tint you own windows?

[luna]

has anyone tinted their own windows using any of the kits on the market? thought I would try it but would like to talk to someone who has done it.

 

[Jeff Clark]

That's one of those things I'd rather pay to have done right. I've been in the graphics industry a long time and applying tint film isn't an easy thing to do. If a shop messes up, they fix it. If you mess up, you fix it. You may end up spending more in the long run than if you had a shop do it. I'd find a shop that uses 3M. That's my preferred brand. You'll pay more but it has a better warranty.

 

[MMeier]

On all of my vehicles over the years, I've always had a shop do my tint jobs, don't have the patience to try and do it myself!!!

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I tinted the windows on my truck and noone yet has been able to tell they weren't done professionaly. I did see a good tint guy do one of my previous trucks so I learned a lot of the tricks of the trade that way. I wouldn't have been able to learn those things just reading the directions. If you have seen it done before and can be absolutely meticulously clean you can do a good job and cheaply. I tinted all 4 side windows plus the rear slider on my truck for about $30.

 

[cbunt1]

Originally posted by luna

has anyone tinted their own windows using any of the kits on the market? thought I would try it but would like to talk to someone who has done it.

I did it on a few vehicles over the years. Like someone else said on here--with patience and meticulous (sp?) attention to detail, you can do it well, and nobody will be able to tell it's not professionally done.



However: The window film kits available on the market (eg Gila and some of the others you by at wal-mart, pep-boys, auto-zone, etc) are simply not the same grade of film used at the professional shops. 2 major brands exist, to my knowledge -- 3M and Llumar. of the two, 3M is a better product, with a better warranty. The Professional grade films also come in 2-3 grades, and the better the grade, the happier you'll be.



Find a tint shop that will sell you the film by the foot (most will) and you'll be a lot better off. I've done it myself, and i've paid to have it done, and I defy you to tell the difference between my vehicles -- all said and done, I'm not sure which is cheaper, since I've never been lucky enough to get all of 'em right the first time (I always end up redoing at least one ) though!



in short--go 3M, take your time, and don't scrimp on the quality of the film! -- oph and lots and lots of razor blades--one of the secrets to the project is that a sharp knife cuts the cleanest!



--Chris

 

[R.M.THOMPSON]

I've done a couple of vehicles,but for some reason I blew it twice in a row on my 03. This also left a incomplete roll to finish the job. Took it to a pro shop and got a lifetime warranty for 90 bucks. Good thing to,factory window mouldings scratch it pretty bad . replaced mouldings and tint for free... . Hats off to the ones that did it thereselves.

Mark T.