I tinted my car...and I mean that literally

I tinted my car...and I mean that literally
So I finally stepped up to the plate and decided to get my tint done. A friend of mine owns a tint/alarm shop and a few weeks ago when I was there watching I said "tinting looks easy" and I was presented with a challenge.

If I could tint my own windows and have them come out presentable I wouldn't have to pay for the job. If I did them and they came out rough, I would pay $30 in material cost. Tint used was SunTek 35%. In the end after lots of yelling and mistakes, I handed over $30. So far the sides are finished, I will be back to do the rear tomorrow. The tint looks decent to me, but there are some rough edges and things that you have to look for. Overall for $30 I think it's pretty decent work considering I've never tinted a car before. Tint was hand-cut for extra precision

Pix:
in the shop
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs008.snc1/4175_510088948827_3 32600751_393901_5263904_n.jpg
outside
http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs008.snc1/4175_510088993737_3 32600751_393902_3421740_n.jpg
edge
http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs008.snc1/4175_510089003717_3 32600751_393903_7013872_n.jpg
small bubbles and some contamination
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs008.snc1/4175_510089028667_3 32600751_393904_3631889_n.jpg
side
http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs008.snc1/4175_510089043637_3 32600751_393905_7680765_n.jpg

Rear is going to be a PITA

posted by  newyorker

That doesn't even look tinted. What's the legal limit there?

posted by  Satty101

20% I think.

Tint is finito.

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs008.snc1/4175_510095845007_3 32600751_394076_3469574_n.jpg

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs008.snc1/4175_510095830037_3 32600751_394075_7364992_n.jpg

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs008.snc1/4175_510095854987_3 32600751_394077_8236735_n.jpg

Dark enough for me.

posted by  newyorker

About time your arrogance cost you something :banghead:

posted by  jedimario

When tinting windows...call me odd, but isn't tint always hand-cut? I'm not aware of any ready-made tint sheets for specific cars/windows nor have I ever seen a tint cutting machine.
.
.

posted by  BavarianWheels

You can get pre-cut tint off eBay and the like, but it's always hand cut.

posted by  Satty101

$30 self done quality tint > $150 pro quality tint.

posted by  newyorker

They do have cutters now. Basically you tell it what car you have, feed the film through the cutter and you have pre-cut sheets come out of the other wise ready to go. Some like handcut better because you can eliminate some gaps, etc. and tuck it better.

posted by  newyorker

Looks nice, i put 5% on the Altima and it looks good but i will admit its hard to see out at night.

posted by  99integra

pffffft, get 3% limo black and you're talking dark.

posted by  dodgerforlife

1) They do indeed have machines now...but those will cost ya.

2) In PA you're not allowed to do any type of aftermarket tint. That means that unless your car is one of those SUV's (or such) that comes with dark windows from the factory, any modification is illegal and a possibility for a ticket. That being said, you will have absolutely zero problems with it in the city (drove by a bunch of cops, got pulled over a few times, no one even said a word) and only the most asshole of the asshole cops would say anything in the burbs (only one problem in about 4 years of driving a car with tinted windows...just my luck to get caught by probably one of five cops in the state that's retarded to give a ****).

3) IMO 35% is too light. I have 15% now and it looks fine but I'd get it darker if my car was worth it. 3% sounds ridiculous...can you even see out of those?

posted by  Nissan_Altima

I can see out of them just fine, no problems at all with that. It's just nice having that little extra privacy, if I'm carrying something I don't want seen, I just toss it in the backseat, nobody can see it. Here we can run however dark we want on our back windows, and nothing on the fronts, except most cops won't question a 35% tint on the fronts.

posted by  dodgerforlife

I tend to go with something of a 5% back window(s) and 20% front.

posted by  Satty101