Alright, I've searched and read through many threads regarding tinting and have only come across a few answers to my question. However, I would like to use this as the definitive thread for others who may also have to make this decision in the near future:

Does metallic tint have an effect on your 2008 Accord Coupe's radio reception/navigation/keyless entry system?

I need to know as I am scheduled for tinting early next week and my tint professional says that he's heard of some interference with "Toyotas" but nothing with Honda's as of yet...

Thoughts???

Do NOT go metallic! Due to our DOT matrix(which recieves AM signals), putting metallic tint will block incomming signals.

So if you dont mind losing AM signal, go for it otherwise, STAY AWAY!

I went for it...No problems here whatsoever. AM and all other signal still strong as it was with no tint. I found that during the day, it looks a little gray/green. But at night, it looks niceeeeeee.

I have mettallic tint and have had no problems. I'd say that it does affect my cell reception by about 1 bar, as I was warned. No problems with the radio, and I listen to AM all of the time.

I have mettallic tint and have had no problems...

+1 Go for it! Metallic tint has a zero-percent fade factor and has a nice reflection/color to it.

:scratch: people still listen to am?

Me and this guy I know both got the same car, the 08 coupe with navi. I had a gift certificate for this tint place, so I went ahead and got the non-metallic tint. The other guy got regular metallic tint. There seems to be no noticable affect. Not sure about the AM reception though...me and him never listen to it. I jumped on the xm $77/year deal.

Me and this guy I know both got the same car, the 08 coupe with navi. I had a gift certificate for this tint place, so I went ahead and got the non-metallic tint. The other guy got regular metallic tint. There seems to be no noticable affect. Not sure about the AM reception though...me and him never listen to it. I jumped on the xm $77/year deal.

How do you find the non-metallic tint thus far? Did you have an trouble with the dot matrix on the rear window? Is the darkness and quality as good?

I have mettallic tint and have had no problems. I'd say that it does affect my cell reception by about 1 bar, as I was warned. No problems with the radio, and I listen to AM all of the time.

Thanks Andrada. So your cell reception is affected by 1 bar? Does this translate into any quality/reception problems when you're on the highway or in a somewhat remote region? But the AM stations work fine?

I must also be one of the lucky ones. I have metallic tint and it has not affected any of my on-board systems reception.
Not even my garmin, which has to look through three sides of metallic tint to find satellites. Even when I'm driving along, and pull the the satellite screen that shows which ones are being accessed and where they are, it sees satellites low on the horizon through the backside!

If the antenna is imbedded in the glass, and the tint is applied to the inside of the car, there is nothing but glass between the antenna and the signal. The only way you will have antenna issues is if you tint the outside of your rear windshield (I know, it's a joke) or if say the XM antenna was mounted on the rear deck (but it's not).

As far as I know, metallic tint WILL NOT harm any stereo (XM, FM, or AM) but as one poster mentioned, it may have an effect on cell phones because the tint is between the cell phone and the satellite.

How do you find the non-metallic tint thus far? Did you have an trouble with the dot matrix on the rear window? Is the darkness and quality as good?

The shop I got my tints done had the option for a 3M non-metallic tint. It cost something like $30-$50 extra over regular tint. Here's a link to what they use.http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?66666UuZjcFSLXTt4XMa4XM2EVuQEcuZgVs 6EVs6E666666--

As for the dot matrix, at first they said they would use vinyl to cover it up but then they just ended up tinting over it. It actually turned out ok. There are some small bubbles if you look really close and it's not quite as dark as the other parts of the rear, but overall it looks pretty clean. I only got 35% tints. I kind of wished that I got 20%, but then again I work near a courthouse and cops in MD aren't always the coolest.

Do NOT go metallic! Due to our DOT matrix(which recieves AM signals), putting metallic tint will block incomming signals.

So if you dont mind losing AM signal, go for it otherwise, STAY AWAY!

Uh, no, see below!

If the antenna is imbedded in the glass, and the tint is applied to the inside of the car, there is nothing but glass between the antenna and the signal. The only way you will have antenna issues is if you tint the outside of your rear windshield (I know, it's a joke) or if say the XM antenna was mounted on the rear deck (but it's not).

As far as I know, metallic tint WILL NOT harm any stereo (XM, FM, or AM) but as one poster mentioned, it may have an effect on cell phones because the tint is between the cell phone and the satellite.

Took the words right out of my mouth. :thmsup:

I went for it...No problems here whatsoever. AM and all other signal still strong as it was with no tint.

Same here, no radio or cell problems at all. (I have XM but no Nav.) My tint is the Quantum HP 19 and get lots of compliments. Had it on my '98 lexus for 7 years. It blocks more heat and UV, never fades or changes color. :thmsup:

hmm... then it is good know I was mistaken... I guess if there is no reception problems metallic is the way to go!:thmsup:

If the antenna is imbedded in the glass, and the tint is applied to the inside of the car, there is nothing but glass between the antenna and the signal. The only way you will have antenna issues is if you tint the outside of your rear windshield (I know, it's a joke) or if say the XM antenna was mounted on the rear deck (but it's not).

As far as I know, metallic tint WILL NOT harm any stereo (XM, FM, or AM) but as one poster mentioned, it may have an effect on cell phones because the tint is between the cell phone and the satellite.

Hmm...Very good point! Thanks for bringing that to my attention. Looks like metallic film is clearly the best choice.

Yeah I haven't notice any difference with my metallic tint. Although for some reason XM has an extremely strong signal because I drove through the tunnel in LAX with XM on and it had no affect on it whatsoever.

Thanks Andrada. So your cell reception is affected by 1 bar? Does this translate into any quality/reception problems when you're on the highway or in a somewhat remote region? But the AM stations work fine?

Just driving around I drop more calls than I did before. I drive through canyons where I usually would get bad choppy reception before the tint where I would usually just drop down to 1 bar and not hear well, I actually drop the call now. If I think of it ahead of time and put my celly on my dash where I go through bad reception areas, my phone is unaffected by the tint. Most of the time I notice no difference.

Im a complete noob when it comes to tints, just what are the differences between regular tint, metallic, quantam hp, and ceramic.. Im pretty sure there's lot more but I notice a lot of ppl talk about these the most..

Im a complete noob when it comes to tints, just what are the differences between regular tint, metallic, quantam hp, and ceramic.. Im pretty sure there's lot more but I notice a lot of ppl talk about these the most..

Types of window film. (http://www.tintcenter.com/articles/bt_types.html) (TintCenter.com)

As far as I know, metallic tint WILL NOT harm any stereo (XM, FM, or AM) but as one poster mentioned, it may have an effect on cell phones because the tint is between the cell phone and the satellite.

You got a satellite phone? Aren't they expensive. :naughty:

As soon as I drove away with my brand new tints, my AM reception went to s**t! There is a 100% correlation between tints and AM reception. Although I don't know for sure, I am assuming that I have the metallic tint just like everyone else who had complained about poor reception.

Does anyone have any suggestions for improving the reception?

I have Llumar 18% "Stealth" tint which is a metallic tint, and I have no issues with cell or radio reception, and I can even use my bluetooth headset outside of the car, with the phone in the car.

I still don't understand these radio issues some complain of. The antenna is on the "outside" of the tint. Radio signals will be "hitting" the antenna before they hit the tint.
The antenna runs are also insulated. So unless they've been cut or nicked, they're not being shorted out by the "metalic" tint base.

My radio reception (AM or otherwise) wasn't affected at all, and I'm also running Llumar. Nor was my Garmin GPS affected. The signals coming through the back/side widows are just as strong as the front. This can be monitored on the satellite screen.