window tint
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 2,191
Likes: 82
window tint
Has anyone had their windows tinted and where did you take it and how much did it cost and about how long installation wait? I hate leaving the car alone. They have those precut window films but you have to make sure the windows perfectly clean as well as weatherstripping or dirt gets caught underneath. I did the 20-30$ ebay precut window tint on a 95 and 98 z28 and came out good both side windows and rears. Didn't have any issues and the tint was cut already to size. The hard part is getting it tucked under the inside rubber trim or weatherstripping. Debating doing the precut window tint at home on the sides one person that does this off the market place said they had to 2 cut section it but i dont believe so the f-bodies rear window has the same contour worst thing would be a line crease in the middle.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 776
Likes: 246
From: KY
$300 at my local shop and he did 2 sides and hatch in about 2 hours. I wouldn't take my car to a person advertising on FB Marketplace. A good tint shop has enough word of mouth business that there should be a wait list.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 2,191
Likes: 82
I think mother used to have tint and alarm special or 100$ window tinting. Id do it myself with the precut tint make sure all surfaces are clean the backside soaked will get minor particles stuck to it.
T2T SUPPORTER
Joined: Jul 2013
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From: NNCC No Name Car Crew; Owned 1 C2, 2 C3's, 1 C4, 3 C5's, 1 C6, 2 C7's; Now '86, '03; S. DE
2024 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
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St. Jude Donor '21-'22-'23-'24-'25-'26
Unless you really feel competent enough to take that project on yourself, well best of luck. Being that I am not one to tackle that myself, I left it up to established pros that their end product speaks for itself. Worrying about leaving your car alone while having work completed in a professional shop? Not to worry, that's why you take it to a 5 star rated business. Most likely they've done way more expensive cars than a Vette.
Choose your shop wisely, good luck.
Choose your shop wisely, good luck.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 2,191
Likes: 82
LOl i i did my 95 z28 and 98 z28 in 2008-2009 when i was 18-19 with the ebay precut window tint it came out great. One time i think i did make the mistake of not stretching our the rear window and it left a small crease in rear hatch across middle. SOme window tinters want to do a 2 piece for countoured sections like that. On a 2007 g6 just last year i made a mistake of not rinsing out the window tint spray bottle that was sitting on the shelf for years and the tint came out with a bunch of backside lower particles on the 4 door sedan. Not bad as im trying to prevent seeing in the dd 07 g6 but nothing i would want on a corvette.
Last edited by Justin Raney; Mar 13, 2022 at 06:18 PM.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 250
Likes: 137
From: Round Lake, IL
Get some recommendations from the regional forums or a local Facebook group or something. Leaving the car shouldn't be a big deal. Our C5s are no more valuable than the cars these shops deal with on a routine basis. A lot of detail shops will do tint as well since they are familiar with PPF.
The real concern is if the shop has dealt with the gradient on the back glass at the top - I've seen some crap jobs and the tint just doesn't want to stick well there. I talked to a guy at a car show that owned a tint shop and he said that part can be challenging but with a little extra attention it can be done pretty well.
The real concern is if the shop has dealt with the gradient on the back glass at the top - I've seen some crap jobs and the tint just doesn't want to stick well there. I talked to a guy at a car show that owned a tint shop and he said that part can be challenging but with a little extra attention it can be done pretty well.
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 2,191
Likes: 82
Get some recommendations from the regional forums or a local Facebook group or something. Leaving the car shouldn't be a big deal. Our C5s are no more valuable than the cars these shops deal with on a routine basis. A lot of detail shops will do tint as well since they are familiar with PPF.
The real concern is if the shop has dealt with the gradient on the back glass at the top - I've seen some crap jobs and the tint just doesn't want to stick well there. I talked to a guy at a car show that owned a tint shop and he said that part can be challenging but with a little extra attention it can be done pretty well.
The real concern is if the shop has dealt with the gradient on the back glass at the top - I've seen some crap jobs and the tint just doesn't want to stick well there. I talked to a guy at a car show that owned a tint shop and he said that part can be challenging but with a little extra attention it can be done pretty well.
Night Owl for life
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 24,725
Likes: 4,564
From: Bugs Bunny should'a made a left turn here
A year or so after I got the car, I found a local guy who tinted windows out of his house. I drove over and let him do his business while I walked down to the local 7-11 for a big gulp. By the time I walked back he was pretty much finished and I was on my way.
I had him put on 20% all around and haven't had any issues since. (Don't remember what he charged me though)
I had him put on 20% all around and haven't had any issues since. (Don't remember what he charged me though)
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 4,308
Likes: 3,455
From: Somewhere, Florida
St. Jude Donor '20-'21-'22-'23-'24
You drive a C5, not a Ferrari. The car will be fine at a shop. Window tint is such an annoyingly finicky thing, I'd rather drop it off at a shop and be done with it. You're definitely going to get better quality film than an online DIY kit will provide, and if there are any issues, the shop will take care of it.
Saving pennies isn't always worth it.
Saving pennies isn't always worth it.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,864
Likes: 4,667
You drive a C5, not a Ferrari. The car will be fine at a shop. Window tint is such an annoyingly finicky thing, I'd rather drop it off at a shop and be done with it. You're definitely going to get better quality film than an online DIY kit will provide, and if there are any issues, the shop will take care of it.
Saving pennies isn't always worth it.
Saving pennies isn't always worth it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 8,342
Likes: 489
From: WI
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 4,308
Likes: 3,455
From: Somewhere, Florida
St. Jude Donor '20-'21-'22-'23-'24
Something like that.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 5,602
Likes: 3,322
From: Virginia
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '21-'22
There are few things I hate more on a car than a bad tint job. It really doesn't cost that much to get it done professionally. The pros WILL do a better job than you! Talk to them before you have the job done to make sure you both are on the same page as far as expectations.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 2,191
Likes: 82
After looking at this the front windows seem they would be easy to tint. There is nothing above the glass so you can use the 30$ ebay precut window tent and should work pretty good. The only part would be removing the door panel so the back of the tint doesn't grab any particles on the bottom when trying to tuck the tint under the lower internal weather stripping. It could pick up some dirt from the front minnor rubber by the mirror is where i see the problem could be as its hard to use the window tint scraper in that area to ensure the film fits smoothly. The back glass would just have one crease line which should'nt be too hard or look that bad once finished. Now that i think of it the 95 and 98 z28 i had did with precut window tint came out great and is about the same as corvette windows.
So for preparation of window tint clean the glass and rubber weather stripping real well and use baby shampoo in a spray bottle?
So for preparation of window tint clean the glass and rubber weather stripping real well and use baby shampoo in a spray bottle?
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,864
Likes: 4,667
Justin, the pro tint job I had done years ago left a a small margin of clear glass at the edges of the door windows. It's maybe 1/16" of clear glass all the way across the top of the windows. Doesn't show with them up, or all the way down. Thinking they did this so the tint edge didn't rub against the weatherstripping every time the windows were rolled up. Hope this helps you some......