Tinting Windows (Must Read, Free Moleskin) - Page 17 - Acura Forum

blazinginder · 03-20-07, 10:39 PM

I'm located in Central New Jersey and just bought a 2007 TL-S that I want to get tinted...and want to deal only with professional installers that know what they're doing...

....what brands of film do you guys recommend (Huper, Madico, Llumar, 3M etc) and what are some shops in the area that you highly recommend going to

*Acura_Kid* · 03-22-07, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blazinginder

I'm located in Central New Jersey and just bought a 2007 TL-S that I want to get tinted...and want to deal only with professional installers that know what they're doing...

....what brands of film do you guys recommend (Huper, Madico, Llumar, 3M etc) and what are some shops in the area that you highly recommend going to

Huoer is ok, not really useful on the east coast. Llumar and Solargard is good.

donc · 03-23-07, 05:17 PM

I just returned from having my 07 typeS tinted. Went with Llumar 30% and am pleased with the way it looks with the taupe seats and trim. Installer knew about the scratching issue and had moleskin on hand.

blazinginder · 03-23-07, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donc

I just returned from having my 07 typeS tinted. Went with Llumar 30% and am pleased with the way it looks with the taupe seats and trim. Installer knew about the scratching issue and had moleskin on hand.

POST some pics please

blazinginder · 03-27-07, 04:23 PM

I found a tint shop near by that has the Madico Advance Ceramic (MAC) film and has hte MAC3000 which is basically 30%...he quoted me $329 for all four windows and I'm pretty sure he's good at what he does as he does lots of cars for the Ray Catena dealerships which is where I get my mercs from...and even does the boats of Ray Catena himself...the only thing is that moleskin is not included in the price, he said he can either buy it & install it and charge me w/e he pays or I can buy it myself and he'll install it...I'm thinking about just saying $329 including moleskin etc...what do you think ?

*Acura_Kid* · 03-29-07, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blazinginder

I found a tint shop near by that has the Madico Advance Ceramic (MAC) film and has hte MAC3000 which is basically 30%...he quoted me $329 for all four windows and I'm pretty sure he's good at what he does as he does lots of cars for the Ray Catena dealerships which is where I get my mercs from...and even does the boats of Ray Catena himself...the only thing is that moleskin is not included in the price, he said he can either buy it & install it and charge me w/e he pays or I can buy it myself and he'll install it...I'm thinking about just saying $329 including moleskin etc...what do you think ?

tell him $332, because moleskin only costs $3.

TL Lover · 04-18-07, 11:42 PM

I'm still holding out for a recommendation. Can somebody recommend a tint shop in Southern California? Everybody seems to recommend the Whittier tint shop. Anybody heard of them or had a good experience elsewhere?

BigCiX · 04-19-07, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TL Lover

I'm still holding out for a recommendation. Can somebody recommend a tint shop in Southern California? Everybody seems to recommend the Whittier tint shop. Anybody heard of them or had a good experience elsewhere?

im still debating on getting all 5 of mine done. cops out here in cali get crazy sometimes and pull u over.

*Acura_Kid* · 05-08-07, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigCiX

im still debating on getting all 5 of mine done. cops out here in cali get crazy sometimes and pull u over.

if you go ~30% and dont drive like a maroon, they should leave you alone.

petethapitbull · 05-15-07, 07:26 PM

i had 2 of my tl's tinted by a guy who professionally tints for acura dealerships..good friend of mine. what he did was instead of putting in moleskin to protect the tint from scratching, he simply cut out the inner side rubber which does no harm to the car and still keeping the outter rubber in place to reduce wind noise from outside, if havent noticed roll down your windows and you will see two rubber slabs running across the opening of the window. also for the rear quater panel windows he cut the tint big enough (width wise) and with hes fingers slide it into and over the rubber insert thats in between the glass and pillar..hes located in amityville, New York if anyone is interested heres his number (917) 578 0201 and his name is Brad..he has done thousands of cars before, been tinting for 20 years
i have my tl tinted thru him as well, 5% in the rear, 20% in the front, and 50% mercedes benz blue tint on the front windshield

*Acura_Kid* · 05-16-07, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petethapitbull

i had 2 of my tl's tinted by a guy who professionally tints for acura dealerships..good friend of mine. what he did was instead of putting in moleskin to protect the tint from scratching, he simply cut out the inner side rubber which does no harm to the car and still keeping the outter rubber in place to reduce wind noise from outside, if havent noticed roll down your windows and you will see two rubber slabs running across the opening of the window. also for the rear quater panel windows he cut the tint big enough (width wise) and with hes fingers slide it into and over the rubber insert thats in between the glass and pillar..hes located in amityville, New York if anyone is interested heres his number (917) 578 0201 and his name is Brad..he has done thousands of cars before, been tinting for 20 years
i have my tl tinted thru him as well, 5% in the rear, 20% in the front, and 50% mercedes benz blue tint on the front windshield

there is no "outer" rubber. there are 2 inner wipes and with the way they are molded each wipe exerts about the same force onto the glass/tint. cutting one of them out and not putting moleskin on the other just means there is just one wipe that will scratch the tint.

myyott · 05-22-07, 12:26 PM

I had my 2005 TL tinted yesterday and now my XM signal keeps fading in and out. My FM channels also have a noticeably weaker signal. I thought the XM receiver was on the roof. Is the rear window used as an antenna as well? And if I switch out the type of tint is the rear window the only one I need to switch out? I assume I have metallic now and need something else?

flnsx · 06-12-07, 01:42 PM

Remember,

The moleskin that Acura Kid sells is GENERIC.

It is NOT manufactured for the sole purpose of going into a hot humid car door to prevent window tint scratches.

Tint Protector's felt was designed and is produced to LAST for years upon years.

The generic stuff the kid sells you will probably come off and leave glue on your window tint in a matter of months.

I though you should have all the info he won’t give you. Pay $29.95 and get it from Tint Protector ONCE or pay less and do it over and over again.

*Acura_Kid* · 06-14-07, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flnsx

Remember,

The moleskin that Acura Kid sells is GENERIC.

It is NOT manufactured for the sole purpose of going into a hot humid car door to prevent window tint scratches.

Tint Protector's felt was designed and is produced to LAST for years upon years.

The generic stuff the kid sells you will probably come off and leave glue on your window tint in a matter of months.
I though you should have all the info he won’t give you. Pay $29.95 and get it from Tint Protector ONCE or pay less and do it over and over again.

the stuff i have for FREE (did i mention FREE) is used extensively throughout the display cabinet industry and mainly used to line the tracks of sliding glass doors of the cabinets, etc, and as such this moleskin gets 1000x more abuse from the glass sliding on it all the time as opposed to the car door window.

i've been providing this moleskin (aka "felt") since early 2004. some of those who got it from me live in TX and AZ and thus far no one has contacted me saying it came off, etc. the proper prep work is key (as i describe early on in this thread).

so, anyone can spend $$$ for your stuff, or they can get it from me for FREE (did i mention FREE), their choice.

and btw, perhaps you can shed some light on the felt you have, who designed it and who manufacturers it? perhaps give us the design specifications so maybe i can get a sample of it and test it for myself...? can you send me a sample before i buy it??

yosarian · 06-15-07, 01:06 PM

Acura_Kid-
Thanks for this thread and your expertise. I have found it extremely useful and insightful as I am looking to get the windows on my 2003 TL tinted soon. (Black leather interior in NoVa heat is like a broiler, as I would bet it is in everywhere else in the south.) I know that my car isn't a 3rd gen TL, but I thought it would help out anyone else looking to have the tint done in my area.

After deciding I wanted to go with the HuberOptik Ceramic tint (about to have an after market nav installed and I don't want to mess with the signal) I filled out the form on the Huber Optik web site and they sent me the name and contact info for the shop (California Tint in Sterling, Va.) in my area that installs their Ceramic tint. The owner called me that evening and he and I had a 10 minute discussion regarding what I wanted done, how much it would cost, etc.

Since I didn't have the script in front of me, I had to wing it based on what questions I could remember and then emailed him today with some follow-up questions. (His responses are in red, my notes are in blue.)

1. Do you install moleskin? Yes, they do. (Followed-up with 'You said you do install the moleskin on the wipers. Do you remove the door panel to get to the wipers? And is it an additional cost for the moleskin install?')
2. What film brands and series do you carry? (Already knew they carried the Huber Optik, so I ignored this question.)
3. Are these films dyed, ceramic, metallized, or hybrid? (Ignored since I am looking to get the ceramic.)
4. Can you do back window in one piece? (Forgot to ask, was a follow-up question.)
5. Can you tint under the 3rd brake light? No, due to local laws, unless you have a wing on the back (which I don't). I cut around it.
6. Can you tint the quarter glass completely, tucked up tight to the inner molding? Yes. (Follow-up question in email if they soap the moulding.)
7. What warranty does the film and workmanship carry? Lifetime on tint, lifetime on workmanship and the warranties transfer to whom ever I sell the car.
8. Are the warranties in writing on the work order (aka receipt)? (Follow-up email question.)
9. How much will it cost? Normally $680, but he is running a special for it for $520. (Follow-up email asking for how long the special was running and if it was dependant on the percentage of tint-40% all around vs 50% &
35%, etc.)
10. Can I see some of your work? (Follow-up question.)

Other helpful info he provided:
He has 23 years of experience, and his other master tinter has 10 years. They do the work themselves (I assume for this and other high end tints) instead of it being done by someone just starting out. He doesn't use the computer software but rather hand cuts the tint. He can do the 50%/35%/35% (va state laws), 50% all around (i would perfer to make it look even) or even 40% all around if I get a special waiver from my doctor and the DMV. (Must have this prior to getting the tint job done so it will go into the DMV computer and you don't get stopped. I asked him about the the factory tinting affects the percentage of the tint to be installed and he said it was negligable. He said in one case they had to remove it on another car, but usually it's not a problem. (I thought that the windows we tinted as part of the glazing and manufacturing process at the factory, not an actually tinit sheet that was applied. Maybe I was wrong.)
And he said it would take 2 to 3 hours.

I'll let you know what he says and will post pics once I have had it done.

04-18-07, 11:42 PM	#247 (permalink)
TL Lover TL Lover Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: West Covina CA Posts: 2 Your Mood: Car 1: 07 Acura TL	So. Cal tint shops? I'm still holding out for a recommendation. Can somebody recommend a tint shop in Southern California? Everybody seems to recommend the Whittier tint shop. Anybody heard of them or had a good experience elsewhere?

06-15-07, 01:06 PM	#255 (permalink)
yosarian casual reader Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 13 Car 1: 03 Acura TL	Tint quote for 03 Acura TL Acura_Kid- Thanks for this thread and your expertise. I have found it extremely useful and insightful as I am looking to get the windows on my 2003 TL tinted soon. (Black leather interior in NoVa heat is like a broiler, as I would bet it is in everywhere else in the south.) I know that my car isn't a 3rd gen TL, but I thought it would help out anyone else looking to have the tint done in my area. After deciding I wanted to go with the HuberOptik Ceramic tint (about to have an after market nav installed and I don't want to mess with the signal) I filled out the form on the Huber Optik web site and they sent me the name and contact info for the shop (California Tint in Sterling, Va.) in my area that installs their Ceramic tint. The owner called me that evening and he and I had a 10 minute discussion regarding what I wanted done, how much it would cost, etc. Since I didn't have the script in front of me, I had to wing it based on what questions I could remember and then emailed him today with some follow-up questions. (His responses are in red, my notes are in blue.) 1. Do you install moleskin? Yes, they do. (Followed-up with 'You said you do install the moleskin on the wipers. Do you remove the door panel to get to the wipers? And is it an additional cost for the moleskin install?') 2. What film brands and series do you carry? (Already knew they carried the Huber Optik, so I ignored this question.) 3. Are these films dyed, ceramic, metallized, or hybrid? (Ignored since I am looking to get the ceramic.) 4. Can you do back window in one piece? (Forgot to ask, was a follow-up question.) 5. Can you tint under the 3rd brake light? No, due to local laws, unless you have a wing on the back (which I don't). I cut around it. 6. Can you tint the quarter glass completely, tucked up tight to the inner molding? Yes. (Follow-up question in email if they soap the moulding.) 7. What warranty does the film and workmanship carry? Lifetime on tint, lifetime on workmanship and the warranties transfer to whom ever I sell the car. 8. Are the warranties in writing on the work order (aka receipt)? (Follow-up email question.) 9. How much will it cost? Normally $680, but he is running a special for it for $520. (Follow-up email asking for how long the special was running and if it was dependant on the percentage of tint-40% all around vs 50% & 35%, etc.) 10. Can I see some of your work? (Follow-up question.) Other helpful info he provided: He has 23 years of experience, and his other master tinter has 10 years. They do the work themselves (I assume for this and other high end tints) instead of it being done by someone just starting out. He doesn't use the computer software but rather hand cuts the tint. He can do the 50%/35%/35% (va state laws), 50% all around (i would perfer to make it look even) or even 40% all around if I get a special waiver from my doctor and the DMV. (Must have this prior to getting the tint job done so it will go into the DMV computer and you don't get stopped. I asked him about the the factory tinting affects the percentage of the tint to be installed and he said it was negligable. He said in one case they had to remove it on another car, but usually it's not a problem. (I thought that the windows we tinted as part of the glazing and manufacturing process at the factory, not an actually tinit sheet that was applied. Maybe I was wrong.) And he said it would take 2 to 3 hours. I'll let you know what he says and will post pics once I have had it done.

03-20-07, 10:39 PM	#241 (permalink)
blazinginder Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 9 Car 1: Acura TL-S Car 2: Merc SL Car 3: Lexus LS	I'm located in Central New Jersey and just bought a 2007 TL-S that I want to get tinted...and want to deal only with professional installers that know what they're doing... ....what brands of film do you guys recommend (Huper, Madico, Llumar, 3M etc) and what are some shops in the area that you highly recommend going to

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03-23-07, 05:17 PM	#243 (permalink)
donc Acuraworld Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 28 Your Mood: Car 1: 05 S2000 Car 2: 07 TL TypeS	I just returned from having my 07 typeS tinted. Went with Llumar 30% and am pleased with the way it looks with the taupe seats and trim. Installer knew about the scratching issue and had moleskin on hand.

03-27-07, 04:23 PM	#245 (permalink)
blazinginder Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 9 Car 1: Acura TL-S Car 2: Merc SL Car 3: Lexus LS	I found a tint shop near by that has the Madico Advance Ceramic (MAC) film and has hte MAC3000 which is basically 30%...he quoted me $329 for all four windows and I'm pretty sure he's good at what he does as he does lots of cars for the Ray Catena dealerships which is where I get my mercs from...and even does the boats of Ray Catena himself...the only thing is that moleskin is not included in the price, he said he can either buy it & install it and charge me w/e he pays or I can buy it myself and he'll install it...I'm thinking about just saying $329 including moleskin etc...what do you think ?

05-15-07, 07:26 PM	#250 (permalink)
petethapitbull Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 2 Your Mood: Car 1: 2005 Acura TL w/ Nav	i had 2 of my tl's tinted by a guy who professionally tints for acura dealerships..good friend of mine. what he did was instead of putting in moleskin to protect the tint from scratching, he simply cut out the inner side rubber which does no harm to the car and still keeping the outter rubber in place to reduce wind noise from outside, if havent noticed roll down your windows and you will see two rubber slabs running across the opening of the window. also for the rear quater panel windows he cut the tint big enough (width wise) and with hes fingers slide it into and over the rubber insert thats in between the glass and pillar..hes located in amityville, New York if anyone is interested heres his number (917) 578 0201 and his name is Brad..he has done thousands of cars before, been tinting for 20 years i have my tl tinted thru him as well, 5% in the rear, 20% in the front, and 50% mercedes benz blue tint on the front windshield

05-22-07, 12:26 PM	#252 (permalink)
myyott Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1 Car 1: Acura TL 2005	I had my 2005 TL tinted yesterday and now my XM signal keeps fading in and out. My FM channels also have a noticeably weaker signal. I thought the XM receiver was on the roof. Is the rear window used as an antenna as well? And if I switch out the type of tint is the rear window the only one I need to switch out? I assume I have metallic now and need something else?

06-12-07, 01:42 PM	#253 (permalink)
flnsx Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 19	Remember, The moleskin that Acura Kid sells is GENERIC. It is NOT manufactured for the sole purpose of going into a hot humid car door to prevent window tint scratches. Tint Protector's felt was designed and is produced to LAST for years upon years. The generic stuff the kid sells you will probably come off and leave glue on your window tint in a matter of months. I though you should have all the info he won’t give you. Pay $29.95 and get it from Tint Protector ONCE or pay less and do it over and over again.