jweather73

Not exactly a 1st-gen question, but I spend all my time in here anyway.

I was wondering if anyone has ever done their own window tint job. I can have it done around here for about $130 with a 3-year warranty, or I can get all the stuff and do it myself for less than half that.

So, which way would you go? DIY or Pro Install of window tint?
Is it easy? too hard to bother with? etc?

Thanks in advance!

purple82

I've done it on an FB. It's not very hard if you take the back hatch off. If you're considering doing it on a different car with more window compound curvature, it's much more difficult.

crackedoutducky

i heard that it was much harder to do it yourself, and to save your self alot of agrivation, to get it done profesonally..thats what im going to do..plus you get a warranty...and if they mess up on it, they have to fix it for free...so i would get it done profesonally..

bstrange99

I tried to tint my own (no chance in hell of that ever working). I ended up taking it to a pro. $180.00, lifetime warranty, and a professional job. I say go pro.

LongDuck

Another vote for professional installation.

I paid a local commercial tint installer (Metrotint in PHX, AZ) $200 for both sides, the rear Mariah window in 35% which is max legal, and a black band (85%) along the top of the windshield.

Lifetime guarantee, guaranteed installation, guaranteed satisfaction, no bubbles, no mess, no swearing... that's my idea of a good time!

anthrax

Go pro all the way.

For all the reasons LongDuck Mentioned and then some.

A bad tint job is a great way to make a nice car look like crap. Take a look around I garentee you will be able to spot the DIY tint jobs they look BAD

680RWHP12A

pro install only, unless you like scratches and bubbles

Mezzano

I've done it myself.. It was perfect for 5 years then I moved and the county I live in required me to pull it off. It's easy to do if you are patient if not take it to a pro. I did it myself for $30 a pro can do it for $120 - $200. It all depends on you!!

Hadoken

I'm opting to go for the pro way, $150 with a lifetime warranty.

LongDuck, what kind of tint did they put on your car, have any idea?

The place that does it for $150 uses Llumar tint, but Llumar has like 4 different levels of quality in a 35% tint, they rate them on 1-3 stars and I think what I can get for $150 has a 1 and 1/2 star rating for heat blockage. Just wondering what you have since you previously said it helps the heat alot.

I'm getting it for the sole reason of heat prevention, so I want it to keep it quite a bit cooler..

Dom

I done my Chevette without any problems, but the hatch on the RX-7 needs a pro. Unless the stuff changed since the 80s.

So for me, I vote pro.

SERIES 1 XLR8

go for the pro install. with a DIY job, often you get the stupid bubbles and scratches in the tint. In a pro situation they have the right tools for the job, and if they doo stuff it up, u got the 3 year thingy to fall back on.

If u did it your self for 1/2 the price, and it didn't work out to a good standard (possible senario), you will have to do it again, therefore you would have spent as much as a pro job would cost, although u have no warranty whatsoever.

post some pix when done!

SERIES 1 XLR8

an even better way to go is tinted glass. None of this plastic crap. but then u'd have to get some new windows made up $$$$

Hadoken

And old improperly installed window tint is a PITA to get off...most places charge about $50 to remove old tint..

bizarro

iTrader: (1)

...i've done it myself WAY BACK IN THE DAY...and it wasn't that hard once i used some pro tint installer's advice...

wet the glass with a spray bottle...use the squeegy (spelling?) to take out the bubbles and then use a hair dryer while taking it out...it'll dry fast with no bubbles...and everytime i've done mine i've never gotten bubbles...i did my first rx7 in 1 afternoon IIRC...

i took out my driver and passenger windows and tinted it down lower than the window opening...this ensured that the tint wouldn't catch on the rubber trim...

you can barely see it in this picture but you can get an idea...no bubbles, no peeling

the picture was taken 13 years ago so its not that clear....

LongDuck

From what the installers told me, there are 2 types of 'tint' that they can apply; colored film, and metal foil film. The colored film is just dyed plastic that is applied to your glass windows to block out the incoming radiant light, which somewhat equates to interior heat. With the metal foil film, this is actually a thin sheet of metal foil that blocks a much higher degree of the radiant heat from the outside, helping to keep the interior cool.

With dyed tint plastic, the dye tends to get 'washed out' over time and age, which results in a purple tint color after 2-3 years. With metal foil films, these keep their original color indefinitely, but also cost almost 3x as much to buy - this is the installer's commentary.

For 35% metal foil film, the color started to actually look a little like chrome - I don't like that look. At 85%, it was like aluminum foil on your windows, and not street legal, but dropped about 90% of transmitted radiant energy (heat), so this would definitely keep the inside of your car cool.

I went with the highest grade of dyed film and don't think I made a bad decision. It is 35% light transmission, and about 40% radiant heat reflection, so it makes a noticeable difference in the interior temps and the ability for my A/C unit to keep up.

Just today, in 112d F heat (AZ), I had the A/C on setting #1 because any higher fan speeds was too cold. That's saying something...

Dan_s_young

iTrader: (1)

GO PRO! you will not regret it just look around the next parking lot your in you are sure to see do it yourself tint jobs gone horribly wrong.. (i tryed to post a picture of myn but its too big)

Dan_s_young

iTrader: (1)

hey longduck i really like the looks of your car, where abouts did you get the tires/rims from and how much did they set you back? thank you.

Max7

Go Pro but beware! My parents have taken thier Honda (yah I know) back 3 times to get retinted at a local shop.
Check out thier work, look at cars they have done.
There are good shops and bad, I've got 15+ year old tint on a car that still looks as good as new.

If you feel up to the task to do it yourself, I do my own, but I've done it for a living before, there are places that sell precut tint for the 7, just peel -n- stick no cutting required.

Also check the local laws, nothing worse than having to rip off good looking tint.....

Bolox

i got %50 on mine (classic car laws )

and defentaly go pro.. nothings worse than a bubly tint job

cost me $220 AUS and it took them 3 hours

looks fanbloodytastic

Hadoken

Hey Max7, what percent of tint is that on the far left car in your sig?

jweather73

Well, I guess I'll be going the pro way. That's probably what I was going to do anyway, unless I got an overwhelming response saying how easy it was to DIY and basically making DIY the way to go... but apparently not!

Thanks everyone!

Pele

iTrader: (28)

Where can I find max tint laws for my area and areas that I may be considering living in?

jweather73

easiest way would be to call a local tint company. They'll let you know.

Hadoken

http://llumar.com/na-eng/Automotive/...int-laws.html#
Just click on us or Canada and it'll pop up a box that shows the laws.

FB II

i want to tint my windshield.