Window tinting - are my expectations too high?

[DrytheRain]

Hi all.

I got my 110 tinted today at an independent place in town and they used a 'Sunsmart' UV reduction tint, which is not the darkest tint they offer, but more of a middle grey tint. I believe I had the same tint on my last car (done through the dealer) and was very happy with the result. I've searched the forum and can't find any discussion relating to my issue.

I picked the car up this afternoon and without studying it, it all looked good. However, as I was driving home it was getting dark, and when I glanced over my shoulder while merging off a roundabout, I noticed in my peripheral vision that there was a gap in the tint at the top of the Alpine window. It was getting too dark to do a proper check by the time I got home, but from what I could see, there are little gaps around the tint film on the alpine windows, at least one of the little fixed windows in the rear doors, and on all three rear windows. Also, the outer panes of the sliding windows are only tinted up to where they overlap, although this is not really so much of an issue.

I was expecting the tint to be basically imperceptible in the sense that it would run neatly to the edges of all the windows and may even be tucked under the edges of the seals, although I'm totally clueless when it comes to the technicalities of window tinting. I also acknowledge that the Defender's construction is completely different to modern vehicles. So, I put it to you all, do I have unreasonably high expectations of how my car should be tinted, or is the work sub-par?

Cheers.

[Cracka]

I can say that when I picked my deefa up from a Sydney dealer, bear in mind I'm a 5 odd hour drive from this dealer and had flown up to get the car. I had arranged to have the windows tinted by them. I specifically told them I wanted the alpine windows tinted, "No problem" I was told. Well when I arrived lo and behold, they weren't tinted. The BS excuse was because of the type of glass they were made of, yeah right.

Well I bought it home and spoke to one of my local car window specialists and had them tint them. They actually popped the windows out and tinted them, once dry replaced them and I had them run some mastic around the seal as it can be a water ingress point, all good.

On your other windows though, in my experience they can never get the tint hard up to a hard edge just due to the nature of cutting the tint up to the rubber seal, but it should be minimal.

I have had some horrific tint jobs done here by another mob, over 3 cars (he was the only one here at the time) every one had to have some of the tint re-done as it was scratched by his smoothing tool

The last straw with him was with a used 4 runner I had I wanted all of the windows tinted, they have a factory brown tint on the rear side windows. I asked if he could do these as I wanted the windows all the same grey colour, he told me he could, it would just be darker.

When I picked up the car I inspected it as usual. Well the clown did scratch these 2 side windows, not the tint but the actual glass where he had used a razor to scrape the glass to ensure it was clean. He told me because the glass was factory tinted, and curved, it was actually a softer type of glass. Well these were a mess, believe me. Well the upshot is he had to replace the 2 windows at a cost to him of about $800 and then I went elsewhere to have them tinted.

[BilboBoggles]

I've had two defendered tinted now when I purchased them. The first came with a lifetime warranty, even if my kids scratched it - and that was perfect, no visible gaps in the alpine windows, and hardly any gaps around the rear window demister. I was very happy.

The second has uneven gaps on the alpine windows and looks like they used their teeth to cut the holes for the rear window demister - I was not very happy - but too lazy to fight them into submission.

[weeds]

two places I went to refused to do the alpine windows............based on previous experience.

I just went with the windows

[PhilipA]

X2
I tried to add tint to my D2 alpine windows and it was THE most frustrating exercise I have tried.
I cut the stuff a bit oversize , but could not get it to stay in place. The D2 alpine windows have a compound curve , they are not just a bit of constantly curved glass.
After several hours and several bits of film I gave up.
An answer may be to get the exterior film that you can buy around the place and do it from the outside.
Regards Philip A

[specwarop]

Just out of curiousity, whatd it cost you guys to get the Defender done?
And do you guys advise to stear clear of the bigger brands like Tint-a-Car?

[AndyG]

I Andrew,

Thanks for that info.

Price to tint your vehicle in 3M Scotchtint including the Alpine Windows & Windscreen strip is $495. Normally we do not tint sunroof’s due to the risk with the glass breaking.

Kind Regards,

Emily Fleming

Solar Style Window Tinting
111a Cullen Ave West
Eagle Farm QLD 4009
Ph: 3630 1121
Fax: 3630 1128
Mob: 0410 111 657
Brisbane Window Tinting - Solar Style Window Tinting

Apparently they do the European Exotica for Dealers, so the Defender will fit in well.

[Tombie]

When I had our last defender tinted they removed the Alpine windows and tinted then refitted.

No gaps on our tinting were visible.

[muddy]

Had mine done in Wollongong no problems --not through a dealer

[Basil135]

Having had many experiences with window tinting, I have never had an issue getting the Alpine windows done.

I would be taking it back, and getting the manager to explain. Have a look at some other cars they are working on, and see if they have the same issues as you are experiencing.