need advice on a tint issue

[smokinu454]

Hi guys, I have been using the same tint installer on my vehicles for the past 10 years/10 vehicles  or so and he has always done great work but lately im having issues, not sure if its him or the film itself. He used to carry solar FX and autobahn. Ive had both of these installed 35% and 50% on the windshield with no clarity issues. He has since switched to Xpel window films. I had a new windshield put in my BMW and immediately had it tinted, even after a few weeks i had clarity issues. if you focused closely on the glass instead of the scenery ahead, it almost appeared to have a stretched or fisheye look that blurred everything. I honestly thought it was bad glass work with the new windshield so i ignored it since the car was being sold soon anyways. Well i bought a new car and had him tint the windows. darker Xpel on the sides and 35% on the front windshield. the glass without tint was flawless and i can say for certain because i looked for issues in the 2 weeks up until my tint appointment due to the experience with the BMW. After the front glass was tinted, even after drying, it has the same issue. there are no visible air or water bubbles from the outside but from the inside if you focus on the glass closely, you can see the same fisheye blurred distortion. Its very hard to describe and i cant get it to show in a picture but its consistent across the entire glass. no issues with the side windows. Any ideas on if this sounds like an issue with the film or with his install practices? is he putting too much heat to it, working it too much, no enough, etc? Any professional input would be greatly appreciated. 

[civicrice]

you are looking at the grain of the film. 

[smokinu454]

1 hour ago, civicrice said:

you are looking at the grain of the film. 

so what would the solution be? Try a different brand/type tint? I’ve never noticed this on any vehicle before. 

[civicrice]

yeah some films have more than others. i had a customer that had xpel on his 21 ridgeline and had the same issue. I installed a different film and it went away. you only notice it on the windshield due to the angle you are looking at it at. 

[smokinu454]

1 hour ago, civicrice said:

yeah some films have more than others. i had a customer that had xpel on his 21 ridgeline and had the same issue. I installed a different film and it went away. you only notice it on the windshield due to the angle you are looking at it at. 

 

Thank you for that info, that's extremely helpful. He's going to redo it anyways. I will see if he can still get the Autobahn film he used to sell.

[Cooltimes]

Are the fisheye looking marks evenly space apart on the whole windshield and are the size of a nickel or dime. If so take off your

polarized sunglasses then look. This maybe the problem if so, its the glass and the tint makes them easier to see.

[TINTZEUS]

Have him redo it with autobraun tint and forget about it..