Re-doing tint..

the5.ohh · Jul 25, 2013

So I had my 95 tinted last November. 35% all around. As I look at the windows every time I get in the car or wash it. It really urks me all the bubbles I see in the front windows. Rear windshield has bubbles on the bottom, guy tried tinting the dot matrix originally.. That looked all smeared and like shit had him take it off. You can see some lines in the tint i guess from him cutting the tint. Lifetime warranty but honestly I went back twice to have it fixed and he said thats the best it'll get so I lived with it for awhile.. I found a reputable top notch tint guy that charges $150 for the whole car. So I guess the $99 wasn't really a deal after all. Should've went with the more expensive tint in the beginning but oh well. I can peel the tint off my front windows just by using my nail... So my question is, keep it 35% all around or 35% on the front windows and 20% on the rest? I'm not doing 20 all around that would really get me pulled over. Pics are welcome.

Ferocious · Jul 25, 2013

$99 is pretty cheap. Its no wonder its bubbling/peeling.
I have 35% on the front windows, 20% on the quarters, and 5% on the back.
I'm gonna get the fronts redone to 20% very soon though.

ttocs · Jul 25, 2013

the best option I ever saw for the matrix was a buddy of mine had a guy cut a piece of black vinyl to put over it on the outside. With the window tinted you honestly could not tell it didn't belong there. Looked great...

the5.ohh · Jul 25, 2013

Ferocious said:
$99 is pretty cheap. Its no wonder its bubbling/peeling.
I have 35% on the front windows, 20% on the quarters, and 5% on the back.
I'm gonna get the fronts redone to 20% very soon though.

Thats almost the setup I want. Idk about 5% on the rear windshield though. The back might be too dark. My moms got 20% all around on her car, you can't see jack shit at night lol. Yeah the 99 was cheap. Even though theres a lifetime warranty I'd rather just spend the extra $$ and have it done right ya know? You got any pics showing the rear 20% and windshield 5%?

ttocs said:
the best option I ever saw for the matrix was a buddy of mine had a guy cut a piece of black vinyl to put over it on the outside. With the window tinted you honestly could not tell it didn't belong there. Looked great...

Yeah I've heard of that. I'm gonna look into having that done. I think it'll look real good and clean most importantly.

OnyxCobra · Jul 26, 2013

He put the vinyl on the outside of the window? I've heard of putting it on the inside over the dots and then the tint up over that. I had vinyl on the outside tops of my windows when I bought the car and it looked cheap.

MustangChris · Jul 26, 2013

ive never heard of this vinyl thing. can anyone link me a few pics?

KillNThrill24 · Jul 26, 2013

I ended up paying about $120 on a sale price to have the whole 3 windows in my Camaro tinted. BUT the work was top notch and the tint still looks as good now as it did then, and that was about 3yrs ago now. Only problem I had was due to bad weatherstripping and frameless window design I had a corner start to get peeled back so I used a razor blade and cut it before it spread. Other than that, been perfect. Unfortunately you really do get what you pay for when it comes to tint

slow90coupe · Jul 26, 2013

I have the vinyl piece over the dot matrix, and it looks much better. You can look through my pics and see it. I'm about to get mine re-tinted to 5% all around. I'd do 20% in the rear and 35% in the front on your car.

Shifty Powers · Jul 26, 2013

Any good tint place can do the vinyl over the dot matrix. I cant remember if the shop did it on my mustang or not. But did it on my old taurus.

Otherwise my mustang is 20% all the way around and I maybe would have gone 15. But 20 is perfect. You wouldnt get pulled over for it 5ohh.. Its light enough you can still see me for the most part. Interior/exterior colors play a part in how dark the tint looks too.

The shop that did mine would have charged me about 180 but got them for 160 and its Llumar 20%, machine cut. No bubbles, lifetime warranty. And because I know the owners(came in on day off) I got it done in 30 minutes.

Of course this shop is the best of the best and do tons of cars from ZR1s to Porshes, Range Rovers, Lambos, Ferraris. Cant beat them.

Anyways ide go with 20% all the way around

Mnstrstang · Jul 26, 2013

Guy that did my tint put a vinyl strip over the dot matrix on the back window bc the tint wouldn't stick also. I think it looks pretty good.

gate keeper · Jul 26, 2013

I just went through the same thing with my wife's WRX - I removed all of the old tint with a fabric steamer and saved a bit of cash off the original price.
If you show up with clean windows and they don't have to remove anything it'll definitely play in your wallets favor.

I bought the steamer for $30.00 at target - just a cheap garment steamer. Then you cut just a tab w/ a razor knife to get a 'grip' point.
Steam the living hell out off the tint in a roughly 8x8 in area and start peeling back slowly, steam the surrounding area as you get to it.
If you're lucky the glue and tint will 100% come off on the first pass.
If any glue is left behind - i just hit it with the steamer again and scrubbed it off with an old shop towel.

Ferocious · Jul 26, 2013

the5.ohh said:
Thats almost the setup I want. Idk about 5% on the rear windshield though. The back might be too dark. My moms got 20% all around on her car, you can't see jack shit at night lol. Yeah the 99 was cheap. Even though theres a lifetime warranty I'd rather just spend the extra $$ and have it done right ya know? You got any pics showing the rear 20% and windshield 5%?

Here's some before and afters:

sleepn_sn95 · Jul 26, 2013

I run 20% all around and don't have any problems as long as the cops aren't super strict about it in your area. I haven't had any issues with visibility at night sometimes I just have to have the window down while backing up but they are usually down anyways

Musturd · Jul 26, 2013

I always run 5% on rear 3 and 20 on front 2 front 2 care completely illegal to have any tint on them here but I don't care as for the dot matrix that's a good idea with the vinyl my tinter always gets it to stick but it also costs me around 250 for all 5 windows

sleepn_sn95 · Jul 26, 2013

I wish I would have had this done with my tint

[video=youtube;YSCkWJJni4o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSCkWJJni4o[/video]

the5.ohh · Jul 26, 2013

Hm good thoughts. I think 20 in the rear, black vinyl over the dot matrix and 35% in the front, maybe a front windshield strip too idk. My moms got 20s all around but she drives a Benz. Cops over here are strict. But with that said. I've driven past tons of cops with my radio bumpin, headlight covers on and they never look twice. Might go for the 20% all around idk. My dad will probably flip but its not a big deal lol. 20% does look awesome, and you can see through it in the day just like you said Shifty. I drive with the windows half or all the way down every time i drive too. So ill see about pricing and how much for the vinyl too. Thanks guys!

Shifty Powers · Jul 26, 2013

your car is black on black too if i remember.. the 20% will look darker.. So if you have covers on your lights. Take um off.

the5.ohh · Jul 27, 2013

Shifty Powers said:
your car is black on black too if i remember.. the 20% will look darker.. So if you have covers on your lights. Take um off.

Yes sir, black on black. I'll take the covers off when I figure out what to do with my lights. Hate the stock ones, maybe I'll get clear cobra headlights and clear corners idk.

KillNThrill24 · Jul 27, 2013

From what I personally have experienced it would appear that cops will/won't bother you based on how your car actually LOOKS. Not the darkness of the tint.. For instance my Jeep has the darkest tint out of the 3 of my vehicles. The front 2 windows are IIRC 15%, and the others are 0% or limo tint rather. I also have a 5% brow on the windshield. Totally illegal. The rear windows aren't but add in the overall darkness of the front windows and it's completely illegal. I rarely wear my sunglasses while driving it because it's just SO dark inside, and that brow helps tremendously... Cops never bother me. I have to wonder if they think "wow that thing is pretty cool..." and maybe that's why they leave me alone? No clue.

The Mustang has 20% all around but I've never once been bothered. Most cops appreciate the fact that it's a good clean looking car and they don't bother me.

THEN there's the Grand Am..... I get pulled over in that thing ALL THE FREAKING TIME >.< And they always harass me on the tint.. Tell me to take it off, tell me they'll write me a ticket for it, blah blah blah blah blah. And guess what? Only one cop actually pulled out the stupid meter. And it was on a cloudy day, it was raining too, which makes the tint look darker than normal sunny days... It was 46% and legal here is 50%. Cop gave me soooo much shit and gave me a written warning I'm like are you kidding me? Literally pulled me over in the rain for 46% tint.....

So long story short it truly depends on the nature of the vehicle. If the cops like your car they won't bug you about the tint. Most times they like Mustangs which is why most of us get away with it. I'd definitely get 20% if I were you. You'll love it

Shifty Powers · Jul 27, 2013

^ Ill give you that. Thats a good point. Also depends on where you live though.

I had 20% all the way around on my white taurus with a light gray interior. Tint looked like 5% in the daylight even. Was odd. But had it on for 3 years and I was never once pulled over for it or questioned for it. Of course my car was always washed and always looked clean as hell, but my towns there isnt much crime and nonsense.
Well in the 3rd year. I got a job a few towns over. Was heading into work in the early morning(start shift at 6am) and infront of my work a cop pulls me over for the tint saying its way to dark. Im like. Its just turning dusk! Its still dark out! Wrote me a ticket and told me that I will always be pulled over for it in that town. This town deals with a lot of bad kids, drugs, gangsters rolling on 24s and crap. So I kinda get it.
Told me I could take the tint off the front and fight the ticket. But i wasnt about to waste my money. Ticket ended up being $35.. HA!
So although it is illegal in my state. Most cops do not give a shit. If your being a douche, they may tack it on to another ticket. But never generally pull you over for it.
So I agree with Killnthrill.. It also does depend on how your car looks and where you live basically. Even from town to town