Tint Job

[medo145]

I'm debating if i should get my windows tinted.

I'd like to know what you guys think about tinting.

I got a quote of $300, comes with lifetime warranty for fading bubbles and scratches.

What does a professional tint job go for? Is it worth the money? Does it interfere with the automatic dimming of the rear and side view mirrors?

Thanks

[audi1234]

i always get my windows tinted, i would go with a 20% tint, $300 is definitley on the high side tho

[Ras_lion]

$187 high quality and life time warrenty , $50 police insurance.
$300 too expensive

[harryd14]

I definitely think it is worth it... it improves the look of the car from the outside dramatically. $300 is probably on the high end of a tint job but obviously it probably depends by location and it always has an effect on quality. It will also help reduce the amout of heat that the car keeps inside the cabin, and gives you more privacy. I have heard that it can lessen the effect the auto-dimmer feature of the rear view mirror, but i think this will be somewhat compensated by the tint itself. I feel it is definitely a compromise that works in your favor. I would shop around and see if you can find one for ~$225-$250 but again, you get quality with price (within limits). thats my $.02

[Korrect414]

I'm debating if i should get my windows tinted.

I'd like to know what you guys think about tinting.

I got a quote of $300, comes with lifetime warranty for fading bubbles and scratches.

What does a professional tint job go for? Is it worth the money? Does it interfere with the automatic dimming of the rear and side view mirrors?

Thanks

Tinting is something that you definitely get what you pay for. Is the shop or person reputable ? Do you know people that have had their cars tinted by them ? Tinting for me is usually the first thing I ever do on a car and I went with 20 % all the way around on my car. I think my tint job was around $300. A bit on the high side, but the shop is known for good work and does tinting for the Audi dealership across the street. I haven't had any issues with my auto dimming features. My advice is to shop around and get a few quotes.
http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/500/IMG_9902.jpg (http://www.audizine.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=46388&title=img-9902&cat=500)

[medo145]

I would post the link to the website but i'm not sure if that's allowed.

He's been doing this for 20 years. here are a couple of thing's from the email.


I do the entire window there is a 1/16th to a 32nd at top of roll ups which is about the size of a paper clip when its opened up. Just enough for the moisture to escape.
(Most) or a lot of company's leave a 1/2 or 5/8 at top
So u will not see any light through the tint.
And the Back windows I do in a one piece installation with no seams or cuts on rear defrost. Again a lot of company's do the backglass in 2 piece with a cut on rear defrost

So recap is I do one piece back window.
To the Edge on all Roll ups
And a
LIFETIME WARRANTY
As Long as you own Vehicle


The basic cars are $ 225. Which is honda accords ,Nissan Maximas ,Altimas, Corollas,Camrys,Civics etc.........
Once u go into higher end vehicles like Mercedes,BMW,Audi,Lexus,etc.....
The price does go up because the time it takes is almost double, the Gaskets and door panels are a lot more complicated to get the film past and onto the glass.
There are some other things too that make it more difficult such as shaping and shrinking back glass but too hard to explain to a customer. But the long. And short is that those cars take more time.



Sure I use 3M and Global Films all films I use are high performance and they come with Lifetime Warranty s.

And yes there is some % to choose from.

I stock every shade from 50% down to 5% limo although the darker films are for commercial limos and wk. vans.

The law in Ma. is when they put the VLT Meter on your Glass it has to read 35% or higher to be legal so depending on how deep % wise your window are from factory then we can decide which shade will be legal or if you want close to legal there def. Will be legal films for your car. Also prob. Will be a tint that will be close but will bring u little below legal limit but I will go over all that when. U drop ur vehicle off.

Like he says legal limit in Mass is 35%. they do cars as well as commercial and residential buildings

What's police insurance?

[hudock08]

Yeah man, what medo145 said. 35% is the legal limit, but even if you ask for 35% you wont get a receipt from the installer, because cars equipped with air conditioning have a factory tint usually between 98 to 94% of visible light transmittance.
I just got my tint done in Western Mass at 20% all around and 35% on the back window, from a company called Mr. Tint. they do a pretty good job, and if i ever have any problems with any of the windows he usually re tints that window for me for free. They use Johnson films which are FINE. Huper Optik (if im spelling it correctly) is definitely the best tint you can buy, but the johnson film only costs 1/2 the price, and has lasted on all of my cars.. price is usually around 150-175.

[MCT9891]

$187 high quality and life time warrenty , $50 police insurance.
$300 too expensive

police insurance? lol

[ryanworth]

police insurance? lol

some tint shops give you insurance so if you get a fix-it ticket, they will remove the tint and put it back on once violation is corrected free of charge.

[MCT9891]

some tint shops give you insurance so if you get a fix-it ticket, they will remove the tint and put it back on once violation is corrected free of charge.

wow i need to find a shop that does this.

[JMG]

I used only ceramic tints on my B5 and B7. Ceramic has much better heat protection and never fades. You get no radio interference like with metalic tints, and it doesn't effect the auto-dim that I have noticed. With the B5 I went with Pinnacle F1, for the S4 I went with Huper Optik and it cost about $500. This isn't normal tint mind you and if heat reduction is a big thing for you (it is for me) then ceramics are the BEST way to go. Ceramic tints are capable of getting better heat reduction while not having to go too dark. The clarity is supposed to be superior and have less distortion do to the fact that it doesn't use dyes like cheaper traditional tints and doesn't have too much glare like metallic tints.

35% Pinnacle F1 Ceramic on my B5:
http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/500/tint-1.jpg

35% Huper Optik ceramic on my S4:
http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/500/S4_huper_tint_2.jpg (sorry crappy iphone pic too contrasty)

[B72.0T]

I payed $120 for mine =)

[medo145]

I used only ceramic tints on my B5 and B7. Ceramic has much better heat protection and never fades. You get no radio interference like with metalic tints, and it doesn't effect the auto-dim that I have noticed. With the B5 I went with Pinnacle F1, for the S4 I went with Huper Optik and it cost about $500. This isn't normal tint mind you and if heat reduction is a big thing for you (it is for me) then ceramics are the BEST way to go. Ceramic tints are capable of getting better heat reduction while not having to go too dark. The clarity is supposed to be superior and have less distortion do to the fact that it doesn't use dyes like cheaper traditional tints and doesn't have too much glare like metallic tints.

35% Pinnacle F1 Ceramic on my B5:
http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/500/tint-1.jpg

35% Huper Optik ceramic on my S4:
http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/500/S4_huper_tint_2.jpg (sorry crappy iphone pic too contrasty)

how come the s4 looks so much darker? is it like that or is that just the way the pic came out

[DocJ]

how come the s4 looks so much darker? is it like that or is that just the way the pic came out

X2
is it the brand? kinda like how nike size 9 is different from vans size 9?

[JMG]

I payed $120 for mine =)

What kind of tint?

[JMG]

how come the s4 looks so much darker? is it like that or is that just the way the pic came out

just the way the pic came out.. iphone camera, intense sun at my back...

[Ras_lion]

Yup, I have 20% all around. I f get pulled over and asked to remove it, the shop takes it off, I get it inspected(at my cost, only $20) then the put it back on for 25% of original price. That's a good deal, if you ask me


police insurance? lol

[Quattro]

i paid 120 a few years ago, no problem with lifetime warranty.

[B72.0T]

What kind of tint?

35% thats all I know, not sure of brand and other info. Not ceramic for sure.

[arce909]

I have 5% tint..I paid $150 lifetime warranty...and got my front winshield lightly tinted, looks great!!

[beantown]

Hey medo145, go to Sonny's in Saugus. I went there about a year ago and paid $150.

They will not do anything darker than 35% since it's the legal limit, however they're incredibly professional (they tinted all the windows on the John Hancock building in Boston).

I'm fairly sure they also have a lifetime warranty on their product as well.

[medo145]

thanks. I'll check them out

[ItsThat2.0T]

I paid $225 for my 20% LLumar tint. That info about the "higher end cars being more difficult" is a load of shit, my 1997 Accord cost just as much as my 2007 Audi A4 did.

[beantown]

"higher end cars being more difficult"

They told me the same thing. However they said the only difference an extra half hour to install, no price bump.

[bmc333]

I have 5% tint..I paid $150 lifetime warranty...and got my front winshield lightly tinted, looks great!!

JEEBUS! How the hell do you drive at night??? That's like welder's mask dark!

[marty was here]

I have 5% tint..I paid $150 lifetime warranty...and got my front winshield lightly tinted, looks great!!

and you are quartz?

pics please

[Kevinskir]

I have 5% tint..I paid $150 lifetime warranty...and got my front winshield lightly tinted, looks great!!

Yeah pics of the car would be nice, maybe some from the inside too, 5% seems extreme

[medo145]

ended up tinting my car today. anyone care to guess the tint?

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/3766/img0965.png (http://img227.imageshack.us/i/img0965.png/)

[ItsThat2.0T]

35%

[medo145]

yeah, i guess i could have phrased the question better. it is 35%. what i meant to say is, what is the tint material?

I'l take some pics from the side tomorrow.

[beantown]

Where'd you end up going to have it done?

[medo145]

tint king in billrica

[KiddEng]

35% metallic tint all around; certain angles its hard to see in, other angles its lighter.
http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/543/medium/FrntCorner_Far2.jpg

[Great White]

Yeah, 35% tint was the first mod I did, straight out the dealer for 300 bucks.

[medo145]

ended up getting the huper optic ceramic film at 35%, the pics don't really show how it looks, maybe i made them too small



http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/6503/img0979x.th.jpg (http://img693.imageshack.us/i/img0979x.jpg/)http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/869/img0978o.th.jpg (http://img210.imageshack.us/i/img0978o.jpg/)http://img576.imageshack.us/img576/9707/img0977r.th.jpg (http://img576.imageshack.us/i/img0977r.jpg/)
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/5094/img0976a.th.jpg (http://img59.imageshack.us/i/img0976a.jpg/)http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/16/img0975k.th.jpg (http://img208.imageshack.us/i/img0975k.jpg/)http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/9687/img0974z.th.jpg (http://img169.imageshack.us/i/img0974z.jpg/)
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/4825/img0973j.th.jpg (http://img402.imageshack.us/i/img0973j.jpg/)http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/1930/img0972su.th.jpg (http://img11.imageshack.us/i/img0972su.jpg/)http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/9840/img0971b.th.jpg (http://img37.imageshack.us/i/img0971b.jpg/)
http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/5038/img0970fh.th.jpg (http://img35.imageshack.us/i/img0970fh.jpg/)http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/3312/img0969e.th.jpg (http://img511.imageshack.us/i/img0969e.jpg/)http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/224/img0968y.th.jpg (http://img405.imageshack.us/i/img0968y.jpg/)
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/7532/img0967h.th.jpg (http://img219.imageshack.us/i/img0967h.jpg/)

[jimrobbington]

I paid $180 I believe for 18% all around. Totally worth every penny IMO. You are being raped at 300 bucks, though.http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/low.jpg

[agkellyboy]

Anyone have a picture of front lighter than rears on an Avant?

[JMG]

I paid $180 I believe for 18% all around. Totally worth every penny IMO. You are being raped at 300 bucks, though.http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/low.jpg

Ceramic is a whole different kind of tint, and if he got ceramic for $300 that's actually a good deal.

[JMG]

ended up getting the huper optic ceramic film at 35%, the pics don't really show how it looks, maybe i made them too small



Good choice! You won't be disappointed! I love mine and it looks better than regular old tint IMHO.

[medo145]

mine has some bubbles, guy said it'll take a week or so for them to come out.

[naturoses]

mine has some bubbles, guy said it'll take a week or so for them to come out.

Hi Medo145: I live in MA. I am planning to get my Highlander tinted with "Tint king in Billerica, MA 01821-3581 ".

Could you please let me know how much they charged you to do the entire car?

What about quality?

Warranty issues?

What is police insurance?

BTW, I am planning to get Huper optik 35% done on the entire car except the windshield.

What do I need to know more before I approach him/

Many Thanks

[medo145]

Quality is great, lifetime warranty, i'm sure they would take care of it if there was an issue with the police, but they look like they know what they are doing so there shouldnt be an issue with police.
If by windshield you mean the front windshield then i don't think you can get that done anyways.

original quote was $400, after talking to them about the price (as in if they could do anything for me) they offered to do it for $380.

[deeznuts]

i mean you definitely get what you pay for...johnson tint last time i checked was on the crappier side but not bad....the thing with tints is if you get shitty tints, after a a year or so, they start to turn blue or purple....llumar and 3m are the two best tint companies...doesnt really matter about the shop itself everybody installs it the same way, and if you bubble every shop that i know at least will fix it for free.

[MisterQuattro]

35 is way too light IMO

[naturoses]

Thanks all, Special thanks to Medo145 as well.

Tint king quoted me 400 for Huber optik extreme 50. Is this the same as Huber optik 35 like yours???

Medo 145 have your bubbles gone after it is cured?

Friends: I am mainly looking for cooling and protecting inside of the car. I am not bothered about looks at all.I have a two year old and one will be out in some months from now and I want them to be happy in summer.

Please advice....

[jimrobbington]

Always tint! 300 is waaaay too expensive. You should be able to get it done at a good shop, with 20% for 200 or less.
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/Pikes%20Peak%20Cruise/P1020628.jpg

[naturoses]

Always tint! 300 is waaaay too expensive. You should be able to get it done at a good shop, with 20% for 200 or less.
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/Pikes%20Peak%20Cruise/P1020628.jpg

Not Huper Optik mate

[beantown]

Always tint! 300 is waaaay too expensive. You should be able to get it done at a good shop, with 20% for 200 or less.

Totally agree...as I posted a couple weeks ago, I paid $150 for everything.

[naturoses]

Totally agree...as I posted a couple weeks ago, I paid $150 for everything.

Depends on what type (material) of tint your are putting on, Is it not?

[medo145]

Always tint! 300 is waaaay too expensive. You should be able to get it done at a good shop, with 20% for 200 or less.
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/Pikes%20Peak%20Cruise/P1020628.jpg

You will not get Huper Optik ceramic tint for that kind of money.

Mass law is 35% or higher. Don't need a cop telling you to get rid of it after you spend that kind of money on it.

[medo145]

Thanks all, Special thanks to Medo145 as well.

Tint king quoted me 400 for Huber optik extreme 50. Is this the same as Huber optik 35 like yours???

Medo 145 have your bubbles gone after it is cured?

Friends: I am mainly looking for cooling and protecting inside of the car. I am not bothered about looks at all.I have a two year old and one will be out in some months from now and I want them to be happy in summer.

Please advice....

You can definitely feel the difference in temperature after the tinting. i would assume 50 is the lighter shade if that's what he was referring to.

bubbles are gone

Huper Optik will not fade or change colors over time

[felondnb]

here's what i went for - 45% sides & 35% rear screen:

http://www.mattstevens.co.uk/car/tints/tint01.jpg
http://www.mattstevens.co.uk/car/tints/tint02.jpg

[troyw]

Has anyone tinted their front glass? I've thought about a strip to the top but I'm not sure if makes the car feel too "closed in".