Window Tint - FINISHED, check out the pics!

[nebojsa_o]

TINT pictures here: http://www.w-body.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=415813#415813


Hey guys, so I finally made up my mind (partially) and am gonna get my back windows tinted. This upcoming wednesday, so in 5 days. Without even thinking much I figured I'd get Limo tint, pretty damn dark, almost not visible when looking inside. But then I got thinking, how dark is too dark?? Would limo tint be too dark to see out of, especially at night, when I do most of my driving? Or do you think limo tint would still be normal and easy to see out of? Tell me what you think, and if possible that someone could post a picture of limo tint from inside the car looking out, just so I can see how dark it is compared to the non-tinted windows. I don't have money to change my mind in 2 months, and get it changed, so I need help to figure out how dark do I want it. Help!!!

[digitaloutsider]

"How dark is too dark" depends on your local tint laws, not personal preference.

[nebojsa_o]

There is no law here for the back ones, the front ones we can't touch even a little bit, but the back ones, as dark as we want. I'm asking on how dark is too dark, for drivability, and visibility from the drivers seat. Is limo tint very hard to see out of? Or do you get used to it quick, or is it not bad at all...
Does anyone have any problems seeing out of their car with a dark tint?? Or am I just panicing, and worrying too much?? In daylight, I'm not very worried, but at night, does it cut down visibility quite a bit??

[Euro]

what color is your car?? i think that depends on the darkness too...some colors just dont look right with pitch black tint

[nebojsa_o]

My car is Dark Teal Metallic. It's a pretty dark green looking color. And from some angles it almost looks black when the light is low, I think it would work good with a dark tint, but I'm unsure how dark I want to go. I don't want it to look cool, but be useles, because I can't see out the back...

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

I had 20% on my last car, which I found was good at night. I wouldn't want to go a whole lot darker than that. Although I am planning 20%front/15%rear in the spring, 15% since I don't really do that much night driving anymore...

Do a search on cardomain or something for cars with 20, 15% tint and see how they look for your preference. I personally think it will look stupid on a 4-door unless you have SOME sort of tint on the front doors, even 35%.

[Cam'ron]

i agree with dave, 20% is plenty dark at night, i have it on my monte and ever since i have gotten my tint done i have never had to dim my rearview mirror

[cutty]

i have 5% on my back doors, and my rear window, and i have no problem at all seeing out them at night.

[nebojsa_o]

Well I don't think it would look stupid on a 4 door, I like what cuttys looks like. I do agree it would look better with some tint in the front, but there really isn't much I can do about that, it's 100% illegal here. I'll see if I can see some samples before I get it tinted, just so I get an idea.... Thanks for the help guys, once the tint is done, I'll start a topic in the Members Rides section, and you can check it out.

[cutty]

yeah i used to have my front windows tinted 15% but a got stopped by a cop, and he made me pull it off at the spot, in front of him.

[Prospeeder]

i think ur tint looks really akward cutty, pich black on the back windows, then suddenly gold fish bowl clear up front, it looks really strange, even like 35% up front would balence it out

[cutty]

i think ur tint looks really akward cutty, pich black on the back windows, then suddenly gold fish bowl clear up front, it looks really strange, even like 35% up front would balence it out


well maybe if i had the money to get them re-tinted i would, but being recently married, and a kid on the way its not going to get done for awhile. but they used to be tinted, and they have a slight tint on the factory windows. so its good enough for me.

[PeNZ]

Ive got 5% on all my windows excpet the front, and its hard to see out at night.

http://penzky.com/images/Tint/img_1392.jpg

[Prospeeder]

^^^ man u have a nice car PeNZ, that white on whites awsome with the tint, need to wash ur wheels tho :nono: whats up front? it looks just as dark

[nebojsa_o]

So far, I'm leaning towards the 15% or 20% idea... It would look less akward because the front ones are not gonna be tinted, and easier to see out of at night. I even asked at the place where I'm getting it tinted if he could do just a light tint of the front ones, and he said by law they can't touch them. How easy/hard would the drivers window and passanger windows be to tint myself?? They aren't as complicated as the back window, so maybe that's something I'll try sometime.

I think he means 5% on all windows except for windshield.

[Prospeeder]

go 35%, its perfect

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/Prospeeder/Turbo%20Grand%20Prix/100_0101.jpg

[nebojsa_o]

Are all your windows 35%? It seems cool, but I might be after something just a touch darker, maybe 25 or 30?? I'll make up my mind by wednesday hopefully.

[PeNZ]

Ive got 5% on all the windows.

Yea I know about the rims, the white rims are nice but you have to clean 'em every 2 days or so.

[GnatGoSplat]

35% is way too light. I have 20% all the way around on the 94 Cutlass (click link in sig if you want to see). It takes a couple days to get used to at night, but once you're used to it, it feels like there's no tint at all. It's very easy to see at night, even for someone with subpar night vision. On my 89, I've considered going full limo tint so you can't even see silhouettes from outside. I've never actually seen limo from inside at night, but when I asked a few local guys, some say it's too dark, some say it's not, so I guess it depends on how good your night vision is, and whether you mostly drive in town with lots of street lights or in the country where it gets pitch black.

Also make sure you get metallized tint. Anything dyed will turn purple.

[nebojsa_o]

Thank you very much for that info. I think I will go with 20%. It seems to be dark enough for me. And I asked at that place about it turning purple or any kind of crap like that, the guy says, don't worry it won't happen, and even if it does you got lifetime warantty against stuff like that. So lifetime against turning purple, I'm pretty sure it's Metallized. Thank you very much for the help guys, I'm going there today to tell him I'll get 20% instead of Limo like I told him earlier. And on Wednesday at 11AM I'm dropping my car off there, and picking it up when I close up at work, since it's close to my workplace. I'm pretty excited, now my Cutty will stand out from the ones I've seen where it's mostly old grandmas driving them. :D :D :D

[1990lumina]

Hey nebojsa, just wondering...what shop is doing the work for you??

BTW-, good choice on the tint, it's gonna look awesome!

[nebojsa_o]

BOYD Autoglass is. I checked a few places, with them being the first one, and they had the best price for all "5" back ones. $215 or so bucks and we're talking CDN so I thought that was pretty good, because a few years ago it would have cost my brother that much for 3 windows on his Z24... Yea, I'm thinking 20% although I sat in a 5% tint today in one of their trucks, and I gotta tell you, it doesn't seem difficult to see out at all. So possibly a little darker also, we'll just have to see.

P.S. while we're on the topic of windows, and window tinting, my front windshield cracked today, a nice 15cm crack from top towards the bottom, but it's in that little tinted area so it doesn't bother me, although it will spread, so I'll need a new windshield too... :cry:

[pwmin]

you wont need a new windshield. put scotch tape over it and take it to the glass place and they can stop it from spreading. i dont really like the 5% on the back of my camaro at night. it can be a little hard to see.

[nebojsa_o]

Stop it from spreading, eh?? Peter Griffin "Go ooonnn...." LoL, I'll ask them if it's doable, when I drop the car off for the tit job, I mean tint job. They tint and do other glass work there, so maybe that's something they could also do. Is that expensive?? And how does the scotch tape help, just put it on the outside of the glass over the crack??

[1990lumina]

Whatever you do, DON't PUSH HARD WHEN APPLYING THE TAPE!!! It will cause the crack to spread rapidly...

I doubt it is that expensive to have them fix it, if it is fixable. Boyd does some good work so if they can't do it, I doubt anyone else can either. When my mom got a stone chip it was repaired for free because of some thing on her package policy for the insurance (something like 3 free stone chip repairs for free at one time) or something like that. However I doubt it is very expensive at all.

[pwmin]

put the tape on the inside. yeah, dont push hard. it doesnt work great but it's better than nothing for temp. i'm sure they'll be able to do it. i think they drill a hole and fill it with something to help it stop spread. i had a crooked 100mm crack in my blazer w/s and they fixed it and its been a year and hasnt spread.

[nebojsa_o]

Well the crack can be felt with the nail from the outside, but not from the inside. So it doesn't go all the way through, should I still apply it from the inside?? I doubt it will spread any more in 2 days, but just to be sure, I'll tape it up. Thanks for the advice fellas. I'm pretty excited about the tint finally, only sleep 2 more times, :lol: . However I'm still not 100% sure what % tint I want. But I'll make up my mind on Wednesday morning for sure, and I'll have pics to show you guys as soon as I'm off work. :D

[supreme_style21]

Well the crack can be felt with the nail from the outside, but not from the inside. So it doesn't go all the way through, should I still apply it from the inside?? I doubt it will spread any more in 2 days, but just to be sure, I'll tape it up. Thanks for the advice fellas. I'm pretty excited about the tint finally, only sleep 2 more times, :lol: . However I'm still not 100% sure what % tint I want. But I'll make up my mind on Wednesday morning for sure, and I'll have pics to show you guys as soon as I'm off work. :D


there is a 'plastic' layer between the glass in the windshield, so it can quite easily spread on the outside and leave the inside smooth. That layer keeps the windshield from exploding into the interior when it shatters.
All other glass will explode though, so its kinda half-assing the job.

[nebojsa_o]

Oh I see. So just tape on the inside will help?? I don't understand how it works, but I guess it does, anyways I taped up the inside, and didn't touch the outside. It's almost 8am, I gotta get going soon, and there is frost on the windows, I'll know if it cracked again in a few minutes, lol.

[nebojsa_o]

So today I dropped off the car, and the guy told me to call him at 2:30 it should be done. I called him, and he says "I couldn't get her tinted" I was like WTF? He says he tried one-piecing it, and he ends up with air bubbles near the bottom, where it curves all wierd. This is the second car he couldn't do, the first was a Berreta with a similar window. So I took the car and went to the next place. I say BOYD's couldn't do it, and he says, Camaro, or Cutlass?? I say Cutlass, he says "fuck". His wife had a '94 4dr. and he said he couldn't do it, even in 2 pieces it would be hard as hell, and cost me. So I go to the most expnesive/popular place in town I know that does this stuff, and I say I wanna tint my windows. He comes to me, and looks out the window, and says "shit" At this point I'm losing it, and I'm laughing like I'm almost happy. So he says those are the hardest cars to do as far as he knows. Showed me a website "www.tintdude.com" where a bunch of tinters talk, and it's a PITA appearently. He says, his boss worked for 23 years, and only had to do one of those, and he did it in 2 pieces, and it was OK, but could have been better. He says if it's OK with me, he'd love to try it in one piece and if it doesn't work, he'll do it for me in 2 pieces, like a Berreta he did a couple months ago. So I said alright have fun with it, and do whatever you can. The car is going to this guy at 8AM in 2 days. I'm so pissed and dissapointed now, that the best I can hope for is a decent looking 2 piece. Oh and BTW I decided on 5%. I saw a 20% in person at the shop, and it's a little bright, so I said screw it and 5% it is. Any comments? Are these guys just not able, or is it really a hard window to do? I'm considering driving into that ditch again, lol, j/k. :bash: But seriously I'm very dissapointed... :cry: :cry:

[cutty]

well from what i heard the rear window has 3 different curves to it, and when i had mine done, they had to cut each piece of tint to fit in between the defroster lines. since the guy that did mine said if he covered up the defroster lines that my rear defroster wouldnt work. i dunno but only if you look close up can you tell their are individual pieces.

[nebojsa_o]

I'd be happy if I can even get that. I got tomorrow off, and I'm going there, and I'll tell the guy to do anything he has to to get it done. 3 piece is more than I wanted, but if it has to be done, do it... I just can't believe it, even if I want to spend money, something has to be wrong. :lol:

[cutty]

I'd be happy if I can even get that. I got tomorrow off, and I'm going there, and I'll tell the guy to do anything he has to to get it done. 3 piece is more than I wanted, but if it has to be done, do it... I just can't believe it, even if I want to spend money, something has to be wrong. :lol:

well dont feel bad mine is in like 10 or so pieces. however many spaces their are in between each defroster line.

[nebojsa_o]

The guy told me that if he does it in 2 pieces, the defroster they meet at is not gonna work, but the rest will be fine. :shrug:

[cutty]

no idea, thats why you should ask them to do it in individual pieces so that the defroster will work, and the tint will look good.

[J]

no reason the defroster shouldn't work

[Prospeeder]

it just might make the tint look bad, bubble, or heat up and un adhere or melt

[nebojsa_o]

Maybe, see I didn't even ask this guy what kind of warranty there is on bubbling, or stuff like that. I wasn't thinking clearly anymore. Hopefully on Friday after work I have some good news.

[cutty]

Maybe, see I didn't even ask this guy what kind of warranty there is on bubbling, or stuff like that. I wasn't thinking clearly anymore. Hopefully on Friday after work I have some good news.


it should be a lifetime warranty

[supreme_style21]

Any GOOD shop should be able to promise a ONE PIECE rear window. Along with a lifetime warranty. Anything short of that would make me walk away.

[J]

Any GOOD shop should be able to promise a ONE PIECE rear window. Along with a lifetime warranty. Anything short of that would make me walk away.
have u ever looked at the rear window of a cutty?! :shock:

[cutty]

Any GOOD shop should be able to promise a ONE PIECE rear window. Along with a lifetime warranty. Anything short of that would make me walk away.
have u ever looked at the rear window of a cutty?! :shock:


yeah it has 3 different curves in it! :willynilly:

[nebojsa_o]

No shit.... Have you ever looked at one?? It's pretty wicked looking, and even if I did walk away, I got no where to walk away to... I'd like a one piece, but these guys are probably the best, well as far as I know, around here, and I'll see what they can do. This younger guy said he'll try to do a one piece, to see if he's up to the challenge, but he says he might not be able to do it..

[supreme_style21]

Any GOOD shop should be able to promise a ONE PIECE rear window. Along with a lifetime warranty. Anything short of that would make me walk away.
have u ever looked at the rear window of a cutty?! :shock:

yeah.
I have.
I've owned Cutlass Supreme's before. I've tried to tint the windows of Cutlass Supreme's before.
And I know of shops that do them in ONE piece.
Its something I'd never try again, but with experience and knowledge, its supposedly FAIRLY simple to do. I've seen it done. The shops here PROMISE that its done in on piece and guaranteed for life.

[supreme_style21]

No shit.... Have you ever looked at one?? It's pretty wicked looking, and even if I did walk away, I got no where to walk away to... I'd like a one piece, but these guys are probably the best, well as far as I know, around here, and I'll see what they can do. This younger guy said he'll try to do a one piece, to see if he's up to the challenge, but he says he might not be able to do it..

then do it in three pieces. I know what a Cutlass window looks like. I've owned more than one of the damn things. fuck. I didn't say you had to do it in one. Like I said before, it can be done in one by the EXPERIENCED. Anything else is up to you.

[GOT2B GM]

I've got 15% on my rear 3 windows and 20% on my front 2. It looks good and balanced but not too dark at night.

[Brian P]

I have 15% al around and love it! You can do a LOT more things in the car at night and not get seen 8)

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

I have 15% al around and love it! You can do a LOT more things in the car at night and not get seen 8)

That must be why my CURRENT car hasn't seen much action. My 88 had a little! :lol:

BTW do you have some more pics of your car w/ the 15% tint? I'm still trying to decide what I want to get next year.

[GnatGoSplat]

then do it in three pieces. I know what a Cutlass window looks like. I've owned more than one of the damn things. fuck. I didn't say you had to do it in one. Like I said before, it can be done in one by the EXPERIENCED. Anything else is up to you.

:werd: An experienced tinter can definitely do a Cutlass 4dr in 1-piece, no problem.

Not to mention I would be leery of anyone that discourages rear defroster use. The guy that did my tint used Solargard tint and he actually encouraged using the rear defroster to speed up drying time. Anyone who discourages using the defroster probably uses some really low-grade, low quality tint.

[Brian P]

I have 15% al around and love it! You can do a LOT more things in the car at night and not get seen 8)

That must be why my CURRENT car hasn't seen much action. My 88 had a little! :lol:

BTW do you have some more pics of your car w/ the 15% tint? I'm still trying to decide what I want to get next year.

Just the pics I have in my thread in the appearance section. I'd recommend 15% to anyone if you can get away with it!

[jeremy]

then do it in three pieces. I know what a Cutlass window looks like. I've owned more than one of the damn things. fuck. I didn't say you had to do it in one. Like I said before, it can be done in one by the EXPERIENCED. Anything else is up to you.

:werd: An experienced tinter can definitely do a Cutlass 4dr in 1-piece, no problem.

Not to mention I would be leery of anyone that discourages rear defroster use. The guy that did my tint used Solargard tint and he actually encouraged using the rear defroster to speed up drying time. Anyone who discourages using the defroster probably uses some really low-grade, low quality tint.


I have to agree.....a quality tinter should most definitely be able to do it in one piece and I wouldn't get it done any other way.

I would have recommend 5% all the way around too, my SHO was 5% all the way around and I loved the look and I didn't think there was much of a problem seeing out at night either. :shrug:

[nebojsa_o]

Did anyone here get a Cutlass 4dr. done in one piece?? If so, how much did that cost you? I checked the site www.tintdude.com and there is a bunch of tinters saying either don't do it, or charge the person through the nose, it's a pain in the ass, and so forth. Maybe they could do it in one piece, but for double the money, I don't know... BTW he never discouraged the use of defrosters, he just said if he does it in 2 pieces, and the 2 pieces meet on one of the defrosters, there is a chance it might not work... Doesn't make sense to me, but whatever. I'm sure an experienced guy could do it, but there is 200,000 people in this town. Out of all of those people, how many drive 4 door cuttys? And out of all those that do drive them, how many of them are in the "younger" crowd that want to tint it? I've only seen 4 younger people driving these 4 doors, and I'm one of them. Now I bought mine, but I don't know if the others bought theirs, or just got them as a first car from their parents. What I'm getting at, not many do get tinted, I've only seen a couple titned Cuttys around here. So I don't know if that qualifies as experience even if the same person did them. Besides there isn't too much to choose from here, not that many tint shops around.

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

Do you have a Tint King? I got mine done in London, ON. My old car actually, but still a GP coupe. I'm pretty sure they did the rear in one piece. I'm gonna go back to them next year. But even just looking at your sig the rear window does look tricky.

[nebojsa_o]

As far as I know there is no Tint King around, but I'll check out a bunch of tint places today, and then I'll know what's going on. Yea the guys all said the same thing. Beretta and Cutlass and Camaro are the hardest. But a Camaro is a walk in the park compared to the Cutlass. Makes me feel special, to have the wierdest back window.... :roll:

BTW, I'm not telling any of you guys that responded, you're assholes, it's impossible, I'm just saying that I'm running out of options, and appearently there is no one experienced enough around here that does them in one piece.

[skiiirt]

nebojsa_o:
I was quoted $350 for all windows and mirrors. Malcolms Tinting in Edmonton says he can do the back window in 1 piece. Roadtrip time?

hope ya findsomeone out in saskabush

[nebojsa_o]

Edmonton, eh? $350 for all 5 windows? Holy fuck, I gotta pay almost that here for hopefully the back 3. As much as I'd love to, Edmonton isn't too far from here, but I don't get enough time off. I'll see what these guys can do tomorrow. If it looks brutal, I might not get it done until the spring, and then take a week off, and go to Edmonton. If it looks decent, I'll save myself the trip. Thanks for the pricing..

[supreme_style21]

Its worth it if you can have it done in one piece... sure it may cost more... the methods for curving the tint in that nasty window is a little more time consuming, so I could see it costing a bit more than slapping three pieces of tint in there and being done with it.

[nebojsa_o]

Oh I was saying how $350 is a good deal. Better then I'm getting here, but I don't have the time to go to Edmonton and do that. Maybe sometime if my back window cracks or some shit, and I need to redo it.

Well, wish me luck tomorrow, I'm dropping the car off at 8:00 AM, and hopefully picking it up tinted in the afternoon sometime. I'll tell you tomorrow how it went down.

[1990lumina]

Just think you won't be paying PST in Edmonton either ;)

[skiiirt]

Thats what happens when you're oil rich. You can not charge PST and be in the black :) $400 from Ralph won't be so bad when going to buy a new xbox 360. Or maybe I should go tint my windows!

:mrgreen:

[nebojsa_o]

The windows are now tinted!! Check out some pics here:

http://www.w-body.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=415813#415813