Windshield Tint
07-16-2009, 10:40 AM
#1
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Windshield Tint
Hopefully someone could chime in on my situation . .
I had my front windshield tinted (35%) this past Saturday and for the past couple of days I've noticed that there are "ripples" throughout the entire window. Those ripples result in everything to appear blurry . . highway signs, lights, cars, etc. It gets even worse by night. I contacted the owner of the shop and he told me to give it two weeks so that the water underneath the tint could dry. He also kept emphasizing that the front windshield was "heat treated", I honestly didn't catch the part where it had any relation to the ripples on the tint. I have my side and rear window tinted (20%) and the visibility through them is clear as day. Those windows were done at a completely different place a few months back.
Does anyone have any experience with tinted windshields? Does it really take 2 weeks before the ripples/water disappear . . Or is this guy just pulling my chain.
I had my front windshield tinted (35%) this past Saturday and for the past couple of days I've noticed that there are "ripples" throughout the entire window. Those ripples result in everything to appear blurry . . highway signs, lights, cars, etc. It gets even worse by night. I contacted the owner of the shop and he told me to give it two weeks so that the water underneath the tint could dry. He also kept emphasizing that the front windshield was "heat treated", I honestly didn't catch the part where it had any relation to the ripples on the tint. I have my side and rear window tinted (20%) and the visibility through them is clear as day. Those windows were done at a completely different place a few months back.
Does anyone have any experience with tinted windshields? Does it really take 2 weeks before the ripples/water disappear . . Or is this guy just pulling my chain.
07-16-2009, 10:57 AM
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1953 300 Adenauer, 1971 300 SEL 6.3, 1975 600, 1978 450 6.9
In general....
Hopefully someone could chime in on my situation . .
I had my front windshield tinted (35%) this past Saturday and for the past couple of days I've noticed that there are "ripples" throughout the entire window. Those ripples result in everything to appear blurry . . highway signs, lights, cars, etc. It gets even worse by night. I contacted the owner of the shop and he told me to give it two weeks so that the water underneath the tint could dry. He also kept emphasizing that the front windshield was "heat treated", I honestly didn't catch the part where it had any relation to the ripples on the tint. I have my side and rear window tinted (20%) and the visibility through them is clear as day. Those windows were done at a completely different place a few months back.
Does anyone have any experience with tinted windshields? Does it really take 2 weeks before the ripples/water disappear . . Or is this guy just pulling my chain.
I had my front windshield tinted (35%) this past Saturday and for the past couple of days I've noticed that there are "ripples" throughout the entire window. Those ripples result in everything to appear blurry . . highway signs, lights, cars, etc. It gets even worse by night. I contacted the owner of the shop and he told me to give it two weeks so that the water underneath the tint could dry. He also kept emphasizing that the front windshield was "heat treated", I honestly didn't catch the part where it had any relation to the ripples on the tint. I have my side and rear window tinted (20%) and the visibility through them is clear as day. Those windows were done at a completely different place a few months back.
Does anyone have any experience with tinted windshields? Does it really take 2 weeks before the ripples/water disappear . . Or is this guy just pulling my chain.
Did you check on the legality of your tinted windshield in your state? You are decreasing your visibility by 65% and methinks that is illegal in every state - at least without a medical certification.
07-16-2009, 12:45 PM
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07-16-2009, 01:02 PM
#5
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Just like clear bras and headlight films, the hazy appearance (which emphasizes any bubbles) will disappate in a week. Park it in the sun which will speed up the process.
With window tints I would be very concerned as it is a sign of a poor install. There shouldn't be any bubbles at all, and over time it will get worse like you see on many cheap or DIY installs. If they can't redo it (it should be an easy job for them), ensure you get a lifetime warranty in writing.
With window tints I would be very concerned as it is a sign of a poor install. There shouldn't be any bubbles at all, and over time it will get worse like you see on many cheap or DIY installs. If they can't redo it (it should be an easy job for them), ensure you get a lifetime warranty in writing.
07-16-2009, 02:14 PM
#6
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...it does take some time for tint to "cure" and to have all of the water evaporate and bubbles to disappear - the same should hold true for all windows in your car - not just the windshield.
Did you check on the legality of your tinted windshield in your state? You are decreasing your visibility by 65% and methinks that is illegal in every state - at least without a medical certification.
Did you check on the legality of your tinted windshield in your state? You are decreasing your visibility by 65% and methinks that is illegal in every state - at least without a medical certification.
the 35% you are referring to is the amount of light that the film prevents from passing through it from the outside in....as to your ability to see through the film, that decrease in visibility is substantially less due to the constant nature of the lighting outside of the car..
Last edited by AMGTTV8; 07-16-2009 at 02:25 PM.
07-16-2009, 02:20 PM
#7
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Hopefully someone could chime in on my situation . .
I had my front windshield tinted (35%) this past Saturday and for the past couple of days I've noticed that there are "ripples" throughout the entire window. Those ripples result in everything to appear blurry . . highway signs, lights, cars, etc. It gets even worse by night. I contacted the owner of the shop and he told me to give it two weeks so that the water underneath the tint could dry. He also kept emphasizing that the front windshield was "heat treated", I honestly didn't catch the part where it had any relation to the ripples on the tint. I have my side and rear window tinted (20%) and the visibility through them is clear as day. Those windows were done at a completely different place a few months back.
Does anyone have any experience with tinted windshields? Does it really take 2 weeks before the ripples/water disappear . . Or is this guy just pulling my chain.
I had my front windshield tinted (35%) this past Saturday and for the past couple of days I've noticed that there are "ripples" throughout the entire window. Those ripples result in everything to appear blurry . . highway signs, lights, cars, etc. It gets even worse by night. I contacted the owner of the shop and he told me to give it two weeks so that the water underneath the tint could dry. He also kept emphasizing that the front windshield was "heat treated", I honestly didn't catch the part where it had any relation to the ripples on the tint. I have my side and rear window tinted (20%) and the visibility through them is clear as day. Those windows were done at a completely different place a few months back.
Does anyone have any experience with tinted windshields? Does it really take 2 weeks before the ripples/water disappear . . Or is this guy just pulling my chain.
as to your problems with visibility, the "haze" or "hue" that you may see is a result of the water/soap solution that they use to maneuver the film while positioning it on your window and this does go away with time, as do most of the bubbles...
HOWEVER, i think you may be referring to something that has happened to me several times - wavy spots that distort what you are seeing. these are a result of having to shrink the film with a heat-gun to match the curvature of the windshield and will not go away with time...the tint thickness varies in these areas where heat was applied and that results in the blur..
if it looks like a halo under proper conditions with lines moving out from the center then it's not going away...
let me know your thoughts...
if you don't heat/shrink and stretch a surface uniformly you certainly wont be able to see out of it properly...this is why windows come out so much better - they are flat and don't usually need shrinking - tint applied to a windshield typically needs shrinking everywhere but the very middle...i assume this is where your spots are
Last edited by AMGTTV8; 07-16-2009 at 02:23 PM.
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07-16-2009, 09:12 PM
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1953 300 Adenauer, 1971 300 SEL 6.3, 1975 600, 1978 450 6.9
Totally false....
the 35% you are referring to is the amount of light that the film prevents from passing through it from the outside in....as to your ability to see through the film, that decrease in visibility is substantially less due to the constant nature of the lighting outside of the car..
NY allows the windshield to be tinted to 70% (VLT) only - more with a medical exemption.
New York State: section 375 article 12
(a) Every motor vehicle, except a motorcycle, when driven or operated upon a public highway, road or street shall be equipped with a front windshield in a fixed and more or less upright position constructed of safety glass as defined in subdivision fourteen of this section and required by subdivision eleven and twelve hereof. No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any sign or other nontransparent material other than a certificate or paper required to be displayed by law upon the front windshield or the sidewings or side windows on either side forward of or adjacent to the operator's seat.
(b) No person shall operate any motor vehicle upon any public highway road or street:
(1) the front windshield of which is composed of, covered by or treated with any material which has a light transmittance of less than seventy percent unless such materials are limited to the uppermost six inches of the windshield; or
(2) the sidewings or side windows on either side forward of or adjacent to the operator's seat are composed of, covered by or treated with any material which has a light transmittance of less than seventy percent; or
(3) if it is classified as a station wagon, sedan, hardtop, coupe, hatchback or convertible and any rear side window has a light transmittance of less than seventy percent; or
(4) the rear of which is composed of, covered by or treated with any material which has a light transmittance of less than seventy percent. A rear window may have a light transmittance of less than seventy percent if the vehicle is equipped with side mirrors on both sides of the vehicle so adjusted that the driver thereof shall have a clear and full view of the road and condition of traffic behind such vehicle.
(c) Any person required for medical reasons to be shielded from the direct rays of the sun and/or any person operating a motor vehicle belonging to to such person or in which such person is an habitual passenger shall be exempt from the provisions of subparagraphs one and two of paragraph (b) of this subdivision provided the commisioner has granted an exemption and notice of such exemption is affixed to the vehicle as directed by the commisioner. If such exemption is granted, the commisioner shall make record thereof and shall distribute a sufficiently noticable sticker to the applicant to be attached to any window so shielded or altered pursuant to such exemption.
(d) The commisioner may test any window for a person who has been charged with violating this subdivision. If such window is found to be in conformity with this subdivision, a small label attesting to the conformity shall be affixed to the window tested.
(e) On and after January first, nineteen hundred ninety-two no person shall manufacture, sell, offer for sale, equip or operate a motor vehicle in this state in violation of the provisions of this subdivision, except that a person may operate a nineteen hundred ninety-one or earlier model year vehicle without violating this subdivision if the windows on said vehicle were in conformity with this subdivision as it existed on December thity-first nineteen hundered ninety-one.
07-16-2009, 09:56 PM
#9
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Tint is measured by the amount of light that is transmitted. Accordingly 35% tint blocks 65% of the light transmission.
NY allows the windshield to be tinted to 70% (VLT) only - more with a medical exemption.
New York State: section 375 article 12
(a) Every motor vehicle, except a motorcycle, when driven or operated upon a public highway, road or street shall be equipped with a front windshield in a fixed and more or less upright position constructed of safety glass as defined in subdivision fourteen of this section and required by subdivision eleven and twelve hereof. No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any sign or other nontransparent material other than a certificate or paper required to be displayed by law upon the front windshield or the sidewings or side windows on either side forward of or adjacent to the operator's seat.
(b) No person shall operate any motor vehicle upon any public highway road or street:
(1) the front windshield of which is composed of, covered by or treated with any material which has a light transmittance of less than seventy percent unless such materials are limited to the uppermost six inches of the windshield; or
(2) the sidewings or side windows on either side forward of or adjacent to the operator's seat are composed of, covered by or treated with any material which has a light transmittance of less than seventy percent; or
(3) if it is classified as a station wagon, sedan, hardtop, coupe, hatchback or convertible and any rear side window has a light transmittance of less than seventy percent; or
(4) the rear of which is composed of, covered by or treated with any material which has a light transmittance of less than seventy percent. A rear window may have a light transmittance of less than seventy percent if the vehicle is equipped with side mirrors on both sides of the vehicle so adjusted that the driver thereof shall have a clear and full view of the road and condition of traffic behind such vehicle.
(c) Any person required for medical reasons to be shielded from the direct rays of the sun and/or any person operating a motor vehicle belonging to to such person or in which such person is an habitual passenger shall be exempt from the provisions of subparagraphs one and two of paragraph (b) of this subdivision provided the commisioner has granted an exemption and notice of such exemption is affixed to the vehicle as directed by the commisioner. If such exemption is granted, the commisioner shall make record thereof and shall distribute a sufficiently noticable sticker to the applicant to be attached to any window so shielded or altered pursuant to such exemption.
(d) The commisioner may test any window for a person who has been charged with violating this subdivision. If such window is found to be in conformity with this subdivision, a small label attesting to the conformity shall be affixed to the window tested.
(e) On and after January first, nineteen hundred ninety-two no person shall manufacture, sell, offer for sale, equip or operate a motor vehicle in this state in violation of the provisions of this subdivision, except that a person may operate a nineteen hundred ninety-one or earlier model year vehicle without violating this subdivision if the windows on said vehicle were in conformity with this subdivision as it existed on December thity-first nineteen hundered ninety-one.
NY allows the windshield to be tinted to 70% (VLT) only - more with a medical exemption.
New York State: section 375 article 12
(a) Every motor vehicle, except a motorcycle, when driven or operated upon a public highway, road or street shall be equipped with a front windshield in a fixed and more or less upright position constructed of safety glass as defined in subdivision fourteen of this section and required by subdivision eleven and twelve hereof. No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any sign or other nontransparent material other than a certificate or paper required to be displayed by law upon the front windshield or the sidewings or side windows on either side forward of or adjacent to the operator's seat.
(b) No person shall operate any motor vehicle upon any public highway road or street:
(1) the front windshield of which is composed of, covered by or treated with any material which has a light transmittance of less than seventy percent unless such materials are limited to the uppermost six inches of the windshield; or
(2) the sidewings or side windows on either side forward of or adjacent to the operator's seat are composed of, covered by or treated with any material which has a light transmittance of less than seventy percent; or
(3) if it is classified as a station wagon, sedan, hardtop, coupe, hatchback or convertible and any rear side window has a light transmittance of less than seventy percent; or
(4) the rear of which is composed of, covered by or treated with any material which has a light transmittance of less than seventy percent. A rear window may have a light transmittance of less than seventy percent if the vehicle is equipped with side mirrors on both sides of the vehicle so adjusted that the driver thereof shall have a clear and full view of the road and condition of traffic behind such vehicle.
(c) Any person required for medical reasons to be shielded from the direct rays of the sun and/or any person operating a motor vehicle belonging to to such person or in which such person is an habitual passenger shall be exempt from the provisions of subparagraphs one and two of paragraph (b) of this subdivision provided the commisioner has granted an exemption and notice of such exemption is affixed to the vehicle as directed by the commisioner. If such exemption is granted, the commisioner shall make record thereof and shall distribute a sufficiently noticable sticker to the applicant to be attached to any window so shielded or altered pursuant to such exemption.
(d) The commisioner may test any window for a person who has been charged with violating this subdivision. If such window is found to be in conformity with this subdivision, a small label attesting to the conformity shall be affixed to the window tested.
(e) On and after January first, nineteen hundred ninety-two no person shall manufacture, sell, offer for sale, equip or operate a motor vehicle in this state in violation of the provisions of this subdivision, except that a person may operate a nineteen hundred ninety-one or earlier model year vehicle without violating this subdivision if the windows on said vehicle were in conformity with this subdivision as it existed on December thity-first nineteen hundered ninety-one.
07-17-2009, 02:10 AM
#10
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Thread Starter
I am well aware of the NYS Law that prohibits tints under 70%. I've been lucky enough to not have received any violations for tints for the past couple of years on my cars.
WWM, I sincerely appreciate all the information you gave me, along with everybody else. I'll give it a couple of weeks and see if the visibility improves and if the ripples dry out. There aren't any halo spots anywhere on the windshield.
I'll take a picture of the windshield for reference tomorrow.
WWM, I sincerely appreciate all the information you gave me, along with everybody else. I'll give it a couple of weeks and see if the visibility improves and if the ripples dry out. There aren't any halo spots anywhere on the windshield.
I'll take a picture of the windshield for reference tomorrow.
07-17-2009, 06:09 AM
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That's very odd. I also have my whole windshield tinted and did no see any haze.
When I first got my windshield tinted, it did have bubbles but that will go away in 3-4 days. What cures it better is if your leave your car in the sun for the 3-4 days after it was tinted.
It only took my windshield 3 days and then all the bubbles were gone. Maybe the window tint shop did a quick job? Also, Do you know what type of tint film that was being used to tint your windshield. I had 30% on my windshield and saw that it was not dark enough in the daytime, so I stripped it and got it retinted to 15% percent.
When I first got my windshield tinted, it did have bubbles but that will go away in 3-4 days. What cures it better is if your leave your car in the sun for the 3-4 days after it was tinted.
It only took my windshield 3 days and then all the bubbles were gone. Maybe the window tint shop did a quick job? Also, Do you know what type of tint film that was being used to tint your windshield. I had 30% on my windshield and saw that it was not dark enough in the daytime, so I stripped it and got it retinted to 15% percent.
07-17-2009, 07:07 AM
#12
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That's very odd. I also have my whole windshield tinted and did no see any haze.
When I first got my windshield tinted, it did have bubbles but that will go away in 3-4 days. What cures it better is if your leave your car in the sun for the 3-4 days after it was tinted.
It only took my windshield 3 days and then all the bubbles were gone. Maybe the window tint shop did a quick job? Also, Do you know what type of tint film that was being used to tint your windshield. I had 30% on my windshield and saw that it was not dark enough in the daytime, so I stripped it and got it retinted to 15% percent.
When I first got my windshield tinted, it did have bubbles but that will go away in 3-4 days. What cures it better is if your leave your car in the sun for the 3-4 days after it was tinted.
It only took my windshield 3 days and then all the bubbles were gone. Maybe the window tint shop did a quick job? Also, Do you know what type of tint film that was being used to tint your windshield. I had 30% on my windshield and saw that it was not dark enough in the daytime, so I stripped it and got it retinted to 15% percent.
07-17-2009, 09:45 PM
#13
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Thread Starter
That's very odd. I also have my whole windshield tinted and did no see any haze.
When I first got my windshield tinted, it did have bubbles but that will go away in 3-4 days. What cures it better is if your leave your car in the sun for the 3-4 days after it was tinted.
It only took my windshield 3 days and then all the bubbles were gone. Maybe the window tint shop did a quick job? Also, Do you know what type of tint film that was being used to tint your windshield. I had 30% on my windshield and saw that it was not dark enough in the daytime, so I stripped it and got it retinted to 15% percent.
When I first got my windshield tinted, it did have bubbles but that will go away in 3-4 days. What cures it better is if your leave your car in the sun for the 3-4 days after it was tinted.
It only took my windshield 3 days and then all the bubbles were gone. Maybe the window tint shop did a quick job? Also, Do you know what type of tint film that was being used to tint your windshield. I had 30% on my windshield and saw that it was not dark enough in the daytime, so I stripped it and got it retinted to 15% percent.
Funny that my previous shop charges the same amount for the job as this new one . . I was just curious how well of a job they do since they've got a decent reputation around here.
I'll give it another week and if the haze doesn't go away I'll have them strip the tint and return my $$$.
07-17-2009, 10:04 PM
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C350 and a Lightning.
Wow, I had no idea that it was legal to tint your windshield in any state.
Learn something every day on this wonderful world wide web.
Sorry, here in California everything is ilegal.
Carry on.
Learn something every day on this wonderful world wide web.
Sorry, here in California everything is ilegal.
Carry on.
07-17-2009, 10:15 PM
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07-17-2009, 10:20 PM
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07-18-2009, 12:35 AM
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Its a huge difference when i had my 30 percent at night, when i strip it to get it 15% i had left the windshield untinted for a week and i saw a huge difference. The only reason that i got my windshield tinted so dark is because i have a medical problem with my eye.
07-18-2009, 12:38 AM
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From what I was told, they use SolarGuard. I've noticed a huge difference in quality between my side/rear window and my front windshield. I guess I made a mistake in trying a different shop to do the job for me
Funny that my previous shop charges the same amount for the job as this new one . . I was just curious how well of a job they do since they've got a decent reputation around here.
I'll give it another week and if the haze doesn't go away I'll have them strip the tint and return my $$$.
Funny that my previous shop charges the same amount for the job as this new one . . I was just curious how well of a job they do since they've got a decent reputation around here.
I'll give it another week and if the haze doesn't go away I'll have them strip the tint and return my $$$.
Did the tint shop metion anything about if it still bubbles or haze they'll strip it and redo it for free?
Because tint shop where i got my tint done told me that if it still have bubbles past the 3-4 days period, they told me to bring it back and they'll redo it for me for free.
07-18-2009, 12:38 AM
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C350 and a Lightning.
Ok, my bad. I thought I was reading that the state of NY allowed some tint, but I just re-read the post.
oops.
In Indonesia, people will limo tint the windshield except for a thin strip across the eye level of the driver. Crazy.
oops.
In Indonesia, people will limo tint the windshield except for a thin strip across the eye level of the driver. Crazy.
07-18-2009, 12:41 AM
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I have limo all around besides my front windshield and truthfully i can barely see out the window at night sometimes!
07-18-2009, 01:47 AM
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07-18-2009, 04:11 AM
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^ Oh okay, then you should be in the clear. If it doesn't go away bring it back and get it redone. But it usually doesn't take weeks for it to get done drying. It only took me 3 days.
07-18-2009, 04:11 PM
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Audi A4 1.9 TDI 2002, MB C200 CDI 2004, MB C220 CDI 2009
Solar Guard is low, try Llumar AIR75 for windshield.
http://www.llumar.com/en/AutoSpecifications.aspx
See global for AIR75.
http://www.llumar.com/en/AutoSpecifications.aspx
See global for AIR75.
Last edited by eminnet; 07-18-2009 at 04:13 PM.
07-18-2009, 04:39 PM
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2008 ML63 2009 SL63 2010 Alpha 7 GTR
TINT
I have my car tinted limo...5% on the sides and back and 35% on the windshield. I have never heard of having such bubbles and wrinkles in the windshield. They should have used the heat gun a little long to help the tint cure faster. They are pulling your chain telling you that it takes 2-3 weeks to cure. Unless your in the north pole with negative temps and no sunlight. Whatever you guys do always use Lumar window tint!!!
