As many of us stare out the window looking for something to do this winter, adding auto tint to your favorite vehicle could help you pass the time. Cheap tint films can be found almost anywhere and then you can get to work.

Car window tint has really come down in price and many people are attempting to do this job on their own. I have tried it before, and it is hard, but I really think it can be done with a little patience and the proper technique. Be sure to follow all the instructions on the film, since each maybe slightly different.  Be sure to have enough water and either adhesive or hair spray or whatever other chemical you need to get the auto tint to stick to your car or truck.

Having a straight edge of some sort, a ruler will work if you do not have the right tool, but I do not recommend using things that are not meant for the job at hand. I would not want to screw up my car because I was lazy and did not want to use the right equipment.
Also, it is going to take more time than you think. This process is time consuming and you want to do the job right. You have to have sharp razors or a knife to trim the window tint to your proper sizes too. A dull blade can rip the tint and make it look awful. The goal is a nice clean installation.

When working outside in a garage you need to have a clean place to place your car window tint. Without it, you will get scuffs and scratches in it, or even make it more prone to bubbling or having air bubbles trapped in it. This is always a sign of a bad job. Real experts do not have bubbles in their window tinting jobs. If you have a heated garage this job will be much easier. No one wants to work in the winter without it. This will allow your hands to be free and allow them to bend easily. It takes a fine touch to apply the skill it takes to get the window tint on right.

After you have the side windows done, it is time to attempt the back one, or back-light as they call it. This one is always the hardest because their are rear defroster lines that run across it. You must put a template up and then cut out where the lines will be in the window tint. This is key because the defroster lines could burn through and maybe even cause a fire in your vehicle.

The key with this part is even more patience as it can ruin the whole job if the back-light does not look good. Remember, spend a few hours now for a lifetime of enjoying your cool new ride.

The final part is letting the tint film set up on the windows. This can take 3 – 5 days so do not roll down your glass for any reason during this time frame. I like to place some tape over the controls so I do not forget. Also, your passengers will not remember either so be sure to tape their controls too.

If you’ve looked into car window tint you’ve probably been met with a huge range of prices and shades as well as a variety of different tints and manufacturers.  I’m sure if you’ve had a look on eBay you’ve been met with so many people claiming “this is the best film on the market”, obviously for £7 for 3 metres you’re not going to get the best window tint on the market!  Saying that you can get some bargains have a look at this ebay shop full of budget and premium auto window tint, alternatively Vision Window Films have a large range of car window tint for sale to the general public.

Car window tint is made using one or two sheets of polyester (1-ply or 2-ply), a dye or metallic layer for the colour, an adhesive and then a backing liner to protect the adhesive.  Most films will also come with a scratch resistant coating.

The cheapest films ar known as “glue tinted”, these are usually made up of a layer of polyester with an adhesive that has been mixed with a dye.  The worst of these films are the purple looking tint that I’m sure you’ve seen installed on some vehicles bought from a well known car parts shop.  These films are easier to make but offer little protection to the dye.  A glue tinted window tint will usually start to fade quickly, the colour may not be completely uniform and the colour can even be moved when installing.  I would avoid this type of car window tint, if you’re paying £7 for 3 metres of film then you will be getting this type of tint or the dealer is selling for a loss…guaranteed.  Don’t dismiss this though, if your in a climate which doesn’t see much sun and are only keeping your car for 6-12 months it might be a good choice.

Another type of dyed film I class as a premium economy film.  These have the dye sandwiched between two sheets of polyester, this gives the dye more protection and this sort of film can often carry a 3-5 year warranty.  Because the dye is protected there is less chance of damaging the film on installation.  This type of film is ideal for many people.

The final type of auto window tint is a HP (High performance) film.  These films are made to handle to intense heat in tropical climates.  They are often made using atomic particles of metal deposited into the film or a deep dye process which actually opens the pores of the polyester using heat and dyes are deposited and then cooled to lock the dye into the polyester.  These HP films usually have the best clarity, carry lifetime warranties and will never fade.

If you’re looking for a cheap tint and aren’t going to be keeping your car for long then a glue tinted film may be ideal, alternatively I’d recommend for 90% of people to go for a premium film with a 3-5 year warranty.  If your budget stretches then you wont be disappointed with supreme or carbon films with lifetime warranty.  The next test is fitting the stuff which we will look at in the next post, alternatively some companies offer a very competitive car window tinting installation service, if you’ve got the funds for this it’s worth looking at as car window tinting is a skill and some cars can be a real pain in the back side to tint.