Tint Opinions

[sketchman]

Already contemplating mods for the new one.

I've wanted to do tint since forever. Just don't know how dark to go. I'm in WV and one of the lousier parts of it that you've never heard of. All coal all the time, except now that they're all shutting down; bittersweet really(I'm an open minded realist, so....). One town that is full of jerk cops, and I can avoid it so VLT laws probably don't have much effect on the decision. I'm getting off topic. Call me bobstad.

I drive mostly at night. Like 10PM and 7AM kind of stuff.

I found a site that sells precut sets for the Festiva. Claim to use the best stuff; warranty, attracts 50% more ladies, makes you 25% bigger, etc. Will be about $40-50 for all windows.

So what would people recommend if you've tinted before? Especially opinions on night driving, of course. What is too dark that it's not practical at night? Does it even really matter? And brands too if it's better to cut my own. I'm not opposed to the idea. Just seems easier to get precut.

Thanks.

[Gomez]

Since I was 16 (now 40) I have tinted EVERY car that I have owned up until the last 3-4. That would make about 25 cars in total WITH tint ranging from "limo" to the legal limit of 50% here in Ohio. My favorite cars were the lighter grey interiors combined with 50% all the way around. Though I like the look of the darker tint from the outside It is kinda hard to drive "safely" at night with very dark tint. My father in Law has a truck with 20% all the way around with a dark interior and it is kinda hard (actually very hard) to drive at night even in forward gears.

I have been liking going tintless over the last few of my cars but will be doing probably 50% on my current build when it is done. As for the DIY thing. I will not do it. I used to work at a custom shop and tinted one car one time. Never again. I guess I am just too picky. I had to tear the tint off and redo it several times until EVERY LAST SPEC OF DUST was out of the sandwich. I go to my local tint shop now and they like it when I come. "What car do you have now?" Tinting is not hard especially if you have a clean space to do it.

From my experience the pre-cut kits have a wide "gap" between the edge of the tint and what is left of the window. Custom cut tint will/can minimize this. But precut is easier. lol

[rmoltis]

I agree that anything %20 and below makes it difficult to see at night.
You'll notice when looking to change lanes, parallel parking, and backing around corners etc.

I have %25 and it seems to be right on the cusp of still being able to see through without causing problems while driving.
But when I drive cars that are %20 or lower I feel very uncomfortable.

[Charlie1717]

All of my cars have had 20% and I've never had an issue driving at night. 20% to me offers the best of both worlds offering a dark look while still being able to see through very easily. Plus around here it doesn't get any attention from the cops. Indiana is pretty lenient on tint though.

[sketchman]

Cool. Good stuff. I appreciate it.

[Charlie1717]

My Festy with 20%


My Taurus with 20%

[Gomez]

Ain't no denying the good looks of 20%, just a little dangerous and expensive ticketwise in SE Ohio. lol

[getnpsi]

go lightest you can on your WINDSHIELD, light on the 2 doors and dark on the back three, not limo. when everything is closed up its really dark looking. When you walk up on top of it, not so bad. Having the slightest tint on the front glass is super illegal but really keeps the heat and glare down. not every shop will do it for you, but our cars' glass pieces are so flat its easy to talk them into it

[Gomez]

I had 70% on my windshield of my 98 F150 back when it was new. It was the sweetest tint job I ever had. 70 front, 35 doors and cab, 20 on back. Absolutely loved it. BUT that was before the Ohio tint crackdown.

[rmoltis]

Ain't no denying the good looks of 20%, just a little dangerous and expensive ticketwise in SE Ohio. lol

Police in many states don't seem to like the %20 tint.
Even here in pa the limit for every window is %70
Which means if I had to choose between %20 and %25
%25 is less likely to get me in trouble.

Although I've always loved the look of %20 and below.
If I could I would just get limo tint on the rear 3 windows and get %20 up on the front 2.

But I would get pulled over for sure.
So %25 was my middleground until I live in a state that doesn't care.

Here a few shots for comparison.
And these are older pics that were taken on a super sunny day.
So you can get an idea of how much light comes through.







Cloudy day

[Jblair]

20% on back is great, hatch window you need to shrink fit for it to fit right, watch youtube, its not easy. Ive wrinkled it a few times. I order precut one time, great match and 50$ is good rate considering the gila rolls i ordered at autozone 12.50 each and it takes 3 rolls if you dont.mess up. any. So 37.50 plus razors, if you arr cutting, USE SHARP NEW RAZOR EVERY CUT. You will without a doubt tear the edges. I took rear windows out to tint them it was easiest to bring them inside and wash the in the shower and tint in the shower.

Apparently the Gila tint brand sun fades to purple. Its been on a year and is still smoke. Hopeing it stays.

[Jblair]

^ i didnt get rear hatch precut, i bet you still have to shrink fit for it to seat right. You get "fingers" that rin up from the bottom, you can try to press them down, they will keep coming back, you will eventually crease one and have a line you can not fix. Shrink fit!!!! Its hard man. If your not experienced, its harderthen you think. Youtube. Made it look easy, it takes skill.

[rmoltis]

The dude who shrank fit my rear hatch did a great job.
He put the non stick side of the tint on the outside of the hatch glass with the water in between.
Then shrank fit on the outside of the car since its the same shape as the inside.

Then trimmed to fit and when placed inside the sticky side was already formed to the glass shape and never got any wrinkles or anything weird.
He made it look easy but I bet I would mess it up if I tried.

[Jblair]

Thats how i do it. . . Another trick, whiles its outside the window, peel it off backing, spray between film and sticker film, replace film onto other film, when you go to do acrual seperation, the clear film slides off with out any tugging at all, this helps because once that film touches anything, its ruined, you dont want to battle with it. People who do it everyday make it look easy. Ive done 3 cars, its not easy.

[90fastiva]

I have done my back two twice now and neither time it turned out right. I going take it to someone else next time and do 20% all the way around. That's whats on the back now just don't look good but I can still see good.