Basics questions about Tinting

[Itzallstock]

No doubt a tint job on my black 1g will look great. I wanted to see what you guys thought about the concept of tinting and different setups to have. I have had a few ideas so far...
1. Limo Tint every window......I am in IL so any tint on the driver or passenger side window is technically illegal but they dont enforce it very much up here
2. Do a limo tint on the rear window only and have the tint become lighter and lighter as you get towards the front of the car.
Whats a good percent to run? How much can i expect to pay? Are all shops good enough as long i can get a warrentee from them?
Thanks for any input!

 

[badboyr66]

First offhand, If you go too dark, you wil have a damn hard time seen out... I do not care what anyone says. At night it is hard to see out. I would not go any darker than 20%.... I have that on my GTI and even I have a hard time seen out the back. It is dark enough where under certain light, you can see a shadow if you look hard.

As far as price, yopu get what yoy pay for. A good tinter will do a one piece back window, and know how to shrink the tint to the form of the glass. And a good tinter will also be able to do a "factory tint edge". Meaning that he can take the tint to the very edge of the glass. So when you roll your window down, there is no little clear strip between the edge of the glass and the tint. But expect to pay $150-200, for damn good tint.

ANd when it is done, DO NOT USE WINDEX ON IT! Anything amonia based will ruin the tint and void the warranty, and trust me, we know when windex is used. Tint will become crappy, fall off easy, be all dry, and in most cases become purple. A good cleaner will say on the bottle it is safe for plastics and tint

 

[wafflez66]

well, you can use windex on factory tint right? if so, what's the difference between the two? i know nothing of tinting, and am sorry if this is a stupid question.

Jon

 

[badboyr66]

Factory tint, is usually a part of the glass. So ya it is ok. But I have to ask, who has what on their windows where they need a cleaner that strong? Even 2 drops of Dawn in water work fine. We sell something called "Sprayway Glass Cleaner" It is safe for tint

 

[devlish]

i agree, i wouldn't go anything darker than 20%, especially on the driver / pass. i'd even consider 35% on the driver/pass. i'v been tinting professionally at a shop now for almost 3 years, and we get a lot of requests for limo tint, and we just don't do it anymore. local laws say 35% rear, and 50% fronts, and we do one step below, but that's all. not only for legal reasons, but it's just too dark and some people just don' understand how dark it can be, especially at night.

and yes, expect to pay $200+ for a good tint job

 

[L2RTSiAWD]

I agree. I have limo tint on the back window and at night I can't see out of it for shit.

 

[Itzallstock]

Is there any way of fading a tint job? Like really dark and then have it become lighter and lighter whenit hits the driver and passenger side doors?
-bwitek

 

[1993eclipseGS]

My tint is limo tint 5% all the way around the car except front windshield, At nite.. I cant see out of my windows. I just took the door windows out on my porch and did them it was easy.

 

[Itzallstock]

While this thread is opened could some of you post some pictures and details of what you have on your ride? I went to a site where you could see what different percents look like on a car but it didnt really give me the full effect. I really want to see people with 20%, 30 and 35, even darker then 20% too..............
-Ben

 

[1993eclipseGS]

I think 5% might be the darkest, the lower the number, the darker the tint. The picture of my car is 5%

 

[apgeclipsegsx]

i had 5% on my gsx and it was kinda dangerous at night

 

[devlish]

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in that pic, 20% all around. has since been changed to 35% on the fronts, but still 20% on the back (due to local authority )

 

[GeneralChaos]

In my old cavalier I had 2.5% in the back 3 windows (rear window and small rear seat windows) and 20% in the front.


Yes it was extremely dark if you were trying to backup or anything but I loved it because it was a sweet mobbin look and I didnt get blinded from all the fricken SUV's and crap whos headlight is right in my rearview.

20% sides was darker then the legal 35% but not to noticable. you could see through it but it was dark. If I was reversing I would either watch my side mirrors since my reverse lights worked well, or stick my head out the window .


I dont know how it is on a talon but I will admit that when I get it tinted again I will probably do the same thing. and yes expect to pay $200.


I always used just water to clean the windows with tint on them, but there are special cleaners out there....ask the tint shop what they recommend.

 

[Totaled2Talons]

I have 5% on the back three windows and 22% on the driver/pass windows. It all pretty much looks the same from the inside, which I like. The legal front window limit in Michigan is 35% but I've had no issues with tickets. I've even been sitting next to cops at lights at night and they didn't say a word to me.

I'll agree that it is hard to see backing up at night. I was backing into a parking spot last weekend when BAM!! I hit the wooden flower box I was trying to park next to. All I did was hit it with my exhaust, and luckily there was no damage, since I was just rolling back. It did scare the living shit out of my girlfriend though, so it was worth the laugh. And one time I was looking for a buddy's house at night and I had to roll down my window to see the addresses on the houses, so 22% may be a bit dark for the front.

 

[Itzallstock]

Sounds like a 20% on the rear window and then 30-35 for the side windows????
-Ben

 

[GeneralChaos]

Sounds like a 20% on the rear window and then 30-35 for the side windows????
-Ben

Nah you want 2% in the back and 20% in the front

just kidding.


It all comes down to personal preferance. if you go to a big tinting shop they should have some shop cars in the parking lot, you might be able to ask them to sit inside a car with similar tint to what you want so you can decide.

 

[Itzallstock]

I have heard from some people that when you do different percents on a car it makes it look tacky? Do you guys think this has any truth in it?
Thanks
Ben

 

[dsmmyth]

Mine's at 13% according to the State Trooper, and 8% according to my local inspection place. It's really hard to see (from the inside with the windows rolled up). If I were you, I'd get somewhere around 20% so you can still see clearly.

 

[maui6651]

I don't think it looks tacky. I have 5% on the back 3, and 50% on the side windows. I probably would have done 40% on the sides had it been available. Regardless, I think it looks good, and everyone I've talked to has had nothing but good things to say about it.

As far as backing up, rear view is useless unless the are is decently lit (parking lot), otherwise, using the side mirrors works just fine. I probably wouldn't go lower than 35% on the sides.

I ended up paying a little over $200 for the work, but there isn't a single bubble on the back window, and the tint is perfectly curved with the top of the glass and looks fantastic.

Pics:

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Ryan

 

[Itzallstock]

Anybody have pics of a 20% tint?

 

[WHite97RS]

check my website in my profile, 35% and 20%, damn state of Virginia and their tinting laws...we have a law for everything :thumbdown

 

[BigRand]

The guy who wants me to tint my windows says I should go about 15% in the back and small windows, and about 20% on the sides. He said going from 15-35 is too much of a difference.

 

[WHite97RS]

check your state laws, some tint places wont even put on tint that is illegal. Plus you dont wanna spend money on a ticket as stupid as to dark of a tint.

 

[devlish]

In Wisconsin, it's not only a good ticket ($187 if my memory serves me) but it's also 2 Points off your license!!!! for illegal tint! what a crock.

(on a side note, not having a state issued front license plate visibly attached to the front of your car... only a $120 fine, and no points... odd huh )

 

[suicidal2af]

In Wisconsin, it's not only a good ticket ($187 if my memory serves me) but it's also 2 Points off your license!!!! for illegal tint! what a crock.

(on a side note, not having a state issued front license plate visibly attached to the front of your car... only a $120 fine, and no points... odd huh )

Not really. Not having a front plate is just a minor inconvenience to officers, whereas super dark tint is potentially dangerous. You get points and a bigger fine because it's unsafe.