I was thinking of getting my windows tinted on my new xB to fight off the AZ summer heat. Which windows are already tinted? Should I have those made darker or is standard sufficient.
I remember years ago they used to put that film on that bubbled so badly I had to rip it all off. Do they do it differently today and is it easy to clean?

Here's a tip....35% is lighter and 20% is darker than the stock rears....So look for a place that has a 25% or a 30% in their stock. If they do, than they're more than likely good people for the job...Just make sure the film and service have a lifetime waranty....For the front two only it should cost between $40 and $75....
Hope this helps, good luck... :wink:

click on my url, you can see my scion xb with tinted windows. Picture number 8 is the latest with a 2 "goldline spring drop.

I've owned a window tinting business for 14yrs and have been installing for 19yrs. I know all the films and which will go bad. You want to find someone thats using Madico Charcool films. I tinted my Xb with 35% and all of them. It helps darken the rears and the 35% on the doors is legal in AZ. The Charcool film are a new extruded film which has no metals in the film so it will not reduce the range of your antenna in the rear windows and the are warranteed for life against bubbling,fading, color change, peeling and delaminating. Oh, and one more thing. The XB's have no felt strips on the inside window rubbers, its just rubber and when dirt builds up in them it will scratch the film. Make sure you find a shop that knows this and ads the felt strips to your rubber scrapers. Do not allow them to trim them out, you will get wind noise.

Tintsem, how hard is it to add the felt strips? I want to do that to mine? Thanks for the heads up. Bill

tintsem, i was going to have my windows tinted in a couple weeks by house of tints, do you know if they do the felt strips? they have some nice pictures of jobs they've done, just wanted to see if you had some feedback about them. thanks. they were going to charge me 180 for limo all the way around or 130 i believe for just the rear windows limo. price didn't sound bad, but i haven't really compared. oh, and it was lifetime warranty i think, they also said if i get a fix-it ticket for the limo they'd take it off for free and give a discount to reapply. sound good?

I got 5% over the rear factory tinted windows, 20% on my driver/passenger doors, and 5% on the windscreen/shade. check my sig for pics.

I remember years ago they used to put that film on that bubbled so badly I had to rip it all off. Do they do it differently today and is it easy to clean?

well in the xb on the back window the tint is in the glass and not on the glass so there will be no bubbles

Thanks for all the advice. I think for now I will just tint the 2 front windows to match the rest.

I got 5% over the rear factory tinted windows, 20% on my driver/passenger doors, and 5% on the windscreen/shade. check my sig for pics.

That is exactly my plan too...


Doc

Thanks for all the advice. I think for now I will just tint the 2 front windows to match the rest.
I just got that done today, and it really darkens the car all around.
I had 20% sunguard performance slate put on, and it matches very well.

The product we use for the felt is called mole hair tape. A company called CR Laurence this is the product : http://www.crlaurence.com/ProductPages/C/C5901_18587.html?Origin=

yeah just make sure its a place that offers lifetime warranty and also make sure they dont charge u too much. i got all my windows tinted on my xb for about 160 which is okay i think, not too high or too cheap

yeah just make sure its a place that offers lifetime warranty and also make sure they dont charge u too much. i got all my windows tinted on my xb for about 160 which is okay i think, not too high or too cheapdid they add the felt?if yes,wat shop did your tint?

$160.00 ? Wow thats cheap. We get $210.00 for all the sides and the rear. I'll post some pics of my Xb. I did our logo on the rear and flames on the sides all in tint.

yeah i got it was like 145 plus tax came to 160 at the local tint shop here in the riverside area. dont really know if they put the felt or whatever but ill check later on. ive had my last car tinted there and i referred lots of people so im sure he gave me a small discount. but they have been in business for at least 10 years when i first moved out to the area. ill try to get some more info and ask the guy some more questions like what kind of film and the felt and all that and ill let u guys know

ask if it's non-metallic

ask if it's non-metallic

Is it non-metallic? jjambox wants to know...


Doc

ask if it's non-metallic

Is it non-metallic? jjambox wants to know...


Doc :lol:

ask if it's non-metallic

Is it non-metallic? jjambox wants to know...


Doc :lol:

http://www.dtmpower.net/forum/images/smilies/mhihi.gif



Doc

if you can't find tint to match the rear windows, go lighter on the front windows.

I sell kits that will match the front windows. They run $39.95 shipped. They are computer cut pattern and fit perfectly. Includes 2 tints and the felt strips for the weather stripping.

I used 35% on my front doors if you need something that will match you would want to use SolarGard HP22 its a perfect match.

I just got back at 8:30 from California with my new xB. They did an excellent job of matching my front windows with the back!

Who did it for you, what city?

Who did it for you, what city?

I can't recall the name right off, but it is someone Carson Toyota uses all the time.
I really enjoyed the lack of glare inside the vehicle on the drive back from Carson.

Sorry this is a little off topic. I really dont know much about tinting, but do any tint company or the xb have any UV protection in them?

Thank's.........Joe

All after market tint will block 98-99% of the UV rays.

I've owned a window tinting business for 14yrs and have been installing for 19yrs. I know all the films and which will go bad. You want to find someone thats using Madico Charcool films. I tinted my Xb with 35% and all of them. It helps darken the rears and the 35% on the doors is legal in AZ. The Charcool film are a new extruded film which has no metals in the film so it will not reduce the range of your antenna in the rear windows and the are warranteed for life against bubbling,fading, color change, peeling and delaminating. Oh, and one more thing. The XB's have no felt strips on the inside window rubbers, its just rubber and when dirt builds up in them it will scratch the film. Make sure you find a shop that knows this and ads the felt strips to your rubber scrapers. Do not allow them to trim them out, you will get wind noise.
Cool! Thx for the felt and brand heads up...I'm going in tomorrow morning to match the front to the back tint. Anyone know what the actual legal limit for tint is in Cali? Or should I ask, what is the most tolerated by 5-0.
Thx! 8)

u cant have tint in front period is wat i heard :(

Thanks tintsem for the info.

Joe

The legal limit for tint on the front windows in Cal. is 88%. Which is close to nothing.

Just got back from the shop...The 35% on the front looks nice and although slightly lighter than the back, it matches well. Wanted to prevent being hassled!

Which windows are already tinted?

Are the rear / side rear wondows tinted on all Xb's?

I will be putting another 5% all around and then 35% on the ENTIRE front windshield with a 6" 5% strip on the top of the windshield. Had this set-up in my 98 Civic a few years back (except I had 2 layers of 5% on the side windows) and loved it!!

I've got 5% from the passenger doors back and 15% on the front, lol.....been lucky so far......knock on wood!!! Just ask around in your area and you will hear who to stay away from and who does good work.....love my Xb people......best car i have ever owned.....pictures soon to come....btw blue scion life stickers look great on my tint.

Which windows are already tinted?

Are the rear / side rear wondows tinted on all Xb's?

technically they are not TINTED. But all Scion xB's do have PRIVACY GLASS from the b-pillar back.

Difference is "TINT" allows from 98-99% UV blockage, glass breakage protection, glare reduction, heat reduction/rentention, tint is a film applied after the vehicel is manufactured

"PRIVACY GLASS" offers privacy. That's it, nothing more. Privacy glass is colored glass and the coloring cannot be removed as window TINT can.

Even if you use 100% clear film, you really still should add it to the rear also (if you don't want it any darker). It will protect the interior, give protection from flying glass in a wreck (got kids??), protect your skin etc etc etc etc.

A good place to see the difference between tinted and untinted windows is on the wrecked blue xB at www.overboost.com

OK so i've got a question here. So I paid $100 to have my front 2 windows tinted to match the back ones. They used 3m scotchtint. It's fully lifetime warranteed.

So I had some wrinkles in the drivers' side and took it back to have redone. They redid that window no problem. Now i've got another drivers' side wrinkle and the passenger side has tiny bubbles in it (about 1mm diameter). Should I take it back and have them redo it or ask them to give me money back?

Hey scion05hatch, Good choice... I've got the same on my Lava... Got 2 layers of 5% on back hatch, both back doors and side glass... Got 1 layer of 5% on both front driver and front passenger.. Got 1 layer of 35% on front windshield.. But opted not to do the 5% 6" strip cross the front.. I think it looks cleaner without it.. But anyways, a guy I went to Highschool with in Nashville hooked me up.... You can't see inside the vehicle whatsoever even when you put your face on the glass.. I love it...L8R...

Take it back and politely express your concerns. POLITELY. 99% chance they'll take care of it no problem.

As far as getting your money back, that'll never happen. Just bringing it up will probably make the shop do the absolute minimum it can to get you out of the shop, any willingness to fix your problems is pretty much gone when the word "Refund" comes up. If you DO get a refund, you can put money on it that you wont be leaving with the tint AND your money - while the owner's in there counting your $100 out to you, a tinter is out at your car snatching the film off (and probably leaving the glue behind for the next tinter).

$100 is A LOT for just doing two front doors, any where in the country, that's at the highest end of the price scale. I'd hope you have an amazing warranty at that price!.

Just take it back - I'm sure they'll fix it.

Just watch for the Ala. State Troopers. ALL troopers in the state carry light meters for film testing and in Alabama illegal tint is a primary offense. Meaning, he can flip around on I-65 and come chase you down for the tint and and no other reason. Sucks, but it's the law - and the troopers are complete hardasses about tint, city cops generally don't care and most don't carry light meters anyway (so a ticket without one would never hold up in court). Illegal tint in AL. also goes on your driving record as a moving violation - you can thank your insurance company's lobbyist for that one.

Hey scion05hatch, Good choice... I've got the same on my Lava... Got 2 layers of 5% on back hatch, both back doors and side glass... Got 1 layer of 5% on both front driver and front passenger.. Got 1 layer of 35% on front windshield.. But opted not to do the 5% 6" strip cross the front.. I think it looks cleaner without it.. But anyways, a guy I went to Highschool with in Nashville hooked me up.... You can't see inside the vehicle whatsoever even when you put your face on the glass.. I love it...L8R...

Alright, i'm just going to take it back and ask them to redo them and get rid of the bubbles,

does anybody have any before and after pics their tinted xB??

Are you guys getting the felt strips installed along with the tint?
Should the tinter have these and know when to install them? Or are these something the tinter will have but only install when the customer asks for them? The guy who tints my windows (has tinted 5 cars for me and a few for friends) does the best job I've seen. No gap around the top edge of the windows, one piece on the back glass and will tint OVER the brake light, and uses Lumar tint.

Does anyone know how to remove the 3rd brake light on the xB? I took a look at the housing and don't see how to remove it. I want to get this out the way for the guy.

BTW >>> I'm getting 5% on the back and all side windows, 35% on the entire front windshield, and then a 5% strip up top on the windshield 8) I like it dark and as of now Georgia has NO tint law :lol:

Are you guys getting the felt strips installed along with the tint?
I just had mine tinted 20% front windows and 20% arched windshield strip. I asked if they would add the felt strips. They said they would... They did not! I called them on it and they said, "OK, but we have to order it!" They are getting it from CRLaurence.com and they say they won't charge me extra when the stuff arrives. Here's the link (as Tintsem posted earlier):

http://www.crlaurence.com/ProductPages/C/C5901_18587.html?Origin=

Here's a pic:
http://www.crlaurence.com/productimages/C/C5901_18587.gif
:roll: RPM

PS: I like my 20% - any more would be too dark at night for me. There's a small issue with seeing the 2 side mirrors... not too bad. I have a Broadway Convex "Type A" 240mm center rear mirror that is extra bright (it's made for dark tinted windows). It helps see out the back. I got it from:

http://www.act-labs.com

FOLLOW-UP:
I took my xB back to the shop and they installed the felt strips. They pulled the two door panels and added a 1.5" arched felt strip. The installer showed me the panel. The strip looked like it would really baby the tint film... He showed me that the removal of the panel involved two screws and four pop-out plastic fasteners. I'm glad that I got the felt...
:D RPM

I got 20% and it is pretty damn close. Take a look at my cardomain pics, just click on the link in my signature.

you can tint legal thats a good thing been tinting for24 years
dark is out check it out www.extremetinting.com

does anybody have any before and after pics their tinted xB??

2nd request for before and after pics