Tint Poll - DIY or Professional

[xluben 10+ year member]

(2-Part Poll, Please post once regarding method and once regarding darkness)

Car is a 99 Honda Accord 4 door.

DIY would probably be this:

http://www.snaptint.com/car_tint_Honda_Accord%204%20Door_1999_sedan_complete.html

comes to about $90 if i get the tools.

Called some local shops today and got estimates in the $200-230 range (lifetime warranty, ect.)

I'm pretty tight on cash, but I'd really like it to look good or I'll just regret it and probably re-do it or pay for it to be redone.

Also, in MN the legal limit is 50% all around.

How dark is even worth-while?

I was thinking 50% on the front windows and 35% (or maybe even 20%) on the back/rear windows.

I really do NOT have the money to get pulled over (tickets) due to the tint, but I'd like it to look fairly dark during the day.

Click to read more...

 

[billabongcr 5,000+ posts]

dont bother for 50%..

pros and cons of both. diy = save $$$ but you know where all your fkups are. professionally = -$$$ from your wallet but a hell of a nice job. i chose diy. looks like crap, but it does me well

unless you really point them out, or have someone riding who does tint or has a keen eye for it, no one will notice. mine is uneven all the way down the window line..no ones ever noticed. except for my gf..who rides in it 70% of the time i do. she noticed when i had my windows half down.

 

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

not worth it, the tint it low quality. probably change color on your. and you only have so much of it, to not mess up ..

 

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

unless you really point them out, or have someone riding who does tint or has a keen eye for it, no one will notice. mine is uneven all the way down the window line..no ones ever noticed. except for my gf..who rides in it 70% of the time i do. she noticed when i had my windows half down.

ugh, who did that?

 

[jacka 10+ year member]

I'm in CA and having tint on my front windows is illegal. However, I have 35% in the front and 20% in the back. 20-25% looks good IMO if you want it dark in the day. 35 is okay, it's not really dark in the day, but it's fine at night. Plus it's a safe percentage where cops won't bother me for it. I'd say have it done professionally also, the place I got mine at has lifetime warranty and they did a really nice job, all for 180 (tint only, no stripping).

 

[billabongcr 5,000+ posts]

ugh, who did that?

haha, me! right after i got my truck. 17 years old. i have a few things to learn no doubt about it, but i had no bubbles. i was satisfied with that. i plan on redoing it later anyways. so i wasnt too worried about it

 

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

you cut the tint useing the top edge of the window next time.

 

[davidfre21 5,000+ posts]

i just had the windows done for my bug, 5% back 3 and 20% windshield brow for 100 and the guy said he would do the fronts for an extra 50 later on.

200 sounds high, maybe look around some.

 

[xluben 10+ year member]

Thanks for the help so far. Keep the votes/suggestions coming.

Right now I'm leaning towards the Professional 50/35 tint, but I'll see how the money works out.

I'm in CA and having tint on my front windows is illegal. However, I have 35% in the front and 20% in the back. 20-25% looks good IMO if you want it dark in the day. 35 is okay, it's not really dark in the day, but it's fine at night. Plus it's a safe percentage where cops won't bother me for it. I'd say have it done professionally also, the place I got mine at has lifetime warranty and they did a really nice job, all for 180 (tint only, no stripping).

http://www.tintdude.com/laws.html

http://www.tintcenter.com/laws/CA/

Thanks for the comments. I'm just afraid that 20% will be obvious to cops (and they're pretty strict in MN).

What I don't like is that many cars come stock with darker tints than 50%!!!!

i just had the windows done for my bug, 5% back 3 and 20% windshield brow for 100 and the guy said he would do the fronts for an extra 50 later on.
200 sounds high, maybe look around some.

If I could get 5 windows for under $150 I'd do it professionally for sure.

But I've gotten a hold of 3 places (started calling a little too late in the day) and got prices from $200-$239 //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

I'll be calling some more shops tomorrow.

 

[davidfre21 5,000+ posts]

anything on the front windows in cali is illegal, but i cant go a day with out seeing cars with the front windows tinted. Hell when i dropped my windows off the guy was putting 20% on the front 2 of a truck

 

[xluben 10+ year member]

anything on the front windows in cali is illegal, but i cant go a day with out seeing cars with the front windows tinted. Hell when i dropped my windows off the guy was putting 20% on the front 2 of a truck

So my links are wrong? or is it that no one bothers with 70% tint?

Have you seen the Rob & Big when they get pulled over. He's got a pretty dark tint, though.

 

[davidfre21 5,000+ posts]

in cali u get pulled over for something like speeding, then if the cop is board he gives u another ticket for the tint. most people dont get pulled over for having tinted windows. the front 2 on my jimmy had 35%, and when i got pulled over for speeding the cop mentioned something about it but didnt really care.

 

[AJ²06 5,000+ posts]

I got 35% driver/pass window, and 15% for the back and the rest [excluding windshield of course]

 

[davidfre21 5,000+ posts]

and i havent seen a shop offere 70% its would be a waste of money, hell 50% would be a waste of money. If i were u id do 35 up from and 20 in the back. That way it atleast gives u the contrast that maybe your windows are tinted legaly, light up front and dark in the back. 35% seems to just enough to get rid of high beams and some glares.

 

[dinty01 10+ year member]

I got some tint to do my truck windows, 35% but I dont think it will come out too good so Ill end up paying someone to do it anyways, but it will be a learning experience for sure