I've looked around at other threads, but can't quite find what I'm looking for. I want to get my windows tinted but my car, like a lot of 4th Gens, has scratches on the side windows. From what I've read on here tint is only going to make them more obvious, and basically it'll look like crap. Is my only solution to get new glass? If so, approximately how much $$$ am I looking at to replace them? And finally what, if anything, can I do to prevent it from happening again?

Thanks in advance

 

i took my panel off one day and looked, a runner the window "leans" on is metal, and is SUPPOSE to have a pad thing on it well mine fell of and caused long vertical scratches on the window, good thing it was the old 99 camaro and not the SS ya might check that if the scratches are similar.

 

Dont know how to fix scratches, and yet tint will make it more noticable, But I know scratch resistant lexan glass is under 800 for all windows........... Probably not an option, but I wouldnt think it would be more than that. Check ebay, they have alot of good deals. Or even a junkyard is your best bet if your have no other choice but to replace them...

 

runners will ruin tint

 

Go down to the junkyard and grab some.

 

on my drivers side I just put a small piece of soft carpet were that piece had broken off, worked like a charm.

 

TTT for ya

 

thanks everyone

I've heard a couple people talk about having glass refinished, as in some places can use something to fill in the scratches and make the windows look new again. Has anyone heard of this or had it done?

 

i dunno about fixing the scratches but i had that problem, the one window guide was missing the padding on it and it was metal on the window, it ripped my tints about 1 week after they were on... i replaced the pad and now the tint is gettin ripped off in a different spot, like more in the middle of the window... i dunno whats doin it now

 

Funny to find this thread. Just this week I noticed my driver side window tint peeling as I lowered the window. This was happening in a small section of the window, at the spot where the front side window guide is located. After also having lowered my window all the way down this week, I noticed a couple of long vertical scratches which teared the tint near the rear portion of the window. I took the car to the tinter to get the tint replaced, and after they took off the door panel I can see exactly what is happening.

The front side window guide, which still had the fabric/cushion attached, is pressing up against the window really tight. Because it is so old, the bristles (or whatever that fabric is made of) looks and feels kind of rough. Towards the rear side of the window, there appears to be another "guide". Problem is, on this one it is missing the cusion/fabric part, and it appears to have been dislodged or broken off. Since the front guide is pressing really tightly against the window, it causes the tint to peel and push upwards as the window lowers. At the same time you are lowering the window even more, the sharp metal "ends" of the rear guide make contact with the window (near the mid to upper portion of glass) and tears the tint vertically. What a bitch.

I purchased 2 new guides from Pontiac, around $20 (CDN) each. As usual, overpricing for GM parts but what can you do. But the fabric on these new guides appears to be super soft, and much nicer looking than what I have in place right now. I haven't attached these yet, just waiting to take the car back to the tinter who will be retinting and attaching the guides for me. I hate little problems like this, but at least in having experienced it we have it documented here for others who might run into the problem.

 

I think they make glass polishing kits. I have no idea if they work or hurt or where to find a good kit, but I have seen them so you might want to check them out. I found a kit over at JC Whitney as an example, don't know anything about it though.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/S...&searchbtn.y=0

I also had some scratches in my window before I had them tinted. They weren't that bad so I went ahead and had them tinted, and you can't really notice them. So if your scratches aren't that bad, you might want to just tint them anyway and see how they come out.