TheSamba.com :: View topic

Mon Jun 09, 2014 5:27 am

if you're going to do this yourself another tip: the easiest way to remove the backing from the film is by sticking a piece of masking tape to the backing side and another piece to the film side and pulling them apart.

Mon Jun 09, 2014 6:06 am

I just had my Westfalia tinted this weekend... $250 total and they came out to me to do it.

In order to get to the rear drivers side window behind the cabinet I went head and completed a project I've had on my to-do list for about 9 months. Install a spare fridge cabinet door into the rear closet.

Once I cut the hole for the new closet access door I also popped out the thin back panel in the closet which allowed my tint guy to have full access to that side window. I'll put the panel back on the closet soon.

I went with 35% (legal) on the front door windows and 5% (limo) on the rest of the van. It took him about 2-3 hours to complete.

Mon Jun 09, 2014 11:41 am

^ $250 is a pretty good deal I'd say. Several years ago we paid $200 to have our honda accord sedan tinted. Then recently I had just the front driver and passenger windows tinted to match the rears on our new suburban and that cost me $100...

Mon Jun 09, 2014 12:30 pm

IMO limo tint is the only way to go, awesome privacy and cooling. No issues to report with night driving.

Thu Feb 09, 2017 2:17 pm

At 5% tint can you get away with no curtains? I'm thinking I want to try and do that. Would use low levels of light at night.

Got quotes of $350 to 625 to do the whole thing including windshield. Probably a 35-50% on the fronts and windshield. Everything is out right now. Though I will have the roll ups done after I reinstall to avoid damage.

I plan on installing a backup camera and boost the reverse lights. Question does too much light affect the backup camera picture?

Solar gard seems to be what a lot of the installers around here use.

Thu Feb 09, 2017 2:28 pm

pomfritz wrote: At 5% tint can you get away with no curtains?

During the day time, yeah.

At night it's pretty easy to see inside if the Westy galley light is on.

Thu Feb 09, 2017 2:47 pm

Issue solved, PO removed all interior lights too!

Another future project.

Tue Sep 19, 2017 9:46 am

i went with limo tint everywhere except front which is one shade less. was hoping to mitigate heat, however, fall has hit here in N. Idaho so i'll have to wait till next summer. Paid $400 cash and got estimates as high as $600. The dude that did it for $400 said he'll charge $600 next time. I added the fridge door to the back closet and removed the outside closet plywood liner. I plan to reinstall that somehow - maybe with bar clamps and glue.

Oh, and i just installed the Fiamma, too. Thinking about Monsta-linering the rocker panels, but just haven't pulled the trigger on it.

Tue Sep 19, 2017 3:34 pm

designer wrote: The dude that did it for $400 said he'll charge $600 next time.

Same thing happened with me...They quoted me $400 and said afterwards that they didn't charge me enough. Nice folks though, and they did a good job.

Tue Sep 19, 2017 4:17 pm

designer wrote:

i love this. The tint matching the awning. The red lettering on the awning and on the skybox..

Sat Nov 24, 2018 6:20 am

Anyone know where to buy 3M Crystalline at? Or about the material cost/amount to do a vanagon? All I'm seeing is ebay online. And its crazy expensive!

Sat Nov 24, 2018 7:50 am

I paid $410 for a shop to do my Westy in 3M Crystalline.

That was $360 for the install and another $50 for a lifetime guarantee. The install included the R&R of the drivers side rear window.

I know from experience that 3M will honor the lifetime warranty even if the shop goes out of business (you just have to take it to another of their approved shops. This is helpful as there is a lot places that come & go in this business.

It has been 6 years and still looks perfect.

Sat Nov 24, 2018 8:19 pm

Personally I don't like taking my van to a shop. Id rather do the work myself but I spent an entire day trying to tint my van myself and it came out like sh*t.
I found a shop and had it done for about $350 I think. Very nice for privacy.

Some shops will tell you they can't tint the window behind the cabinet. It can be done without cabinet removal, you just have to find a shop that knows how.

Sat Nov 24, 2018 9:18 pm

Well I plan to do the window seals this winter. I thought it would be best to just pull the glass and take it to my local 3M dealer.

I guess I'll have to talk to them and see how they feel about this. The idea of transporting glass makes me cringe a little. It's all VW glass =\

Sun Nov 25, 2018 12:52 am

shagginwagon83 wrote: The idea of transporting glass makes me cringe a little.

you'll be fine. just transport it upright and be smart about how you package it.

Sun Nov 25, 2018 5:16 pm

shagginwagon83 wrote: I thought it would be best to just pull the glass and take it to my local 3M dealer..

where do I had my windows out the glass shop did not want to risk taking the sliding window out of the frame. Give it to them with it out. Flex the frame open larger and take the window out. Sounds easy right?🙄

Sun Nov 25, 2018 7:11 pm

I just had my windshield done with a 3M crystalline tint, you can not tell that there is a film on it but it knocks the heat out when you are driving into the sun.

Sun Nov 25, 2018 7:16 pm

mtnride1 wrote: I just had my windshield done with a 3M crystalline tint, you can not tell that there is a film on it but it knocks the heat out when you are driving into the sun.

That's exactly what I was wondering about. I dislike dark tints but the 3M Crystalline is supposed to knock down the heat gain which is something I'm interested in.

Can you say if your windshield is a 100%, i.e. clear, tint or is it something like 80% - 90% tint?

Thanks.

Sun Nov 25, 2018 7:31 pm

This is probably obvious to most, but since we are talking window tint...

When I had my van's windows tinted (limo in the back, lighter up front), the installer took off my Gowesty 3rd brake light, and then reinstalled it once the tint was on. I never had cause to think about it, until a buddy rescued me from a trail and after following me home mentioned that he hadn't realized I had a third brake light until it got dark out. Doh! Yesterday I finally went out and traced the light with a razor, removed it, scraped off the tint and put everything back together. The third brake light has always been one of my favorite bang/buck mods, so I am happy to have it visible again. Down the road I will likely change the read window tint to something lighter, as I don't love the limo tint when backing up on a dark trail.

Sun Nov 25, 2018 8:17 pm

ledogboy , that actually a darn good thing to point out. I wonder how many people think of that. I got rid of my smoked turnsignals and tailights for the same reason .I really want to be seen on the road. Well at least my lights that is.