Window Tinting

I've been thinking about tinting my windows soon. I'm getting 32% up front (cops are giving tickets for anything not legal) and not sure about the back yet (I've got the "privacy rear windows" w/ factory tint). I like the look of the tint, but I offroad... a lot. I was wondering if it would screw up my tint a lot if I rolled down the windows after they were covered in mud. Would it scratch up the tint? Would I need to keep them closed the whole time until I wash the windows off again? I'm hoping to get them tinted soon, so any help is appreciated. Thanks, Bryan

 

[mynameisaric]

if i'm not mistaken, the tint is applied on the inside of the door. thus the mud should never contact it.

 

[ExplorerDMB]

yeah mud shouldn't be an issue. The film is on the inside

-Drew

 

[Jason94sport]

The stock tint on most(all I think) 1st gens is a bronze color. The front 2 windows will never match the rear completely. Most of the time the rear will look more shiney(like a mirror) & the front 2 windows will look dark.

I have 35% on all sides then 15% on the front 2 windows.(It's like having 15% all around) It matches well, but you can tell in some lighting conditions that the match is off.
An option is to get the windows from a junk X from 95+ that have the black stock tint.
If you go 35% on the front 2 windows only, that will match best with the rear.

 

[dreamr]

Mud is not an issue, but heavy dust can be if you get a low quality tint.


Are you planning on paying a pro or doing it yourself?

Most professionals use 3m or equivalant quality which has a few grades of scratch resistance....

If you are doing it yourself buy the tint from a tint shop. That at the Auto parts store is not worth your time.... It'll work in a clean commuter, but not in a vehicle thet gets dirty.....

If you can not tell I have never owned a car without tint, and neither has any of my family thanks to my brother and I's habit of tinting all their windows.

Cheap tint sucked in my dad and brothers trucks (Hunting Rigs) It just got scratched to hell. We went to a more expensive metalicized (no not reflective) tint offered by 3m and they never had an issue. In fact my Step Brother actually still owns a Ranger of my Dads. That tint is 15 years old and still looks great. Though slightly faded. I should mention that this truck has only seen a garage for repairs. It sits in the sun year round.

On the other hand the '72 Mach 1 of my moms.....We used cheap 15%. It still is not scratched that bad but has faded to purple and is a bit milky in places. We did that tint job about 14 years ago, and the car is garage kept and rarely driven.

 

[bmxking5]

Thanks for the info. That's good to know. I've had about 4 of my friends get pulled over for 5 or 15% tint. Not worth it to me....especially when I'd probably get busted for breaking this law: "bumper is to be no more than 2" above or below factory height" I want to have a shop do it because they can get better stuff, and match the front and rear a lot better than I could

BTW Dreamr....if you're mom needs anyone to drive the 72 sometime I'd be happy to (after all Washington state isn't too far from GA )

 

[dreamr]

BTW Dreamr....if you're mom needs anyone to drive the 72 sometime I'd be happy to (after all Washington state isn't too far from GA )

The only time I was allowed to drive it was right after my Cousin and I finished the underhood resto/mod.. Currently it is garaged in Idaho.

My parents always told me it was too much car for me

One night my mom and dad went out to eat on a Friday. I was out on the "cruise" hangin out with my fellow gear heads. My dad rolled in and piped off a bit (351 C through side pipes :drool. Of course after that my buddies who had not seen the car had to check it out. In the process my cousin convinced him to run my 5.0 Notch. Sadly my dad got his ass handed to him by my 5.0.

Still If I asked to drive it it was too much car for me