Question on tint over dot matrix

August 31, 2014

I just got my car tinted, and I'm pretty satisfied expect for the rear glass. On the rear glass there is a 1-2" section from the top that is dot matrix and the surrounding perimeter of the glass has a 1/4" of dot matrix. When looking at the top dot matrix, there are sections that adhered fine, while 90% of it has a "cloudy" un-adhered look around the dots. I brought this to the attention of the shop after getting the car, and I was told that that it's typical of dot matrix.They said that the rest of the tint would loosen around the dot matrix and look uniform over the course of a week, and it would all look uniform. I am starting to doubt that this is going to happen, and that it's not going to change from how it looks now. I'll give them the doubt and hope that it clears up and looks the same all around. If not, it's going back I'm asking for it to be fixed. I'm a perfectionist when it comes to my cars, so this is kind of annoying, but I realize that not tint job is going to be 100% perfect.

If it makes any difference, this is Llumar CTX tint.

Here's a few pics of the rear glass.

In the second pic, the tint seems to adhere fine between the two vertical glass lines under the antenna.

Does this look like it should clear up to you all, or is it a bad job?

TTS · August 31, 2014

It is what it is... Let it dry a while more... Sometimes you can hit the matrix with a felt card and get it a bit more uniform....

Past that... Next time buy a car with no matrix like that :twocents

August 31, 2014

I'll give it a week or so, like I said. The dot matrix area doesn't bother me, I can deal with that. It's the fact that in some places it looks like it's sticking (the darker black blotches on the dot matrix), and makes it look inconsistent. What I'm wondering is, will the few places that look fully adhered on the dot matrix eventually loosen in the sun after a few days to look similar to the rest of the dot matrix (cloudy gray shade area)?

jh812 · August 31, 2014

I'll give it a week or so, like I said. The dot matrix area doesn't bother me, I can deal with that. It's the fact that in some places it looks like it's sticking (the darker black blotches on the dot matrix), and makes it look inconsistent. What I'm wondering is, will the few places that look fully adhered on the dot matrix eventually loosen in the sun after a few days to look similar to the rest of the dot matrix (cloudy gray shade area)?

Maybe so maybe not. It's really a hit or miss with that small of a matrix.

addicted to tint · August 31, 2014

2 ways to deal with the narrow strip at the top of what looks like an Altima. Leave alone, which is the easiest for us and most shops

will do and was done here. Or glue the strip and fill around the high spots with results generally being a uniform look. Does not take but a few minutes for really nice results, but it does take extra time and most everyone in our business is about production anymore.

Sad to say but most shops let that go without any extra effort and when they say that's normal for matrix they are being truthful.

TTS · August 31, 2014

The problem we have with the glue is it usually looks ok from the outside but looks like crap from the inside... You trade 1 problem for another IMO ....

Ryker · August 31, 2014

let it dry. I would say give it a month or two and see how it looks. If it bothers you then you cold take a paper towel and fold it over a "bondo spreader" and push on those areas straight towards the sides and it should make it more evenly toned rather it will stick better or pop off and be silvered on the whole thing....

The thing is that until it is DRY there is no telling what it will look like. The drying process really makes us all scratch our heads on what dries out and what doesn't. I know it does me at least!

coast2coasttinting · August 31, 2014

That is completely normal. Some guys use glue to help the dotted area look good, but after a few years it will yellow and not look so good from the inside. I would say let it be.

addicted to tint · September 1, 2014

Sounds like the guys that don't do it yet have excuses for not doing so. It looks fine from inside if done properly and we've used the Elmer's Blue Glue for over about 12-13 years and we've never seen it yellow. In fact the bond often outlast the film when failures come back yet it steams off and cleans up easily.