yisrael42

I have an appointment to get my windows tinted this weekend but I am not totally sold on the moleskin. It gets HOT here in Maryland in the summer and I don't want that moleskin melting off.

Does anyone here have tints with no moleskin? If so, how did it end up working out? Scratches? No scratches?

TeknoKing

It gets hot in Maryland? I think it get much hotter on the west coast where most TLers use moleskins....without it...I guarantee you a scratched tint within a few days....

blkaspec

^^^ agreed. i dont have tint, but everyone i have seen on here who doesnt get the skin has to go back to get re-tinted.

just do it so you dont have to make a repeat visit

or dont, and just never open your windows...

ityper

how much are they charing for moleskin installation? It's a VERY easy diy.

yisrael42

They aren't charging... They don't really do it. The guy at driven dynamics says that the glue melted on his car and got all over the tint.

I don't want that to happen and to be honest, I don't really feel comfortable taking the door apart on my car either.

Anyone in Maryland done this before?

VQPower37

^ i've also heard of a lot of people that have had positive results from moleskin ... so i think its just luck of the draw ...

flnsx

Arrrrg!

I am so frustrated! There are SO many people getting BAD ADVICE about moleskin.

It's NOT all the same stuff. You get what you pay for! If someone says moleskin is all the same, don't listen.

The key is the adhesive. Many people buy the generic moleskin to save money. You might as well not put anything on if you’re going to us the “free” or cheap moleskin.

yisrael42

Sorry but this rant is worthless without an explanation of what you think we should be buying.

MWalsh9152

judging by his avatar Im going to guess the stuff he sells? lol Hes a vendor on here and its what most of us have

vinnier6

iTrader: (1)

i dont have mole skin, and i totally have vertical scratches....it somewhat bothers me, but i dont really see them unless i am looking for them....but they are scratched....

i dont want to here any whinning about how hot it gets in maryland...it will be hotter then the threshold of hell here in dallas in a few weeks...

jdmitr22

no moleskin in MD for 2 years, got one small line on the back window but nothin else!

vinnier6

iTrader: (1)

dude...tintprotector.com??

yisrael42

Yeah yeah... I wasn't paying attention. My bad.

aw1

My window's were tinted before I installed mole skin. Trust me, get it. Had a scratch just rolling the rear passenger window once.

As for mole skin melting off, not an issue with my car.

yisrael42

PM Sent...

yisrael42

Well I just pulled the trigger... I bought his moleskin for mine and my dad's TLs

TeknoKing

You are very easy to convince Brooklyn bridge is for sale, want it?

The moleskins that my tint guy installed came free!

Perfect job, no problems what so ever. This shop has done tints and mods to A LOT of celebrity and high end cars, so to the vendor of moleskins...it's about quality install, not everything in life thats cheap is crap.

Tripnbeats

i cut the rubber away from the window no moleskin no rubber....no probs. to me whatever it is...if its touching the glass itll scratch it.

LTxArucAx60

iTrader: (9)

I didnt know anything about moleskin, until weeks later scratches where getting worser and worser on my drivers side window. I then bought the moleskin and wanted to retint the windows, but the shops in my area do not want to install them. They also wanting to quote me 400 plus dollars to get the old tint off, then open door panels to install moleskin, and then retint. That is according to the instructions that came with the kit. Def. should get moleskin.

yisrael42

I may be easy to convince, but I just got out of a TSX with scratched up tint from the window stripping... so, I'll take my chances with a product that so many people seem to really like.

I want my new baby to look nice for a long time...

CrazyNurse

My tinter asked if I wanted it done but I said no becuase he guaranteed that if it scratched he'd redo it for less than the cost of having the moleskin intstalled.

I have no scratches over the last few months I've had my tint.

evanj5

I have one scratch on a back window and one tiny very unnoticable scratch on the front window. Had tint for 6 to 7 months now.

I could care less about these couple of scratches on the inside of the tint. You dont see them from the outside so w/e. I guess some people have experiences in which the entire tint gets covered in scratches then I might consider this mod.

Tint will get scratched on the inside either way, with or without moleskin, just from people getting in and out, including yourself.

leedogg

I have moleskin on my front, no scratches. No moleskin on my rear, one scratch. (i never lower the rear windows, but sometimes my passengers do...)

Would have done the rears long ago if not for that damn endless turning screw.

psheu

what is a moleskin and what is it for? all of the cars in my family have tint... here in Florida, I have never heard of moleskin, never have it, never need it... i roll my windows up and down all the time and there is no scatch whatsoever... plus isn't that why you have life time warrenty for your tint? do you need to take apart the inner door panel to install this "moleskin"? I have never heard that you have to take apart the door for tint installation job.... why do u need this in the first place? and when u say hot, it doesn't get any hotter than Florida right?

TLAdvanced

iTrader: (4)

I've had my tint for 5 months with NO moleskin, and no problems thusfar. Also, I work off of a dirt road and drive down it every day...

ewbuster

I have had my tint for 9 months without moleskin. There are no scratches on my windows that i can see. I am currently thinking about retint my car with 5% all around. I will probably install moleskin then, just to be sure everything is good.

GLowrdr

I'm sick of all you people talking about heat.

I need some moleskins to keep my ass warm. Still snowing here in MN. Expecting more this weekend.

blkaspec

you removed the rubber?

i hear nothing but bad things with doing that, like much increased road noise.

lawwailok

the 5th day i got my windows tinted, i tried the window rattle fix and after i rolled up my driver side window, SCRATCHED from the top all the way to the bottom . i have no moleskin....

HosTL Moderation

Seriously, right now it is 45-50 and I'm seriously throwing some shorts and a T on after work

IGGYWOOWOO

Wow... I am glad that I found this thread. I am very dissapointed that my wifes new TL has scratches down the 3 of our windows. None on the drivers window though. What is up with this? What is Moleskin?

ATL06

Had my tint installed here in Florida two years ago, with NO moleskin, and the windows look like new. Do not know the brand of tint they put on, but it they did a great job.

Tripnbeats

yup. ehh the road noise slightly went up but i sound deadened it so well u couldnt hear a nuke going off next to u.

Be-in my TL

Just thought I'd add... I've had tints on for a year. and the one scratch I got w/o moleskin is not very noticble. If you went 5%, they might be mroe noticable, but I hvae 30% all round.. Scratches are not MAJOR if you don't let dust into the crevices. Think about it... if you have tints and you don't roll your windows all the way down, nothign will get into the felt, and the windows will not be scratched. If you are a smoker and roll your windows down fully every day, then dust will get in there, and you WILL get scratches. Moleskin, from what I understand, is just softer material? Correct me if I'm wrong, but adding to t he thickness will only make smaller particles scratch easier... IMO.

scv76_

My story: Last fall had windows tinted and moleskin (the real stuff) installed all 4 windows.
Over the winter months, I noticed the inside of the windows was getting wet after the window was rolled down after a rain.

Few weeks ago we had a few 100 deg. days here in So. Cal.
My passenger side front window now gets adhesive on the tint when the window is operated....grrr

Thought maybe the install was done incorrectly, so I re-read the DIY thread about installation. I don't see a problem with the install.

Hopefully this weekend I will have time to take the door apart so I can see what is going on.
I am pretty upset and I'm about to gamble and just take the stuff off to see what happens.

theklassic

J,

I saw that you bought the moleskin kit. If you bought it from the vendor here on AZ then thats the same kit I installed on mine. It's really easy to install and as I mentioned in my last message you shouldn't pay for this labor.

Anyhoo, on Saturday when you come in I can show you my issues with the glue and if you'd like, how to install that bad boy easily. Previously, I didn't have MS (or scratches), but since many customers were asking for it, I figured I'd get a roll and try it out on my car. Done and done, but now a few months later I've got the glue issues.

There're people that have it and have no issues, while there are people that don't and yet have no scratches, and then there's the opposite. From what I saw on my TL, I really can't offer it to my customers. I'm not debating the quality of the product or the effectivness at this point.

The simple fact is I can't carry and warranty a product that may show the same problems I've had. It's just personal experience dictating a business decision.

Unfortunately, at this point I'll have to leave the moleskin jump up to the customer. FWIW, scratching isn't an issue for me, but I stick to my advice of cleaning my car regularly and wiping the seals each time.



Collin

theklassic

I wouldn't say its your install. I think as in my case it might just be luck of the draw? I spent extra time making sure we did the install by the book and yet I had the same problems. I also have had issues with water retention (the car, not me) on rainy days.

At some point I may purchase another kit and try this again, but I know the install was done properly. There's really not much to it.

theklassic

Did a quick write up about this on our blog. Check it out for a decent summary:

www.drivendynamics.com/blog

TiggaMan909

I've had my past 3 cars tinted without moleskin. Never had ANY issues what so ever...

Still going strong on all 3 cars...

theklassic

Actually, most name brand films cover everything BUT physical damage:

3M™ Scotchtint™ Window Films are warranted to maintain their solar properties without bubbling, peeling, cracking, or crazing. Many of our films are warranted against discoloration, too. (Those which do not use dyed polyesters). Should the product proved to be defective, 3M and the authorized 3M™ Scotchtint™ dealer will replace the film and provide the reapplication labor free of charge.

Seller also warrants against glass failure due to thermal shock fracture or seal failure (maximum value of $500 per window) caused only as a direct result of the application of 3M™ Scotchtint™ films (or 3M™ Scotchshield™ Films) provided the film is applied to recommended types of glass and the glass failure is reported to the seller within the specified time (listed below) from the start of the installation.

etc. etc. etc.

Source: http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...Products/FAQs/