Window Tint - what to expect (quality)

[brad]

this any help (a bit old but possibly still relevant). There's another link in there but you need to be a member to view

Window Tinting - Hobart - BoostCruising

Window Tinting - Hobart - Anyone..?

[wfdTamar]

1500 wet & dry - it only takes a couple of passes. ...

Does that completely remove the dotted area or just flatten it down?


Got my tint removed and a cheque (bit odd considering I paid by credit card) for a refund.


Been looking online for a good tint and like the sound of the 3M Crystaline tint as it has good performance without being so dark. Problem is there are no installers in Tassie for it.

[brad]

Does that completely remove the dotted area or just flatten it down?
.

It just takes the roughness / tops off the dots. There is no change to the look of it.

When the guy did mine it was July & very cold. He had at least 4x 200w work lights set up quite close to the surface he was working on to get some heat into them. He also preheated the windows with a heat gun and heated the film on the rear window to make it mold around the demister wires.

Find a guy down there that works for himself and doesn't have "helpers" and has been in business for a while. Don't get hung up on the brand of tint.

I recently had similar issues with an antenna installation. The large company that my wife called couldn't keep an appointment & when they did come the guy couldn't work out how to do the job. I told him to go away and rang a 1-man show that had been in the area for 15 years. He did a great job and the price was competitive.

[gadget007a]

Find a guy down there that works for himself and doesn't have "helpers" and has been in business for a while. Don't get hung up on the brand of tint.

Totally agree with that I had my Datto 240z done in my driveway from a guy that worked for himself and it has lasted 20+ years and is only just starting to bubble now. I had the Beamer done 8 years ago by tint-a-car and still looks perfect.

Just need to find someone that will take pride in their work.

[wfdTamar]

....

Find a guy down there that works for himself and doesn't have "helpers" and has been in business for a while. Don't get hung up on the brand of tint.

Problem is you can't tell how good/bad their work is till after they have a go and bodge it. I'm not too fussed about the brand of tint, but I do want good performance with as light a colour as possible. I was all set to go with a smaller place, but the film they had (which was a nice lighter green tinge) was a pretty average performer. So I cancelled and went to Tint a Car.

Very tempted to see if I can get some good film and do it myself. I reckon the back window is the only tricky bit.

[wfdTamar]

Ok, second go, this time with 3M Crystalline CR40 film (their darkest). No one does that film in Tassie and very few in Melbourne. Got it done while over there in Mornington (1.25 hours south of the city). The specs of the shade I got is as good as I've seen, but it's still only moderately dark (just what I want). This film is supposed to be the ants pants, very good performance without being too dark. Ought to be, as it cost $695! Although, if you do 2 cars they knock off 20%. That's a primo price, so I was expecting a close to perfect job.

Crystalline Automotive Films - Clear automotive window film for cars, trucks - Crystalline - 3M US

While the place I got it done at (Toptint.com.au) were really nice, it still has application flaws - quite a few small bubbles (not water) and not stuck down over the demister lines or the 'matrix dots' at the edge of windows. That's a bit annoying, as the woman I dealt with beforehand said they took the film only to the edge of the dots (so there was no issue with it not being stuck over them). I would have had a go at sanding them down if I'd known I would get this problem again.

Problem was I had to catch the ferry back that night, otherwise I would have been more picky about the flaws. They have an enclosed workshop and claim to do a great job, but I didn't quite get that. To be fair, possibly they rushed it a bit, as I told them I was getting the ferry. Maybe normally they do a better job - though when I pointed out the flaws I did get the same kind of attitude as I got from the local place (basically - "you have to accept some imperfections"). It is a much better job than the first place, but still not what I would be happy presenting as my work if I did that job (and charged that money). If it were $2-300 cheaper ok, maybe that's what you'd expect.

Here the window is a bit dirty, so ignore any stuff at the top, but there are quite a few bubbles or bits of stuff stuck under the film (circled). Also note how it doesn’t stick over the 'matrix' dots.


On the right, rear window where the radio antenna is. Quite a few small bubbles that don't go away when you flatten them. I've found once the film has dried no amount of rubbing will remove unstuck bits. I did try to flatten it over the 'matrix' with some success, but on other windows it just lifts again.


More small bubbles on the rear window. Also note the unstuck bit alongside the demister lines. That was what I was hoping to avoid. Some people say they have not got that problem.

[brad]

That would annoy the tripe out of me.

[woofy]

Yeah that was a pretty sub par job, especially for the cost. I had mine done by the local Mazda dealer as they owed me a credit so paid more, but was mostly free due to the credit (long story). It was done by the Motorone group who also are the people doing the Skoda dealer and I have to say its been troublefree for 7yrs. They want $695 for it though at the dealer but the film was good stuff and they knew what they were talking about (not normally seen with the aftermarket wench).

[99Reza]

I have good experience with Llumar film, it's thicker than a 3M film. Performance is really good and their darkest legal one appear darker than most other brand perhaps due to their thickness.

[wfdTamar]

Firstly - I really didn't want a dark film. I want to be able to see at night and want other drivers (and bike riders) to be able to see me seeing them, and through the car to see traffic ahead. However, I did want the best performance given my car is almost black.

Secondly - quite apart from which film you go for - it seems the skill, patience, eyesight, even balance of time to profit ratio the particular applicator has seems more key to how good a job you will get. I've gone for two top line films and still got less than a perfect job.

So woofy (or brad, if your car is tinted), you have no little bubbles (that seem mostly to happen when stuff gets trapped under the film)?

Again - to be fair - I haven't asked the installer how they would/will handle the issues with my job. I got the usual 'oh, that'll go away when it dries', or, 'you can't expect to have none of those (bubbles)' malarkey when I pointed them out on pickup (it's frustrating that is the usual attitude). If they continue with that line that will really seal it, but if they say, "yes ok, I'm not happy with that either. Can you bring it over so we can do it again?" I'll be happy with that. I mean anyone can make a mistake. It's how you remedy it that counts. The bugger is I then have to get the car over Bass Straight again.