What have you done to your 200 Series this week? (36 Viewers)

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I put some 3M Scotchshield Automotive Security (SAS) film on the front driver's & passenger's windows.
I opted for "SAS 50" which has tint that's a little lighter than what comes on the rear windows.
It's not too dark for night driving and provides a smooth transition from the clear windshield to the rear windows.
The effect is stunning, IMHO! 🤪

I plan to add clear SAS film to the 4 rear windows of our LC and to the rear lift-gate if the curvature of the window allows.

We're also going to add SAS film to all 4 windows of our old old 2006 Avalon.

This film is THICK so window curvature is an issue. It's so thick that to install it you need remove the interior door panels so that the bottom edge of the film does not rub at the top where the inside trim meets the glass. It was hard to find an installer that would do this and I would highly recommend the installer I used (below).

Even though the film is thick I haven't noticed optical aberrations except a few wavy streaks which the installer says is normal until it cures over 2 weeks.

20231202_102300s.jpg


REF:
3M Scotchshield Automotive Window Films Security Series
https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b00016706/

3M Scotchshield Automotive Security Film Demonstration


Installer:
SoundWorks
8424 Veterans Hwy # 1
Millersville, MD 21108
https://soundworksmd.com/
 
I put some 3M Scotchshield Automotive Security (SAS) film on the front driver's & passenger's windows.
I opted for "SAS 50" which has tint that's a little lighter than what comes on the rear windows.
It's not too dark for night driving and provides a smooth transition from the clear windshield to the rear windows.
The effect is stunning, IMHO! 🤪

I plan to add clear SAS film to the 4 rear windows of our LC and to the rear lift-gate if the curvature of the window allows.

We're also going to add SAS film to all 4 windows of our old old 2006 Avalon.

This film is THICK so window curvature is an issue. It's so thick that to install it you need remove the interior door panels so that the bottom edge of the film does not rub at the top where the inside trim meets the glass. It was hard to find an installer that would do this and I would highly recommend the installer I used (below).

Even though the film is thick I haven't noticed optical aberrations except a few wavy streaks which the installer says is normal until it cures over 2 weeks.

View attachment 3496755

REF:
3M Scotchshield Automotive Window Films Security Series
https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b00016706/

3M Scotchshield Automotive Security Film Demonstration


Installer:
SoundWorks
8424 Veterans Hwy # 1
Millersville, MD 21108
https://soundworksmd.com/

Why? Seems like it could unnecessarily prohibit vehicle exit/extraction in an emergency.
 
I put some 3M Scotchshield Automotive Security (SAS) film on the front driver's & passenger's windows.
I opted for "SAS 50" which has tint that's a little lighter than what comes on the rear windows.
It's not too dark for night driving and provides a smooth transition from the clear windshield to the rear windows.
The effect is stunning, IMHO! 🤪

I plan to add clear SAS film to the 4 rear windows of our LC and to the rear lift-gate if the curvature of the window allows.

We're also going to add SAS film to all 4 windows of our old old 2006 Avalon.

This film is THICK so window curvature is an issue. It's so thick that to install it you need remove the interior door panels so that the bottom edge of the film does not rub at the top where the inside trim meets the glass. It was hard to find an installer that would do this and I would highly recommend the installer I used (below).

Even though the film is thick I haven't noticed optical aberrations except a few wavy streaks which the installer says is normal until it cures over 2 weeks.

View attachment 3496755

REF:
3M Scotchshield Automotive Window Films Security Series
https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b00016706/

3M Scotchshield Automotive Security Film Demonstration


Installer:
SoundWorks
8424 Veterans Hwy # 1
Millersville, MD 21108
https://soundworksmd.com/

is this for people who go to Baltimore?
 
Why? Seems like it could unnecessarily prohibit vehicle exit/extraction in an emergency.
Yes I know.
However, it beats the overwhelmingly more likely scenario of running into the Phd students, in Baltimore and other cities, who are trying to work off their student loans by washing windows at intersections. Some of them are so far behind on their student loans that they get really testy if you refuse service. They'll break windows and steal purses, phones etc... Some of them even at gunpoint.

That is my understanding anyway.
is this for people who go to Baltimore?
Maybe...
 
I put some 3M Scotchshield Automotive Security (SAS) film on the front driver's & passenger's windows.
I opted for "SAS 50" which has tint that's a little lighter than what comes on the rear windows.
It's not too dark for night driving and provides a smooth transition from the clear windshield to the rear windows.
The effect is stunning, IMHO! 🤪

I plan to add clear SAS film to the 4 rear windows of our LC and to the rear lift-gate if the curvature of the window allows.

We're also going to add SAS film to all 4 windows of our old old 2006 Avalon.

This film is THICK so window curvature is an issue. It's so thick that to install it you need remove the interior door panels so that the bottom edge of the film does not rub at the top where the inside trim meets the glass. It was hard to find an installer that would do this and I would highly recommend the installer I used (below).

Even though the film is thick I haven't noticed optical aberrations except a few wavy streaks which the installer says is normal until it cures over 2 weeks.

View attachment 3496755

REF:
3M Scotchshield Automotive Window Films Security Series
https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b00016706/

3M Scotchshield Automotive Security Film Demonstration


Installer:
SoundWorks
8424 Veterans Hwy # 1
Millersville, MD 21108
https://soundworksmd.com/

How much did this cost?
 
$200.00, 3 hours. The remaining 4 windows will be between $3-400. Easier and cheaper because the rear windows don't require removing door panels.
That’s a lot cheaper than I figured. As @bloc mentioned, extraction would be a bit longer with this installed.

Baltimore or not this would only buy you a short while before whoever was trying to make entry succeeded. Visibility would also be immediately dropped to near zero best I can tell from the impressive showcase video.

With that said, if I lived in a spot where this was considered, I’d heavily consider moving.
 
That’s a lot cheaper than I figured. As @bloc mentioned, extraction would be a bit longer with this installed.

Baltimore or not this would only buy you a short while before whoever was trying to make entry succeeded. Visibility would also be immediately dropped to near zero best I can tell from the impressive showcase video.

With that said, if I lived in a spot where this was considered, I’d heavily consider moving.
I get it.
Locks, steel doors and security storm doors are on our house so I assume it would take the police and fire longer to kick my door in to rescue us in case of say, a home invasion or fire. Furthermore, the existence of these will not deter a squad of marines forever. Rather they will slow the entrance of an intruder to give one time to react. The very point is the existence of these things gives one time to react and to take measures to either escape the situation or to take measures to defend ourselves

In the case of a window smash during a carjacking the point is not to sit there and thumb your nose. All I need is a "short while", e.g. 15 seconds to react.

As for moving, yeah that's an option. Our neighborhood consists mostly of $800,000 homes and has been literally crime free for the 25 years we've lived here. What's started to happen is that thugs in stolen cars come from far outside our area (Wash DC and Baltimore) and cruise around the "nice" neighborhoods knocking people out for walks, in their driveways and of course carjackings. My windows won't protect us from that, obviously. However if we're out traveling and someone tries a smash while we're sitting stopped, well, I'm not playing.
 
For the record I believe the LX already has laminated glass side windows, which will drastically increase the difficulty of making entry.

@FrazzledHunter for a good fire crew showing up with a ladder truck (which has the appropriate tools) those things wouldn’t slow them down much. Also you can generally contact the local fire department and have them add a “premise note” regarding the storm doors and such at your location, which would give them a heads up while en route.

All that said, I’d be very torn on doing this to my rig. Not much of a risk of that kind of crime where I live, which makes things easier. But if there were, it still wouldn’t be a given that I’d install the stuff. I just don’t want it to be that much more difficult to clear a window if needed.
 
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I get it.
Locks, steel doors and security storm doors are on our house so I assume it would take the police and fire longer to kick my door in to rescue us in case of say, a home invasion or fire. Furthermore, the existence of these will not deter a squad of marines forever. Rather they will slow the entrance of an intruder to give one time to react. The very point is the existence of these things gives one time to react and to take measures to either escape the situation or to take measures to defend ourselves

In the case of a window smash during a carjacking the point is not to sit there and thumb your nose. All I need is a "short while", e.g. 15 seconds to react.

As for moving, yeah that's an option. Our neighborhood consists mostly of $800,000 homes and has been literally crime free for the 25 years we've lived here. What's started to happen is that thugs in stolen cars come from far outside our area (Wash DC and Baltimore) and cruise around the "nice" neighborhoods knocking people out for walks, in their driveways and of course carjackings. My windows won't protect us from that, obviously. However if we're out traveling and someone tries a smash while we're sitting stopped, well, I'm not playing.
It is so sad that in the USA we now need to think about these things. People in failed states have lived with these fears for a long time, and now it has come here. I hope the pendulum swings and some law and order legislators and prosecutors start winning elections.
 
That rack: Towels, blankets, sleeping bags, yes. Basically anything else: no.
 
For the record I believe the LX already has laminated glass side windows, which will drastically increase the difficulty of making entry.

@FrazzledHunter for a good fire crew showing up with a ladder truck (which has the appropriate tools) those things wouldn’t slow them down much. Also you can generally contact the local fire department and have them add a “premise note” regarding the storm doors and such at your location, which would give them a heads up while en route.

All that said, I’d be very torn on doing this to my rig. Not much of a risk of that kind of crime where I live, which makes things easier. But if there were, it still wouldn’t be a given that I’d install the stuff. I just don’t want it to be that much more difficult to clear a window if needed.
My LX laminated glass plus tint when mine got broken into. Looks like they just popped it with a glass hammer and pushed it through the door.

IMG_5775.jpeg
 
My LX laminated glass plus tint when mine got broken into. Looks like they just popped it with a glass hammer and pushed it through the door.

View attachment 3498935
That didn't break like the laminated stuff I've messed with.. I wonder whether it's just the front side windows.. my understanding is lexus did it for sound control, which would make sense on the front. And if so, that definitely wouldn't help much with break-ins.
 

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