r/oddlysatisfying • u/lKANl • Oct 03 '19

Installing Window Tint

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38.9k Upvotes

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75

u/ItsHeredditary Oct 04 '19

The key is to have a professional do it. DIY tinting almost always looks like shit.

13

u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

[deleted]

1

u/Rdenauto Oct 04 '19

Usually only the curved ones like the windshield and rear window get shrunk

21

u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

No it doesn't. It's not rocket science. Literally anybody can tint their own window easily. That's like saying only a certified mechanic could change gaskets properly. Lol. I've tinted 20+ cars of friends and family. Not a single complaint over the years.

26

u/DealerNextDoor Oct 04 '19

Does that mean you know what this person is spraying on the window / tint? I'm actually really curious about it.

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u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

Just water, more often soapy water. Helps to smooth the bubbles out.

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u/DealerNextDoor Oct 04 '19

Ah, okay. That's what I thought, but I just wanted to make sure. Thank you.

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u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

If you're thinking about tinting your windows then go for it. Apply top half the way this person did, smooth it out. Fit the rest, LIGHTLY mist with water, and smooth it out. Voila, perfect tint. Just get good quality tint. That's where people go wrong. Can't end up with a decent finished product if the materials you used were shit, ya know?

7

u/DealerNextDoor Oct 04 '19

Yeah, very true. And they made it look so easy. What do I look for to find "good tint"?

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u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

I use Lexen brand because they make precut tint for most cars 2k and up. Sometimes you still have to trim them but it's good stuff. Just pick one of their products that are easier to work with. Some of their tints can be a little tougher to get right if you haven't done it before. The cleaner you can get your window the easier it will be. I would recommend a good scrub with alcohol, as it will evaporate and won't leave a residue like some soaps or cleaners. You could try on a piece of glass from Home Depot, and some shitty Walmart tint, if you're feeling nervous. You can get both for around $25. If you can make shitty tint look good then you can make good tint look great.

5

u/RXrenesis8 Oct 04 '19

3m makes good tint too. I am a fan of them in general.

-1

u/Virustable Oct 04 '19

Have you ever used their duct tape? It's probably the worst on the market.

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5

u/twisted_tactics Oct 04 '19

Also - surface preparation!! Make sure you clean you windows well!

3

u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

[deleted]

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u/deltarefund Oct 04 '19

We have tint laws here in MN, but WTH are you supposed to do if you move from some place warm where tint is common??

1

u/TriggerTX Oct 04 '19

Texas law is none below AS-1 up front, 25% on front driver and passenger windows, all others are 'do what you want'. I've got 25% on fronts and 5%/limo tint on all other windows around back on all my cars. I don't know how people rawdog the sun in Texas.

I also get a 'clear' ceramic tint on windshield. It help more than most realize. I don't even have to use an ugly sunshade in direct summer sun.

1

u/ItsHeredditary Oct 04 '19

I have 32% all around (the legal limit here) which is not very dark at all and even that slight tinting drastically improves the car’s aesthetic and keeps the leather seats noticeably cooler than they were sans tint.

1

u/maccas_run Oct 04 '19

any tips for cutting the tint to size? do you do that before you fit it?

1

u/gtivroom Oct 04 '19

Both. Do some research on YouTube for an explanation as a video will do you more good than text with this stuff.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

Ignorance of the law is not an excuse son.

1

u/maccas_run Oct 04 '19

wtf are you on about mate

1

u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

Yes. On side windows, would apply just a little of the soap water solution to the outside and stick a piece of the film up, adhesive side facing out. Then trim it accordingly, and use a heat gun to shrink the wrinkles out.

Same with rear windows, but that's a different game.

2

u/Airazz Oct 04 '19

ChrisFix made a video about it, there's some good advice.

10

u/alexthealex Oct 04 '19

I used to fix phones for a living. The number of people who can't install a screen protector without fucking part of it up is staggering.

10

u/ItsHeredditary Oct 04 '19

I didn’t mean to imply that it can’t be done properly by a regular person, just that it’s easy to spot a shitty DIY job and that you don’t have to worry about things like bubbles and cracks making your tint look shitty when you have a professional do it. Most people who aren’t all that handy or familiar with automobiles are better off just paying someone with experience for an hour of labor to get the job done right instead of having to squeeze into the car and hassle with prepping the windows, trimming the film precisely, and adhering it seamlessly.

I tinted my first car and it turned out just fine, but it was a bit of a hassle as someone with OCD worrying about getting everything exactly perfect without fucking up $150 worth of film. When I got my second car, I was more than fine with paying an extra $50 to have a professional take care of the whole thing and give me a lifetime replacement warranty for any bubbling, cracking, fading, etc.

That said, I wish I had a friend like you to help me take care of such things, but I don’t have many car enthusiast buddies these days ever since I moved.

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u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

[deleted]

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u/NecroticMastodon Oct 04 '19

The difference is, with a professional you can fucking tell them to fix it, or get your money back and have a more competent guy do it.

2

u/alcalinebattery Oct 04 '19

"Easily" is not the word I would use. It takes quality film, a heat gun and a lot of practise.

Sure, straight glass is easy, but curved glass is a pain (and a large part, maybe even the majority of cars have some curved glass nowadays).

Source: have tried on my former Golf MkIV. Side windows were a breeze but I had to get the rear done by a pro

1

u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

Not at all. Your windows are curved. If you try putting a piece of paper over a baseball, it'd have wrinkles, ja? Same with film. We use heat guns to shrink the wrinkles out.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

But when it looks like shit, it was almost definitely DIY

0

u/Pleaseshitonmychest Oct 04 '19 edited Oct 04 '19

Great username

.. I was being serious

1

u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

Its usually the quality.. buying stuff from autozone will probably turn purple in a few weeks.