Intro-Tech sunshield review

One of the things I've really appreciated about this forum is hearing first hand experience about products so here is my contribution. I recently bought an Intro-Tech premium folding sunshade from Amazon, part number HD-98-P. It's been hot here in LA, over 100 the last few days, and my car sits outside in a parking lot all day. I usually get off mid afternoon and even with the windows cracked open it can get very hot, so I decided to get a sunshade. There aren't too many of them specifically made for Clarities out there, I'm aware of the Intro-Tech and a Weathertech which I can't find for sale on Amazon. I confined my search to Amazon since I had some rewards dollars to spend.

There are three different models at Amazon, this one is stiff and folded accordion style that is silver on both sides and sells for about $38. They have a roll up style for a dollar more, I didn't buy it because I thought that style might not be as rigid and be prone to sagging. They have a third accordion style that is $49 and has a silver side and a gray side for use in winter.

The claim of it being custom fit to a Clarity falls short. The length and width are good, it covers up to all of the windshield edges, but the cutout for the sensor camera is generic and does not fit at all. The cutout is a wide notch that is symmetric around the center of the shade, even though the camera sensor is not centered on the windshield. That leaves some large gaps at the top of the windshield. So for coverage I'd give it a B-.

More concerning is the construction. The Amazon page has a diagram showing 7 layers of mylar, foam cushion, fiber layer, and thermal board, but honestly it feels like corrugated cardboard covered with mylar. If someone handed it to me and asked me how much it cost I'd guess $15, it feels cheap. I'm not sure how it will hold up with daily use.

But the good news is a dramatic reduction in the greenhouse effect I feel from the dash area under the windshield. When I get in the car on a very hot day, even though the AC is strong and effective, I can always feel wafts of hot air moving out from the overheated windshield area for a long time after I enter the car. The shade eliminates that heat reservoir and allows the AC to work more efficiently.

All in all I'd rate this a C.

 

It’s funny that I’ve been using this shade for several days but it’s only on the day that I post this review that I discover something significant. The shade has 6 main panels, four of them are pretty flimsy and are the ones that I had handled and considered to be mylar covered cardboard. But 2 panels are much stiffer and more substantial, if the entire shade had all 6 panels made like these two I would consider it to be higher quality and worth $38 dollars.

 

Well the notch certainly looks generic, but the Amazon web page and the packing slip both clearly state it is for a Clarity.

 

I don't have a huge problem with it, I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear. What I said is, for a shade that is advertised as custom fit for a Clarity it falls short. I'm glad you posted your photos because they show a center cutout just like mine. But like you, I also said that the lack of a truly custom fit doesn't impede the primary purpose which is to block light and heat. My biggest concern is the quality of the construction, it doesn't match the price.