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Things To Know Before Tinting?

 
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Old 04-20-2004
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Things To Know Before Tinting?

Im getting 5 windows tinted for my coupe this weekend. I was wondering what questions i should ask to get the best tint possible. Are their questions I should ask? things i must request? things i should make sure they do? any info helps. Im paying 140 for the 5 windows. Dont want to get a bad tint job because i dont know what to look for. Thanks
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Old 04-20-2004
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If its done by pros it should be good. First week you'll notice some bubbles but thats ok, they'll go away.

Dont pull your windows down for about 4 days after tinting.
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Old 04-20-2004
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if they do a bad tint job. dont pay it.
ask for no bubbles.
ask for warrenty (if you dont like it they wont charge)
look at work they already did on other cars.
and look for "word of mouth"
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Old 04-20-2004
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Originally posted by HustleLikeM0FO
If its done by pros it should be good. First week you'll notice some bubbles but thats ok, they'll go away.

Dont pull your windows down for about 4 days after tinting.

yeah thats true
hope you got AC
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Old 04-20-2004
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umm actually bubbles are a bad thing there are supposed to be no bubbles(air pockets) what so ever.. also the 4 days thing is true and do not let people touch or fondle ur new tint job it will cause it to shift somewhat and cause air pockets/ ridges in the tint ... im not sure how they do it in cali but they basically spray the window with soapy water then place the glue side of the tint over it and use a plastic wedge and squeeze the water out from below so it will line up properly then they use a heating gun to help dry out some of the excess water .. so bubbles are a bigg no no and they wil get worse
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Old 04-20-2004
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^ can you just poke a small hole and and squeeze the air out?^
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Old 04-20-2004
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Originally posted by HustleLikeM0FO
If its done by pros it should be good. First week you'll notice some bubbles but thats ok, they'll go away.

Dont pull your windows down for about 4 days after tinting.
id say a week just in case, but on the fifth day you can try it but i didnt do that i just waited a whole week, and yea you do get some mini bubbles, but thats suppose to happen. but its not the kind of bubbles that are bad, once you see it youll know what im talking about, cuz i got my tint done from my uncle(owns a pro tint shop in san jose) and so i was watching him do it. also there maybe a new smell inside fo your car cuz of the tint but itll go away also. also kevin is right about the no touching the tint also, that is also a no no. also if you play basketball and work up a sweat doing something iono, you start to creat a kind of fog inside the car on the tint and that is bad for it, trust me i know and the tint it started to shift a bit, i dont know how but it just did. so if your hot just cool down alot with the ac on or something.
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Old 04-20-2004
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i got a better question...

what do you clean it with?? windex?
because i see some people with tint which started black.
then faded to a purplish color. (maybe beucase crappy tint)
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Old 04-20-2004
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Hey I got my windows tinted last summer and here’s what I did:

Called a couple different shops around the area for quotes and got references.
Then I called up the references and found out if they were happy or not.
I called up some car dealers (Mercedes, Acura and Lexus) and found out which shops they sent they're cars to.

The ones to look out for are guys who do tinting out of someone else’s shop. From what I was told tinters come up from cali for the summer (I’m in WA) and do a half assed job. Give warranty and all that bs and after the summer's over go back down and leave the owner w/ a useless warranty.

Also you need to figure out if they take off the glass and then put the tint on or just place it on with the windows rolled up. The downside to not taking the windows out is they'll be a gap at the top of the window where it was tucked in. So if you roll down your window half way they'll be a clear gap.

When picking up the car check all the windows and make sure it covers everything (edges). If they took apart your door make sure every things put back right and every things solid. Also when they did mine they took my seats out for some reason and didn't tighten them all the way so make sure to check those too.

After the tint put tape over the window controls so you don't accidentally roll them down. Even with tape I wanted to hit them.

Make sure to get the warranty card (and send it in), receipt w/ the % of tint so if you ever get pulled over you have proof.

I paid $185 w/o tax. I got quoted from different shops $90 - $400. Decided to go to the place I went to because of they're rep and it was a place where the dealers sent they're cars to.

Also
DON'T use Windex to clean.
USE an alcohol based cleaner or there’s a good auto window cleaner they sell at Costco.

I guess I was a little paranoid to get purple windows so I put a lot of work before getting it.

Hope that helps
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Old 04-20-2004
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^^ whats the cleaner called?
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Old 04-20-2004
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Originally posted by thomusvoo
^^ whats the cleaner called?
yeah, what he said.
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Old 04-20-2004
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Hell, just go to Autozone to get the window cleaner and there will be atleast a decent selection for tint cleaner. As for a big thing to look for in my opinion is to make sure that they can do your rear windshield in one piece and not two. If they use two, the probabilty of problems are much greater. The tint shrinks a little when being in sunlight for long periods of time and two pieces might separate leaving you a nicely bright line when you look in your rear view mirror.

If they say that they can't do it in one piece, you need to find another place because it can be done and for the same price.
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Old 04-20-2004
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Originally posted by thomusvoo
^^ whats the cleaner called?
At any auto place, they have window cleaners and they'll say safe for tints on the bottles. So far I've used Eagle, black magic and turtle wax window cleaners with no problems. Basically, you just can't use Ammonia based cleaners on tints.
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Old 04-20-2004
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I dont park my car in the garage, will leaving it outside where dust could land on it stick to the windows or will rain affect it on day of tinting. mr_fobster where is that Pro shop your uncle owns and how much will he charge for the 5 windows?
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Old 04-20-2004
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wow.. what useful info.
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Old 04-20-2004
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i strongly reccomend taking off ur plastic panels. cus if they do it expect broken clips, scratches, and rattles in the future
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Old 04-20-2004
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I heard about the plastic panels before, but i dont know what part that is? my car already rattles enough as it is so i dont want anymore of that
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Old 04-21-2004
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Old 04-21-2004
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naw man.. do it yourself with spray cans.
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Old 04-21-2004
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the ammonia in windex turns the tint a purplish color ,, the best thing to use is either half water/rubbing alcohol and paper towels or slightly soapy water ....i never heard of the plastic pannels i'm guessing its the weather strip all around the windows? ... if it is u dont have to because a good tint shop will cut the tint a little bigger and be able to slide the tint almost completely to the upper edge and corners of the window and a little way past the weather strip...poking the bubbles with a pin is a no no because you will now have a tiny hole which after time will start to lengthen and turn in to a small tear and get bigger and bigger ...
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Old 04-21-2004
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also rain on the day of tinting does not affect it .... also be advised there are a few placeswhere they put the tint on the outside of the window(stupid idea) and most places do not take the window out because its too much work and they have to touch the glass to put it back in after its installed ...there will be a gap at the edges but if its a good job it should no bigger than 1/16 of an inch... you will be able to see if it was tucked in well after its done by just looking at it
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Old 04-21-2004
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Originally posted by Pibe54
my car already rattles enough as it is so i dont want anymore of that
aint that the truth. every little bump..... ::rattle rattle rattle:::
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Old 04-21-2004
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Make sure u get rid of any of the stock honda stickers on any of the windows u can otherwise it looks awful when u get it tinted! Like if u can live without the seatbelt stickers on the front side windows etc....
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Old 04-21-2004
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$140 is very good deal. No bubbles is important. Sometimes they may have a car to display, ask. there isn't much you can do, just go somewhere that gets alot of business.
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Old 04-21-2004
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I have a lifetime warranty...and these guys are the best i have like 4 bublles around the car...im going back soon
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Old 04-21-2004
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Yea the dude that tinted my windows said they use windex to STRIP the tint of the windows. Definately somethin you should know.
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Old 04-21-2004
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Originally posted by thomusvoo
^^ whats the cleaner called?

dude all you need is a damp microfiber cloth and a dry microfiber cloth, and wipe the window with that damp cloth of just water and dry it with the dry one, cuz windex scratches the tint with a regular towel or paper towel, i have tried it and ruined it, but thankfully my uncle got to redo it for me for free(warrenty) so just water and a microfiber cloth soaked in water.
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Old 04-21-2004
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Lots of info here, thanks guys!
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Old 04-21-2004
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I emailed the tint shop i will be going to and this was the response to many of the questions i asked that came from this thread:

We don't remove windows before tinting. We use Solar Gard film. Solar Gard film is one of the best if not the best product available on the market today. You can check out their web site at www.solargard.com. Read rewiews, ask others and you will know that Solar Gard is top of the line product.After installation you will receive a warranty card from Solar Gard that can be used to replace window tint free of charge if the film fades, bubbles, peels or cracks. Warranty
can be used with any Solar Gard dealer!!! Even if you move or we move warranty will
still be valid. We do work for 3 limo companies and 4 dealerships. Today April 21st we did 2 tint jobs for Platinum Motorgroup in San Bruno. They are located at 444 El Camino Real. We tinted Lexus LS 400 and Mercedes 240. I think Lexus is sold but you can probably see the Mercedes. You are welcome to stop by and see for yourself the work that we do at our shop.

I think it sounds good and if you guys say otherwise i will keep looking around. THanks 7thgenmembers for the help so far.
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Old 04-21-2004
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i tried to get my windows tinted today.
the guy said. your back brake light, i cannot tint over that.
so that means i have a big empty non-tinted spot.

can we tint over that brake light???
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