Window Tints

[philt6]

Thinking about getting the windows done, is it a job a complete idiot could or should i get a professional to do it.
If so where would be the best near Coventry?

[bubba_1986]

Pro Job, i had my astra done by myself and diffrence was amazing

Just trying to get all the bloody bubbles out is pain in the a**e

obviousley there is gonna be some guys that say you could do yourself, but personally i found it too hard to get a good finish

" You only get what you pay for " :wink:

[blondy]

i did my load area glass at the weekend, the tailgate was tricky and any rinkles you get in the film are really visible from the outside. i found that by trimming the film to the required shape as best you can before putting it in makes it a lot easier but i would have someone do it if funds allow. a friend of my brother was going to do mine but i would have waited forever so i had a go myself and the side glasses didnt turn out too bad. i did have a spare rear drop glass that i was going to make a pattern with before i attempt the rear doors but thats gone missing now so they will have to wait. i got the film from ebay 8.99 plus postage and i was told that i would need 2 for an 850 estate to do all but the front screen.

[The Flying Banana]

to make sure you dont get wrinkle / bubbles etc make sure the window is super wet with a misting gun and squeedgy from the middle out to edges, if you keep it wet you can manage it easy, to do the drop glass make sure you take the door panel off to get the film below the line of teh rubber or better still the window right out, overlap windoedges and use industrial razor blades. To get a perfect cut line simply sandwich the blade betweek forefinger and thumgb and run them around teh edge..your forefinger acts as the guide ( you run it along the top edge of the glass the thumb keeps the spacing right ( by running along the inside of the glass) and the blade will do the cutting

[blondy]

how much would i have to trim off around the inside of the drop glass ?

[Andrew]

Another top tip - add a bit of washing up liquid in your spray bottle water. Allows you to move it around slightly, stops it sticking till it's dry and helps removes the bubbles *apparently*

[Baj]

If you do it yourself you can do the driver and passenger window

*taps nose* ;)

[blondy]

i was going to do my drivers/ passengers glass, are you saying it is ilegal or pro's just dont fit it to those windows? thanks

[Baj]

Its illegal now and companies wont fit to them.

MoTs dont worry about it and neither to police as far as I can tell ( I have heavy tints all round) but if you do expect that one day you may have to pull them off (the tints!) unless you can prove they were fitted before the law came in.

They need a lightmeter to measure the tint of the film and most dont carry one

[T-5ones]

http://www.carkeys.co.uk/features/everything_else/2276.asp

"The legal position is that the front side windows on all cars must allow 70% of light to pass through them. That figure also applies to the windscreens of cars first used before April 1985; any car first used from then onwards has to let 75% of light through the windscreen."

[wootty]

mine are quite dark all round apart from windscreen,i havent been tugged yet.got mot end nxt month so will see then.

[Baj]

Mine are too, you will be fine.
99.99% of MOT stations dont have light metering equipment as it isnt tested.

[roller girl]

I have just bought my car today and it has quite heavy tints all round except the screen, it passed its MOT 2 months ago with these tints, so MOT testers can't be that worried.

My husband is a police officer, he says its generally not a problem unless you get pulled into a road check area where VOSA are present, police don't generally carry light metering equiptment but its every VOSA man dream to stop someone with tints as they do carry it.

He says he wont drive my car to work only be a passenger, I will simply put the windows down, 'claiming a hot flush' when the police go by with any interest.

I would have it proffessionally fitted I tried to fit it once to my first car (a feista) years ago! It wasn't an attractive result.

;)

[Vikingxl]

Back to the old insurance issue i would think.In the event of an accident you will be screwed

[G6hbq]

Have done my present car with precut tints from the USA on E bay
£25 inc postage, if you take your time a good result can be had

http://static.flickr.com/66/201231451_0af0ed935d_m.jpg

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volvo-V70-Wagon-2001-2006-Perfect-Cut-Window-Tint_W0QQitemZ120035650069QQihZ002QQcategoryZ63689 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[MOB]

Thinking about getting the windows done, is it a job a complete idiot could or should i get a professional to do it.
If so where would be the best near Coventry?

I have used these a few times - www.tinter.co.uk

Very very good and very reasonable prices.

[abdul]

Have done my present car with precut tints from the USA on E bay
£25 inc postage, if you take your time a good result can be had

http://static.flickr.com/66/201231451_0af0ed935d_m.jpg

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volvo-V70-Wagon-2001-2006-Perfect-Cut-Window-Tint_W0QQitemZ120035650069QQihZ002QQcategoryZ63689 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
do they do one for volvo v70 estate

[G6hbq]

Click the link for Volvo tints

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volvo-V70-Wagon-2001-2006-Perfect-Cut-Window-Tint_W0QQitemZ120035650069QQihZ002QQcategoryZ63689 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[LeeT5]

Get yer car done professionally, unless you want it to look CHAV.:ices_rofl

The law states 35% tint on the front driver and passenger window (ie allow 65% light to pass through the glass) and NO tinting at all on the windscreen exept the band across the top (which must not exceed a certain thickness). There is no limit to the amount of tint on the rest of the car.

You must tell your insurance company otherwise you are on yer own in the event of a claim and you will be in the brown and smelly. It IS classed as a modification.

there are still alot of companys that will tint the front windows, just ring around.....oh yeah one more thing, it helps to keep the car cooler in the summer too!!

[woz]

Hope this helps -
I bought a "how to do it" DVD off Ebay for about a fiver all in to see what ws involved.
Key things were: Cut your pattern by hanging it on the outside of the glass first, using lots of water and some WupL, trim to size -(lots of other top tips included, no time to repeat here) then use your hot air gun to get rid of wrinkles by stretching the film. (I think this is the key to the probs noted by other posters here!) Its quite easy but takes a bit of practice.
THEN you take it off the outside, wet the inside glass, peel off the backing and apply the film to its final position.

So its really like making your own precut, prestretched pattern first, then sticking it on, instead of sticking it on and trying to rescue it from poor sizing and stretch marks.

If planning to do it yourself I thoroughly reocmmend the investment in a DVD first. Its minimal compared to the saving over funding a professional job!

Personally before launching myself at the volvo I would buy a fiesta or something to practice on, tint it up, and flog it wrinkles and all then do a Really Good Job (RGJ) on the brick. The Fiesta would probably go up in value if you can flog it to a youngster - they like that kind of thing.
LOL
Woz

[Babybadger]

Its illegal now and companies wont fit to them.

MoTs dont worry about it and neither to police as far as I can tell ( I have heavy tints all round) but if you do expect that one day you may have to pull them off (the tints!) unless you can prove they were fitted before the law came in.

They need a lightmeter to measure the tint of the film and most dont carry one

Buy a pair from the breakers and have them tinted black then add them later, if the rozzers stop you, change them back and go to an MOT station for the check. Its a game of cat and mouse.

As for a crash and insurance, just take extra care in turning out of junctions. To be fair, mine are LIMO (5%/95%) black from the B-post backwards and I have never reversed into anything in a dark alley, and the guy who did them said that would be my only problem. If i get a set of front windows done, I would choose a dark smoke instead of limo black as it wouldn't make much difference to the cars looks but will make a difference if the Police cannot see who is in it.

[Paullyp]

Hi, all my windows (apart from the windscreen) are as tinted to the legal limit, (dark as f**k), I have never had any probs with mot's or roadside chex, inc lightmeters. This law or technicality is open to interpretation, if your motor looks dodgy and you have heavy tints, you will get pulled, chances are, even if you didn't have tints you would get pulled anyway, however, the difference is if all else fails and your dodgy looking motor is legit, you may get done with illegally tinted windows.

[Babybadger]

Just don't get mouthy with the coppers..... A mate of mine did it when he should have only got a 'rectification notice or delayed prohibition' ( you get it fixed within 10 days and get the MOT station to stamp it and take it to nearest police station), because he got trappy, they issued an 'immediate prohibition' meaning he could do anything with the car until the tints were removed. So be careful.......

Just bear in mind that Royal Protection Squad, Royal Family, Government Cars, amongst others are allowed to tint their cars...........

[duncan bennett]

i had mine done all round,looks really nice ,not to dark,dont want to look like a pimp.go for the professional everytime

[T5ER]

All mine have light smoke and i have had no probs at all,even checked with our mot guy`s and they said it is fine and wont cause any issues

[Storm-Troll]

some companies will fit it all round, but ask you to sign a disclaimer saying you wont drive it on the road,,,,,,lol

[T5ER]

some companies will fit it all round, but ask you to sign a disclaimer saying you wont drive it on the road,,,,,,lol
Yeah you are right mate they did that to the previous owner who had vimto and he said forget it will just stick with back doors and tail area,but my 850R has light smoke tints allround which is legal apparently as it is only a 15/20 % tint and is not a problem with light meters

[t5 stealth]

if vosa spot your car on the road with tinted front side windows they take your reg then send the owner a letter stateing the tints may not be suitable for road use & that it invalidates your insurance,
i think its a matter of time before they clamp down on it a bit more,
light meters are used now to test them but fortunatly down south they only have one light meter so they cant normally check a vehicle as they dont all have a meter to test with,,just the lucky guy with the meter,also they cant test it if your not with the vehicle,ie they need to get to both sides of the glass to test it,
if you do tint your windows just be prepared to remove the front door tints when they finally catch up with you,
also one mot guy even stated he would clam a car with tints on it but he didnt have the clamps with him,,(i quickly pushed my car out of sight )

[Paullyp]

Dark is good,come over to the Dark Side. No probs with MOT, or Cop stops.
http://i21.ebayimg.com/01/i/08/99/7d/f7_1.JPG

[Storm-Troll]

lol.. if you dont tell your insurance, and you need to make a claim,, make sure you take the front window tint off before you claim or before the insurance man comes to looka the car...lol

[Paullyp]

See below, click on image to get full size.I have said before this law is open to interpretation, my car has passed an insurance inspection like this, Paullyp.

[Paullyp]

http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/11/30417105052.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3872629)

[T5ER]

mine are not even that dark

[Storm-Troll]

lol.. mine are tinted already, but im gonna get them re done darker,, just got to find somewhere down here that does them,,,

[T5ER]

lol.. mine are tinted already, but im gonna get them re done darker,, just got to find somewhere down here that does them,,,
there is a thread on here about window tinting and i gave a phone number or email addy of the mobile bloke down the bedfordshire/london area who did vimto for the previous owner mate SEARCH is your freind

[Storm-Troll]

there is a thread on here about window tinting and i gave a phone number or email addy of the mobile bloke down the bedfordshire/london area who did vimto for the previous owner mate SEARCH is your freind

kk cheers matey,, will search,, as im in the next county to bedfordshire, so Im on it,, nice one...:thewave:

[T5ER]

kk cheers matey,, will search,, as im in the next county to bedfordshire, so Im on it,, nice one...:thewave:
just had a look cant find the thread will check my old cars billes to find details mate

[Paullyp]

Told you's it was dark, I don't think that, legally(?) you can go any darker, to be honest I don't think that you would want to, however as I have said b4, when it is that dark no one can see you SMILE..........

[T5ER]

Told you's it was dark, I don't think that, legally(?) you can go any darker, to be honest I don't think that you would want to, however as I have said b4, when it is that dark no one can see you SMILE..........
i had a daihatsu fourtrak estae in black and silver done in full limo black tint reflective and you could not see anything even in daylight,it looked like it was driving itself it was twice as dark as yours Paul

[Storm-Troll]

just had a look cant find the thread will check my old cars billes to find details mate

Cheers matey,, Look forward to it,, I fancy bein naughty and gettin a limo tint,,, I like to be bad,,,lol think it will look good on a black car that has blacked out lights, plus, stops my nosey ex from seein me as she always noses in my car when i visit my mates and its in the street as she lives next door to him,, well that would do the trick,,, lol,, no more nosing to be had then...lol:saythat:

[Paullyp]

I have had a few cars with tints including mirrored, beware though, the darker you go the less light that enters the interior (poss because the tint is slightly thicker, by a few microns) and the harder it is to see through the side windows, especially on dark and wet nights,no problems with mirrored....apart from the fact that you will look like Elton Johns hairdresser on an emergency call out.