got the sd tinted!!
 

i got the sd tinted the other day. looks great. i will try to post pics of it soon. i still owe pics from since i got it.

What % f/r?

Careful! We may severely chastise those who tease us by making posts, such as this, without providing pics! :D

(We will accept hints as to color of car and suggestions of the appearance, etc...)

I am just curious, tinting is never so hard, compared to wrenching, how come people always pay somebody else called "professional" to install it.

What does it take to install the film yourself ?

I'm under the impression that proper tinting requires: Good tinting film, A sharp knife, a liquid solution for laying tint, a good squeegey, super-clean glass, and a steady hand (or 3 or 4 steady hands).

I don't think there is a reason why you can't do it yourself, but its not as easy as just peel 'n' stick. There are some companies that sell pre-cut tint pieces for your vehicle, and that can eliminate some of the hassle, but you still have to get it layed down just right, and you have to do a great job of removing the liquid underneath so you don't develop bubbles. Take a long hard look at a little rice-car who's owner tinted its windows 2 years ago and it is now covered in tiny bubbles and cracks and looks terrible, and take the time to get the right tools, do some research, and do the job right. Or pay a pro to do it. ;)

The windows on my 300TD were professionally tinted by the PO, about 8 years ago by the receipt, and they look great, no bubbles, no peeling, nothing. If it weren't for the few tiny dings where I accidentally banged the seat belt clip against it on the driver's side, you wouldn't know that it hadn't been applied yesterday.

And yes, I'll post a pic when I get home. ;)

peace,
sam

o it is hard.there are lots of steps involved and you have to be very patient.
to install yourself you need:patience,heat gun,tank of cold water,the scrapers to flatten it and the film. its not easy trust me i tried to do my old car and it was a pain in the ass.

Here is an interesting website about Tinting. Its for pro tinters, but also includes some instructions on how to do it yourself. They also have a pretty cool message board populated by pro tinters. Makes for some interesting reading! One thing I'm picking up on is the fact that even one tiny mistake on tint is very visible. One small bubble, or one hair under it, or anything, and you'll have to look at it and stare at it for the life of the tint. No room for mistakes. :(

http://www.tintdude.com

peace,
sam

Tell who ever tints it to be careful on the back glass, especially if they cut the tint on the window. I'ts very easy to cut the small wires on the glass that provide the rear window defrost.

the window is two layer and the wires are inbetween.

Here is a picture of my many year old tint job. It looks great, non-reflective, and I'm not sure what % transmission it is, though I'd say it's 'medium'. I've seen cars with more subtle tints, but also ones with more aggressive tints.

It makes the inside of the car more comfortable in the sun, and it gives the whole thing some sort of silver-luxo hearse limo look that I really dig.

Pardon the dirtiness too, this picture was taken a few days ago, its much cleaner now. ;)

peace,
sam

i tried to post pics but the files are to big and i have no way of changing them. would someone let me email them the pics and post them for me.

You can email them to me: sam at flexistentialist dot org

I'll resize and post. :)

peace,
sam

how do i write that in the sent to box?

That tint job will get you in trouble in Virginia.............

That looks like 20% film.

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