Window Tinting

[Grizybaer]

If i Tint my windows myself, what are the chances that it will turn out well, not super, just good.

In other words, how hard is it?

Any Tips? Suggestions?

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~Grizy
Great, so how much is shipping?

[CluelessSi]

what are the price difference?

Grizy, I think if price difference is great u might want just sticker since the car i think u talking about is not that new thus might not be worth it =)

I got the insides of my car washed =) now i just have to find a way to keep it clean!
plus still need good sparks =)

[spigidygak]

these are VERY rough estimates (last time a checked was unkown). You can get the do-it-yourself sticker tint for under $60 or so. Proffesional tinting is anywhere from $100-$500 depending on the quality of the place and such. I highly recommend not getting the sticker tint done no matter how baddly you want your windows tinted. It makes the car look even cheaper. No matter how well it is done, you can still tell it's cheap. And it bubbles very easil, especially if you live in a hot area.

[spigidygak]

no matter how careful you are sticker tints look really bad. Especially after a while when they start to bubble. Go for the real stuff or don't go at all.

[Grizybaer]

Whats the sticker stuff? What is the other type i can use?

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~Grizy
Great, so how much is shipping?

[spigidygak]

I'm not that knowledgeble in tinting but the two forms I know is a sticker type of thing you directly apply to the window. The professional way is to get the window dyed in liquid stuff, kinda like getting eyeglasses tinted.

[CluelessSi]

grizy, the Altima was hand done tint so if you like it then u can ask him how and where he got it from.

[Pdizog]

get the titanium tint which doesn't fade or discolor. I noticed my crappy tint is turning into a nasty purple.

[AJ]

there is nothing that looks worse in this whole world than a self-tint that has bubbled up all the way- Spend the $130 or whatever

[Grizybaer]

hey, if it starts to bubble up, how hard is it to remove the stuff?

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~Grizy
Great, so how much is shipping?

[420racer]

I disagree on having bad tint job with the sticker types. I have seem peeps with excellent tint jobs. The only thing is you need to go to a real shop that does it correctly. Like actually taking time in cleaning the window, removing the panels, and taking the time to install it. A real tint job for all windows except the windshield should take no shorter than 3 hours.

[spigidygak]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 420racer:
I disagree on having bad tint job with the sticker types. I have seem peeps with excellent tint jobs. The only thing is you need to go to a real shop that does it correctly. Like actually taking time in cleaning the window, removing the panels, and taking the time to install it. A real tint job for all windows except the windshield should take no shorter than 3 hours.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

True, it may look good initially but, after a little time and heat, the tint will look cheap as hell.

[Grizybaer]

I went to a friend's place, he got his car professionally tinted a year or two ago, its starting to bubble a bit but you gotta really look to see it


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~Grizy
Great, so how much is shipping?

[psycho-]

After much consideration, I went with a brown tint that uses Llumar film.

130 got me lifetime guarantee on product and installation. Llumar guarantees it at all their locations, so if you tink your windows in NY and have to fix it in CA, you won't have a problem. Guarantee against scratches, bubbling, fading, etc.
http://www.llumar.com/

I went to a place in San Gabriel Valley (drove all the way from SD) to get it tinted at Kooltint
http://www.kooltint.com/newpage11.htm

one of the advantages of the film is, of course, that I can remove it if caught by california police.

Very satisfied so far....can't seem to live w/o it.


Victor


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Victor
http://psychokid.com
http://rurouni.org

[Grizybaer]

This luminar seems like nice stuff, any idea where i can get some?

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~Grizy
Great, so how much is shipping?

[psycho-]

1800-2llumar

Call them up, they have a list of authorised dealers across the US

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Victor
http://psychokid.com
http://rurouni.org

[Grizybaer]

Oh, that means i cant do it myself i guess

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~Grizy
Great, so how much is shipping?

[Startide]

Originally posted by Grizybaer:
If i Tint my windows myself, what are the chances that it will turn out well, not super, just good. In other words, how hard is it? Any Tips? Suggestions?<hr>
Grizybaer, it is very very difficult to tint your windows yourself. It is not that you can't practice tinting straight and curved glass pieced before doing the real thing. It isn't that you can't buy the tools (squeegee, wedge, cutter, etc). It is because the best tinting material is kept in the hands of the tinting shops. That means the stuff you can buy for do-it-yourself is typically the lower-grade versions of tint film. That is why so many do-it-yerself jobbies bubble and partially detach and later turn purply. The best tints are kept within the dealer chain.

As for tinted (dyed glass) versus sticker (sheets of tinted film), the only practical option is tinted film (aka "sticker"). I have always used tinted film in my cars and it has never bubbled nor detached. Currently, I use the Titanium LLumar film. LLumar is a pretty nice and it is good to have a lifetime warranty along with a professional installation.

Please note that if you want to have the least amount of colour change as the film ages from exposure to UV, you will want the Titanium type of tints.

Another concern is how dark you can get the tint. The laws vary, but most states are standardized at 30 or 35% tint. Another way of putting it is to say "I want a California-legal tint" which is not so dark that officers will pull you over in CA (not that they do). If you want a darker tint than is legal in your state, the *cough* usual tactic is to pay 100% cash with no receipt because the shoppe wants plausible denial if you get pulled over and the officer asks where you got the tint (so he can fine the shop that illegally did it). In Washington state, many many many people get tints much darker than is legal and it seems that no one ever gets pulled over for tint violations even though an ultradark tint is very obvious to any officer. Mine is Washington and California legal (so it is fairly lite as tints go, sigh. I wanted a darker tint, but couldn't dare.

Prices vary a great deal. Excluding costs of material, the labor charge for a quality installation was $99 (1997 price). Other shoppes had labour charges of $147, and another had $250. The highest priced place was the tint shop located near the dealer (it did most of the dealers' cars) and it was recommended by the dealer when I asked. Yech.

If you have rear window defrosters, then you will want as good a tint job as possible there. Removing bubbly tint there might also pull off a defroster element(s).

After you get the tint, be sure to inspect the job for any blemishes, scratches, or crease bumps. If that is okay, then inspect all edges of the rear window to verify that they are adhering smoothly. You can't inspect the side windows until the tint has cured enuf to roll the windows down a day or two later.

Before you tint, you will want to clean the windows several times with a non-residue cleaner. Formula 409 leaves residue, but glass plus or windex doesn't. At home, vacuum the car and dust it before cleaning the windows. This reduces the chance any dust will fly up in the air and get in between the tint and the window during installation. Wipe the windows more than once if the oily film is stubborn.

[chrissy]

Didn't the CA law change recently about film on the front windows? I think it still has to be clear. But isn't there clear tint that protects from UV?

We are getting ready to move to Las Vegas in the spring and I was thinking that this might be a good idea. Any opinions?

[Grizybaer]

That would explain all the bad tint jobs out there. I'm not too trusting of the tint shops cuz a friend got his car tinted and they cut three or four of his rear defrost lines. I'm prolly not gonna get it tinted, not worth the money for such an old car.

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~Grizy
Great, so how much is shipping?

[Startide]

Originally posted by Grizybaer:
I'm prolly not gonna get it tinted, not worth the money for such an old car.<hr>
ARGH! All my typing in the prior post was wasted! heh heh heh

[Startide]

I'm not too trusting of the tint shops cuz a friend got his car tinted and they cut three or four of his rear defrost lines.<hr>

The good shops don't cut on the glass. What they do is cut an approximate sized piece of tint to fit in your rear window. Then they hold it up to the window to estimate how much of the edges to trim. Then they trim it on their template table to get the smooth curved edges. Repeat this process as needed before peeling off the backing on the film and fastening it for real to the rear window.

The cheap shops fasten the tint directly to the window and trim it in place, thus risking the cutting of your defroster lines. They were too cheap to buy templates or a template table.