Tinted Windows (1 Viewer)

[Danny Tse]

I just tinted my car's windows and I have no idea what to use when cleaning the inside. Windex?? Any ideas??

 

[Jim__B]

I was told to use either soapy water, or just plain water. Something about the ammonia in glass cleaner.

 

[Andrew W]

Don't use anything with ammonia. Ammonia is used to remove the tint.
Go to the auto section in Target or Walmart and get the special window cleaner.
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Andrew in Austin

 

[Clinton McClure]

The best thing to use is a mild soap/water mix or a silicone cleaner made specifically for window tint. Windex will destroy your tint, do not use it.
Also do not forget: Do not roll your windows down for at least 4 days, and do not clean the inside for at least 14-15 days. Allow at least 30 days for all haze to disappear.
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My DVD Collection Casa del Clint
[Edited last by Clinton on October 21, 2001 at 08:01 PM]

 

[Danny Tse]

Thanks guys!! Just the info I needed.
Now have to go to Target/Walmart and check out "ammonia-free" glass cleaners.
Thanks again!!

 

[Lisel]

I just bought some Armor All glass cleaner that, according to the label, is safe to use on tinted windows.
Lisel

 

[Ryan Wright]

Hey, speaking of tinting your windows, how hard is this?? I really want to tint my windows and figure I could probably do a decent job of it. I'd just pay someone else to do it, but $50 vs. $250 is a huge difference. Besides, I'd like to go just slightly darker than the legal 35%. The problem is, everyone I know tells me it's very difficult to do.
Anyone want to quickly outline the process and difficulty rating for me?
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-Ryan (http://www.ryanwright.com )
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes.
That way, when you do criticize them, you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

 

[Danny Tse]

Ryan,
The guy who tinted my windows did an excellent job. I have a 1997 Acura Integra coupe, the one with the huge piece of glass on the hatch. He charged me $120.00, including labor and material. That's including all the side windows and the hatch. It looks like something that I wouldn't be able to handle myself, especially that hatch where he had to do some fancy cutting and slicing. If you've never tinted windows before, I think letting a professional handle it would be a wise choice.

 

[AjayM]

Hey, speaking of tinting your windows, how hard is this?? I really want to tint my windows and figure I could probably do a decent job of it. I'd just pay someone else to do it, but $50 vs. $250 is a huge difference. Besides, I'd like to go just slightly darker than the legal 35%. The problem is, everyone I know tells me it's very difficult to do.
Anyone want to quickly outline the process and difficulty rating for me?

Well, I live in S. Florida and just about everybody tints their windows, so it is quite cheap down here (figure around $80-$100 for a good high quality tint, down around $40-50 for cheap "turns purple overnight" stuff), but before I moved here, and the last time I tinted a car I did it myself with excellent results.
The process is fairly simple (although describing it I'll probably leave out a bit), make a rough cut around the window you want to tint, peal the backing away, spray the windows with the water/soap solution, spray the adhesive side of the tint with the water/soap solution, throw it on the windows and squegee it out a little bit, trim the excess, squegee some more, do a final trim. That's the short of it.
The last car I did was a 94 Honda Civic hatchback and I had no problems with the side windows, the rear is fairly small and has a good curve in it, so you have to be careful with the cut-out, and it's very helpful to have a heat gun available to "shrink" the problem areas a little.
It's a bit tedious and you have to be patient, but it's not that difficult, and if you live in an area that costs a fortune to have it done (like $240) you can screw up a lot and still come out ahead (I think I spent $40 on a few boxes of top quality tint at the auto parts store last time).
Andrew
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[Ryan Wright]

Thanks for the info. There's a guy who sells a good quality tint pre-cut for Fieros. $35 for the tint (both side windows & rear window) and tools necessary to get it done (sqeugee, soapy solution, etc). I think I'm going to buy a kit from him and give it a try.
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-Ryan (http://www.ryanwright.com )
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes.
That way, when you do criticize them, you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes.