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⭐ Rated 5 StarsOver 430 Google Reviews3M Prestige DealerFamily Owned Since 1989
Carbon Window Tint in San Antonio
Carbon window tint in San Antonio, installed at our shop on Grissom Road by the family that’s been tinting cars since 1989. Carbon film is made with carbon particles instead of dye, so it won’t fade or turn purple, and there’s no metal in it to mess with your phone or GPS. It stops more heat than an entry-level dyed film and less than ceramic, which makes it the middle option on price and on performance. Free quote on every car, and same-day is usually available.
Since 1989, at our San Antonio shop
5.0 on Google
From San Antonio drivers and homeowners
Family owned, on Grissom Road
What San Antonio drivers say about picking a film with us
“They are so friendly and help you find the right product that fits your needs without putting any pressure on you. They also do not try to upsell anything unnecessary and their prices are very reasonable.”
Jeffrey M., February 2026
“The man and his wife running the front desk were extremely friendly and did a great job explaining the benefits of each different material and making sure we understood the product we were purchasing.”
Daniel S., March 2025
“Great job from Kevin and his team … very professional, clean, fast and fair prices, they explained to me the difference between the several options that they had and recommended me the best one according to my needs, I will definitely come back in the future!”
Naui P., February 2024
“Very friendly personnel and their customer attention and service was excellent. They took their time explaining the differences between the tint shades in relation to how they block infrared rays.”
Edwin D., February 2022
What carbon window tint is
Carbon window tint is a car window film with fine carbon particles built into it. The carbon darkens the glass and blocks part of the sun’s infrared heat, which is the heat you feel on your arm. There’s no dye in it to fade and no metal in it to block signals. Ours is made by 3M, like every car film we install.
That puts carbon in the middle of the range. It’s a step up from a dyed film and a step below ceramic on heat. It suits drivers who want a dark, even look that stays dark, and who don’t need the most heat rejection a film can give.
Carbon tint won't fade or turn purple
Many dyed films fade over time, because the sun breaks the dye down, and plenty of them end up purple. Carbon film gets its color from carbon instead of dye, so the color holds. It’s covered by a lifetime film warranty against discoloring, too.
You’ve seen the car with the purple back window. It usually comes with a bubble big enough to need its own parking spot. Carbon is how you make sure that car is never yours.
Already got old purple tint? We’ll strip the old film and the adhesive as part of your new tint job.
A dark, matte look without the mirror shine
Carbon film has a matte finish. From outside it looks dark and even, with none of the shiny, mirrored look that old metal films had. It’s a natural match for black and dark-colored cars, and it looks just as sharp on a white one.
From the driver’s seat, the view out stays clear and the afternoon glare comes down a notch.
No metal, so your phone and GPS don't notice it
Carbon film has no metal in it, so it doesn’t block radio signals. Older metal films could mess with your phone, your GPS and your satellite radio. Carbon doesn’t, so everything on your dash works the way it did before the tint went on.
To be fair to the other films, that’s not a reason to pick carbon over ceramic. 3M Ceramic IR and 3M Crystalline have no metal in them either. All three leave your phone alone, so the choice between them comes down to heat and looks.
Carbon vs dyed, ceramic and 3M Crystalline tint
Car window films come in three broad steps. Dyed film is the entry level, and carbon is the middle step. Ceramic and 3M Crystalline sit at the top, because they stop the most heat.
Carbon vs dyed film
Carbon stops more heat than dye, and it doesn’t fade or turn purple the way many dyed films do. A dyed film usually costs less up front. That’s the trade.
Carbon vs ceramic tint
Ceramic stops more heat. 3M rates its Ceramic IR film at up to 95% infrared heat rejection and up to 66% of total solar energy rejected, and it blocks up to 99.9% of UV. Carbon doesn’t reach that level of heat rejection, and it costs less. If heat is the main thing you’re fighting, 3M Ceramic IR is usually worth the step up.
Carbon vs 3M Crystalline
Crystalline is the top film 3M makes. 3M rates it at up to 98% infrared heat rejection and up to 64% of total solar energy rejected, and it gets there at light shades. It’s built for drivers who want heat control without a dark look. Carbon is close to the opposite: a dark look and a lower price, with less heat stopped. Read more about 3M Crystalline.
Not sure which film fits? Ask us
The right film depends on how you use the car. Tell us what you drive, where it sits all day and what bothers you most about it in August, and we’ll recommend a film.
If carbon does the job, we’ll say so. If your car bakes in an open parking lot every afternoon, ceramic may be the better buy, and we’ll say that too. I’d rather sell you the film you’re still happy with in five years than the one with the biggest number on the box.
A quick phone call is usually all it takes to narrow it down.
Carbon tint and the Texas tint law
Texas allows front side windows at 25% or lighter and back windows at any darkness. The windshield can only take clear or light film. Carbon follows the same rules as every other film, and we install to the Texas rule on every car.
Carbon’s dark, matte look really shows on the back windows, where you can go as dark as you like. On the front side windows we’ll fit a legal shade, and if you ask for something the law doesn’t allow, we’ll tell you before we start, not after.
For the windshield we use a clear UV or ceramic film, not carbon. There’s more on that on our windshield tint page, or read whether 5% tint is legal in Texas.
Computer cut, done at our shop, with a lifetime film warranty
Every car is tinted at our shop on Grissom Road, in a clean bay, out of the wind and dust. A computer plotter cuts each piece of film to your car’s exact window pattern before it goes anywhere near the glass, so there’s no blade next to your paint or your gaskets.
Carbon film carries a lifetime film warranty against bubbling, peeling and discoloring, the same as every car film we install. If something’s ever not right, bring it back and we’ll make it right.
Ask about our military and first responder discount. We take all major credit cards, checks and cash.
Cars we've tinted lately
Three recent jobs from the shop
GMC Sierra AT4 HD. A lot of truck and a lot of glass, cut by computer and tinted at our Grissom Road shop.
Lexus GX. Every piece of film computer-cut to the GX’s window pattern, then fitted by hand in the bay.
Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. Tinted at our shop on Grissom Road, to the Texas rule like every car we do.
We don’t label our photos by film, so don’t read these as carbon jobs. They’re recent cars from our shop on Grissom Road, all tinted to the Texas rule.
We’ve tinted more than 120,000 cars since 1989. Six Flags Fiesta Texas once sent us a 1957 Chevy for 3M ceramic tint, windshield included, so whatever you drive, it won’t be the strangest thing we’ve tinted.
More recent work from the shop
Carbon Window Tint Frequently Asked Questions
Questions San Antonio drivers ask about carbon tint
What is carbon window tint?
Carbon window tint is a car window film made with carbon particles instead of dye. It has a dark, matte look, it doesn’t fade or turn purple, and it has no metal to interfere with your phone or GPS. It stops more heat than a dyed film and less than ceramic.
Is carbon tint better than ceramic tint?
Not for heat. Ceramic blocks more of the sun’s infrared heat, and 3M rates its Ceramic IR film at up to 95% infrared heat rejection. Carbon costs less and gives you a dark, even look that won’t fade. If heat is your main problem, ceramic is usually worth the step up.
Does carbon tint fade or turn purple?
No. Carbon film gets its color from carbon particles, not dye, so it doesn’t fade or turn purple the way many dyed films do. It also carries a lifetime film warranty against discoloring.
Will carbon tint interfere with my phone, GPS or radio?
No. Carbon film has no metal in it, so it doesn’t block radio signals. Your phone, GPS and satellite radio work the same as before. 3M Ceramic IR and 3M Crystalline are metal-free too.
Is carbon tint legal in Texas?
Yes, at the right shade. Texas allows 25% or lighter on the front side windows and any darkness on the back windows. The windshield can only take clear or light film, so we use a clear UV or ceramic film there, not carbon.
How much does carbon window tint cost in San Antonio?
Every car gets its own free quote, by phone or through the form. The film and the number of windows set the price, and carbon usually costs less than ceramic or Crystalline. We’ll tell you the number before you drive over.
How long does carbon tint take to install?
Most cars are done the same visit. Our customers report anywhere from about 45 minutes to two and a half hours, depending on the car. Same-day is usually available.
Do you remove old tint before the carbon goes on?
Yes, as part of the new tint job. We strip the old film and the adhesive before the new film goes on. We don’t do tint removal on its own for cars.
Which film should I get: carbon, ceramic or Crystalline?
It depends on how much heat you want stopped and how dark you want the car to look. Call us, tell us what you drive and how you use it, and we’ll recommend a film. There’s no pressure and no upsell.
Areas we serve
The shop is at 7607 Grissom Road, Suite 114, on the northwest side of San Antonio. Most of our car customers come from the city itself and the towns around it.
- New Braunfels. A straight run down I-35 or the back way through Bulverde. Plenty of New Braunfels drivers make the trip for 3M film.
- Boerne. Twenty-odd miles up I-10. We’ve done work in Boerne for years, including the security film on St. Peter’s Catholic School. Window tinting in Boerne.
- Alamo Heights, Stone Oak and Castle Hills. All inside the loop or just past it, all a short drive to Grissom Road.
- Converse and Seguin. East side and beyond. Worth the drive for a film you’ll keep as long as the car.
- San Marcos and Kerrville. A longer drive for a car, so most of our San Marcos and Kerrville work is home and commercial film, where we travel to the job.
Home or business instead of a car? That’s home window tinting, and we do travel for it.
Visit us from San Antonio
Fletch Window Tint is at 7607 Grissom Road, Suite 114, San Antonio, TX 78251, on the northwest side off Loop 1604 and Culebra Road. Open Monday to Saturday, 9:30am to 5:30pm.
Get your free carbon tint quote
Tell us your car’s year, make and model, and which windows you want done. We’ll call you back with a quote and help you decide between carbon, ceramic and Crystalline.
Or call (210) 669-2940. Monday to Saturday, 9:30am to 5:30pm. A person answers.
