Car window tint

[HPI_Savage25]

Anyone else on here ever tried to tint your own car? I took my previous vehicle to a local shop to have done after I spent hours of frustration on a single window. Anyways being 17 having a budget to pay for tint on yet another vehicle I just didn't want to spend that kind of money....again....on something I have already paid for but on a different car. Anyways I went to Wal-Mart and picked up a roll of the Black Magic 2.5% tint and attempted to do it myself again. The first attempt was with a left over roll of Gila 5% in which I messed up terribly *wrinkles/bubbles galore!*. So with the 2.5% I removed the rear hatch and did it on a table. Came out so much nicer.....has a few bubbles that I spent about 30-45minutes trying to get out without success but for $12 I am very pleased...versus $80~ at the shop!

I am thinking of doing the rest of the windows also....just haven't bought anymore tint to attempt them. Haha.


Went from this (%5 with the included bubbles/wrinkles)....
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n188/HPI_Savage25/IMG00042-20100815-1953.jpg

To a %2.5 and a few bubbles but IMO a much better job...
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n188/HPI_Savage25/IMG00050-20100818-1603.jpg

Now I have a few questions, has anyone used the tint from say Wal-Mart or Autozone before? If so how did it look say a year later (I know the install of the tint itself means a lot also as tinting is NOT EASY/FUN!)

I have been thinking of ordering a 100ft roll that you see on eBay and such or should I spend a bit more and get the rolls from BuyTint.com ?

Thanks for reading and let me know what you all think!

[sexysilverado45]

idk know really anything about tinting but from what i gather is its just like putting on a decal. first clean the window then use rubbing alcohol to clean the window(i would think the cleaner the better). next put on the glue. then you start from one end and slowly work to the other end(also using some heat/i think it would be fine)but thats just how i would do it. but i remeber the one vehicle i had done by a shop they had a machine that cut the tint out. and they also told me its common to have little bubbles in the tint for a while till it dries.

sorry this is the best i can do hope it helps some.

[yfzrider310]

I just started tinting 8 months ago starting with my car. I used the walmart black magic and it came out ok for the first time. Now 8 months later its still holding up good on the windows i did good but im redoing my whole car again. Just keep at it. I comes with time, cause now people pay me :D . Btw my walmart tint turned purple on 2 windows but those were my first two windows so idk. I recently did a mustang with walmart tint and it turned out great! I figure if you do it right it will hold up just as good as most tint but not as long.

[Kickstarts-suck]

Here is a thread I made a while ago.
http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=435700&highlight=Tinting+windows

Mine still looks great.

[Titanium]

take a heat gun or lighter to those fingers in your tint and you can get them worked out.:o

[Pipeless416]

anybody have any experience doing windows with pretty extreme curves? the back window in my T/A is starting to peel pretty good. you still can't really tell from the outside, but it bothers me a lot.

[turboTony]

Originally posted by Pipeless416
anybody have any experience doing windows with pretty extreme curves?
You need to do it in strips. How many depends on how sharp the curve is. There's a bunch of how-to's online. ;)

[mxtuner]

Originally posted by turboTony
You need to do it in strips. How many depends on how sharp the curve is. There's a bunch of how-to's online. ;)

In strips? Thats looks like **** lol. If your gonna buy a roll of tint buy llumar tint, or suntech.

[turboTony]

Originally posted by mxtuner
In strips? Thats looks like **** lol. If your gonna buy a roll of tint buy llumar tint, or suntech.
a beginner will have a hard time doing it with a heat gun...

[mxpimp2000]

im not a professional at tinting but i have learned alot. dont use windex with amonia that will make the tint turn purple. when doing the front windsheild strip and back glass u want to put it on the outside of the window like ur goin to apply it just dont peel the shinny film off yet. apply it with water and baby shampoo. use a heat gun to get ur bubbles and parts that wont stick. it will shrink to the window and once u have it applied how u want it cut the tint with a razor blade on the windows inside edge that has the factory coating (black) dont cut the the out side edge against the weather strip because it will be too big and wont fit once u apply it to the inside. once complete dont roll ur windows up and down for atleast 2 days to allow proper adhesive. i just done my s10 i will post some pics of it.

if ur amature and want to do it to save money buy ur tint from ebay precut for the vehicle ur tinting and save some headaches from cutting it and getting it perfect.

its all about the prep to make it look good. clean the windows 2 and 3x and scrape all dirt,grime,etc off. u can make walmart tint look professional if u do it how its suppose to be done takes time and patients