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| Modified VW Golf Mk2, GTi Lookalike with Tinted Windows. |
Car: 1991 VW Golf Mk2 GTi Lookalike
Colour: Marine Blue
Product: Defender Window Tints
Tint Level: Light Smoke
Tinted windows vastly improve the looks of any standard car. They will also drastically improve the looks of modified cars too!
We decided with this VW Golf Mk2 Ryder that we would use light smoke tint on all the windows (except front windscreen), as we were modifying the vehicle to give it more of a GTi look, and we did not want it to look too unnatural!
Although using any shade/colour as dark as you like is allowed on all windows behind the drivers B pillar, using even the lightest tint on the front windscreen or drivers' or front passengers' side windows (between A and B pillars) is illegal in the UK and most other countries too, as this will darken the already factory tinted glass to below the levels permitted by law. ( So please check your local road laws!).
This car was tinted on the drivers' and front passengers' side windows a long time before the crackdown in the UK, so hopefully whoever owns it now will have removed the tint from those two offending windows! (We did not know at the time - honest!)
All of the windows were tinted using 'Defender' window tint film, which does seem to be the most common DIY brand in the UK and is available from most good car accessory shops. 'Defender window film' is actually made by 'Lunar' who produce the window tint used by most professional window tint installers.
Fitting window tint yourself can be very tricky until you master it. We all make mistakes but the more windows you do the better your results will become.
Rear windows are always the hardest to tint, so if you have never tried tinting any windows before then do not start with a rear window, otherwise you will probably just give up never to attempt tinting any windows ever again!
It is important to follow the instructions that come with the window tint rolls, but the most important thing is to keep the window film wet at all times until it is properly applied, otherwise you will end up with the glue sticking to the glass (or itself), whereas, the water will allow it to slide about as necessary, otherwise the end result might be one of those vehicles with a tinted window full of large bubbles, that just look like a failed attempt by a complete novice!
Get your first window done and you will be very proud of yourself. Sometimes it takes a lot of dedication, patience and practice just to master the first one.
The window is easier to tint if you can remove the glass from the vehicle, this always gives better results too. This is time consuming but is always worth it.
The other things to consider, are that you should always use a very sharp blade for any cutting, and that the area/car you are working in should be as clean as possible. Any dust that gets on the adhesive side of the window tint or on the glass at the time of fitting will almost certainly be visible once the window tint has dried/cured. So avoid fitting outdoor or in windy conditions whenever possible.
Preparation is the key, you need to keep everything/everywhere as clean as possible before and during fitting. You need to have all the tools available to hand too at all times, otherwise you will find yourself forever climbing in and out of the vehicle.
It is normally easier to shape a piece of window tint to the correct size by applying it with the protective film still attached to the outside of the window first. Keep the protective film uppermost, then apply it wet to the outside of the glass, while you squeegee it, and cut it to the desired size.
You can then clean/wet the inside of the glass before separating the protective backing sheet from the window tint film, and applying it wet to the inside of the glass.
Align it correctly, squeegee out any bubbles, and hopefully you are done! (You may find a hairdryer helps when fitting any tricker or larger pieces as this will help it shape/stick better as you fit it, because sometimes the air bubbles want to sneak back in, around the outer edges).
Rear windows are usually far tricker, as any curve in the glass affects the shape of the pieces of window tint that are required. Most rear windows therefore will need to be applied in several thinner pieces! (WARNING: DO NOT attempt to cut the strips of film on the inside of a rear window fitted with a rear demister, as you may cause damage to the demister wires).
Good Luck!
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