Learn from my tinting mistake

[SoFlaModel3]

Last Saturday, I went in with a plan...

30% front sides/rear sides
50% full rear window (I had a fear of going too dark over the already tinted part).

I got to the shop with my plan and the guy told me they had already done 2 and his recommendation was to cut the back window at the top defroster line. Split second decision, I agree with his plan and went with 30% since it wouldn’t cover the whole window now.

Well, it didn’t take more than a few minutes before I seriously regretted this decision. It’s true you don’t see it when looking in the rear view, but it just looks “wrong”. With my OCD tendencies this couldn’t stay this way. Not to mention the 30% didn’t appear to be too dark at all on the overlap part.

Moral of the story, I’m back at the tint place now sitting for a few hours while they remove and retint the entire back window as a single piece in 30%.

Here’s what it looked like and picture to come later once they’re done installing the new piece.

Moral of the story if you have OCD tendencies like me, do not get talked into anything less than the full rear window being done!

Edit: adding the after picture to the OP

 

[Jayc]

Thanks for the heads up but I like the results.

I'm wiling to bet it looks better externally with a partial tint on rear window - my personal reference of course.

 

[Quicksilver]

So, to clarify, the rear window was done in two pieces?

 

[MelindaV]

My plan from the beginning was been to tint the entire rear window. the partial always has seemed like a non-starter for me
@SoFlaModel3 - can you have them redo the rear window, especially since they talked you into this way of doing it?

 

[MelindaV]

So, to clarify, the rear window was done in two pieces?

it was just a single piece that stops part way thru the glass, leaving the 'roof' part au naturel.

 

[Quicksilver]

it was just a single piece that stops part way thru the glass, leaving the 'roof' part au naturel.

Oh, ok...Thanks

 

[Jayc]

Some of the reveal demo cars had partial tint as far as I can remember and they looked stunning to me. What I had in mind was a gradually decreasing tint with gradient starting from cross beam.

 

[SoFlaModel3]

Whoops let me clarify. They put on a single piece from the bottom to the top of the defroster lines. Basically a normal tint job in a normal car.

I am having them remove the piece and replace it with a single piece covering the entire window.

 

[@gravityrydr]

Is tinting really necessary on the rear glass? It seems like it is already pretty dark.

 

[SoFlaModel3]

Thanks for the heads up but I like the results.

I'm wiling to bet it looks better externally with a partial tint on rear window - my personal reference of course.

From the outside unless you’re incredibly close to the window and it’s in direct sunlight you can’t tell the tint stopped at the defroster lines.

From the inside it’s maddening to look at the unnatural gradient that this causes.

 

[SoFlaModel3]

Is tinting really necessary on the rear glass? It seems like it is already pretty dark.

The bottom portion is clear, then gradients into a fairly dark tint overhead.

If you want tint on the clear part you’re faced with 2 decisions:

1) Tint from the bottom up to the top of the defroster lines. What I did and am having removed right now.

2) Tint the whole thing. What is in the process of happening now.

 

[Jayc]

From the outside unless you’re incredibly close to the window and it’s in direct sunlight you can’t tell the tint stopped at the defroster lines.

From the inside it’s maddening to look at the unnatural gradient that this causes.

Okay makes sense.

Over here up north we are talking two months of bright sunlight that too if we are lucky so my requirement to tint is driven by the need for some privacy for rear passengers so essentially our requirements are different - I think. I see the apparent height of the car increasing with a full dark tint and that I would like to avoid.

 

[SoFlaModel3]

Okay makes sense.

Over here up north we are talking two months of bright sunlight that too if we are lucky so my requirement to tint is driven by the need for some privacy for rear passengers so essentially our requirements are different - I think. I see the apparent height of the car increasing with a full dark tint and that I would like to avoid.

Honestly it’s a small portion and on an angle ... it’s less about the heat rejection for me and just a preference in liking the windows tinted.

This was literally my only fear with the car (first world problems) and I waked right into what I didn’t want to do

 

[zosoisnotaword]

I read a while back that removing rear window tint could damage the defroster elements. Did you have that discussion with the shop and is there any risk of that happening?

 

[SoFlaModel3]

I read a while back that removing rear window tint could damage the defroster elements. Did you have that discussion with the shop and is there any risk of that happening?

They assured me it wouldn’t be a problem.

 

[MelindaV]

They assured me it wouldn’t be a problem.

one of the shops I spoke to a while back on how to deal with the rear window suggesting installing 2 separate pieces of tint, with the seam at the top of the defrost... so if damage was a concern, that could be an option too. The shop that suggested this to me said the seam would be near invisible...

for that matter, are the defrost lines Tesla uses like what we all have known them to be for 40 years? sitting on the interior surface of the glass, or laminated within the glass? (because that seems like something Tesla would improve upon)

 

[SoFlaModel3]

one of the shops I spoke to a while back on how to deal with the rear window suggesting installing 2 separate pieces of tint, with the seam at the top of the defrost... so if damage was a concern, that could be an option too. The shop that suggested this to me said the seam would be near invisible...

for that matter, are the defrost lines Tesla uses like what we all have known them to be for 40 years? sitting on the interior surface of the glass, or laminated within the glass? (because that seems like something Tesla would improve upon)

I thought about both of those things. I didn’t touch the lines before they tinted, so I’m not sure, but consideration for 2 pieces at the top defroster line probably be nearly impossible to detect if the shop did a perfect job. At this point though I just want the one single piece like my initial plan.

 

[SoFlaModel3]

And the epic finale, I’m so happy with the results! The guy told me the back window on this car in one piece is a very complicated job and an oversized piece.

The end result perfect!

After I wash the car, I’ll get some pictures from the outside, but from the inside you can see the single piece maintains the natural gradient.

Before

After

 

[SoFlaModel3]

Well even though it’s dirty, might as well share a quick look at the outside. That’s 30% all around, nothing on the windshield, and nothing added to the small overhead sunroof.

Looks perfect and is within legal limits in Florida.

 

[Michael Russo]

Well even though it’s dirty, might as well share a quick look at the outside. That’s 30% all around, nothing on the windshield, and nothing added to the small overhead sunroof.

Looks perfect and is within legal limits in Florida.

View attachment 5777

View attachment 5778

Beautiful! Can you show us a before and after view? Think you had a similar first pic be4!