coupe
$249*
Mobile Window Tinting in East Lake
Carbon and ceramic film, fitted in your driveway
Rated 5 stars 5.0 1,000+ five-star reviews on
Overview
We install window tint at your place in East Lake, not ours.
Tint is not only about how the car looks. The right film cuts the heat that builds in a parked car, takes the glare out of a commute and keeps UV off your seats and dash. Out here on the eastern side of Chula Vista you are far enough from the bay that the afternoons run hot, and the streets are open and new with very little mature shade over a parked car.
We fit carbon and ceramic films, from a straightforward carbon tint up to Apex Ultra ceramic at 95% heat rejection, and we will tell you honestly which one is worth the difference for how you actually drive. Every package, price and coverage diagram is set out on this page, so you can decide before you call.
Film needs a clean, covered space to go on well, so a garage or carport is ideal. Our technicians are licensed and fully insured. Family-run since 1994, rated 5.0 across more than 1,000 five-star reviews on Google, Yelp and Facebook.
Packages & pricing
Window tint packages, prices and coverage
Three full-car film tiers, plus front-window and windshield options you can fit on their own. Prices are set by the film you choose and the size of the vehicle, from a coupe up to a full-size SUV or truck, because bigger and more complex glass takes more film and more time.
These are our standard San Diego County prices, with nothing added for the drive south. Each package shows what the film does, which glass it covers, the shades available and the warranty behind it.
Bronze Carbon Tint
Choose vehicle type swipe
sedan
$299*
compact suv
$329*
truck
$349*
full-size suv
$399*
What's included
- 50% Heat Rejection + 99% UV Rejection
- Application of GeoShield C2 Carbon Film to All Windows (Excluding Front Windshield & Sunroof)
- Your Choice of 50%, 35%, 20%, or 5% Film
- 3 Year Film Warranty
- Only Available In Shop
The one tier that cannot come to you. C2 Carbon has to be fitted indoors at our San Marcos shop, which from here is most of the length of the county.
Vehicle condition & upgrades
Addons:
- Tint Removal ($90/hr*): Complete removal of existing window tint from the vehicle.
- Tint Front Windshield (Starting at $299*): Application of GeoShield Pro Nano Ceramic Window Tint to the front windshield.
- Tint Sunroof ($100*): Application of GeoShield Pro Nano Ceramic Window Tint on 1 sunroof.
Silver Ceramic Tint
Choose vehicle type swipe
coupe
$349*
sedan
$399*
compact suv
$429*
truck
$449*
full-size suv
$499*
What's included
- 76% Heat Rejection + 99% UV Rejection
- Application of GeoShield Pro Nano Ceramic Film to All Windows (Excluding Front Windshield & Sunroof)
- Your Choice of 70%, 50%, 35%, 20%, or 5% Film
- Low Haze
- Lifetime Film Warranty
The cheapest tier we can fit at your address, and the one most East Lake customers choose. Pro Nano rejects far more heat than carbon at the same shade.
Vehicle condition & upgrades
Addons:
- Tint Removal ($90/hr*): Complete removal of existing window tint from the vehicle.
- Tint Front Windshield (Starting at $299*): Application of GeoShield Pro Nano Ceramic Window Tint to the front windshield.
- Tint Sunroof ($100*): Application of GeoShield Pro Nano Ceramic Window Tint on 1 sunroof.
Gold Ceramic Tint
Choose vehicle type swipe
coupe
$549*
sedan
$599*
compact suv
$629*
truck
$649*
full-size suv
$699*
What's included
- 95% Heat Rejection + 99% UV Rejection
- Application of GeoShield Apex Ultra Ceramic Film to All Windows (Excluding Front Windshield & Sunroof)
- Your Choice of 70%, 50%, 35%, 20%, or 5% Film
- Low Haze
- Lifetime Film Warranty
Worth it on these streets, where there is little shade and the afternoons are hot. Apex Ultra gives the largest cut in cabin temperature we can fit.
Vehicle condition & upgrades
Addons:
- Tint Removal ($90/hr*): Complete removal of existing window tint from the vehicle.
- Tint Front Windshield (Starting at $399*): Application of GeoShield Apex Ultra Ceramic Window Tint to the front windshield.
- Tint Sunroof ($200*): Application of GeoShield Apex Ultra Ceramic Window Tint on 1 sunroof.
Front Windows
Choose your film swipe
C2 Carbon
$149*
50% heat rejection · in shop only
Pro Nano Ceramic
$199*
76% heat rejection
Apex Ultra Ceramic
$249*
95% heat rejection
What's included
- Your Choice of GeoShield Film to Front Two Windows
- Your Choice of 70%, 50%, 35%, 20%, or 5% Film
- High Optical Clarity
- Lifetime Film Warranty
A frequent request on family SUVs that came with factory-tinted rear glass, so only the front two windows need bringing up to match.
Vehicle condition & upgrades
Addons:
- Tint Removal ($90/hr*): Complete removal of existing window tint from the vehicle.
- Tint Front Windshield (Starting at $299*): Application of GeoShield Pro Nano or Apex Ultra Ceramic Window Tint to the front windshield.
- Tint Sunroof ($100, 200*): Application of GeoShield Pro Nano Ceramic or GeoShield Apex Ultra Ceramic Window Tint on 1 sunroof.
Windshield Ceramic Tint
Choose vehicle type swipe
coupe
Pro Nano $299*
Apex Ultra $399*
sedan
Pro Nano $299*
Apex Ultra $399*
compact suv
Pro Nano $299*
Apex Ultra $399*
truck
Pro Nano $399*
Apex Ultra $499*
full-size suv
Pro Nano $399*
Apex Ultra $499*
What's included
- Up to 95% Heat Rejection + 99% UV Rejection
- Application of GeoShield Pro Nano Ceramic or Apex Ultra Ceramic Film to The Front Windshield
- Your Choice of 70%, 50%, 35%, 20%, or 5% Film
- High Optical Clarity
- Lifetime Film Warranty
For low sun on Otay Lakes Road and the run west in the evening, and for heat through the largest piece of glass on the car. It is a separate job and can be added to any package above.
Vehicle condition & upgrades
Addons:
- Tint Removal ($90/hr*): Complete removal of existing window tint from the vehicle.
- Tint Sunroof ($100, 200*): Application of GeoShield Pro Nano Ceramic or GeoShield Apex Ultra Ceramic Window Tint on 1 sunroof.
* Plus tax. All prices are estimates and subject to change until the vehicle has been inspected to verify condition and size/complexity of the windows. A covered area is recommended for installation. Additional labor will not be charged without customer approval. By tinting your windows at Smith Bros, you are acknowledging and agreeing to the Window Tint Disclaimer.
Everything above can be fitted at your East Lake address except Bronze C2 Carbon, which is in-shop only. The full technical comparison of the GeoShield range is on the main window tinting service page.
Choosing your shade, and what is legal in California
Every package lets you choose a shade, measured as VLT, or Visible Light Transmission: the share of visible light the film lets through. 70% is very light, 5% is limousine dark. The strip above shows the five shades side by side.
California sets this rule statewide, so it applies here exactly as it does anywhere else. Front side windows must let at least 70% of visible light through. Rear side windows and the rear windshield can be any shade you like.
Is a 35% tint legal in California?
On the back, yes. A 35% film is legal on the rear side windows and rear windshield, which is the usual way to keep the back of a family car private and cooler. It is not legal on the front two side windows, which are held to 70%. Anyone offering to fit 35% up front is quoting you a fix-it ticket.
That pairing, a darker back and a light legal front, is what most people here actually want. The heat rejection does not come from the darkness anyway: a 70% Apex Ultra ceramic film outperforms a dark carbon film comfortably, because the ceramic particles do the work.
We will settle the combination with you before anything goes on the glass.
Why we fit GeoShield film
We are a GeoShield dealer and fit their film exclusively across all three tiers. The ceramic films block heat with nano-ceramic particles rather than a metal layer, so they reject a lot of infrared without interfering with phone signal, GPS or tyre-pressure sensors the way older metallised films could.
The films resist surface scratching, hold their colour instead of turning purple after a few summers, and both ceramic tiers carry a lifetime film warranty against bubbling, peeling, cracking and colour change. On a family car the scratch resistance is not trivial either: rear side windows on a school-run SUV take a lot of contact.
Since we are not based in the South Bay, the warranty is the part that matters most. A lifetime film warranty is a commitment that holds regardless of how far away the shop is.
The full film-by-film comparison is on the main window tinting service page.
How mobile window tinting works in East Lake
We come to you: the driveway, the garage, or your workplace. Film wants a clean, covered space, so a garage or carport gives the best result, and most homes in these newer neighbourhoods have one. Being away from the coast, wind is much less of a problem here than it is on the beach side, so open-driveway work is usually fine too.
The C2 Carbon film is the exception, being in-shop only both as the Bronze full-car tier and as the front-window option, because carbon has to be fitted indoors. That work happens at our San Marcos shop, so almost everyone down here takes one of the ceramic tiers we can bring to them.
What the appointment looks like
We are out seven days a week, 7am to 7pm, covering East Lake and the surrounding eastern Chula Vista neighbourhoods. Your technician texts on the way and again when the car is finished, which is worth having on a longer run so you are not held up waiting.
A full-car tint is normally a half-day job. We need the car for the whole appointment and enough room around it to open every door.
After we leave
Keep the windows up for three days while the film cures. Haze, small bubbles or trapped moisture is normal at first and clears on its own, usually within one to two weeks, and the drier air out here tends to help.
Real reviews
What San Diego County drivers say
Requested service online and they came out the same day, two hours later. Fantastic field service management, with updates as to when the agent would arrive along with his personal phone number. Nicholas was young but professional. The car went from looking like a 3 year old warzone to a brand new car.
After requesting a quote through Yelp, Luke got back to me very quickly with a thorough explanation of their products and pricing. They had next day availability and Donnie showed up right on time and worked diligently to bring my Honda Pilot back to life. After 4 hours she looks brand new, and the pricing was very fair for the quality of work. I love finding a service professional who takes pride in their work.
I requested the exterior detail to remove some house paint that had been splattered on my car, then ended up going with the silver ceramic package. I am seriously impressed on all levels: customer service, detail, and quality of work. Andrew ceramic coated it to perfection, it looks better than it did brand new off the lot. I cannot thank these gentlemen enough.
Rated 5.0 across more than 1,000 five-star reviews on Google, Yelp and Facebook. Get a free quote for your vehicle.
Recent work
Recent window tint work
More finished cars, tint and everything else we do, are in our work.
Can I add ceramic coating, PPF or detailing?
A ceramic coating does for your paint what ceramic film does for your glass: it rejects UV, sheds water and keeps the finish from dulling, which counts on streets with this little shade. We are an authorized Opti-Coat installer, with tiers from $599, and we fit ceramic coating in East Lake.
Paint protection film takes the rock chips and road debris a coating cannot stop, with packages from $1,000 using self-healing Autobahn film. We also fit paint protection film in East Lake.
Booking more than one job at a time is worth doing here, since it saves you an appointment and us a second trip. We also offer mobile auto detailing in East Lake.
We cover the rest of the South Bay and the city too, including Chula Vista, Coronado and Downtown San Diego. The full list of services is on the services page.
Good to know
East Lake window tinting FAQs
How much does window tinting cost in East Lake?
Full-car film runs from $249 for Bronze carbon on a coupe up to $699 for Gold ceramic on a full-size SUV, plus tax. Front windows on their own start at $149, and a windshield runs $299 to $499 depending on the film and the vehicle.
Every price is broken out by vehicle type in the packages above, with nothing added for the distance.
Do you cover this part of Chula Vista?
Yes. Both ceramic tiers, the ceramic front-window option and the windshield film are all fitted at your address.
The only exception is the C2 Carbon film, which has to be fitted indoors at our San Marcos shop.
My SUV already has tinted rear windows. What do I need?
Usually just the front two. Factory privacy glass covers the back but leaves the front side windows clear, and the front-window option closes that gap from $149.
Tell us what the car came with and we will point you at the option that actually adds something.
What tint is legal in California?
Front side windows must let at least 70% of visible light through. Rear side windows and the rear windshield can be any shade you want.
A dark back with a light, legal front is the most common combination we fit on family cars.
Is a 35% tint legal in California?
On the rear side windows and rear windshield, yes. On the front two side windows, no. Those are held to 70% VLT, so a 35% film up front is not road-legal in California.
Can you remove my old tint first?
Yes. Tint removal is $90 per hour and covers stripping the existing film off the vehicle before the new film goes on. How long it takes depends on the film and how long it has been on the car.
Film that has gone purple or started to bubble is the slowest to remove. We will give you a realistic estimate once we have seen it.
How long before I can roll my windows down?
Three days. The film needs that time to adhere fully, and rolling a window down early can damage it. Worth mentioning to anyone else who drives the car.
Why does my tint look hazy or bubbled?
That is trapped moisture and it is normal straight after an install. It clears as the film cures, usually within one to two weeks.
Does ceramic tint really block more heat?
Yes, and measurably so. C2 Carbon rejects about 50% of heat, Pro Nano Ceramic about 76%, and Apex Ultra Ceramic about 95%. All three block 99% of UV.
If a hot car at school pickup is the problem, that difference is what you are paying for.
Is the tint covered by a warranty?
The Silver and Gold ceramic packages carry a lifetime warranty on the film, as do the ceramic front-window and windshield options. The Bronze Carbon option carries a 3-year film warranty.
The warranty covers the film against bubbling, peeling, cracking and colour change.
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Mon–Sun · 7AM – 7PM · San Diego County & Southern California