killacam7479

I know there are a ton of threads on tail light tinting, and I've read them all. Only thing is, I don't have a lot of options in my area (that I know of) where they can do it. I found a place in the suburbs of Chicago called Auto Art, and they said they can do a spray with clear coat. I asked how much, and he said $400! I told him that was way out of my price range, and asked him how much a vinyl overlay type tint would be, and he said probably $100 but it would likely have bubbles in it and definitely not look as good. He said the $400 includes taking the light off, getting it sprayed with clear coat and putting it back on. Am I getting taken on this?? Any input is appreciated. I really want it tinted dark, but I don't know of other places to go, and I don't want to send them to Jon's tinting due to need of my car etc.

killacam7479

Is it hard to take these lights off? If someone has mailed them to Jon's tinted tails, how much did that end up costing? Even if this guy gives me a discount (which he said he could do), I feel like it will still be too expensive. I wonder if the vinyl overlays he's offering for $100 are really crappy...

misterng

$400 is too much for a small paint job and clear coat! I got mine for $150 in San Francisco.

micropower99

Checked locally here in Vancouver it's 250$ but includes taking out the headlights, masking out the reverse white part and painting/clear coating it. Not bad, I was deciding between that or going through "John's Tinted Tails" online but then shipping would hit me pretty hard.

killacam7479

Thanks for the replies, based on your responses, it looks like $400 is way too much. I wonder if I took them off myself, taped off the white part(misterng, I like the style you have for your gray car, but I like the white part untinted on my black car) and brought them in, if they'd charge me around $150 or $200. Do either of you know how to take off the tail lights? Is it in the manual (Sorry, at work right now)? Micropower - I agree that I didn't want to ship it off....

Also, is it a special type of paint? If so, am I better off buying it somewhere online and taking it to an actual paint shop? Sorry for all the questions, I'm pretty new to this whole thing, thanks

Derspeed

Doesn't taking out the headlights make the job more difficult?

Killacam, I know of many people who have used Jon's Tinted Tails. They have all been very satisfied. If there is any possible way to go w/out your car for a few day, it would be worth it.

Misterng, yours look good. Did you get light or medium tint?

micropower99

Damn I'm an idiot haha I meant taillights

Derspeed

Your post made me laugh because I pictured a guy trying to spray the tails through the headlight opening. Oh the frustration of realizing the paint wouldn't reach.

micropower99

Haha The guy would be making the same face as the one in my avatar lol

bigigg

when i asked the loacla tuner place "biggest in the north jersey area".. they said 400 also.. soo i went to my local auto body guy that does the work for this place anyway.. i got my tails tinted, my side markers tinted and a few things painted black..for the same price.. u gotta understand that these tuner shops are busy and try and make a bigg proffit... they usually do big expensive jobs on hi-end cars soo a lil job like that isnt really worth it unless there makin a niice profit.

HLG600

That is way too much. I paid $250 for separate assemblies and a brake light tinted jet black and shipped from Germany back when I got the car. This came in handy when some numb nut wouldn't allow my car to pass inspection because the serial number on the housing wasn't visible. I repeat, the actual light came through without a problem, but the serial number was the issue. So, swapping them out for the stock ones saved the day here.

Aggressive

Send me your lights. I can do them for $100. I will guarantee the work and they will be professionally done. I use 3 mil, high performance vinyl. Its good stuff. Pm me for info.

Aggressive

$400 is too much. I would have installed quality overlays for less than half that price.

Azn_C300

Keep shopping around. I know places here that do quality paint tint jobs for $100-150.

killacam7479

Thanks for the posts.

I went in and talked to the guy this weekend, he said he could give me a discount at $300, but after reading about people using Jon for half the price, I think I'm going to pass on the place.

yxc145

Oh, i was surprised about the window tinting price, too!

I got a quote of $250. When I lived in CA, I had my E class done for $150. I think it's because not many shops here in IL that will do aftermarket stuff for cars.

Azn_C300

yeah, comes down to competition. Tons of shops in CA, so forces them to keep prices down.

wusty

$90 proffesionally smoked. I took them off and brought them to the shop that had them painted for me. It was a deal. It's so easy for them to paint them. Keep shoppin around.