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Thread: Do it Yourself Window Tinting Kit on eBay

  1. #1
    Senior Member fc321's Avatar
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    Do it Yourself Window Tinting Kit on eBay

    Hi,

    I saw a DIY Window Tinting kit for the mirage for $26.97 on eBay

    Has anybody used a DIY window tinting kit on the Mirage? I am wondering if I can do the installation at home maybe with the help of a friend so will have 2 sets of hands on the project.

    Well I already placed the order so I will definitely post my experience.

    Local shop here wants $150 + sales tax


    2015 Mirage DE 5 speed Manual - 30k miles

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 44.9 mpg (US) ... 19.1 km/L ... 5.2 L/100 km ... 53.9 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member MightyMirageMpg's Avatar
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    Good luck

    Its an acquired skill i definitely do not have. Ide buy another one honestly. It's real hard to do a nice job, and you'll likely get frustrated atleast once.

    Ive tried a few times and every time i end up going to get it professionally done

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    Quote Originally Posted by MightyMirageMpg View Post
    Good luck

    Its an acquired skill i definitely do not have. Ide buy another one honestly. It's real hard to do a nice job, and you'll likely get frustrated atleast once.

    Ive tried a few times and every time i end up going to get it professionally done
    tinting is a work of skill.. paying $120 for a full tint job is better deal than buying a $28 kit on ebay, once you make mistake the whole kit goes out the windows.

    why stress and do that work if you never done it. Tinting right is very hard...

    In miami there are many tint shop or mobile tint that will do it around $120 or less.. the one that charge $150 comes with warranty and they will redo it for you... Have fun with the kit but I am sure you will end up taking to a tinting place...

    The problem is the cost is the film itself, it is 3m or llumar which is almost 80% of the cost. The labor is just a fraction of the cost.. the film you buy on ebay will have wrinkle and stuff in there... One bit of dust stuck in between the glass you have to redo and throw the whole piece away...

    NOT WORTH IT.

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    fc321 (06-30-2017)

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    Administrator Daox's Avatar
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    Its doable as a DIY. Its going to be a lot more time consuming, and you'll have to be very careful, but it is doable. Watch a few youtube videos to see if its something you'd want to do or not.

    I'd also make sure to get a high quality tint. There is a lot of cool tint technology for heat rejection / UV without tinting real dark and other cool stuff. I personally don't like super dark windows, but I would love to not step into a blazing hot car in summer.
    Custom Mirage products: Cruise control kit, Glove box light, MAF sensor housing, Rear sway bar, Upper grill block

    Current project: DIY Nitrous oxide setup for ~$100

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 47.2 mpg (US) ... 20.1 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.7 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member fc321's Avatar
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    Thanks alot guys for your feedback.

    I am especially concerned about having to do the rear windshield (hatchback) and whether I will have to use a heatgun to shrink the tint for the rear hatchback

    UPDATE: After more consideration I attempted to cancel the eBay tint kit (Once I discovered that I can find a mobile tinting on Groupon for $85) but it was too late because the package has already been shipped.

    So now I dont know whether to "give it a try" and risk losing the full $26 for the kit or to just ship the kit back and pay $10 shipping + 20% restocking fee

    But if I had known I can get it done professionally with the mobile tint for $85 i would not have even tried to "Do it myself"
    2015 Mirage DE 5 speed Manual - 30k miles

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 44.9 mpg (US) ... 19.1 km/L ... 5.2 L/100 km ... 53.9 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member fc321's Avatar
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    I dont always trust the professionals either. 4 years ago I got ripped off by a place I found on Craigslist that has Viper alarm system including installation for $130. Sounded like too good a deal to pass up, But I ended up having to go back to the shop 3 different times (35 minute drive each way) because the installer set the alarm so sensitive that when an ice cream truck or the UPS truck would drive by it would set the alarm off and I became really unpopular with the neighbors because if some rap thugs drove down the street at 3am with blaring rap music it would set off the car alarm and I had to come out and turn it off.

    I go there the second time to ask the installer to make the alarm less sensitive he says "Come Tuesday at 11am". I get there at 11am and "The alarm installer is not here, he is out on a job, Sorry"

    So I waste 35 minute drive to get there and another 35 minutes to return home. Then the 3rd time i go there they "fix it" with a scowling expression on their face the whole time, also make me wait almost 3 hours in the waiting room.

    When i get home not only is the alarm still too sensitive but now I discover a bundle of wires hanging down near the brake pedal, the installer was too lazy to shove them back up high into the dashboard so basically the alarm wires can be yanked out with the car thief's hand (He wont even need any tools)

    What a joke. So many unprofessional people out there and when the shop accrues too many bad ratings they just change the name of the company
    2015 Mirage DE 5 speed Manual - 30k miles

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 44.9 mpg (US) ... 19.1 km/L ... 5.2 L/100 km ... 53.9 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by fc321 View Post
    I dont always trust the professionals either. 4 years ago I got ripped off by a place I found on Craigslist that has Viper alarm system including installation for $130. Sounded like too good a deal to pass up, But I ended up having to go back to the shop 3 different times (35 minute drive each way) because the installer set the alarm so sensitive that when an ice cream truck or the UPS truck would drive by it would set the alarm off and I became really unpopular with the neighbors because if some rap thugs drove down the street at 3am with blaring rap music it would set off the car alarm and I had to come out and turn it off.

    I go there the second time to ask the installer to make the alarm less sensitive he says "Come Tuesday at 11am". I get there at 11am and "The alarm installer is not here, he is out on a job, Sorry"

    So I waste 35 minute drive to get there and another 35 minutes to return home. Then the 3rd time i go there they "fix it" with a scowling expression on their face the whole time, also make me wait almost 3 hours in the waiting room.

    When i get home not only is the alarm still too sensitive but now I discover a bundle of wires hanging down near the brake pedal, the installer was too lazy to shove them back up high into the dashboard so basically the alarm wires can be yanked out with the car thief's hand (He wont even need any tools)

    What a joke. So many unprofessional people out there and when the shop accrues too many bad ratings they just change the name of the company

    you are talking about Alarm and not Tint... Alarm is way more intrusive to install in a car... this you need a good installer

    Any words on your tint situation? I hope it works out. worst case is Use the $26 kit and try to install and see, if it mess up go back to the mobile tint place for $85.00

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    I tinted my windows with $6 rolls off aliexpress . I ended up re-doing it about twice per window, between the unwanted creases, bubbles, and having the tint stick to itself. It can definitely get frustrating. In the end it was not perfect but it was good enough for me.

    I would probably try to send it back or re-sell the kit. If you do give it a shot, you have a better shot at getting it right the first time since it's pre-cut. But if you can get the good stuff that actually blocks UV instead of just the dark coloring, and get it done by a good shop for $85, I would definitely go that route.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 42.7 mpg (US) ... 18.1 km/L ... 5.5 L/100 km ... 51.2 mpg (Imp)


  12. #9
    Where's the leak ma'am? Marklovski's Avatar
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    I guess the benefit of being Russian is that I have links to guys who do a great job working on cars. I wouldn't dare to tint the windows myself.
    Fuel Log: Good enough
    Instagram: @zoras_sapphire

  13. #10
    Senior Member fc321's Avatar
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    In the end I found a cheap price on Groupon for a mobile tinting where they come to your house to do it and I used a 20% off coupon code so it was like $65 I believe after the discount for the entire car. Guy did a good job, So far so good.


    2015 Mirage DE 5 speed Manual - 30k miles

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 44.9 mpg (US) ... 19.1 km/L ... 5.2 L/100 km ... 53.9 mpg (Imp)


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