auto dealerships, so they have the skills necessary to deliver a flawless finish.
How to Maintain Your Paint Protection Kit
You should keep your PPF coating clean with automotive soap and water, just like you would any vehicle. However, avoid abrasive cleaners and scrub pads that could damage the coating. You can even keep your Porsche buffed with synthetic car wax designed for use with PPF coatings.
Trust Sunbusters of Austin to Do the Job Right
Bring your Porsche and other vehicles to a Sunbusters location in Austin, Texas, for a professional installation of paint protective coating. Get in touch with us today to schedule your application.
If you’re considering a window tint installation for your car, truck, SUV or mini-van, it’s good to know the facts. FormulaOne is a cutting-edge polyester window film that’s applied to the inside of your windows and won’t interfere with your rear window defroster. Application on all windows can take anywhere from one to four hours. Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions:
Q. What Benefits Does UV Protection With FormulaOne Ceramic Tint Provide?
UV light in Austin, Texas, is destructive; it causes fabric and carpeting inside your car to fade and deteriorate. It also causes skin cancer, particularly on the left side of the face. Window tint screens out 99 percent of UV rays to keep your car’s interior looking good and to protect your skin from cancer, wrinkles and premature aging.
Q. Does Window Tint Reduce Heat and Glare?
Window film has excellent heat and glare-reducing properties. Less glare means less eye fatigue and safer driving, especially for those with light-sensitive eyes. FormulaOne blocks 50 to 90 percent of glare and up to 60 percent of solar heat, so the inside of your car will stay cooler too.
Q. Can Window Tint Keep People From Seeing Inside My Car?
You can choose a window tint that prevents onlookers and would-be thieves from seeing who and what is in your car. Meanwhile, your view from the inside will be perfectly clear. Window tint is sometimes called “one-way film” because although others can’t see in, you can still see out.
Q. Will My Window Tint Turn Purple?
Cheap window tints sold at retail establishments have a tendency to turn purple after application. However, our window tint uses state-of-the-art technology and comes with a lifetime warranty that the color will remain stable over time.
Q. Can I Replace Existing Window Film?
You cannot apply new tint over old, but you can have the old tint removed and new tint applied. Removal takes two to four hours, and it should be done by a professional to prevent damage to your rear-window defroster. The same is true for existing tint that’s been damaged; it must be removed and new tint applied, but only on windows with damaged tint.
Q. Can I add tint on top of my factory tinted glass?
Factory tinted glass is common on the glass behind the front two doors on SUV’s as well as crew and extended cab trucks. Factory tinted glass is simply smoked glass and has very little technology that is found in a quality solar control automotive tint. Adding a quality IR blocking or ceramic tint on top of factory tinted glass can more than double the heat rejection of the window system. This is even possible using quality clear films that do not darken the glass. It is also possible to add tinted films to darken the glass, thus increasing privacy and maximizing performance.
Q. Can FormulaOne Keep Me Safer?
Window tint increases safety by making windows more shatter-resistant. Because the film bonds to glass and is held in place by a strong adhesive, the tint can help to keep glass fragments in place in the event of an accident.
FormulaOne Pinnacle Ceramic Film is signal-enabling and won’t interfere with your GPS, radio, NAV, satellite or keyless entry. To learn more about the many benefits of Sunbusters tinted windows or to get additional information, contact us today.
Automotive window tinting delivers many valuable benefits. It can protect your eyes, enhance privacy, reduce interior temperatures and prevent upholstery from fading. However, extremely dark glass may compromise safety. Texas Department of Public Safety enforces laws that govern the placement and darkness of tinting films. State approved vehicle safety inspections require that the vehicle’s glass be inspected to assure that it meets certain visible light transmission levels in order to pass inspection.
Windshield Tint Limitations
The Lone Star State requires windshield glass to allow at least 70% of outdoor light to enter vehicles. A tinted windshield must also have a luminous reflectance level that doesn’t exceed 25 percent. This number indicates the amount of light reflected by a window. Texas has banned red, amber and blue tints.
Texas law allows for the entire front windshield to be filmed/tinted with a “clear” un- tinted film that does not visibly alter or color the glass when viewed in natural daylight. In addition, a visor strip may be added to the top of the front windshield. The visor strip cannot fall below the AS-1 line that is marked on the windshield. If an AS-1 line is not present then the legal limit is no more than five inches from the top of the windshield.
Side Window Tinting Law
The Texas tint law for the sides of a non commercial vehicle are simple. The front two doors must have a net ( tint film plus glass ) visible light transmission of at least 25%. There are no darkness restrictions on windows located behind the front two doors, as long as the vehicle is equipped with side view mirrors.
Medical Tinting Exemption
Some Texans have light-related health conditions, such as melanoma, lupus or photosensitivity. If you qualify for a medical exemption, you may use darker films on the windshield and the two side windows closest to the driver’s seat. You still can’t darken the part of the windshield below the AS-1 line.
Rear Window Tinting Rules
The rear window is exempt from restriction with regard to tint film darkness if the vehicle is equipped with side view mirrors.
What Vehicles Are Exempt?
Some commercial and government autos needn’t comply with this state law. Buses, taxis and limousines qualify for an exemption if passengers pay to travel. Police cars can also have tinting that exceeds the legal limits.
Punishment For Violations
Both drivers and film installers may face significant penalties when they don’t follow these rules. Texas law allows courts to levy fines of up to $1,000. If you buy a car with illegally tinted windows, the seller doesn’t have to pay any fines that you incur.
You can avoid penalties and ensure safety by using a professional window tinting service like Sunbusters. Our company has 23 years of experience in this field, so we know how to comply with all of the laws. Numerous auto dealers rely on us to install tinting films. To learn more, please contact Sunbusters today.
Austin, Texas enjoys sunny skies more often than not. Abundant sunlight is fine if you want to heat up a pool or use solar panels, but it can have seriously harmful effects on cars. Prolonged sun exposure may cause paint to fade and decay. As DriverSide points out, this damage makes a vehicle more vulnerable to rust.
Effective Solution
Many Texans can’t keep their cars away from sunlight throughout the day. Even if you use garages at your home and workplace, a lengthy commute may result in many hours of sun exposure. Fortunately, protective films can shield automotive paint from solar rays. Sunbusters’ installers apply them to vulnerable parts of cars, such as bumpers and hoods. These invisible coatings also sometimes prevent small stones from scratching vehicles.
Who Applies Films?
Some auto dealers offer paint protection when motorists buy new cars. This practice is particularly common among luxury dealerships. For example, Austin’s Ferrari and Lexus dealers have a partnership with Sunbusters to provide this valuable service to their customers. However, you don’t need a high-end European auto to benefit from protective films.
If you decided not to pay for this service at a dealership or the salesperson didn’t offer it, a paint protection company can directly provide it to you. Be sure to acquire a film when you have time to spare. A new coating needs to cure, and the technician must thoroughly examine it before you depart. This is a task that takes some time to be done correctly.
Cleaning and Upkeep
Sun protection films last for years, but you’ll need to use the right techniques when maintaining the surface. Wash the car with water and soap. Don’t apply degreasing chemicals or carnuba wax. For optimal results, choose a wax with synthetic ingredients. Rough cleaning implements can damage the film and endanger your paint; always use soft materials. Remember to drive slowly on unpaved roads.
If you’d like to benefit from a long-lasting protective coating with a warranty, look no further than Sunbusters. Our staff consistently uses top-notch supplies and equipment. We also customize the film to precisely fit your car’s body. Sunbusters was established more than two decades ago, and the Better Business Bureau has accredited us. To learn more, please contact Sunbusters or visit one of our two Austin shops.
If you live in or near the greater Austin area, you’re probably familiar with the city’s traffic problems. Interstate 35 has some of the nation’s worst congestion. Average daily commuting times exceed 80 minutes in several neighborhoods, according to the Austin Business Journal. They include Anderson Arbor, Tress Sonesta and Turtle Rock Estates.
Long-Term Exposure to Sunlight
Like many cities in Texas, Austin experiences plenty of cloudless weather. The sun shines brightly for over 300 days in an average year. Local skies remain clear especially often between June and December. Consequently, motorists expose themselves to ultraviolet rays for long periods of time as they drive and sit in traffic jams. Many people mistakenly believe that automotive glass fully protects them.
Two Different Types of UV Rays
Exposure to UVB rays can cause visible sunburns. Standard window glass provides thorough protection from this kind of radiation. On the other hand, UVA rays pass through most glass. They promote faster aging by causing skin cells to deteriorate more quickly. People don’t suffer any significant discomfort, so they often wait too long to take action. Others completely fail to recognize the source of the problem.
Additional Health Effects of UVA
These ultraviolet rays won’t just make you look older than your age. Clinical studies link UVA exposure to a greater likelihood of developing skin cancer. They confirm that regular automotive glass doesn’t protect motorists. People face the greatest danger when they use vehicles throughout the day. Truck, taxi and bus drivers must take precautions. Although it doesn’t happen as quickly, commuters also receive enough exposure to increase their cancer risk.
Defend Your Skin With Window Tint
Fortunately, you can shield your body from harmful ultraviolet energy with the help of window tinting film. This material almost completely blocks UVA rays. In addition to protecting your skin, it prevents a vehicle’s upholstery from fading. The film will also stop at least two-fifths of the sun’s heat from entering your car. You won’t need to run the air conditioner as frequently.
The window tinting specialists at Sunbusters install high-quality films on many different vehicles. Our award-winning company has over two decades of experience in this industry. We use a computerized process that precisely cuts the material and prevents glass damage. Sunbusters’ window films block 99.9 percent of ultraviolet rays. Please visit or contact us to learn more.
If you’ve always thought of tinting your car windows as more of a luxury than a practical option for average car owners, think again. Tinted car windows may protect your privacy and make you look like a rock star, but they also offer plenty of money-saving benefits over time. Even more surprising is the fact that window tinting could help save your life.
The Ultimate in Driving Privacy
Celebrities aren’t the only ones who can use a break from the public eye. Whether you’re driving through the city or hauling the kids to after-school activities in the suburbs, auto tinting shields the people in your car from prying eyes. More importantly, even when your car is parked, window tinting hides belongings left inside from passersby.
Safer Driving, Healthier Passengers
Auto tint reduces glare and improves your ability to see the road under the sun’s harshest rays. Windows that are tinted with Sunbusters’ FormulaOne Hi-Performance window films won’t interfere with the following:
- built-in antenna
- radio frequencies
- navigation system or GPS
Tinted windows block UV rays by up to 99 percent. Your skin will age more slowly, especially if you’re a frequent driver. Even more importantly, this feature helps protect you and your passengers from skin cancer. Tinting reduces heat absorption for a more comfortable ride.
Protecting Your Ride
Sunbusters is part of the exclusive FormulaOne Hi-Performance Window Film dealer program. Participating dealers must meet stringent installation, sales, maintenance, facility and warranty service requirements to remain in the program. Precision Cut Software ensures that there’s no risk of damage to your car since no cutting is done on the vehicle.
Low-Maintenance Beauty
You’ll also enjoy a transferable limited lifetime warranty and carefree maintenance. Our tinted windows are easy to care for and require no special cleaners. In fact, you probably already have the household cleaners you need to keep your windows looking great. Expert auto tinting will also extend the life of your car’s interior by protecting upholstery and leather from the sun.
If you want to protect your vehicle, its occupants and your belongings, consider auto tinting from one of the top dealers in Austin and Lakeway. Call or contact Sunbusters today for a quote or more information.
Most people want to take good care of their cars; after all, we spend a lot of time and money on them, and we want to protect that investment. You know about changing the oil, taking care of regularly scheduled maintenance, and all the other tasks they mention in the owner’s manual. But did you know there’s a simple way to protect your car that many car owners overlook?
Picture this: It’s a hot, sunny day, and you’re pulling into a parking lot for the day. Maybe you’re going to the beach or maybe it’s just a regular work day, but your car will be parked there for a while. You try to park in the shade when you can, you faithfully use the window shade to cover the front window, but still you’re not doing all you can to protect your car.
Failing to protect your car’s interior is one of the most critical car maintenance mistakes you can make. Even with the front window shade or parking in the occasional shady spot, most people park their cars in the sun for a significant portion of the car’s life. Over time, this can lead to noticeable fading of your interior, especially the fabrics.
There’s a simple way to protect your interior with car window film. Window films protect the car’s interior whether you park for short or long times, and you won’t have to worry about using unwieldy sunshades or other such contraptions.
Aside from protection your car’s interior, car window film will help keep you comfortable while you’re driving. Your old sunshade can’t make that claim! Blocking out the UV rays keeps the interior from cracking and fading, and it will keep the temperature lower for your comfort. Filtering UV rays can also help protect your skin from the sun’s damaging effects, which is especially nice for long drives or if you spend a lot of time in your car.
Window shades aren’t limited to the dark colors associated with limousines or custom cars. In fact, you can even have a clear window shade that will filter out the UV rays without changing the look of your car. Of course, if you prefer the added privacy or just like the darker look, you can choose a tinted film.
Visit our home page for more information about how automotive window films can help protect your car’s interior!
Austin’s climate can be particularly hot, sunny and dry in the summer. This weather is great for swimmers at Barton Springs, but it certainly doesn’t appeal to motorists in traffic. Fortunately, window tinting can protect you, your passengers and your vehicle from extreme heat.
Discomfort
Bright sunlight makes commutes less pleasant and causes cars to consume extra energy running the AC on high. It also increases the time it takes air conditioners to adequately reduce temperatures. Interior heat levels can quickly become dangerous if a car’s cooling system fails. Tinted windows will enhance safety by helping you preserve cool air inside the vehicle reducing your discomfort.
Warm Groceries
A summer heat wave might make you feel like you’re going to melt. On the other hand, this may literally happen to refrigerated or frozen items from the supermarket. Even if you need to briefly stop at a bank or gas station, window tinting helps ensure that your food stays cold and preserved as you travel home.
Major Damage
Heat remains a serious problem after you turn off the engine and vacate your car. Interior temperatures may only take an hour to surpass 120 F on an 80-degree day, according to Houston Press. This can badly damage any lighters, sunglasses, spray cans, electronics or cameras that you leave in the vehicle.
Even when you remove these items, high temperatures could cause your auto’s interior to decay. The dashboard or seats might crack, especially if they’re made of leather. This makes them vulnerable to further wear and tear. Seats and other surfaces also feel uncomfortably hot when you return to the vehicle.
Great Solution
The good news is that tinted windows don’t just cool autos by a degree or two. They truly have a noticeable impact. Results vary depending on the specific type of window film, but tinting generally stops around 55 percent of solar heat from entering a car. It also reduces glare, enhances privacy and shields people from damaging ultraviolet rays.
Sunbusters Window Tinting can help you enjoy a cooler, more comfortable commute during Austin’s warmest months. We offer professional tinting services and only apply effective, well-made Llumar ceramic auto tint. Sunbusters has two locations and serves customers Monday through Saturday. We’ve provided this service to Austin motorists for more than 20 years. To get started, please contact us or travel to one of our shops.
Window Tinting Can Keep You Looking Young and Protect You from Skin Cancer
Did you know that UVA solar rays are damaging your skin whenever you hop in your car? Not only will these rays accelerate the aging process, they can also give you skin cancer. Most of us think of sun damage as a beach thing, but UVA rays can get you whenever it’s daylight, especially when you’re behind the wheel. Although glass will protect you from UVB rays — the burning rays — it will not protect you from UVA rays — the aging rays.
Why Are UVA Rays So Dangerous?
Unlike UVB rays that cause visible burning on the skin’s surface, UVA rays go deep into the skin and cause damage you can’t immediately see. They break down the supportive structures formed by collagen fibers that keep the skin firm. UVA rays also encourage the formation of free radicals, inhibit the immune system and interfere with DNA repair.
UVA damage is cumulative; it shows up later as wrinkles, sagging, brown spots, broken capillaries and a coarse, leathery texture. Ultimately, these rays can cause so much harm that skin cancer develops. UVA rays are always present during daylight hours, even with heavy cloud cover. Ninety percent of visible aging and 90 percent of skin cancers are caused by UVA.
How Window Tinting Can Help
The more time you spend driving, the more you are at risk. Austin drivers are especially vulnerable because of the long commutes and bad traffic. Given that most of us spend at least 30 percent of our time in our vehicles, The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends window tinting as part of a comprehensive sun protection program. Window tint is a sunscreen that can protect you from 99 percent of UVA rays, and you only have to apply it once.
Window tinting not only protects you from UVA, it also reduces glare and improves visibility. Window tinting can reduce the heat inside your vehicle by 40 to 75 percent; that means less strain on your vehicle’s air conditioner and reduced gas consumption. If your state prohibits dark tinted windows, clear tints work just as well.
Professional Installation Is Best
Although you can install window tinting yourself, it’s not worth the trouble unless you know exactly what you’re doing. Professional installers are trained to heat form auto tint to conform to the curved glass and they also know how to protect the electronics that might be concealed behind panels. With professional installation, your tint is covered by warranty. If you do it yourself and mess up, you’re left high and dry.
To learn more about the many benefits of window tinting, visit Sunbusters Window Tinting Limited, a member of the Llumar Select Pro Dealer Network, at our Austin and Lakeway locations.
Why Some DIY Projects Just Aren’t Worth the Trouble
Thinking about transforming your stock vehicle into something a bit more appealing? No matter what you’d like to tweak about your current vehicle, booking professional installation services is the best solution.
There’s nothing wrong with tackling certain projects with your own two hands. Aftermarket upgrades, however, are definitely jobs for the professionals. Here are four great reasons why.
1. Superior Appearance
When you’re tinting windows, a single stray dust particle or speck of dirt can spell disaster. If they get trapped under tint films, they result in bubbles and blemishes that are impossible to ignore.
Window tints aren’t the only projects that demand precision. In the world of electronics, failing to measure and account for the size of speaker hardware, wire runs or enclosures can make everything else look crooked. Aftermarket upgrades take considerable time to master, so experts with previous job experience are your best bet.
2. Guaranteed Work
If you mess up a window tint project or a wiring job, you can’t blame anyone but yourself. In most cases, you also can’t ask anyone else to pay for material replacements or spend time redoing the work. Hiring a professional makes it much easier to avoid mistakes the first time around and simultaneously keep your blood pressure low.
Some mistakes are downright insidious. For instance, it’s easy to overlook a bubble in a tint installation or miss a blemish that later expands and causes peeling. If your work was performed by a professional, however, at least you won’t have to spend an arm and a leg to correct the problem.
More Robust Results
Good work lasts longer, which reduces the amount of money that you pay for maintenance and replacements. True, many people have gotten vehicle sound systems to work by connecting wires together and routing the cables themselves. It’s almost certain, however, that a large percentage of these DIY lovers later had to make repairs when their connections rattled apart. If you don’t know which connections call for solder and which deserve crimping, your DIY methods won’t survive as long as you’d prefer.
4. Customized Integration
There are many ways to install an upgrade. Professionals can help you choose one that works without messing anything else up in the process. Their experience makes it much easier to do unconventional things without risking your budget on an idea that might be a dud.
Curious about how to make your next aftermarket upgrade go as smoothly as possible? Get started by contacting a Sunbusters Window Tinting Ltd. Specialists today.