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Installed photochromic sun film on my car: Impressed with the results

14th May 2025, 18:30 by Deepankar Sadekar

The darkening effect during sunny drives is instant and really impressive.

BHPian thirdmainroad recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Hello Fellow Team-BHPians!

Over the years of driving across India’s hot and humid stretches, I’ve come to believe that high-quality sun films are the most worthy aftermarket investment one can make — especially if you live in a place that gets scorching hot for most of the year!

Like many of you, I began with basic tints, moved on to 3M’s CR series on my previous car, and then, when I got my Taigun in January 2023, based on a recommendation, I decided to go a step further and had Solar Shield’s Nano Ceramic films installed — and let me tell you, that was a game changer.

The Nano Ceramic Experience: A 2-Year Review:

I opted for Solar Shields Nano Ceramic Teal 70 — a film that offers over 60% heat rejection with 70% Visible Light Transmission (VLT), 99% UV rejection.

What I noticed immediately after install:

Glare reduction at night was noticeably much better than my previous 3m CR 70s, especially on highways where those blinding high beams from oncoming traffic usually drive me nuts.
During peak Chennai afternoons, stepping into the car didn’t feel like walking into an oven anymore - again, much better heat reduction than the 3Ms.
Passengers (even ones who never care about car mods!) would ask me, “Did you do something to your A/C? Why does this car feel cooler than mine?”
And over the last two years and 6 months, the film has held up beautifully — no fading, bubbling, or peeling. It looked and performed just as well as day one.

To put it simply — it felt like I had found the perfect sun film.

The Twist: Enter Solar Shield’s New Launch – Eclipse Photochromic Sun Control Film for Cars:

Fast forward to a few months ago — a stray stone hit my windshield, and I had to get it replaced. Which meant the sun film had to get replaced as well. Naturally, I reached out to Solar Shield.

To my pleasant surprise, they offered a replacement at a discounted rate — without me even asking for one. That alone says something about their customer-first approach.

But here’s where it got interesting. During our conversation, they mentioned they were about to launch a new generation of Photochromic sun protection films for vehicles called Eclipse — since I've been wearing photochromic lenses, again graduating from cheap ones to top of the line lenses over the years, I was very intrigued.

Here's a post of mine on photochromic lenses.

What Is Photochromic Film?

Photochromic films adjust their tint based on sunlight intensity (based on UV) — just like transition lenses for spectacles.

In the day: The film darkens when exposed to sunlight (not heat, but UV), offering enhanced heat rejection and glare control.

At night or in shade: The film becomes clearer, ensuring perfect visibility.

Solar Shield kept me in the loop during the launch and finally notified me that Eclipse was live. The specs were great on paper:

Same 60% heat rejection as Teal
75% base VLT (clearer than Teal)
Drops to 50% VLT under sunlight (for serious heat + glare control)

My curiosity peaked. But…

I had spent over ₹50,000 on the Teal Nano Ceramic films, including re-install for the windshield and they were good as new.

I cross police checkpoints daily and travel to Bangalore and Mysore often, where even the hint of tint or anything else on a vehicle with TN plate invites cops to jump and parachute onto the car.

My wife would keeell me if I spent again on sun films — especially when I already had a great and a expensive film.

But… I really wanted the Photochromic films.

I began to negotiate with my wife. It is my birthday month, and I used that as a chip. We usually do a long and expensive drive for my birthday and I told my wife: let’s skip the birthday drive (her back was bothering her anyway, and she was dreading it + I had has just spent a solid month driving all across South India with a friend), and instead let me get this film.

Somehow, she agreed — and even offered to cover it as a birthday gift!

So I reached out to Solar Shield and said I was ready to make the purchase. They again surprised me with a most generous discount for existing customers.

The cost for all windows (including front and rear windshield) was just over Rs 61,000, before the discount for my Taigun.

The Install:

The film arrived on a scorching Chennai day. The next day, their team came home for the install. Unfortunately, the rain came mid-install, so I couldn’t test the photochromic effect immediately. There were a few bubbles due to the cool weather — but as expected, they vanished by the next day.

My first night drive: Immediate improvement. Glare control at night was even better than before.

My Experience with Solar Shield Photochromic Film:

I’ve been driving with this new film for a few days now — city commutes, ECR highway drives, late-night outings — and I can confidently say this is next-level stuff.

Heat & Glare Rejection:

The darkening effect during sunny drives is instant and really impressive. You can actually see the film adapting. The cabin feels cooler, calmer and glare is virtually eliminated, even during sharp turns against the sun. The photochromic coating is very high end for sure and will very quickly adapt to shade and light.

I was worried about driving with a 50% VLT on the windshield, but my worries for meaningless. Surprisingly, despite the 50% VLT in full UV, visibility is better. No harsh light. Just calm, comfortable vision. It actually aids vision.

Crystal-Clear at Night:

Absolutely no distortion or haze. In fact, oncoming glare is more muted than with the Teal. I’m really enjoying night drives again — which I had started to avoid due to blinding over powered headlights.

Looks & Finish:

From the outside, the tint gives the car a sleek, factory-finish look — not too dark, not too flashy. Just classy. The finish and clarity are superb, especially on the windshield.

Compliance:

I’ve passed through multiple cop checks and traffic stops since the install — not once have I been questioned. The VLT remains within legal limits, and the dynamic tinting doesn’t raise eyebrows. The films look like they are expensive factory fitted tinted glass, and cops have raised no questions!

Verdict: Worth Every Rupee:

Yes, it’s priced higher than your regular films — but what you’re getting here is intelligent sun protection. It’s a rare product that combines innovation, performance, and compliance, with a solid brand and service backing it.

If you drive often, especially in sunny climates — or if you’re just someone who appreciates top-notch upgrades — this is one investment you won’t regret.

Once again, Solar Shield has knocked it out of the park. From their fantastic customer service, to consistently bringing cutting-edge automotive films to India — I’m genuinely impressed.

If you’re in the market for a serious sun film upgrade — reach out to Solar Shield. Tell them a fellow Team-BHPian sent you.

Here are some pictures — though honestly, no photo does justice to how cool and premium it looks in person. It’s something you feel while driving.

Would love to hear if others here have tried photochromic films — happy to answer any questions too.

Drive cool and safe!

How they look at night - Front View