coupe
$249*
Mobile Window Tinting in Kearny Mesa
Carbon and ceramic film, fitted at your address
Rated 5 stars 5.0 1,000+ five-star reviews on
Overview
We install window tint at your place in Kearny Mesa, 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 drive and keeps UV off your seats and dash. This is where a lot of San Diego buys its cars, and a new one usually arrives with tinted rear glass and two bare front windows, which is the exact gap we get called about most often here.
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, and they are worth comparing against what a dealer adds for tint on a new car. 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, since C2 Carbon has to be fitted indoors. That one is done at our San Marcos shop.
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 middle tier and a common choice on a newly bought car. Pro Nano rejects a lot 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
The tier to take if you want the car to stay as cool as it possibly can. Apex Ultra rejects the most heat and has the best optical clarity of anything we 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
The one this area asks for most. If the car came off the lot with factory-tinted rear glass, this brings the front two windows up to match, from $149.
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 glare on the 163 and the 52, and for the heat coming through the biggest 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.
Every option can be fitted on-site in Kearny Mesa 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.
The rule is set by the state, so Kearny Mesa is treated the same as everywhere else 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 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 and is a popular privacy choice. 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.
This comes up constantly on newly bought cars, because factory privacy glass on the back looks dark and people assume the front can match it. It cannot, legally. What it can do is reject nearly as much heat: a 70% Apex Ultra ceramic film outperforms a dark carbon film on heat, because ceramic particles do the work rather than the shade.
We will go through 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 car you have just bought and plan to keep, that warranty outlasts most finance terms.
It is also worth knowing what you are comparing when tint is offered as an add-on at point of sale. The things that separate films are heat rejection, optical clarity, colour stability and what the warranty actually covers, and those are all set out on this page rather than left vague.
The full film-by-film comparison is on the main window tinting service page.
How mobile window tinting works in Kearny Mesa
We come to you: home, workplace, or your own garage. Film wants a clean, covered space, so a garage or carport gives the best result. Around the Convoy area a lot of parking is apartment carports and shared lots, which is workable, but tell us when you book so we can plan the spot rather than improvise on the day.
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 is done at our San Marcos shop, and it is why Bronze is priced below the ceramic tiers.
What the appointment looks like
We are out seven days a week, 7am to 7pm, covering Kearny Mesa from the Convoy corridor across to Kearny Villa Road and the business units around it. Your technician texts on the way and again when the car is finished.
A full-car tint is normally a half-day job. Front windows on their own are considerably quicker, which is worth knowing if that is all your car needs.
After we leave
Keep the windows up for three days while the film cures. Haze, small bubbles or trapped moisture straight after an install is normal and clears on its own, usually within one to two weeks.
Real reviews
What San Diego 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. On a new car it is the obvious thing to do before the paint has taken any wear. We are an authorized Opti-Coat installer, with tiers from $599. See the tiers and pricing.
Paint protection film takes the rock chips and road debris a coating cannot stop, with packages from $1,000 using self-healing Autobahn film. See PPF packages.
Doing tint and coating on the same visit saves an appointment, since the car only has to be free once. We also fit mobile auto detailing in Kearny Mesa, ceramic coating in Kearny Mesa and paint protection film in Kearny Mesa.
We cover the surrounding area too, including Mira Mesa, Miramar, Tierra Santa, Scripps Ranch and Downtown. The full list is on the services page.
Good to know
Kearny Mesa window tinting FAQs
How much does window tinting cost in Kearny Mesa?
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, so you can price your own car before you call.
My new car already has tinted rear windows. What do I need?
Usually just the front two. Factory privacy glass is tinted at the back but the front side windows are left clear, so the front-window option is what closes the gap.
It starts at $149 with C2 Carbon, which is in-shop only, or $199 for Pro Nano and $249 for Apex Ultra ceramic, both of which we can fit at your address.
Can you match the factory tint on the back?
We can get close on appearance, but the front is capped by law at 70% VLT, so it cannot legally be as dark as factory privacy glass looks.
What we can do is match it as closely as the law allows while rejecting far more heat than the factory glass does on its own.
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.
We will walk you through a combination that stays legal, and a 70% ceramic film at the front still rejects a lot of heat.
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 tint at my house in Kearny Mesa?
Yes, and that is how most of our tint work happens. Film wants a clean, covered space, so a garage or carport is ideal.
The C2 Carbon film is the exception and is in-shop only, whether you take it as the Bronze full-car tier or the front-window option. That is fitted at our San Marcos shop.
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.
Purple or bubbling film 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.
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.
That difference is what you are paying for, and it matters more than how dark the film looks.
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