Don't Get Hummer-jacked

[PARAGON]

My wife and I were driving near a "bad" part of town and she made the comment, "Let's get out of here, because I don't want to get Hummer-jacked." After I stopped laughing, I realized that our city ranks very high in vehicle thefts and car-jackings.

Well, today we had a Hummer Happening at the local dealership and there was a demonstration about a special window coating that will stop someone from breaking into your vehicle and is also somewhat bullet-proof. The name is Ace Security Laminate http://www.acesecuritylaminate.com and installs just like window tint. As a matter of fact, the guy said that you can also get it in tint shades. Here is a commercial I found on their website about it: http://www.acesecuritylaminate.com/popup/allyourbases256.htm

It's relatively new and the guy said that they are looking for more and more dealers. This stuff is not only for vehicles but also used in commercial buildings, homes and just about anywhere there is glass and you need some protecton.

I'm getting it done to my rig, I think it's roughly $750 for all windows, because I have several expensive items I keep in my rig that I don't want someone to simply pop the glass and reach in and take and I think this is worth it. I have already had my windows tinted and this stuff can be installed right over my other tint and can be cleaned with windex and stuff whereas you are supposed to only use water to clean on the regular tint. You can put antifog on it and you can't on the regular tint.

I was just impressed, this stuff seems pretty cool. Apparently, you can't get this stuff everywhere since they are trying to find dealers, so you might not be able to get it where you are right now.

[PARAGON]

My wife and I were driving near a "bad" part of town and she made the comment, "Let's get out of here, because I don't want to get Hummer-jacked." After I stopped laughing, I realized that our city ranks very high in vehicle thefts and car-jackings.

Well, today we had a Hummer Happening at the local dealership and there was a demonstration about a special window coating that will stop someone from breaking into your vehicle and is also somewhat bullet-proof. The name is Ace Security Laminate http://www.acesecuritylaminate.com and installs just like window tint. As a matter of fact, the guy said that you can also get it in tint shades. Here is a commercial I found on their website about it: http://www.acesecuritylaminate.com/popup/allyourbases256.htm

It's relatively new and the guy said that they are looking for more and more dealers. This stuff is not only for vehicles but also used in commercial buildings, homes and just about anywhere there is glass and you need some protecton.

I'm getting it done to my rig, I think it's roughly $750 for all windows, because I have several expensive items I keep in my rig that I don't want someone to simply pop the glass and reach in and take and I think this is worth it. I have already had my windows tinted and this stuff can be installed right over my other tint and can be cleaned with windex and stuff whereas you are supposed to only use water to clean on the regular tint. You can put antifog on it and you can't on the regular tint.

I was just impressed, this stuff seems pretty cool. Apparently, you can't get this stuff everywhere since they are trying to find dealers, so you might not be able to get it where you are right now.

[MAC]

Interesting product, not sure about the bulletproof claim, how is that possible? a tall claim like that damages their credibility. It could be useful if someone try to break in with a baseball bat, but not a gun. If someone point a gun at you outside your locked Hummer, would you trust the plastic film to stop a bullet? Then maybe our soldiers should be wearing the plastic film uniform on the battlefield, instead of those heavy Kevlar vest.

I did not find the answer to the safety glass issue on their website, maybe I missed it? Safety glass breaks into gazillion little pieces for safety reason, so that your head will not be stuck in the glass. Does the film defeat that safety function?

I have no experience with tint glass prices, $750 for few pieces of plastic films seem rather expensive to me. What do you think?

[TheGoodHummerMan]

Paragon,

There are other companies with similar products, including well-known and respected 3M. Although, I think this is the only companay I have heard of that puts their CEO behind a window and allows someone to shoot at him... Makes you think there's a trick involved OR the guy really believes in their products? http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

A Canadian based company, the warranty on auto windows is a mere 2 years. Not too impressive of a warranty. 3M offers a lifetime warranty, material and labor. But as I said, I don't think you will be allowed to shoot at their CEO...

Anyone interested can check out the following sites:

Vehicle Guard link: (http://www.shattergard.com/home.html)

3M Safety film link: (http://www.3m.com/us/arch_construct/scpd/windowfilm/)

I would be more inclined to do this if there were more people who had done it and were happy with it. I wonder how the pricing compares to these other two products?

Another question? If you get trapped in a car and need to break out the window to escape, how hard would that be to accomplish? I've heard that really smart people keep a tool handy for this purpose in case your car goes into the water and the doors and windows stop working. And before you ask, no, I don't have a tool like that in my cars. Although, maybe a blast from a 9mm would pop a non-treated side window?

Ed

For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.

[PARAGON]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MAC:
Interesting product, not sure about the bulletproof claim, how is that possible? a tall claim like that damages their credibility.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

MAC,

From what I understood, they have different "thicknesses" and obviously the more thick you get, the more "bullet-proof" you get. If you dive into their site more, you'll see them shoot 00 Buckshot, pistol rounds, etc. at the protected glass and it stops the rounds. I don't think this is like the "other products" on the market as they talk about on their website as being the only one to have achieved all the GSA levels and other test standards that apparently the govrmnt backs. I don't know what all of the test standards means but they say they have achieved them and the others haven't. It's a new product and simply has not been put to the test, but the same logic of Kevlar applies, it makes the bullet expand and dissapates the energy.

This is not like "safety glass". The adhesive somehow forms a bond and makes the glass stonger, not like a laminated windshield but more like the extra-thick "bullet-proof" glass you see on armored vehicles. The safety glass still breaks in to a gazillion pieces but the are just "glued" to the laminate and no glass gets on the occupant.

As far as the price, I paid $400 to get all of my windows tinted and it's regular tint. If this stuff stops someone from stealing some of my things out of my rig, I figure it is a $750 insurance policy for the life of the vehicle. As far as being bullet-proof, I don't think that is something I personally have to worry about, but it does attest to the strength of the product.

[PARAGON]

Ed,

I saw a local demonstration and there was no trick involved.

As far as the warranty, I want to say they said it was some type of lifetime warranty.

As far as getting trapped, several people in the crowd had the same question. The guy said that he could eventually "break-into" an H2 with a bat with enough time but that most car-jackings and auto thefts happen in seconds. I personally have experienced the opposite of the issue you are talking about as I had my 2-year-old daughter trapped inside. The sales guy said that you could "shatter" the glass and then just saw with a knife through the laminate to get to the door locks.

Your problem is that you have a 9mm and not a 40cal. Everyone knows that 9mm is for show and that 40cal is for go. Apparently, I am like you except my escape option is a Glock 22 and being a 40cal it is one of the things I don't want someone to "smash and grab."

I think our "tools" would be more effective than those little "handy tools" you referred to that the really smart people have, except it would take you 2 shots with the 9mm and only 1 with my 40cal.

[DURAMAX TIM]

So I only need a 1/2 shot w/ my 454 Casull?

[SONA]

Or a 3/4 shot with a 230g .45 from my HK... the problem with the bullet proofing idea is that the thin metal below the glass, also known as the door, will not stop a bullet. Plenty of people have been killed by a shot through the door of modern autos. So the bulletproof claim, although it may have some element of truth, is hype. A bullet proof vehicle includes armor in the doors, floor, and ceiling, firewall, and window shield. But the idea that it may slow down or deter a baseball bat in the city is a good selling point. The escape issue must be weighed against the risk of break-in. In other words, what is the chance that someone will try to break into your H2 vs. the chance that you will drive off a bridge or into a lake and drown in your H2? I am betting against the submersion thing, so it sounds like a good idea if you live in a city or where there is a high incidence of auto burglary.

"Life is tough... tougher if youre stupid." "Just think, right now, all over the world there are people exercising bad judgement. Somebody, right this minute, is probably making the mistake of his life"

[maybe some day...]

Forget the film, just get this. (http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/africa/9812/11/flame.thrower.car/)

Make sure you watch the Quicktime movie. http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[TheGoodHummerMan]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by paragon:
"I saw a local demonstration and there was no trick involved."<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Paragon,

I was referring to the CEO standing behind a glass window with the film on it and letting someone shoot AT him being a trick, not that the film itself was a trick. I just can't imagine myself being a test dummy for any "bullet-proof" device. http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif They talk about the CEO doing this on one of the webpages for ACE.

I think that if I wanted bullet-proofing I would get armor and "real" bullet proof glass. I don't feel like I need an armored car (just a car that looks like one) BUT, this film "looks" good even without the bullet proof factor. Speaking of looks? I saw on the website that the auto film comes with a 2-year warranty. There is OFTEN a reason why a manufacturer chooses a certain time limit for a warranty... Two years is NOT too good for my money.

I've had my windows broken out before but have never been trapped in a sinking car with inoperative door locks or power windows. Of course past performance is not... well you know the rest. Maybe the best idea would be to replace the H2's battery with a gel cell so the doors and windows would be less likely to quit working?

I will "go" anywhere with you with my 9mm. But I would hate to think about firing the 9mm - HK MP5 inside the H2 without hi-quality ear protection! And, can you imagine the hot brass flying all around! Last time I checked, the HK is still the basic weapon used by the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team, many or even most SWAT Units, and other world-class counter-terrorist organizations... I think it's considered THE main weapon in Close Quarters Battle (CQB) environment, even in a "puny" 9mm configuration. But you were saying something about your 40 caliber? Oh, maybe that the .40 doesn't require a tax stamp? http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Security film, from any company, would --- it seems, give a person added security from bat weilding jerks? At the very least it would give me more time to help defend myself from what would clearly seem to be a life-threatening attack in addition to better security while the car is unoccupied.

FWIW, I think that I just might go with the 3M film though. Even though it's not quite as strong, it is very strong, and it does have a lifetime parts/labor warranty backed by a company with a super reputation. Plus, I think the 3M film is widely available?

Ed

[PARAGON]

Ed,

I wasn't thinking anywhere in the range of an MP5 as I have always had a handgun in my vehicles. You never know when you might need to stop in the middle of the road to remove the soon-to-be-boots gator that is in the way.

My show and go comment is in reference to some slang that was used when several of the police forces were complaining about their 9mm sidearms not having enough energy and were not stopping the criminals when they had to use their weapons. It was a few years back, and the overwhelming handgun of choice for many changed to the .40 cal and mostly Glocks as the standard sidearm. It made alot of news because of the complaints about the cost of replacing every sidearm in the force and whether it was necessary. It was some news article that had the quote about the show and go.

As far as the bullet-proof goes, they were not selling the idea that it was a bullet-proof option for a vehicle, but they do have some thicker laminates for businesses and what-not that does stop some lower velocity rounds and works well in bomb blasts. We even made the comment that most car-jackers would be right at the window and even a .25 with the barrel right at the window would penetrate. My bullet-proof comment was based on the thought of the stray round that has lost much of it's energy. Just like when my father was shooting a .38 out at my land and one ricocheted and "lodged" into the windshield of an old truck.

I agree with you, PhilD, the NATO rounds are not made to stop and expand in the first target they acquire. I am more of the thought pattern of rounds that work like rounds from my hunting rifles. Maximum energy and maximum expansion, and I would keep my .50cal Desert Eagle in my vehicle if I could find a place to put it. I just think that if I ever had to defend myself, and not claiming to be expert with a handgun, I don't want to need a second shot to get the job done. Remember, one shot, one kill.

By the way, the Desert Eagle was one of my first handgun purchases because then I thought it was a "cool" gun. Since, it has stayed locked up because it's just not fun to shoot.

Back on subject, Ed, I read in the FAQ section that it offers a limited lifetime warranty on residential applications and I guess that was what the sales rep was referring to. And again, they claim to be the only laminate film that has achieved all kinds of testing standards that I have no idea what they mean. Also, this was the first time I had heard of a simple option to put on your vehicle to slow down the burglary of your car. I didn't know about the 3M products, etc until you brought it up. As far as being able to get out of your window with these type products, they say that it is a one-way protection and it's easy to break out from the laminate side (on the inside) but not from the outside.

[Klaus]

Just a little note on 9mm:

Yes, it's true that the police had problems with the 9mm early on. Why? Police departments used the 147 grain SUBsonic round, as recommended by the FBI at the time.

Instead of changing rounds, many departments went ahead and changed guns. 115 +p, 124 +p, and the 127 +p grain SUPERsonic rounds are very good.

Of course, if it were legal, my pick would be a sawed-off 12 gauge shotgun with 00 or 000 buckshot. Those guys "riding shotgun" on the stage coaches knew what they were doing.

Klaus

"God made some men big and some men small, but Sam Colt made them all equal."

[TheGoodHummerMan]

Klaus,

You're definitely a candidate for this film. Before firing that sawed off shotgun, you sure better take the extra time necessary to grab some effective ear protection! You might need something with more range by that time though?

If I were trying to attack you by breaking out your window with a ball bat, and after several whacks find myself only getting tired and THEN see you grabbing ear protection and a shot gun? Well, you'd be surprised how fast I can run when scared shi#less... http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Ed

[Klaus]

Ed,

True, it would be loud, but hearing protection would be the last thing on my mind at the time. Anyway, the last time I checked, most folks who are in an accident where their air bag goes off were not wearing any hearing protection. Ever hear one of those going off? I did, from about 100 yards away - Much louder than any shotgun I ever fired.

But, since I can't carry my first weapon of choice, I carry a S&W 640-1 .357 magnum. Whatever it won't handle, I'll run over! http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Klaus

"God made some men big and some men small, but Sam Colt made them all equal."

[Rory]

I know a local H1 owner who told me that someone tried to break into his truck by repeatedly throwing a very large rock through one of the door windows. The windows all have this window film (or a similar window film) on them which kept the rock from going through right away. The potential thief had to throw the rock so many times that he caused something like $10,000 worth of body damage to the H1.

Somone finally noticed this guy throwing the rock repeatedly and called the police who caught the guy red handed.

Rory
'94 Hummer
www.roryroberts.com (http://www.roryroberts.com)
St. Charles, MO

[Rory]

The more I think about this window film, the more I'd like to have it at least on my windshields in case someone ever drops something off a bridge at me or a large object falls off a construction or scrap metal truck in front of me. Have you ever noticed all of the crap laying along the highways that has fallen off of vehicles?

There was a gal here in Missouri who could have used it a few years ago. She had a wild turkey crash through her windshield and land in the back seat! I think it was reported that she even had her kid in the car seat back there too.

Rory
'94 Hummer
www.roryroberts.com (http://www.roryroberts.com)
St. Charles, MO

[TheGoodHummerMan]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Rory:
"The more I think about this window film, the more I'd like to have it at least on my windshields in case someone ever drops something off a bridge at me or a large object falls off a construction or scrap metal truck in front of me."<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree with you! Although, even the best window security film ever manufactured has its limits... I'm not too sure if it would protect you from someone dropping a cement block off an overpass. That happened to me one time and thankfully it hit the front of my car and not the windshield. I read about some young woman who was killed by that exact type of foolishness.

But, the film does sound like something worth investing in, even if it has limitations. It might just save a life!

Ed

[Hum2]

Heck:

I need to put this stuff on my windshield to stop rock chips...hey GM????? :-)

Ric

OMAHOG/IHOG
Hum2@cox.net

[Albie]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Hum2:
Heck:

I need to put this stuff on my windshield to stop rock chips...hey GM????? :-)

Ric

OMAHOG/IHOG
Hum2@cox.net<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


I hear ya Ric, on my second day with the H2 got a Pit in it. i was like Cheap GM.. Do they use PPG?

[DRTYFN]

Paragon,
Sounds interesting. But don't use the words "bullet proof" instead use "bullet resistant". My buddy has a .50 that, using the right ammo, will knock a hole through just about anything.

"I smell varmint poontang."

[PARAGON]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DRTYFN:
Paragon,
Sounds interesting. But don't use the words "bullet proof" instead use "bullet resistant". My buddy has a .50 that, using the right ammo, will knock a hole through just about anything."<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

DRTYFN,

You're right, bullet resistant would be more applicable. The business nor salesman actually said either bullet proof or resistant, but they do develop other products for buildings that are "bullet proof" depending on the ammo used. The film for the vehicle is based on this same product but just is not as thick.

Also, Hum2 and Albie, I discussed this with the president of the southeastern distributor. They do not endorse the use of this on the outside of the windshield because of the abuse it takes, ie- windshield wiper, chemical from bugs, etc. BUT, off the record, I asked if I personally understood would they put the film on and he said he personally understood why I wanted it. It will probably stop more of my, so far, 5 chips from rocks and also seal and adhere to the current chips to eliminate any additional cracking from them (just like when you get it fixed by the windshield guy).

I am running silicone blades, with a healthy dose of rain-x as well as the rain-x washer fluid and even this would work well with the film on the outside of the windshield. I am still going to have the stuff applied all the way around and also have it applied to the outside of the windshield, but I am going to wait until I do some more performance improvements before I add the film to my "H2 Budget."