tint removal cost?

Z

zman71

New member
My wife has a 91 Accord Wagon with a 'terrible' tint job on all but the front windows. I took it by a shop in town and they wanted $180 to remove it!! Seems WAY too high to me. I'd rather not do it myself (no time), but if it's going to cost that much.....



How much should a shop charge for the removal? Seems to me under $100 at least....



I'm in Petaluma CA if anyone knows of any shops that would do a decent job.



Thanks....
 
If you've ever attempted to remove window tint yourself, you wouldn't want to do it again for $1000. I'm sure you've heard the term, "Stuck like glue." If your Accord has a rear window defroster, that just adds to the difficulties of removing old tint.
 
Usually costs $100, but might be cheaper if you are getting it re-tinted at the place



Have you tried a razor scraper, it's not THAT hard to remove yourself.
 
It depends on where you go. I just had the tint removed of my driver and passenger front doors and had new tint applied. It cost me 30 bucks per window to have it done. My existing tint wouldn't pass state safety inspection so I had to get it removed. Just call around to different tint shops and ask them. They only charged me 5 bucks to remove it per window so its not that expensive I guess. It usually costs about $150-$200 or so to get 4 windows and a rear windshield tinted. Add probably another 25 bucks or something for removal and there you have it.
 
I used a steamer, like the one you use to steam iron clothes, to remove the tint off a honda accord. I charged $60 and it wasn't too hard at all. It just takes some patience. I borrowed the steamer from a cousin so that didn't cost me anything. I didn't even have to go back over the windows to remove any glue. Came off all at once. It's a sweet deal if you can get a hold of one. Well, good luck.
 
I've done it one time and I'll never do it again. The side windows on the driver's side were relatively easy, the windows on the passenger side and rear window were a freakin' nightmare. If the tint comes off in strips, no problem, but when it comes off in little flakes, you are going to be there all day.
 
I took it off my 2 door windows and holy poop what a job... came off in a tint sheet .. glue didn't .. what a mess to get off .. I'd never do it for someone else.



With a steamer wouldn't you be nervous about heating the glass too much in one spot and stress cracking it?
 
Goo Gone and a razor blade makes quick work of tint adhesive. You can pick it up at any KMart - Walmart, ect. Also grab a widgit while you're there. It makes holding the razor blade a lot easier. Switch to a hard plastic scrapper for rear windows with a defroster. Cut it to width between the wires go side to side, not over the wires. If you cut or break a wire at minimum that wire will not work and it might kill the whole thing. Defrosters can be repaired with metallic paint if you can locate the break.
 
Didn't have a problem with the steamer whatsoever. It worked like a charm, didn't damage the defroster lines in the rear window, and no glue residue to remove either. I never thought about causing any damage to the glass from all the heat. Doesn't the surface of a car get god awful hot, say in the middle of the summer in Arizona or some place like that. I live in Florida and my silver car will get prohibitively hot to the touch during the summer.

I don't know for sure that the staem wouldn't cause any cracking so maybe someone who knows best could chime in.

By the way I got this hint off a window tinting website that had some diy info. It was a link off this forum from a while back.
 
My posting about stress was just that .. quickly heating a small area and causing a stress crack because that area expands and the the rest of the window doesn't.
 
I did this once and will never do it again.



I talked to my tinter (has done my entire family's cars + my friends too) and asked him about removing it. He said he uses a professional spray that eats up the glue, but is safe on the rest of your interior. I would check your professional detailing supplier and ask them for suggestions or call a tinter/car audio retailer to ask for what they do.



Good Luck.
 
I can echo the sentiments of all those who said, "Did it once, never again." I did it on my old BMW and it was a nightmare. I tried Goo-Gone, everything I could think of. The tint was about 9 years old and it came off in little 1 inch flecks with a razor blade. I finished the job in about 8 hours with bloody hands and a rear defroster that didn't work anymore.
 
It was $100 for me on my maxima, but I got new tint put on. It would have cost $150 if I just wanted the removal.



Considerind it took them almost a day to do the rear window, I'm glad I paid them. It was really good glue - the tint had held up to 13 years in arizona summers before it started bubbling a little this summer
 
I think it all depends on your tint job/condition. That is why your getting it was a piece of cake/never again responses. I've had it done to two different vehicles by professionals(different companies) and one took an hour to take off and retint the driver door and the other about 4 hours to redo back window and they let me know beforehand that my defroster wouldn't work any more because that was the only way they could get it off.
 
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