SWOBERT

I have been shopping around for tint for my new SSM TSX. I am in the Navy, so I expect to be stationed in Virginia even though I live in Mississippi now. Virginia requires no darker than 50% on the front windows while MS and AL will allow 35%. Unfortuantely, that means that many tinting places in MS and AL do not carry 50% tint. Whenever I have asked about it at tinting shops the reaction has always been the same. First, they don't believe me about Virginia and look it up in their book only to discover that I know what I am talking about. Then, since they don't carry 50% tint, they try to talk me into something that they do have like UV shield only. Of course that doesn't change the look of the window and is fairly useless since the stock windows already block most of the UV light.

Then we get to the issue about vertical scratches I have been reading about on this board. A LLumar dear in Mobile, Alabama told me on the phone that even though Llumar has a lifetime warranty, that doesn't cover scratches. "Whatever happens to the film after you leave is your problem" I was told. I aaked him how he installed the film. "Do you remove the door or the inner rubber seal or do you try to slide it down under the seal with a tool." Again, the Llumar dealer got downright agitated and replied "Look we'll do whatever it takes to make it work - ok?" I asked him how he had done previous Honda's or Acura's and he replied in an agitated voice, "Look I have got customers waiting here and we're talking about problems that haven't even happened yet - we can talk more when you bring the car in." I replied "Don't hold your breath," and hung up.

Considering that I was "on my own" after the tint was installed, I thought it was important to discuss these things ahead of time. Well, in any case, he lost a customer, and if I can find someone suitable that uses anything other than Llumar, then Llumar lost a customer as well.

MarkPinTx

Hmmm.

I got mine tinted from dealer. Who used an off-site tinter that comes and does it. With my previous tinted vehicle, they razored off the "wiper" on the inside of the window.

I have looked pretty carefully and the wiper does not appear to be cut off or modified. I don't have the foggiest idea how they managed to tint the window under the wiper (I guess that means they took door panel off, dont know, actually dont want to know).

I guess that leaves me vulnerable to scratches. But it occurs to me that if I dont roll the window all the way down, the likelihood of gettin "chit" in the wiper is minimal. Since the door sills are so high anyway, it doesn't seem to make much difference.

The prior tint I had was llumar, and it was pretty good stuff as far as I could tell. I did get some small scratches after some bastard threw a bottle at my window (didnt break it but left shards of glass a few of which got into the door and under the (nonexistent) wiper).

xizor

if you don't mind breakin the law (though if you are "stationed" that might not be as easy), go for 35% all around. I live in VA and plan on going w/ that, 50/35 looks terrible IMO.

KingV

Gulfport, eh? Are you sure that VA will issue tickets for tints on cars with out of state plates? This would of course leave everybody driving through the state open for tinting tickets. You sure it doesn't just apply to cars registered in the state? I'm in the Navy as well, and have been mulling over this similar issue with tints, as I know for certain I won't be here over 1 year from now.