removing tint film from car windows

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › removing tint film from car windows

Morgenmuffel

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Topic # 222556 17-Aug-2017 12:56

Yep exactly that

Car had tints put on the windows about 10 years ago (before I owned the car) and it failed its warrant today because of them, its just over the limit or something.

Not a problem as I am not enamoured of tints anyway, however i have googled it and there are a tonne of methods, just wondering if anyone has a method they have actually used and was easy

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Reply # 1848043 17-Aug-2017 13:16

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That's a little frustrating, if they're 10 years old, they've passed a lot of warrants, and they are likely to have faded since then!
Sorry, don't know an answer, but I'll be interested in others feedback.

cadman

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Reply # 1848047 17-Aug-2017 13:31

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It'd be easier and cheaper to just go somewhere else for another WoF check. Clearly their light meter is out of calibration. Although the reason for the WoF fail is logged in the system, nobody checks first and even if they do it only shows the category of the reason for the fail - not the specific reason - in this case VISION - GLAZING. Give the windows a good clean beforehand too.

As a side issue, personally, I'd like to see a change to the regulations to stop any passenger compartment windows being tinted below 70% visible light transmission. I'm sick to death of not being able to see if the road is clear because of other people's stupid tinted side windows. It's bad enough with the number of high rise softroaders and forward control vehicles like vans and truck that, despite being elevated above cars, feel the need to stop so far forward at any intersection as to have their vehicle completely block your vision without you proceeding halfway into the intersection. If they stopped further back they can still see over a car. Oblivious twits.

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ratsun81

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Reply # 1848066 17-Aug-2017 14:09

Its not the simplest of jobs,

These guys give you a good indication of getting it done the easiest way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmR8LlGkGJQ

Morgenmuffel

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Reply # 1848092 17-Aug-2017 15:38

Cheerst for that

I'll give it a go tomorrow

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Coil

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Reply # 1848104 17-Aug-2017 16:02

It is a royal pain in the butt, Get some prepsol on hand, Lots of razors and be prepared to damage knuckles and sweat a lot and have little bits of tint that just wont come out of gaps.
"The one thing you need is prepsol, otherwise its a losing battle.

hio77

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Reply # 1848107 17-Aug-2017 16:18

This is one where i personally would argue the mechanic checking the car out is having a bad day, faulty tools or simply has a stick up their......

a Tint that has been there for 10 years surely can't suddenly be an issue... certainly not an issue that would make it unworthy of being on the road all things considered...

If they wanted unsafe things off the road they would ban TimA from driving! :P

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trig42

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Reply # 1848108 17-Aug-2017 16:18

Or go and get some new tints, and get them to remove the old ones?

mentalinc

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Reply # 1848113 17-Aug-2017 16:37

Did it recently took 30 mins with heat gun and razor blade (just the blade), flick up a corner and peel slowly.

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mdav056

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Reply # 1848116 17-Aug-2017 16:49

Happened to me too. I got a car-window-tinting company to come and take the tints off. Easy, and only cost about $100 as I recall. Side benefits -- can more easily see out of the backside and rear windows now.

But very inconsistent between WOF companies -- and they do have tools to read the tint depth (mine was 14%!) but don't often use them.

gml

NzBeagle

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Reply # 1848323 18-Aug-2017 08:33

hio77:

This is one where i personally would argue the mechanic checking the car out is having a bad day, faulty tools or simply has a stick up their......

a Tint that has been there for 10 years surely can't suddenly be an issue... certainly not an issue that would make it unworthy of being on the road all things considered...

If they wanted unsafe things off the road they would ban TimA from driving! :P

This, I had some feedback at a testing station, and they said it was on the wrong side of the limit, just. They didn't fail me, and actually said that it would likely fade with time, they'd only just been installed at the time. About 12 years ago, and the car continued getting WOFs for the duration of ownership.

Morgenmuffel

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Reply # 1848578 18-Aug-2017 14:29

Update: thought i'd just get it started while wifey hunted for her heat gun, took one whole window off leaving two 50 cent sized patches of glue, so tried the other side, and while not as successful only ended up with about 5 mins of scraping glue off, wife still hadn't found glue gun

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MadEngineer

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Reply # 1848593 18-Aug-2017 15:10

Chemz label off

Senecio

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Reply # 1848612 18-Aug-2017 15:39

The trickiest part is the rear windscreen. Important to be careful not to damage the rear demister lines.

cadman

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Reply # 1848634 18-Aug-2017 16:15

Morgenmuffel:

Update: thought i'd just get it started while wifey hunted for her heat gun, took one whole window off leaving two 50 cent sized patches of glue, so tried the other side, and while not as successful only ended up with about 5 mins of scraping glue off, wife still hadn't found glue gun

Not surprising since she wasn't looking for it...

Morgenmuffel

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Reply # 1848643 18-Aug-2017 16:34

cadman:

Morgenmuffel:

Update: thought i'd just get it started while wifey hunted for her heat gun, took one whole window off leaving two 50 cent sized patches of glue, so tried the other side, and while not as successful only ended up with about 5 mins of scraping glue off, wife still hadn't found glue gun

Not surprising since she wasn't looking for it...

ahh you caught my deliberate mistake, just as well she didn't find the glue gun can't imagine it would help

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