GolfGTIforum.co.uk
General => Cosmetic and bodywork matters => Topic started by: Evoss on 19 March 2010, 15:49
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I want to tint the windows of the car but im not going to pay for the work to be done as over £200 is too much.
How hard is it to tint the windows with pre cuts?
Anyone know good places to buy from and tips on sticking it on.
Thanks
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Any help ?
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Ive got a mate who does it for a living, i'll ask him and let you know what he says.
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Easy when you know how. Done a few in my time and learned it from the guys at pentagon.
In a Blue Peter stylee
You will need:-
Tinting Film
Masking tape
Bucket with warm soapy water/ green fairy liquid
Decent window cleaner
lint free rags
Sponge
Credit card/ phone card
Plant water sprayer/mister
Sharp scissors & scalpol
Somewhere reasonably warm and sheltered work
Hairdryer
1. Clean your windows, dont forget the bit that goes inside the seal at the top.
2. Trim film to correct size leaving extra at top and bottom to tuck in/ trim off.
3. Skoosh inside window with soapy water( this helps position the film)
4. take a bit of masking tape stick on edge of film on either side. This is the easy way to seperate film from storage sheet.
5. Carefully take the film over window and start in the middle of the window.
6. Line it up as best you can then working from the middle to the edge gently chase out the bubbles. you can heat with hairdryer if you need to make film softer for tight curves.
7. Carefully run v.sharp blade along the top of window to trim off any excess.
8. there will probs be a wee bit extra at the bottom, say a half inch or so tuck it down with the credit card.
Then repeat for remaining windows. You can take out the windows and it is easier to do but is far more labour intesive. Tinting is more difficult the more curve there is in the glass, but use the hairdryer to curve it.
Key to a professional result is taking your time, patience and not pushing too hard when chasing bubbles. Oh and a really sharp craft knife.
Make sure you have a responsible adult to supervise when you you're using the sharp knifes.
Hope this helps :wink:
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Thanks for the advice
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when u put the spray on the inside of the window and use a squeege to get the waer out, does it matter if the water goes into the door?
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Just so you know, tinting the driver / pass doors is illegal.
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Just so you know, tinting the driver / pass doors is illegal.
Its not, as long as it allows 70% light in, it is fine.
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Just so you know, tinting the driver / pass doors is illegal.
Just so you know, tinting the driver / pass doors is illegal.
Its not, as long as it allows 70% light in, it is fine.
Maybe not!
http://www.autoshades.co.uk/
Legal section states different.
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Just so you know, tinting the driver / pass doors is illegal.
Just so you know, tinting the driver / pass doors is illegal.
Its not, as long as it allows 70% light in, it is fine.
Maybe not!
Affraid your wrong...
"The Regulation states 70% of visible light must pass through the drivers windows including any other substrate fitted to the glass. Many people misunderstand the regulation and presume that 70% allows a 30% tint - It doesn't! Glass does not let in 100% of light. Clear glass only allows approximately 86% of light to pass & the slight tint of standard manufactured glass varies from the 70% maximum limit up to approx 80% of light passing through"
Many Range Rovers come with 30% tinted front windows. Aswell as other top end cars.
http://www.autoshades.co.uk/
Legal section states different.
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Well just going by what i was told and it's in black and white.
At the end of the day it's up to you mate!
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when u put the spray on the inside of the window and use a squeege to get the waer out, does it matter if the water goes into the door?
Not really, obviously you wouldn't want a million gallons running in there but there are drainage channels and you only put on as much as you need to keep the tint mobile on the glass. You'll get a "feel" for it after the first one.
Re 70% opacity light transmission, they have new gizmos to test but I would think that if you're sensible and use a light smoke or such then the rozzers won't ping you. Also the darkness of your interior trim has a factor as to reflected light etc. Personally if I were doing it again I'd go for light smoke, or at most smoke. Leave the limo tints on the limos...
I used to have a mk2 years ago with proper limo black windows (done by me), literally you couldn't see in even if you had your nose on the glass.
You could get up to all sorts without being observed :smug:
Ah, those were the days :grin:
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Anything darker than standard tinting is illegal.
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Anything darker than standard tinting is illegal.
On front windows perhaps, I've seen plenty of minivans 4x4's etc with very dark windows not getting stopped. 70% light transmission sounds about right and yet still if you asked most coppers they wouldn't know for sure.
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Anything darker than standard tinting is illegal.
On front windows perhaps, I've seen plenty of minivans 4x4's etc with very dark windows not getting stopped. 70% light transmission sounds about right and yet still if you asked most coppers they wouldn't know for sure.
On front windows and they have kit for testing it now.
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Anything darker than standard tinting is illegal.
On front windows perhaps, I've seen plenty of minivans 4x4's etc with very dark windows not getting stopped. 70% light transmission sounds about right and yet still if you asked most coppers they wouldn't know for sure.
On front windows and they have kit for testing it now.
Yup they have some natty little gizmos, but they seem to only pull the "boy racers", hence why I was suggesting that if you don't go nuts then you should be alright. At least that is the way the rozzers round here seem to operate :grin:
"VOSA has spent £13,000 providing light meters for roadside checks. If the meter detects between 45% and 65% of light getting through then you would be asked to remove the tint, failing to do so could result in a £2000 fine. If the meter says 30% to 45% the vehicle is deemed unfit for the road and a delayed prohibition is issued leaving 10 days to remove the tint. Less than 30% and the vehicle cannot be moved until the tint is removed.
However there have been cases of people being caught without the aid of a meter. The law says that an officer can issue an immediate prohibition if he deems the tint to be dark in his opinion. This however has to Obvious. This still seems like a grey area as the resulting proceeding would be depend on the amount of light that does get through and without a meter this would be inaccurate. "
Above taken from ukmotorists.com
So as stated I'd go for a light/ lightest smoke.
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Not a fan of front tints to be fair, Draw to much attention to you and makes you like dodge!
Rear tints on the other hand :cool: Black as the night is the lightest possible IMO ;)
Need to hide the ICE :D
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Not a fan of front tints to be fair, Draw to much attention to you and makes you like dodge!
Rear tints on the other hand :cool: Black as the night is the lightest possible IMO ;)
Need to hide the ICE :D
Yeah, bit Fast and Furious rear tints and no front tints imo. light tint all round or none at all. But horses for course and that. Blacked out black mk2, slammed on black 14inBBS. Looked 'nails :grin: Do miss that car as it passed into legend, but I was just a young pup and that was 10yrs ago. Grown up a bit and got a Oaky 3dr hard slammed on 16in BBS. Have considered lightest tint to just stop potential smash grab feckers... but we'll see:wink:
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Only reason i would get tints to be fair mate!
They do add to the appeal of the car but the federali seem to love stopping someone who's got tints all round!
:O wish i would have seen the blacked out mk2 on 14's!
EURO FTW!
May look into light smokes all round now that you say it though :wink:
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Do have a photo kicking about somewhere of the Black Badness, as it was christened....
Had black headlining, carpets and black leatherette seat covers, cos I couldn't afford real leather :grin:
I may build a hommage to it one day as it sadly died of terminal tinworm after being neglected sat on drive whilst I was at uni :cry:
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hi guys
tinted my back two windows friday just gone and managed to muck one of them up a bit...creases :S
is there a way to get the film off so i can redo (with another piece obviously!)
cheers
elliot
p.s. going to do the rear one too but want to get the back two looking ok first :wink:
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hi guys
tinted my back two windows friday just gone and managed to muck one of them up a bit...creases :S
is there a way to get the film off so i can redo (with another piece obviously!)
cheers
elliot
p.s. going to do the rear one too but want to get the back two looking ok first :wink:
Yes, rip the old film off then any sort of alcohol based solvent should do it. Carefully use a flat stanley blade to scrape the gummy crud off. It's a proper rotten job to do and needs to be perfect to ensure you get a decent finish on the new film. Does serve to focus the mind when doing it the next time though!
Good luck :wink:
Post some pic's once they're done.
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hi guys
tinted my back two windows friday just gone and managed to muck one of them up a bit...creases :S
is there a way to get the film off so i can redo (with another piece obviously!)
cheers
elliot
p.s. going to do the rear one too but want to get the back two looking ok first :wink:
Yes, rip the old film off then any sort of alcohol based solvent should do it. Carefully use a flat stanley blade to scrape the gummy crud off. It's a proper rotten job to do and needs to be perfect to ensure you get a decent finish on the new film. Does serve to focus the mind when doing it the next time though!
Good luck :wink:
Post some pic's once they're done.
thanks for the reply!
whats the best way to stop the film from folding up?
in other words....as the window is curved both horizontally and vertically the film doesnt want to sit against the window flat so i get vertical are pocket/lines!
is there a way to ge the film to sit against the window properly?
also any idea how much it would cost to get done professionally?
....just an idea!
thanks a lot
elliot
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What window is it you're tinting?
You can, as I suggested previously, to use soapy water spray to help the film slide. Seems obvious but it's critical you don't let it the film stick to it's self otherwise it's scrap.
You use a hairdryer to soften the tint and make it more workable. Work from the centre out holding the film off the window smothing on the film with a credit card or something similar. Use hairdryer to chase creases.
Beyond that it maybe if you still can't do it then it may be worth calling round pro's. :wink:
It's been a while, but I'd expect about 30-50 per window.
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What window is it you're tinting?
You can, as I suggested previously, to use soapy water spray to help the film slide. Seems obvious but it's critical you don't let it the film stick to it's self otherwise it's scrap.
You use a hairdryer to soften the tint and make it more workable. Work from the centre out holding the film off the window smothing on the film with a credit card or something similar. Use hairdryer to chase creases.
Beyond that it maybe if you still can't do it then it may be worth calling round pro's. :wink:
It's been a while, but I'd expect about 30-50 per window.
ah ok i will try the hair dryer trick!
about to do the rear one....well try to do the rear one :wink: (boot)
and i used the soapy water last time...it was just the fact the film couldnt handle being curved both ways!!!
but i will let you know how i get on with the hair dryer trick :tongue:
cheers
elliot
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You can get the car tinted all around for about £100-150. Takes few hours, depending on how busy they are.
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You can get the car tinted all around for about £100-150. Takes few hours, depending on how busy they are.
how do the pro's do it?
tint film...spray...something else?
might get it done in the future....m y efforts look a bit shabby and want to have the front ones done too but pro's will be able to get the correct tint wheras i cant :rolleyes:
cheers
elliot
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(http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz83/IBD4vid/LGIM0008.jpg)
here is my car as i was tinting it. as you can see the front window is tinted and the little window on the rear is tinted but the rear door one wasn't at the time of picture taken. i've been pulled over a few times myself. but not once has my windows been mentioned or reason for being stopped.
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i am surprised you havent been pulled for your front tints!
they look quite dark :laugh:
and did you use the film stuff?
did you find that it wanted to fold up in places?
so have lines that were huge air pockets but connected to the edge of the film?
if that makes sense?
thanks
elliot
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(http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz83/IBD4vid/LGIM0008.jpg)
here is my car as i was tinting it. as you can see the front window is tinted and the little window on the rear is tinted but the rear door one wasn't at the time of picture taken. i've been pulled over a few times myself. but not once has my windows been mentioned or reason for being stopped.
Those are too dark and illegal.