Window Tint Guide: Get Tinted
Tint, PPF and Ceramic Coating for a New Car: The Order That Works
A new car is the easiest car to protect. The paint has not been through a season of automatic washes, the glass is unscratched and the interior has not baked through a South Carolina summer yet. Many owners want all three: window tint for heat and UV, paint protection film for rock chips and a ceramic coating for gloss and easier washing.
The order matters for the paint work, and the scheduling matters for the tint. This guide lays out how the three fit together, what each starts at at The Auto Show and three sample plans for different budgets.
The short answer
For paint, the order is prep first, then paint protection film on bare paint, then ceramic coating over the rest of the paint and often over the film, because coatings interfere with film adhesion. Window tint goes on the inside of the glass, so it does not conflict with either and can be done in the same visit or separately. Plan the aftercare: windows up while the tint dries, and no washing for three days after LLumar PPF.
Key points
- Paint order: prep and decontamination, then PPF on bare paint, then ceramic coating over paint and film.
- LLumar advises against wax or coatings before its PPF, because they interfere with film adhesion.
- Tint goes on the inside of the glass, so it is independent of the paint work and of an exterior glass coating.
- Starting prices: tint from $125.99 (carbon) or $199.99 (ceramic) for the front pair, PPF from $1,199.99, coatings from $699.98.
- Schedule aftercare together: keep tinted windows up while they dry and do not wash new PPF for three days.
The order
Paint first, film second, coating last
Wash and decontaminate
Even new paint carries transport film, iron fallout and lot dirt. It has to be clean before anything bonds to it.
Polish only if needed
Dealer prep washes can leave swirls. Light correction goes before film and coating, because both are clear and lock in whatever is underneath.
Install PPF on bare paint
LLumar says wax and coatings applied before its film can interfere with adhesion, so film goes onto clean, uncoated paint.
Coat the paint and the film
The ceramic coating goes on last, over the painted panels and often over the film too, so the whole car washes the same way.
Tint at any point
Window film is applied to the inside of the glass. It does not touch the paint, so it can happen during the same visit or on its own day.
Why tint is separate
Inside the glass vs outside the car
LLumar notes that auto window tint is typically applied to the interior surfaces of the glass. PPF and ceramic coating are exterior products. That separation is why tint has no place in the paint order: nothing about the film affects how PPF adheres or how a coating bonds, and vice versa.
The same logic applies to glass coating. Our IGL Ecocoat Window coating goes on the outside of the glass to help water bead and clear, so it can sit on the same windows as tint without conflict. The windshield alone is $100, and all windows run $250 to $350, lasting about 20,000 miles.
What does connect them is aftercare. Each product has a period when you should leave it alone, and it is easier to plan those days once than three times.
- Glass coating in depth
- How a hydrophobic glass coating works, what it does in rain and how long it lasts. Glass coating explained
Prices
What each piece starts at
Window tint starts at $125.99 for LLumar Carbon and $199.99 for LLumar Ceramic, both for the two front side windows. Full-vehicle tint is priced by quote.
Paint protection film packages start at $1,199.99 for Interstate coverage (front half of the hood and fenders, front bumper and mirrors) and $2,199.99 for Long Distance Driver coverage (full hood and fenders, headlights, fog lights, mirrors and door edges). Full Car coverage starts at $5,499.99.
Ceramic coatings are priced by vehicle class. On a coupe, the 1-year IGL EZ starts at $699.98, the 3-year IGL Quartz+ at $899.98 and the 5-year IGL Kenzo at $1,299.98; larger vehicles cost more, with Kenzo on a truck starting at $1,449.99. A Level 2 detail is the minimum before any coating, and final coating and PPF prices are confirmed after we inspect the vehicle.
Sample plans
Three ways to put it together
- Comfort firstFor a commuter on a budget
- LLumar Ceramic on the front side windows (from $199.99) for heat and glare, plus a 1-year IGL EZ coating (from $699.98 on a coupe) for gloss and easier washing. Add PPF later if chips become a problem, before recoating.
- Highway driverFor I-85 miles
- Interstate PPF (from $1,199.99) on the impact zones, a 3-year IGL Quartz+ coating over the rest of the paint and the film, and LLumar Ceramic tint. Consider the IGL Ecocoat Window windshield coating ($100) for rain. New-car paint plan
- Keep it for a decadeFor long ownership
- Long Distance Driver PPF (from $2,199.99) or Full Car PPF (from $5,499.99), a 5-year IGL Kenzo coating, full-vehicle LLumar Ceramic tint by quote and glass coating on all windows.
Tint choices
Picking tint for a new car
On a new car, think about how long you will keep it. LLumar Carbon has its color built into the film, so it stays charcoal instead of fading or turning purple, and it is the affordable choice for look and privacy. LLumar Ceramic adds nano-ceramic particles that reject more of the sun's infrared heat, which pays off the longer you own the car and the more it sits in the sun.
New vehicles often have factory privacy glass in the rear. That glass already reduces light, which affects what is legal once film goes over it on regulated windows. We check the legal shade for your vehicle before installing, and every tinted window gets South Carolina's certificate of compliance sticker.
If the dealer offered a tint package, ask which film brand and product it uses, whether each window will carry a compliance sticker with the installer's details, and what warranty paperwork you will receive.
Aftercare
Plan the first week once
- Tint: keep the tinted windows up until the film has dried; drying time depends on temperature and humidity.
- PPF: LLumar recommends not washing the vehicle for three days after installation, then hand washing, and discourages pressure washers and automatic washes because they can lift film edges.
- Coating: follow the cure instructions you receive at pickup before the first wash.
- Glass coating: follow its care instructions, and use good wiper blades.
- Book with your schedule in mind: there is no waiting area, and drop-off after 6 pm can be arranged by phone.
| Service | What it does | Starting price |
|---|---|---|
| LLumar Carbon tint | Look, privacy, glare, UV | $125.99 (two front side windows) |
| LLumar Ceramic tint | Adds more infrared heat rejection | $199.99 (two front side windows) |
| Interstate PPF | Front half of hood and fenders, bumper, mirrors | $1,199.99 |
| Long Distance Driver PPF | Full hood and fenders, lights, mirrors, door edges | $2,199.99 |
| IGL EZ coating (1 year) | Gloss and easier washing | $699.98 (coupe) |
| IGL Kenzo coating (5 year) | IGL's top coating | $1,299.98 (coupe) |
| IGL Ecocoat Window | Water-repellent glass coating | $100 windshield; $250 to $350 all windows |
Full-vehicle tint and Off Roader PPF are priced by quote. Coating and PPF prices are confirmed after inspection.
Plan your new car's protection
Tell us the vehicle and what you want protected. We will lay out tint, film and coating in the right order and quote each piece.
Common questions
Should I get tint before or after ceramic coating?
It does not matter for the products themselves. Tint goes on the inside of the glass and a ceramic coating goes on the exterior paint, so neither affects the other. What matters is scheduling the aftercare: keep tinted windows up while the film dries and follow the coating's cure instructions before the first wash.
Can tint, PPF and coating all be done in one visit?
They can be planned together, and combining them means one drop-off and one set of aftercare days. How long the car stays with us depends on the PPF coverage, the coating and the paint prep needed, so we confirm timing when you book. There is no waiting area, so plan a ride.
Do I need PPF if I am getting a ceramic coating?
They do different jobs. A coating adds gloss and makes washing easier, but it is a thin layer that will not stop rock chips. PPF is a thick urethane film that absorbs impacts on the front end. If you drive a lot of highway miles, film on the impact zones plus a coating on the rest is a common combination.
Is dealer tint on a new car worth it?
It can be, if you know what you are getting. Ask for the film brand and product, the shade on each window, confirmation that each window will carry South Carolina's certificate of compliance with the installer's details, and the warranty paperwork. If the dealer cannot answer, compare it with a named film from an installer who can.
Keep reading
Sources
- Paint Protection Film Frequently Asked Questions, LLumar (https://llumar.com/en/resources/paint-protection-film-frequently-asked-questions/), accessed October 2026
- Automotive Window Tint Frequently Asked Questions, LLumar (https://llumar.com/en/resources/automotive-window-tint-frequently-asked-questions/), accessed October 2026
- Ceramic Window Tint, LLumar (https://llumar.com/en/tint/ceramic/), accessed October 2026
- S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-5015, South Carolina Legislature (https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t56c005.php), accessed October 2026
- Automotive Installation Process, International Window Film Association (https://iwfa.com/automotive-installation-process/), accessed October 2026
Prices on this page are The Auto Show’s published starting prices. Film ratings and warranty terms come from the manufacturer. This guide explains South Carolina law in plain words; it is not legal advice.