Window Tint

[otruba_843]

OP, if you can find the local tint guy that tints the police surveillance and detective cars, you will be set. I found out who that guy was for my area and he applied the tint and even put stickers on that says this tint is no lower than 35% lol even though I have 27%. Since my tint is right at the legal limit, there is a chance that the tint meter will read wrong if I'm ever pulled over and he said he is more than happy to go to court with me and certify that it's above the legal limit.

 

[erichaley]

OP, if you can find the local tint guy that tints the police surveillance and detective cars, you will be set. I found out who that guy was for my area and he applied the tint and even put stickers on that says this tint is no lower than 35% lol even though I have 27%. Since my tint is right at the legal limit, there is a chance that the tint meter will read wrong if I'm ever pulled over and he said he is more than happy to go to court with me and certify that it's above the legal limit.

Wow, so you're saying he tints windows for the police, and then turns around, does illegal tint for a citizen, and then goes against the police by lying for that citizen in court? Sounds like an upstanding citizen... I don't think I'd want someone like that tinting my windows. If they have no problem lying to the court, what's to say they have no problem lying to me? Additionally, I wouldn't want and shouldn't need stickers saying my tint is legal when it isn't.

 

[FUNX650]

Once your tint-film of choice is installed:

Make sure you use "window cleaners" that are ammonia-free/tint-safe...
with soft towels (and no scrubbing!!)...Tint-film will scratch rather easily.



Bob

 

[af90]

Once your tint-film of choice is installed:

Make sure you use "window cleaners" that are ammonia-free/tint-safe...
with soft towels (and no scrubbing!!)...Tint-film will scratch rather easily.



Bob

Do you have any go-to products for tinted windows? The only one I've seen advertised as so is Megs D120, but I haven't looked intensely. Although for interior windows CarPro's Fast Glass is great and uses only water.

 

[FUNX650]

Do you have any go-to products for tinted windows? The only one I've seen advertised as so is Megs D120, but I haven't looked intensely.

I like and use the following glass-cleaners for tint-film:
-Sprayway #050 (foamy)
-Detailer's Krystal Vision Glass Cleaner
-Meguiar's D120


You can find more...In this link to AutoGeek's store: Results for ammonia free glass cleaners - Search



Bob

 

[ExoticAutoDetai]

I do window tint on the side still learning but have gotten better over the time. I did 5% all around on my moms sienna those huge windows lets huge amount of heat through. I rarely get pull over lets just say I get along with the local police. But I always roll them down if I get pull over and during the night I roll them down and turn on my front dome lights I don't want a trigger happy officer near me lol

OP in a small car you should be ok with 35 in front and 20 or 5% in the back all 3 windows. Keep in mind ceramic film is metalized film. So it will interfere with signals wave of devices. Some brands swear on their ceramic or High Performance film to not interfere. Llumar is a good brand and as well as suntek but I don't use either of them. I just recently ordered 2 rolls of 20 and 35 to do my brother sentra. Is a small car but I am curious how it will look.

 

[PokeFan]

Madico Onyx on mine. 35% on front 20% in back and back window with a lifetime no questions asked warranty. I love the look and so far haven't had any issues with scratching but it's only about 6 months old and I've been very careful with it. I have to park in direct sunlight at work as well and this Oklahoma sun can be brutal! I just turn the back window to the sun and while it's hot when you get in it's still tolerable and takes the A/C only seconds to cool down the interior.

 

[wytstang]

OP, if you can find the local tint guy that tints the police surveillance and detective cars, you will be set. I found out who that guy was for my area and he applied the tint and even put stickers on that says this tint is no lower than 35% lol even though I have 27%. Since my tint is right at the legal limit, there is a chance that the tint meter will read wrong if I'm ever pulled over and he said he is more than happy to go to court with me and certify that it's above the legal limit.

Where is this guy? I need him I'm in Ladson.

 

[jamesalanb]

Def good opinions from everyone. Thank you! I do know I'm not going to do a ceramic, because of cost as well as the metallic properties. Suntek Carbon, while said to avoid here, seems to get favorable reviews along with the 3m color stable. With my looking today I'm now limiting to 2 shops just because I think they'll still be around in 7 years if there's a problem. One carries the Suntek Carbon, whole car for 200, and the other is a Madico installer, at 165 for the whole. Aside from the murdered out 6 I just saw a pic of, I don't know a thing about Madico... Llumon is officially off the list. I'm still debating on % though. I've even been on cars.com looking at all the red milans and fusions trying to get a feel. My details and research are my own worst enemy!

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

 

[Memphis_Blue]

20% all-the-way around. Find a good tint shop and pay cash...usually not a problem.

 

[terrangama]

I lived in louisville for 3 years, 20% all around. The place I went to get tinted wouldnt even tint my car if I went any lighter.

I've "heard" that to get illegal tint you better expect to know the tinter pretty well, I don't blame them. I wouldn't risk a license over tint.

Oops, what I meant to say was that they wouldn't even do the legal tint limit! They said they wouldn't tint my car if I wanted 35% all around, so they I went 20%

 

[terrangama]

Now that I think about it, maybe he wasn't worried about it since I told him I was moving...

 

[erichaley]

OP: There are entire discussion forums dedicated to specific cars and even specific generations. They are a great resource for information, experiences, and photos. Some vehicles, like my last Accord, had areas that were difficult to tint, and for me, it was a good thing to know about as I used this as one way to tell what kind of installer I was considering using. The lazy ones wanted to skip over that area and cut out around the CHMSL (the Center High Mounted Stop Lamp or "third" brake light in the rear window instead of removing the rear deck and doing it properly. If you find a great installer, the brand of film isn't going to matter because they will use the best film for your vehicle. For example, cars with navigation systems should avoid metallic tint. A great installer will know details like this and whether it applies to your vehicle. A lazy or inexperienced installer will most likely just install the film that will make them the most money.

 

[TH3M B0N3Z]

Hey guys. I'm thinking about getting my windows tinted on my car. This is the first car I haven't rushed to do it on, primarily because I'm not that "cool" anymore and don't necessarily need to hide anything. I'm now purpose driven! My car gets Africa hot sitting in the parking lot at work all day and there in zero refuge from the sun. I've read about ceramic film being the best for heat reflection but that is way out of my budget for tinting. Locally in Louisville (home of the 2013 basketball National Champion CARDINALS) the two best options I can find are Carbon film by Suntek and one called Llumar, that they made no line mention to. Both are right at 200 bucks and "legal" limits are 20 in the back windows, 35 in the front. Being an Autogeek my choice has to look great with my car, along with serving its purpose. I am considering going 20 the whole way around because I'm one for consistency and I think the darker may look better, but then again I may stay with 35 all around. Its not like car products that I can stock up on, its a one shot deal... Anybody have an opinion?

I got my windows tinted with Llumar 20% all around, looks great, not too light, not too dark. Also, another thing I do anywhere I go is put up a sun shield in the windshield. It really helps keep the car so much cooler inside, by the time you get in and crank up the A/C, you and your car get cooler much quicker. I even put my sun shield up at night and it makes the inside of my car so dark, you literally can't see inside it. I live in an apartment where many cars have been broken into and thugs like to walk around and snoop, so you'd literally have to break my windows in order to see inside. Makes me feel a little safer, I guess.

Also, I've had Llumar tint on another car and it held up pretty well. The driver's window did start bubbling 5 years later, but I had my original receipt and the place I had my tint done at replaced the tint for free.

 

[otruba_843]

Wow, so you're saying he tints windows for the police, and then turns around, does illegal tint for a citizen, and then goes against the police by lying for that citizen in court? Sounds like an upstanding citizen... I don't think I'd want someone like that tinting my windows. If they have no problem lying to the court, what's to say they have no problem lying to me? Additionally, I wouldn't want and shouldn't need stickers saying my tint is legal when it isn't.

I think you are missing the point. I don't have illegal tint on my car. In South Carolina on a sedan, it is legal to have 27% tint or higher on all windows except for the windshield. Local PD tint meters can be inaccurate and can give readings that are off by anywhere from 2-4%. My tint is 27% on my car and what he was saying is that if I ever run in to trouble because an inaccurate meter was used, he will verify by using his much higher quality tint meter than the local PD has to the officer who issued the ticket. He isn't lying to them, as a matter of fact he strongly suggested not to go below the legal limit. He is the most reputable tint guy in the area and Rich Hendrick BMW recommends him with no affiliation. He also uses a very exclusive tint brand. He warranties his tint if it ever gets scratched or faded, he will replace it free of charge. He has already replaced one of the films because BMW 3 series E9x's are notorious for scratching tint films. It was really nice of you to rip on someone you don't even know. :dunno:

Where is this guy? I need him I'm in Ladson.

Matt Algae from Pro Tint. He is mobile too and is an awesome Guy :dblthumb2:

 

[erichaley]

This latest post tells a much better story than your previous post did. Maybe I was a bit quick to judge. He does actually sound like a pretty good guy.

 

[jamesalanb]

Well gentlemen, and ladies if there are any. Here she is all cleaned up after a day at the tint shop. Suntek Carbon (even with the one recommendation against Suntek, this line has exceptional reviews and performance) 25 all the way around. I got talking to the shop manager and owner and they were kind enough to let me look in and out of a few different cars they were doing, as well as take the manager's vehicle around the block to see if I liked his %, which was 20 and I felt it was a touch too dark. The cuts all look great so far, and no bubbling to be found yet although I know it will as it dries. I asked that they take care with such a light leather, and anything that got on the paint of the car to just leave there and I'd clean it. The one thing that I noticed is man these installer used a boat load of solution! It was absolutely everywhere from the windows down on the exterior! I've spent about an hour washing and cleaning with my Gold Class/ONRWW mix Gold mitt and two buckets, and all seems well. If I have to repeat again tomorrow to get any residue I may have missed, I will. Thanks again for all the advice, suggestions, pics and humor and of course you can comment on these couple pictures I post.

 

[erichaley]

Wow! That looks sick!!!

 

[hernandez.art13]

You said "your not that COOL anymore"

Well you are officially cool now, congrats btw it looks great!

I just asked my local California Highway Patrol Officer what is the darkest I can get and still be ok under the law. He explained, I said "thank you" and went to go get my tints

 

[hernandez.art13]

Well gentlemen, and ladies if there are any. Here she is all cleaned up after a day at the tint shop. Suntek Carbon (even with the one recommendation against Suntek, this line has exceptional reviews and performance) 25 all the way around. I got talking to the shop manager and owner and they were kind enough to let me look in and out of a few different cars they were doing, as well as take the manager's vehicle around the block to see if I liked his %, which was 20 and I felt it was a touch too dark. The cuts all look great so far, and no bubbling to be found yet although I know it will as it dries. I asked that they take care with such a light leather, and anything that got on the paint of the car to just leave there and I'd clean it. The one thing that I noticed is man these installer used a boat load of solution! It was absolutely everywhere from the windows down on the exterior! I've spent about an hour washing and cleaning with my Gold Class/ONRWW mix Gold mitt and two buckets, and all seems well. If I have to repeat again tomorrow to get any residue I may have missed, I will. Thanks again for all the advice, suggestions, pics and humor and of course you can comment on these couple pictures I post.

Do you have any warranty?