Autozone DIY window tint
Thread Starter
TECH Junkie
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 3,012
Likes: 48
Autozone DIY window tint So, with summer coming I decided to get rid of the old fading tint. But due to spending quite a bit of money on my car recently, and to keep the wife off my back, i figured I would try my hand at tinting. After all, over the years I've watched guys tint various vehicles I've owned, and it looked fairly easy, trust me when i say IT'S NOT! Well, since mine already had tint, I had to scrape out off, which is an ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE! Next, I made a trip to my local autozone to gather the materials. A word of advice...do NOT get the tint with the adhesive already applied. It is next to impossible to use, get the one that clings and is reusable. It certainly wasn't easy...but hey....gotta learn sometime!
yes, the static cling tint is easier to work with, but it's not suggested for OPPERABLE glass, like the doors since it is FAR to easy to peel the corners up. Also, the static cling tint is frankly GARBAGE when it comes to BLOCKING HEAT, I used it briefly on my T-tops and even with a 5% tint the inside of the tint was SIGNIFICANTLY hotter then the inside of the Gila Heat Shield 35% tint I applied to the doors, the Static cling stuff doesn't have the modern heat/UV blocking layer that you find in products like the Gila Heat Shield, also all the tint in the world isn't going to stop that car from getting hot in the summer, especially when we have such a LARGE untinted surface area like the windshield, this again is where the heat/UV blocking tints come in, you can get clear ones that still provide the heat/UV blocking layer that really makes the difference. having personal experience with both kinds of tint I cannot suggest wasting time with the static cling stuff if your goal is to actually stop the heat.
also regular tint is not "next to impossible to use", you just need the proper tools and a little practice, i've done my doors twice now (screwed up a little the first time and then the window stabilizers broke and scratched the tint so it needed redoing), watch several how-to videos on youtube, mix up some J&J and DISTILLED WATER in a sprayer and have a heat gun handy, are doors are actually fairly easy.
also regular tint is not "next to impossible to use", you just need the proper tools and a little practice, i've done my doors twice now (screwed up a little the first time and then the window stabilizers broke and scratched the tint so it needed redoing), watch several how-to videos on youtube, mix up some J&J and DISTILLED WATER in a sprayer and have a heat gun handy, are doors are actually fairly easy.
Thread Starter
TECH Junkie
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 3,012
Likes: 48
Ouch, didn't realize the cling type wasn't for inoperable windows. But really I just wanted to block the sun as much as I could, not so much the heat. And when I said next to impossible, I meant that the tint was really hard to handle. If it touched ANYTHING it was scrap. I can't recall the tint shop having the adhesive type of film. I've yet to roll my windows down, but I guess I'm in for a surprise once I do.....DOH!
12 Second Club
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,548
Likes: 1
Ouch, didn't realize the cling type wasn't for inoperable windows. But really I just wanted to block the sun as much as I could, not so much the heat. And when I said next to impossible, I meant that the tint was really hard to handle. If it touched ANYTHING it was scrap. I can't recall the tint shop having the adhesive type of film. I've yet to roll my windows down, but I guess I'm in for a surprise once I do.....DOH!
Launching!
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 223
Likes: 0
From: Apple Maggot Quarantine Zone
My old Camaro was done with the cling type tint, but they laid the seam all of the way below the trim on the door panel. That kept the bottom edge from having any problems.
I also did not have any issues with the upper edge, but after reading Daniel Richards post, it sounds like I just got lucky.
I also did not have any issues with the upper edge, but after reading Daniel Richards post, it sounds like I just got lucky.
If you absolutely insist on doing a portion of the tinting yourself, get some of the precut tint from eBay. I take the door panel off so I can thoroughly clean everything, then install one side at a time just peeling off of the precut sheet. Much easier, and looks great.
As for the rear window, I always get it tinted by a local shop. The shop told me last time how the rear window in these things have two opposing curves: the sides curve in, the bottom of the window curves out. This makes it very difficult and should be done by a pro. He did it while I watched, it looked like he was tearing it in small spots to get the film to stretch around the curves. Did it in one piece, very impressive!
But yea, the sides were like $25 shipped for 3M film.
As for the rear window, I always get it tinted by a local shop. The shop told me last time how the rear window in these things have two opposing curves: the sides curve in, the bottom of the window curves out. This makes it very difficult and should be done by a pro. He did it while I watched, it looked like he was tearing it in small spots to get the film to stretch around the curves. Did it in one piece, very impressive!
But yea, the sides were like $25 shipped for 3M film.
Ouch, didn't realize the cling type wasn't for inoperable windows. But really I just wanted to block the sun as much as I could, not so much the heat. And when I said next to impossible, I meant that the tint was really hard to handle. If it touched ANYTHING it was scrap. I can't recall the tint shop having the adhesive type of film. I've yet to roll my windows down, but I guess I'm in for a surprise once I do.....DOH!
My old Camaro was done with the cling type tint, but they laid the seam all of the way below the trim on the door panel. That kept the bottom edge from having any problems.
I also did not have any issues with the upper edge, but after reading Daniel Richards post, it sounds like I just got lucky.
I also did not have any issues with the upper edge, but after reading Daniel Richards post, it sounds like I just got lucky.
another thing I noticed, the cling tint was thicker and not as clear (it kinda blurred things), I was much happier with the Heat Shield tint even if the brand is not well liked by installers.
Trending Topics
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
12 Second Club
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,548
Likes: 1
Yeah I've done normal windows a lot with it, squeegee and patience, let it dry for 3 days, good to go. But as above f-body windows are compound curves, let the pros do it with a clean room bigger tint and heats guns.
I went with the ebay special pre cut tint on my car about 5 years ago and it still looks good and hasn't faded... not bad for $20. I do lots of vinyl graphics so i have some experience with large decals and the best advice is lots of application fluid. I used a spray bottle filled with water and a couple of drops of johnson & johnson baby soap and sprayed the glass and the tint like crazy with the solution. I also removed the hatch and flipped it upside down and installed the large 1 piece tint that way.... in the car would be impossible. Once you get it applied and where you want it you squeegee the liquid out from behind it and let it sit a few days and you should be good to go!!!
I went with the ebay special pre cut tint on my car about 5 years ago and it still looks good and hasn't faded... not bad for $20. I do lots of vinyl graphics so i have some experience with large decals and the best advice is lots of application fluid. I used a spray bottle filled with water and a couple of drops of johnson & johnson baby soap and sprayed the glass and the tint like crazy with the solution. I also removed the hatch and flipped it upside down and installed the large 1 piece tint that way.... in the car would be impossible. Once you get it applied and where you want it you squeegee the liquid out from behind it and let it sit a few days and you should be good to go!!!
I buy rolls of pro quality tint of ebay. I'm not great at it, but I've successfully done a couple cars. I need more practice but for the cost of paying to have a car tinted you can buy enough tint to get a lot of practice.
If I only owned a car or two, I wouldn't bother with it, but with 15 or 16 I plan to hang on to for a while, it's worth learning to do it myself.
The side glass on my 01 TA came out good. I need to redo the hatch. That's a big piece of tint lol. I think I ended up using 3 pieces to get it all to lay flat, but you can see where they but together. I've seen people claim they can do a 4th gen hatch with 1 piece and no shrinking. It seems impossible but I'll have to try it again.
If I only owned a car or two, I wouldn't bother with it, but with 15 or 16 I plan to hang on to for a while, it's worth learning to do it myself.
The side glass on my 01 TA came out good. I need to redo the hatch. That's a big piece of tint lol. I think I ended up using 3 pieces to get it all to lay flat, but you can see where they but together. I've seen people claim they can do a 4th gen hatch with 1 piece and no shrinking. It seems impossible but I'll have to try it again.
1 pc and no shrinking? I don't believe that. I used to tint, and film has changed a lot over the years, but shrinking is where it has gotten better. The rear window on a Fbody, is a bitch, period, at least to make it look seamless.
I took my rear window to get tinted and the guy told me he might have to use two pieces for the rear window. Luckily he only used one tho. I had to remove the side tint, but ill probably give it a shot this time around.