DIY tint
#12
I thought that you could tint up to 6" down from the top as dark as you wanted on the windshield and on the front windows and it was legal? Maybe it is a Michigan thing? I don't know. If I do it I will probably get 35% on the bottom of the doors and the top 6"s 5%. I think that would look pretty cool.
The only thing to caution you guys on is that with the rear windows already tinted it will appear that the front ones are tinted darker than they really are.
The only thing to caution you guys on is that with the rear windows already tinted it will appear that the front ones are tinted darker than they really are.
Most states follow the "not tint below AS1 Mark on the windshield.
I just put 5% all the way around, I love it. I can see you, but you cant see me. For that reason, I keep a doc note in the glove box just in case.
#13
I tinted mine because I needed AC driving to school 45 minutes away and the 5% in FL makes it a lot cooler in the truck. It was a horrendous looking job but my truck is a work truck so I just did it for the AC purposes. With a second person it isn't too bad. It's just a pain to peel the tint away from the other stuff and then have it collapse on itself. I used, I think, Gila from Discount Auto. You could probably do an extended cab with no eyebrow with just two rolls which is about $30. I think if I would take the time to redo it with a buddy it would come out looking great.
#15
#16
Yeah, like others said, watch the laws (or get a doctors note) and go for it. The only reason I suggested a pro job is because it really isn't all that expensive and even if a home job is done right, I still feel a pro job looks better and they may have better stuff.
Another tip that friends of mine have done is if you do happen to see a cop nearby and have the time, roll the window down so that they don't even have a chance to see your tint. This may help save some hastle/wasted money in tearing off the tint you paid to put on.
Another tip that friends of mine have done is if you do happen to see a cop nearby and have the time, roll the window down so that they don't even have a chance to see your tint. This may help save some hastle/wasted money in tearing off the tint you paid to put on.
#17
So...I'll ask the stupid question...what do you say to the doctor? Give me a not saying my windows are tinted?
I ask cause I have medical from a large company where no doctors knows you....uggg!
Also I do wear glasses that tint auto when walking cause the SUN hurts my eyes! So I have a valid excuse plus the glasses don't tint inside cause it needs the UV rays to tint and windows block that.
Ideas?
I ask cause I have medical from a large company where no doctors knows you....uggg!
Also I do wear glasses that tint auto when walking cause the SUN hurts my eyes! So I have a valid excuse plus the glasses don't tint inside cause it needs the UV rays to tint and windows block that.
Ideas?
#18
Window tint is kind of like loud exhaust, if a cop wants to pull you over he will. If you don't do anything to **** them off, they will leave you alone. And it's true I've known and worked with people who have 5% all the way around their vehicle and never gotten pulled over for it, but then you seem some who get busted right away. Really depends if the cops dislike you or not. We have very well.... interesting cops in my area. I never get any grief over my truck but I don't drive stupid so they leave me alone, but I know neighbours who have gotten a bad name with the law and get pulled over for just about anything.
So the whole cops will pull you over for having your windows to dark in my opinion its all in how you drive. Make a mistake and they will be all over you. However I don't see Silver driving like a maniac in his truck I think he will be fine with whatever % he does.
That's just my $.02
So the whole cops will pull you over for having your windows to dark in my opinion its all in how you drive. Make a mistake and they will be all over you. However I don't see Silver driving like a maniac in his truck I think he will be fine with whatever % he does.
That's just my $.02
#19
So...I'll ask the stupid question...what do you say to the doctor? Give me a not saying my windows are tinted?
I ask cause I have medical from a large company where no doctors knows you....uggg!
Also I do wear glasses that tint auto when walking cause the SUN hurts my eyes! So I have a valid excuse plus the glasses don't tint inside cause it needs the UV rays to tint and windows block that.
Ideas?
I ask cause I have medical from a large company where no doctors knows you....uggg!
Also I do wear glasses that tint auto when walking cause the SUN hurts my eyes! So I have a valid excuse plus the glasses don't tint inside cause it needs the UV rays to tint and windows block that.
Ideas?
Once again, check your state laws first though. I know MI allows doctors notes, I don't know if this is true for all states.
#20
I've tried doing it a few different times and never had good luck. Especially on roll ups. Hard to get it cut right for me although I guess pre cut ones would solve that. Then it's hard to get all the bubbles out but if you have a proper squeegee you probably could. You have to have the windows super clean or any dirt or dust you see little contamination bubbles that look horrible. Honestly it's just way way harder than it looks. You will probably spend more on a quality film than it would cost to have it done.
A lot of shops don't want to offer a warranty on illegal installs though as the manufacturer usually says for the warranty to be honored it has to be legal. Some offer a in house warranty though.
I'd pay a shop but $95 seems high. It's more like $75 around here or was last time I checked.
I'd also check out their other work as it's a skill. Not all shops or installers are equal. I've seen some pretty crappy tint jobs come out of a shop. The first one I dealt with here put 20% on the rear window I think it was a mistake. I got 5% on the rear sides to see if I liked it. I did so I took it back for the slider. It had a few slight contamination bubbles but due to the factory tint you couldn't see them outside and on the inside you only saw if you were up close cleaning them or something. I took it back for the slider and they put a tint that was clearly lighter. I had it metered and it was 20%. The refused to do anything insisting it was 5% and they don't have a tint meter. I finally just payed another shop to take it off and put Llumar 5% on. They also did a crappy job on the rear slider. They had to do one section over again due to a light gap. Another 1 had a slight light gap they wanted to put a piece over the patch and it looked like crap. They told me they couldn't cut it any different so I let it go. The second shop commented on how crappy it looked and did a much better job when he did it over.
The sad thing is the first one is the shop around here that is well known. I guess through their ads but they had horrible service and crappy work. A guy up the road whom is a cop got his cop car tinted there and the tint looks green. My rear ones did slightly but the factory tint hid it from the outside. The green isn't too bad just not a match at all for the factory tint. However, the rear window had ghosting all over it and just looked horrible.
So basically some tint shops even well known ones turn out crappy work so try to check their work out first.
I'm partial to Llumar as it's a good brand. Find out which line of Llumar they are using though. There are plenty of other good brands out there too though.
A lot of shops don't want to offer a warranty on illegal installs though as the manufacturer usually says for the warranty to be honored it has to be legal. Some offer a in house warranty though.
I'd pay a shop but $95 seems high. It's more like $75 around here or was last time I checked.
I'd also check out their other work as it's a skill. Not all shops or installers are equal. I've seen some pretty crappy tint jobs come out of a shop. The first one I dealt with here put 20% on the rear window I think it was a mistake. I got 5% on the rear sides to see if I liked it. I did so I took it back for the slider. It had a few slight contamination bubbles but due to the factory tint you couldn't see them outside and on the inside you only saw if you were up close cleaning them or something. I took it back for the slider and they put a tint that was clearly lighter. I had it metered and it was 20%. The refused to do anything insisting it was 5% and they don't have a tint meter. I finally just payed another shop to take it off and put Llumar 5% on. They also did a crappy job on the rear slider. They had to do one section over again due to a light gap. Another 1 had a slight light gap they wanted to put a piece over the patch and it looked like crap. They told me they couldn't cut it any different so I let it go. The second shop commented on how crappy it looked and did a much better job when he did it over.
The sad thing is the first one is the shop around here that is well known. I guess through their ads but they had horrible service and crappy work. A guy up the road whom is a cop got his cop car tinted there and the tint looks green. My rear ones did slightly but the factory tint hid it from the outside. The green isn't too bad just not a match at all for the factory tint. However, the rear window had ghosting all over it and just looked horrible.
So basically some tint shops even well known ones turn out crappy work so try to check their work out first.
I'm partial to Llumar as it's a good brand. Find out which line of Llumar they are using though. There are plenty of other good brands out there too though.