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Getting Tinted Tomorrow - Any Suggestions?

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by FUUFNF, Apr 25, 2012.

  1. FUUFNF

    FUUFNF Forum Lurker

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    Just a quick update... A few days after getting the windshield tinted, I started noticing some blotchy air bubbles around the rear view mirror. The blotchy spots were clearly visible from both inside and out of the car. I gave the tint job a full week in the hope that the air bubbles would eventually work their way out of the film, but to no avail. So I take my PiP back to Leo @ TW Tint and he said that this was a very common problem because of the dot matrix around that area of the windshield. Leo said that he could re-tint the windshield but that the air bubbles would most likely come back (maybe not to the same degree, but they would likely come back nonetheless), so he recommended cutting the film around that area and removing it altogether. I was a bit concerned about how clean the cut would look, but Leo assured me it would look good. Well, it didn't look good - it looked great! Leo has some serious tint cutting skills. All that said, if anyone else out there is thinking about getting their windshields tinted, I would highly suggest getting that area of the film cut out.
     
  2. Tracksyde

    Tracksyde Member

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    When I had mine done, they went around the dots. The tint is so light its hard to tell it wasnt tinted over the dots anyway. In the past, I had tint over the dots and I know what you're talking about.. it looks like its not sticking to the dot area.
     
  3. FUUFNF

    FUUFNF Forum Lurker

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    Yeah, exactly. The film wasn't sticking correctly to the dotted area and the air bubbles were pooling into even bigger, more noticeable blotches. Leo said this was a very common problem with tint, hence his recommendation to cut around it. My biggest concern was how clean the cut would look and Leo did an amazing job (a computer cut couldn't have been more precise). There is a fairly distinct color difference though (since the film had a blue-ish hue and the dotted area looks more smoked) but it still looks great - certainly better than a bunch of blotchy air bubbles. Had I known, I would have opted for the cut-out from the get go.
     
  4. maverickf

    maverickf New Member

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    Thanks for the tips, FUUFNF. :thumb:
    I still don't have time to bring my cars there.
     
  5. blakemster

    blakemster Member

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    my tint job ... beach auto sound in hb does all my cars ... always a great job ... med in back and a little lighter on the sides

    blake master
     

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  6. bfd

    bfd Plug-In Perpetuator

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    Interesting, that's what happened to my tint job, too. I guess it's not uncommon. So I was glad that you'd written this, so I could suggest it. The person I went to was OK to do whatever I wanted. First, we tried just applying some pressure, and that worked great on one side - but unfortunately, it didn't work on the other side. Then he suggested we try a new sun strip, but he admitted that the same thing might happen again.

    He also offered to take out the sun strip and put a black vinyl strip in its place, but I said that the windshield is at such a shallow angle that there's not that much actual straight ahead vision to begin with, and a blind strip at the top wouldn't help that. So I suggested the cut-away, and he was OK with that. It turned out fine. I still have to get used to the difference between the sun strip and the dots, it's really just the opposite of what used to be there - and now there's no more air-bubble nonsense.
     
  7. mvrider

    mvrider New Member

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    Just to relate my recent experience. I got tinting and ClearBra done at an excellent local shop, and opted for the Suntek CXP, as it is supposed to be the latest and greatest high-tech film. Unfortunately, it is quite hazy, like there's a layer of fine dust on the windows. I confirmed with the installer that this is a permanent condition for this film. It's fine for the rear windows, but a bit of a disappointment for the front side windows.
     
  8. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    How is a layer of fine dust a "condition of the film," especially if your rear windows are fine, haha? Are you sure your front windows weren't dirty or something?

    I have this tint too but not on the front windows, so I can't confirm your observation.
     
  9. bfd

    bfd Plug-In Perpetuator

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    I have 35% CXP on all 10 - but not the windshield. I don't notice any haze. I am much happier with this tint than I was with the 3M on my Gen II.
     
  10. mvrider

    mvrider New Member

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    Ah, I have 35% on the rear windows and hatch, but only 70% on the front. The haze is most noticeable when I'm in the car, and the sun is behind the window in question. Perhaps the carbon particles are just more noticeable in the lighter tint.
     
  11. chesleyn

    chesleyn Active Member

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    Thanks for the review F -- taking my PiP on Thursday. Will let you know how it turns out. Getting ceramic all around the car.

     
  12. FUUFNF

    FUUFNF Forum Lurker

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    Nice. Tell Leo I said hello.

    How dark are you going?
     
  13. ChipL

    ChipL Active Member

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    The place I want to do my tint at told me they did not do tints when pollen was high in our area... I respect that...
     
  14. bielinsk

    bielinsk Gremlin

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    Leo and his guys did an amazing job on my car today.

    Ceramic is a huge heat difference, worth the money.

    I did 30 on the front two and 20 on everything else.
     
  15. chesleyn

    chesleyn Active Member

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    Spoke to Leo on the phone. He said 20 is the max with ceramic. Is that very dark? I wanted the back to be pretty dark. On my HCH2 you could not see in the back windows at all. I work in Pasadena 2 days out of the week and it gets HOT HOT up there. So hot that you can't touch your steering wheel or sit in the car for the first 3 minutes until the AC cools off. Need something to block out that heat.

     
  16. FUUFNF

    FUUFNF Forum Lurker

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    Wincos (30 fronts & 20 backs) is what I have on my car. And yes, 20 is the darkest Wincos available. It's not super dark (since ceramics tend to be lighter than regular films - for instance, a regular 20 will appear darker than a ceramic 20), but it's plenty dark enough for privacy - someone was sitting in my back seat, you might be able to tell that someone is there, but you definitely wouldn't be able to see who it is.

    That said, if you're looking for privacy and want to black out the back windows, go with a 5 in the Charcool (Madico's regular film line). But if you're looking to cut heat, the Wincos is the way to go. And if heat is the biggest concern, putting ceramics on your windshield will definitely help.
     
  17. gbrown

    gbrown New Member

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    I went with ceramic tint, the difference in heat inside the car is shocking. I dont like dark but went with the 2nd lightest - forget the %.
     
  18. Jozo

    Jozo PIP PIP HOORAY!

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    Hi. Can you explain to me what ceramic means? Is it a different type of tinting? Does it have the bubbling issue that folks have mentioned? Any info would be helpful, thanks.
     
  19. bielinsk

    bielinsk Gremlin

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    It is a type of tint that really blocks the heat from the sun.
     
  20. chesleyn

    chesleyn Active Member

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    FUUFNF -- can't tell you how much I appreciate the review of TW Tinting in Santa Ana. You were right. He did an amazing job.

    He said you tinted your entire front window??
    Isn't that illegal?