View Poll Results: If you got your windows tinted without moleskin, did your tint scratch
Yes
16
47.06%
No, had tint over 1 month still no problems
14
41.18%
No, but only had tint for less then 1 month
4
11.76%
Voters: 34. You may not vote on this poll
For those that didn't get moleskin with their tint
10-08-2004, 12:27 PM
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For those that didn't get moleskin with their tint
I just got my windows tinted 2 days ago and im worried my tint will scratch. The tint shop offered $50 per door for moleskin!! I passed reluctantly. 
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10-08-2004, 02:21 PM
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I am about to get a TSX, and am thinking about getting at least the rear and back windows tinted. I have some simple questions: 
How much does tinting usually cost?
What exactly do they do? (I have seen that cheap blue stuff they stick on widows that gets bubbles under it, is it anything like this?)
Is it better to get it done at the dealer, or at some other place?
What is moleskin?
How much does tinting usually cost?
What exactly do they do? (I have seen that cheap blue stuff they stick on widows that gets bubbles under it, is it anything like this?)
Is it better to get it done at the dealer, or at some other place?
What is moleskin?
10-08-2004, 02:37 PM
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Originally Posted by dantsx
I am about to get a TSX, and am thinking about getting at least the rear and back windows tinted. I have some simple questions:
How much does tinting usually cost?
What exactly do they do? (I have seen that cheap blue stuff they stick on widows that gets bubbles under it, is it anything like this?)
Is it better to get it done at the dealer, or at some other place?
What is moleskin?
How much does tinting usually cost?
What exactly do they do? (I have seen that cheap blue stuff they stick on widows that gets bubbles under it, is it anything like this?)
Is it better to get it done at the dealer, or at some other place?
What is moleskin?
If you have navi, there are some complications. The navi antenna is under the rear deck and some types of tints can screw it up. There are mixed opinions here, but some people have had problems with metallic tints. Most good quality tint materials contain some metal, so this is potentially an issue.
Personally, I'm going with the FormulaOne Pinnacle films, which use ceramic tinting material in the film rather than metal. IMO, they look better without the reflective quality you get from some metallic tints, but this is a personal preference. Huper-Optik also make a ceramic film.
You can find info about FormulaOne dealers here: http://www.formulaone.com/index.html, though sadly they haven't updated their product information in a while and don't even have specs for the Pinnacle film.
Our cars have fairly hard rubber seals against the windows. These can scratch the tint film that is applied to the windows. A good tinter can add a layer of felt-like moleskin which will prevent scratches. There is some debate as to whether this is absolutely necessary, but my tint shop (who've done several cars for me in the past few years) recommeneded it and I'm inclined to go with their recommendation.
A good quality metal or ceramic tint material shouldn't turn purple or bubble up like those cheap jobs you see. It should look like the color is part of the glass.
Prices vary, and are mostly labor costs. Don't compare costs with other people on these boards who live in other locations. IMO, those comps never really work well, no matter what kind of car work you're looking at.
10-08-2004, 03:30 PM
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Originally Posted by dantsx
I am about to get a TSX, and am thinking about getting at least the rear and back windows tinted. I have some simple questions:
How much does tinting usually cost?
What exactly do they do? (I have seen that cheap blue stuff they stick on widows that gets bubbles under it, is it anything like this?)
Is it better to get it done at the dealer, or at some other place?
What is moleskin?
How much does tinting usually cost?
What exactly do they do? (I have seen that cheap blue stuff they stick on widows that gets bubbles under it, is it anything like this?)
Is it better to get it done at the dealer, or at some other place?
What is moleskin?
tint-king
Not ghetto job, very professional.. Hand-cut.
Owner recommended against metalic tint.
>>Is it better to get it done at the dealer, or at some other place?
place you research yourself.
I did not want to have the door panel disassembled to install the stupid "moleskins"
To much work for little gain.
10-08-2004, 03:40 PM
#14
Can't wait to drive
Had my tint for almost a year, no (noticible) scratches to it. Got it installed for about $200. Very good job. 
Metallic tint installed...blocks heat well, but I think it weakens satallite signals. If signal is strong, there is no problem, but when it's weak, it weakens it further.
Metallic tint installed...blocks heat well, but I think it weakens satallite signals. If signal is strong, there is no problem, but when it's weak, it weakens it further.
10-08-2004, 03:48 PM
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I've had my tint about a year. About a month or two after I got it done, I started getting scratches in it. Worse, I got a number of nicks in it as well that went right through the film. Mostly on the driver window which gets used the most. A couple months ago, I took it back to the tint shop. They replaced the damaged film for free and installed the felt pads at the same time (also for free). Excellent service IMO, especially since it wasn't really their fault.
They were very familiar with the problem as they do a lot of tinting for local dealers. I was told they got the correct felt pads from Acura, so perhaps Acura knows about this problem now.
They were very familiar with the problem as they do a lot of tinting for local dealers. I was told they got the correct felt pads from Acura, so perhaps Acura knows about this problem now.
10-09-2004, 09:32 AM
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Interesting results so far!
I rolled down my drivers side window last night for the first time after getting tint. I was expecting the worst, but it came out scratch free. I hope and pray it stays like that
I rolled down my drivers side window last night for the first time after getting tint. I was expecting the worst, but it came out scratch free. I hope and pray it stays like that
10-09-2004, 03:44 PM
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Originally Posted by fabpaul
Interesting results so far!
I rolled down my drivers side window last night for the first time after getting tint. I was expecting the worst, but it came out scratch free. I hope and pray it stays like that
I rolled down my drivers side window last night for the first time after getting tint. I was expecting the worst, but it came out scratch free. I hope and pray it stays like that
10-13-2004, 09:08 PM
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It took a little while on mine. The back windows get it the most (at least in my car). It's just one of those things I guess you just wait and see. Don't stress too much though. They're not deep scratches that look like shit, just fine vertical lines that you see from the inside. And hopefully your installer has a lifetime warranty against scratching, in which case they'll just replace it.
10-13-2004, 09:24 PM
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I know a place in Bloomfield, NJ that quoted me $150 including a life time warranty.
I'll be taking my TSX there over the weekend, so I'll keep you guys posted.
iamhomin, who has 12 ft of moleskin.
I'll be taking my TSX there over the weekend, so I'll keep you guys posted.
iamhomin, who has 12 ft of moleskin.
10-26-2004, 05:16 PM
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I checked with a couple of installers here. Both advised me that without moleskin scratches would be inevitable and that they would not provide any warranty against scratching wthout it.
The guy I've worked with before elaborated a bit. He said that in this area in particular, things are dusty and dry, and that's the worst possible scenario, because dust caught against the rubber is the real culprit. In wetter and less dusty climates he expects that it would be less of a problem.
He quoted me $95 if done at the same time as tinting. If I choose to do the car with ceramic film (which is expensive as hell) and do the moleskin at the same time he'll drop that cost to $50 for the whole car.
I'm currently thinking I'll do ceramic (F1 Pinnacle) on the rear window to avoid any possibility of problems with the nav, or with any satellite antenna that I might choose to install on the rear deck. Most likely will do the rest of the car in a more normal film to keep the costs down.
The guy I've worked with before elaborated a bit. He said that in this area in particular, things are dusty and dry, and that's the worst possible scenario, because dust caught against the rubber is the real culprit. In wetter and less dusty climates he expects that it would be less of a problem.
He quoted me $95 if done at the same time as tinting. If I choose to do the car with ceramic film (which is expensive as hell) and do the moleskin at the same time he'll drop that cost to $50 for the whole car.
I'm currently thinking I'll do ceramic (F1 Pinnacle) on the rear window to avoid any possibility of problems with the nav, or with any satellite antenna that I might choose to install on the rear deck. Most likely will do the rest of the car in a more normal film to keep the costs down.
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