bluenose

Are the newer Tl's still scratching the tint? If so, is it on the rear windows as well as the fronts? Is there anything to be concerned about with regard to the installation i.e. removing panels and not getting them back into proper position, high mounted stop light, etc. Lastly, are they able to do a good job in the quarter window in the rear doors or must they be removed to tint properly? I note there is a slight overlap of rubber molding inside the quarter window.

NightRider

I have windows tinted 5%, so scratches are very noticable. They intially have not sratched, but now I see like 3 light ones on each front window. Of course it is dusty and rocky and nasty in colorado so this is expected/ Main thing is that the take off the panles on the door when they tint it and not just tuck under the lining. If this goes right you should have minimal if any scratches

JoganJani

The price to get the felt in for not to scratch was $25 in my case so I got it done. Tha pannels are easy to come off and put on and didn't have any problems after. I'll say get it done now while you can put the felt. Later if you get the scratches it will have to come off, peel the tint off and put back on with felt resulting into more money and more importantly Driving Downtime.

Leostaats

Purchased tint from our local "tint world" everything is cut by computer, no more razors.. they did the windshield I went 18percent all around in a gunsmoke black the tint has lifetime warranty against anything including scratches although eveything did cost me 200.00 so if I scratch it o well they'll replace it... They have on my past cars.. Oh and the small quater window in the back appears to me that it needs to be popped out to be done right, I have about a 3/8" gap around the edge, only noticable from the putside of the car.
Good luck

NightRider

I have that gap on the back 2 windows too....just the way it is!

NightRider

Although I went 5% all the way around and 30% on the windshield, even 30% for the windshield is a little dark at night..did you have 18% FULL on the windshield too? If so I hope your eyes are good because I am 19 and have a little trouble seeing out of mine at night. If your windshield is full, tell me if it bubbles because even after the "settling" period, mine has a couple of bubbles still. One more thing about the windsheild, with it tinted dings show up ALOT more....mine costed 260 in all, but that is because Colorado only has crappy limits for tinting and have beenc racking down on shops lately

Xpditor

Sorry to disagree but that's not the way it is. I have computer cut Formula One Pinnacle (ceramic for Navi) tint and there is NO gap. The tint covers the whole quarter window from the outside as it should. It doesn't need to come off. It gets tucked in with a "hard card".

The felt/moleskin is the safe way to go for $25. You can do it yourself. There are a gazillion threads covering every aspect of this. Search "tint" or "moleskin".

I did moleskin myself. Easy, quick, fool-proof. The kit has thorough instructions with color pictures of every step. You need to know how to turn a screw driver.

XP

GaleForce

I have 35% tint and haven't had any scratching problem. The tint shop I used has a lifetime garauntee so if I ever scratch them I'll just get them replaced. I guess if it turns into a problem (waiting 3-5 days for the tint to settle is a pain) where it happens more than once or twice I might check out that moleskin kit. Really don't feel like taking the doors off my car and opening them up.

No_Remorse

I have the Formula One Pinnacle tint as well. I did not have any felt put in and I have not seen any scratches... over time I am sure some will develop, but so far so good...

(I just sortta wish I didn't stick with legal tint... needs to be darker!)

Xpditor

If you got Pinnacle, did you get 50, 35 or 15? I got 35% on the sides and 15% on the rear. Combined with the 75% factory tint, that brings mine down to (theoretically) 28% sides and 11.25% on the rear. That's just right and keeps me almost legal in Florida. I say almost, because the sides are OK (28%) but the rear is a little dark. Should be 15% but they can't measure it. The meter requires you to slide the window into it and you can't do that with the back window (or the front).

I am very pleased with mine. Heat has been cut almost 75%. AND, I can still see at night. That's a BIG problem with the darker tints. Problem gets bigger as you get older.

XP

cliff

one question..does graphite based tint ruin the reception and stuff...ive noticed worse reception in radio..but not sure if it is just me or not. the guy told me it wouldnt ruin the reception so i trusted him

Xpditor

Graphite, I think, refers to a color. Most good tint is metallic. Cheap tint is dyed.

Page 3 of the Navi manual says DO NOT put metallic tint on the back window as it WILL interfer with the GPS antenna located below the window. It will also impact the AM radio reception negatively. If you're in a strong signal area, you might not notice it.

I have heard from members that tinters routinely tell people they won't have any problems, blah, blah, blah. Tinters lie. They just want to sell you the job and most don't have non-metallic tint to offer.

As for all you dreamers who are relying on your "lifetime warranty", you had better read it. What the tinter says means nothing as the factory is the guarantor. It DOES NOT cover accidental scratching. It covers defects in materials and workmanship, bubbling, turning color, wrinkling. It's not the tints fault if you hold something sharp up against it and scratch it. It's not made of diamonds.

On my last car, I paid an additional premium for a lifetime guarantee on the tint. I kept the receipt, the warranty registration they mailed me, and all the paper work in a file. After about 10 years, the back window bubbled and they all turned purple.

I took the car back to the same shop that installed it and made my claim. They WOULD NOT honor it. They said the car was 10 years old and what did I expect?

"I expect," I told them, "for you to honor your contract, the one I paid extra for, and replace the tint."

After many phone calls to the factory (Llumar), they refused to do ANYTHING. Not even a discounted price on new tint.

I am taking them to small claims court.

Lesson: Tinters make stuff up. Factories are shameless. Guarantees are phoney. Caveat emptor. Get the moleskin and a good quality tint and then maintain it well. Clean it with Plexis or 303 Aerospace Protectorant; NEVER ammonia. Never a strong cleaner.

If you want to know more about Formula One Pinnacle Ceramic (non-metallic) film, check out this site: CLICK HERE

If you want to wing it without the felt/moleskin, you pays your money and you takes your chances. You could be lucky. It could happen! If you have to pay to have a single window retinted, figure about $20 at today's prices.

XP

No_Remorse

Legal tint up here is nothing on the windshield, 50% on the front driver/passanger door, and 35% everywhere else... I probably could have gotten away with 35% and 15%, but figured I would play it safe (Yeah, I know... feel free to make fun)

Xpditor

:P As I mentined previously, if you got the 50% on the sides, you actually have 37.5 when you add in the 75% factory tint.

I think you did the right thing. It's not such a big deal in Manitoba, right? Isn't that where they have four seasons: June, July, August and winter?

No_Remorse

Gawd, that is sooo true it *is* pathetic... one day I'll move to someplace warm.

cliff

im not sure if it refers to the color. it could be. but they had 2 sections and they told me that the graphite based ones wont ruin the reception. the other section was all reflective, different color tints and stuff like that.

i already got a scratch on my passenger rear window. i told them to use mole skin but they said it wasnt nessesary. so this $180 was the price i had to pay to learn my lesson. i will never go back there again :sqntfawk:

Cliff

Xpditor

I hope the many folks who believed their tinter that moleskin/felt was not needed will read of your experience. It's not the end of the world. You can get the window retinted and you can always add the moleskin anytime. It's an easy DIY. I did mine.

I haven't heard of graphite (that doesn't mean much). What company makes it? From the sounds of it (and the price), you got a non-metallic tint. You can check out its qualities on the company's website. Dyed tints are non-metallic and don't interfer. They are inexpensive but don't last a long time.

Leostaats

Cant say i agree with the opinions on the warranty. I've got a lifetime against scratches regardless of how they happen including if I scratch it with the seay belt as it flings back to the door. I've done it in the past and they have replaced it no questions asked, just show them the receipt, that was only 4 years though.. I've got no bubbling on the front which is actually 35%, my reception is fine. There are alot of little tint shops all over the place though that sell a whole range of garbage. I went back to tint world because they have taken car of my problems in the past. I used to use Gino's on 441 and Atlantic back in the day but hes become a real tint and go type of place..

Xpditor

Leo,

What you say is true regarding the tinter- whether they will or will not replace tint that is scratched.

My point is that all their words mean nothing when there is a written guarantee. If the tinter is a nice guy and he likes you, he can choose to re-tint a window. I've read lots of guarantees and I haven't seen one yet that will do a free re-tint caused by scratching of a sharp object. The written contract is what rules over verbal assurances.

In my case, I had a fully written guarantee from an authorized tint shop on 31 Ave near 39th Street- he's still there- the Llumar installer- Carlos- AND I paid extra for the "insurance". No matter. They refused to honor it. And I didn't have any scratches. I had bubbling and discoloration and it was coming off in places. A failure of the product.

XP

criss

My tinter swore I did not need the moleskin and normally they don't warranty scratches but I told them if that did not use moleskin (which I was willing to pay for) then they will gaurntee against scratches. I now have scratches so I ordered the moleskin kit and they are going to install it when they replace the tint. He said they normally do it for the high-end cars but it rare for a TL to need it.

My advice pay a little extra and get it done.

rets

Leostaats, you're right, since you have lifetime warranty with your tints, you should not worry too much.

However, although I have tints on my car, I don't want anything happened into it and I don't have leisure to make another appointment and get back to the tint shop doing everything again, then my windows cannot be rolled down in a few days again.

If felts with limited amount of $ could help or (we should say) reduce the risks of scratching tints, that's the way I'll go. IMHO. :o

Leostaats

Yeha the biggest inconvenience with any warranty is making sure someone will honor it and second dropping it off to get it redone, whether its tint or any mechanical problem its really an inconvenience to do the back and forth drop me off pick me up BS.