Courage at last!
My wheels arrive next week when my beloved hatch also visits the bodyshop for a wee face lift, so decided not to put off doing my windows anylonger.
Had considered this issue of what was legal, especially since the police in York have been whielding their light transmission detectors with great relish lately, so i'm told.
Was guna risk it anyway with light tints all round (bar windscreen of course) until it dawned on me how much the task would involve (as I wasn't prepared to pay my garage 50 per window), so to make all the effort worth while I've now opted to put dark on the rear quarters and back.
Figured if I took my time (I practiced on my bedroom window!) eventually I'd master it. As of tonight I've finished the front two. HOORAH!!
I would challenge any experienced fitter to surpass my achievements. I am cursed with being a perfectionist though (means I don't usually finish things I start - but since there was no way I was guna give up on this one..) so not only did I remove the front windows, i made precise paper templates (as I've done for all the windows)to trim the sheets before applying them to the glass.
My garage would have installed them in situ, and I'm sure the finished result could not have match my efforts (took me bloody ages though). Must have spent 20 mins just cleanin each one in my bedroom making sure every spec and smear had been removed, and then I used the refracted light from outside to reveal every tiny bubble whilst squeegeeing (with a large mirror on my desk beneath).. A bit extreme perhaps, but as a complete novice that i am; made the end result well worth the extra effort.
The real test will be the rear, cos of the curves. Hopefully I'll manage it in two strips, using one of the horizontal heat lines as a seam.
TIPS: I tried dry runs first with spare bits, just to see how hard it would be, and to see how sticky the stuff really is. For best results you can't use too much spray, especially on the inner surface you are squeegeeing on (since you will easily put scratches on the film if you remove all the moisture between squeegees).
OH, and the tints take time to set!! They recommend you do not operate your windows for 48hrs, since the curing process takes 7-10 days to complete! Personally I'm taking no chances. I'm giving the two I've just done two days in the spare room before I put them back in the car. After I'd finished with the squeegee, you must check on them continually, to work out with a harder edge, any little bubbles that have magically appear from nowhere in the meantime (I used damp kitchen towel and a glass papered bit of perspex for this, rather than a credit card). Recommend you seal the edges with nail varnish too, to keep the edges waterproof (I've not done this yet).
Time to cut my rear quarters now, in preparation for tomorrow.
(probably bored you all to tears by now anyway
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