So, I call up my local Tint Shop and start talking to them about getting the windows in my '04 TL tinted. After a few minutes, I mentioned to him about the "mole skin". There was silence. Then he said in a very serious voice, "You mean like the skin from a mole, the animal." I did everything I could to not burst out into laughter, and told him, Um, NO....Dumbass.... I am definitely not going there to get my windows tinted.....

 

this is typical. most cars/trucks have felted inside seals, our TL does not. this type of response is a gauge to tell you if they have done many TL's before.

the 2nd question to ask is "how many TL's have come back with scratched tint?", if they say "none" you know they have not done any TL's.

 

Not a lot of tint shops will know what you are talking about.

 

well the shops i called knew what it was but didnt wanted to install but then i found one shop that knew what they were doing.

 

JMan, that is funny ...... unfortunately what cvajs and jride81 said is true. For moleskin, most shops that know about it will do it for about $25 per door or you can DIY. There are many threads/posts on the subject, just do a search. You can get moleskin from flnsx ($25) or cvajs, send them a PM.

As for the type of film (you didn't mention if you have NAVI=ceramic film) you want, here's the links to 3 brands used by members..... Llumar, Solargard, Formula One. Each of these sites has a dealer locater and you can go from there.. There are a number of other films available like Huper Optik and 3M.

 

I just spoke with a Tint guy recommended by another TL'r. He uses Formula One and doesn't use moleskin. Says he hasn't seen any TLs come back with scratches, (My friend hasn't seen any yet after 5 months) assured me of the lifetime warranty on the film and said if I did come back with scratches he would do the moleskin second time around. I thought that was a fair compromise.

 

the whole point of moleskin is to avoid the hassle of going back to get it redone. it's a $3 safeguard, why would anyone take the chance??

cheers.

 

If I am going to this installer and have faith in his expertise who am I to insist that I know more than he and require that he do something he normally doesn't (install moleskin). If it scratches, he risks time (he could have been working on a new job), money (he has to pay for the film as well as man hours and overhead to re-install) and reputation. I, however, will be out 2 hours of my time for him to reinstall but on the plus side, I get a big fat "I told you so" ... I'm willing to give him the shot as he has more to lose than I do.

 

I keep reading these posts about moleskin, and I guess I just don't get it. My '02 TLS has had tint since it was a month old. The tint is in perfect condition. I've owned many cars with tint, and as long as good brand of tint was used and the windows were kept closed for a week after the tint was applied, they never had a problem.

Putting moleskin or felt on the squeegee blades doesn't necessarily prevent a scratch. Moleskin or felt could easily embed a piece of sand and scratch your tint - especially down here in the sandbar state (FL).

 

I couldn't agree with you more, but for some reason, numerous 3G TL owners have complained that their windows (mainly front drs) have had scratched tints. I'm quite positive they have used/requested quality film such as Llumar, Solargard and Formula One as well as utilizing the services of reputable shops and installers. One of the problems can atrributed to Acura's use of a double wiper made of rubber and no felt coating. The use of moleskin negated the problem and it has worked for a lot of the forum members. Maybe the mods have more info on the windows.

 

Lol

 

OK, maybe I just haven't spent the time to read all the moleskin threads, but I cannot visualize what the product is.

 

just a tough felt