doctor4766

If it is on the outside of the window you should try a bit of Autosol metal polish on a rag to rub it off.
Autosol is one of the only polishes that will take stains, rust, rub marks and water spots off glass without even telling us on the package how good it is!
For anyone who hasn't tried Autosol, do yourself a favor and get some from your local auto shop next time you're there.
You will thank me later
I tell people that if Autosol can't clean up their window then they're outta luck.

Technique is everything.
Your side window preparation should go something like this:
Spray the glass with soap solution.
Razor blade the window to loosen contaminants.
Spray the glass again.
Scrub the window with a scouring sponge.
Spray the glass again.
WIPE THE WINDOW EDGES INCLUDING THE TOP OF THE GLASS with a clean rag or paper towel.
Carefully squeegee the soapy water off the window in a pattern that zig zags sending the contaminated water downwards and overlaps by an inch to ensure correct coverage, and make sure your squeegee blade is leaning forwards at an angle so you don't leave a trail behind.
Flush the vertical sides and bottom of the window to expel any residual dirty water.
 
If you do this EXACTLY AS I SAY you will reduce the risk of getting crap under the film by 98%
You can thank me later.
 

Technique is everything.
Your side window preparation should go something like this:
Spray the glass with soap solution.
Razor blade the window to loosen contaminants.
Spray the glass again.
Scrub the window with a scouring sponge.
Spray the glass again.
WIPE THE WINDOW EDGES INCLUDING THE TOP OF THE GLASS with a clean rag or paper towel.
Carefully squeegee the soapy water off the window in a pattern that zig zags sending the contaminated water downwards and overlaps by an inch to ensure correct coverage, and make sure your squeegee blade is leaning forwards at an angle so you don't leave a trail behind.
Flush the vertical sides and bottom of the window to expel any residual dirty water.
 
If you do this EXACTLY AS I SAY you will reduce the risk of getting crap under the film by 98%
You can thank me later.
 

Moved our shop and found this old 3M Relic. Brand New and never used.

This day and age we have armchair rookie experts calling out true to form experts with decades of experience. Case in point our own Dr. Fauci with a career spanning 50 yrs studying virus and bacteria getting trounced during the Covid crisis.

You're right, and it's not just curved glass that people can't understand!
As soon as the customer starts looking at their vehicle closer than they ever have before, they will begin to notice things they thought were perfect.
I had a Ram in a couple of weeks ago on a Saturday morning.
They're not so common here in Oz and they're super expensive to buy.
Anyway, after the bloke had gone over it over the weekend, I get a call from him and from the tone of his voice he seemed unhappy, so I told him to bring it in to show me what his issues were.
Apart from some water pockets that I had already explained would be around for a few days, he started to point out how the bailey channels on the doors didn't sit perfectly and how there was some scuffing on the black vinyl between the front and rear doors. He even pointed out how green the front doors looked compared to the privacy glass, even after having a 5% film installed, but that's a separate story isn't it!
This guy was going to town, and I was struggling to point out to him that these things, despite their inflated price tag, are not exactly built to Ferrari standards. I told him to check out other trucks at the dealership next time he's in for a service.
In the end I think he got it, and started asking about a couple of other vehicles getting tinted, but it really annoyed me that someone of my experience should be attacked by an amateur who thought he knew every square inch of his vehicle.

You can't make that happen if the glass already has a blue color to it.
 
We often have this issue with people wanting to match their (usually green) front doors with the dark privacy glass in the rear of the vehicle.
 
Your tinter isn't feeding you BS. It's just the way it is

When you start getting old you start to reflect  on why and how you are where your at in life now..Went to school in Martinsville Virgina for a week in 2000..class was a bunch of young people I was 38..Already had a booming Dtail shop at the time but i knew times were changing and I didnt want to b detailing in my 50s..Tint dude was a must for my learning curb and such great advice since school only taught the basics..I see its still a great place to come to for Tinters all over the world to bond and get advice..Will try to be more active on site since Im slowing down and try to contribute for the 24 years I have experienced..Yes at 61 I still Tint a few cars a day and during tax time work 7 days a week!!

1984 called and they're asking what's wrong with that! 

1984 called and they're asking what's wrong with that! 

I would contact the mobile tinter to get it redone or removed/refunded if they don't feel they can do any better. Can a mobile job come out clean? Yes, especially if they are covered like in a garage. Is there a higher risk that a mobile job won't come out clean? Yes, you are just exposed to many more elements that cause debris in the film. Skill can only take you so far in a poor installation environment. It really comes down to pure luck if the mobile job will be clean or not.

I will no longer tint vehicles on site, unless I'm certain the conditions under which they expect the job to be done are as good as my shop. And even then, I'd rather book something else in.
I usually get most vehicles done in under 2 hours in my shop. You can easily double that time on site.
A friend of mine still does mobile. Heck, he'll do the job in your driveway if you ask him to, but when the customer calls him to complain about the crap job he says "What did you expect? I did it in your driveway"
 

That is a rather bad install.  Could definitely be better BUT being that this is a mobile install it is going to be tough getting done any better. Some mobile installers can do a decent job but not in most cases.  Uncontrolled environment creates horrible installs.  Assuming it is winter wherever you are, having it redone could lead to just about the same quality of install if it is redone mobile.  

Time consuming alright.
Did a bunch of glass on this one a few years back.

That's cool.
Thanks!

It's a braided microfiber rope that I probably paid too much for, but has saved my tail many times, so definitely worth the cost. I usually break the melted knots on the ends to stuff 'em deeper and have them not snag the film as I pull them out. I also press on the dash when pulling so they don't drain out when pulling.
 
The other tool is a "must have" for my style of installation. I found them both on 44tools.

Unfortunately, when we advise clients that the film will take several days to dry (and sometimes more) and that they need not be too concerned about the initial appearance, we quite often get a call the very next day.
We cannot stress enough that it's a normal part of the drying process.
If only the customer would actually listen to what we are saying at times...
 

@intdud What makes you think he's a DIYer? He asked if the sweeps need to come off, not some BS about "choosing the right film" or "manufacturer's guidelines for your specific vehicle". 

There has definitely been a range of vehicles that I've come across over the years that have this problem.
ie Suzuki Liana, Mitsubishi Lancer, Toyota Yaris and some Mercedes models are some that come to mind.
When I first became aware of this kind of problem in the '90s, I called the local Mercedes dealership to see if they had come across it, and they told me that Mercedes themselves were advising not to tint the car at all.
 
I would just tell the owner that this can be an issue and let them decide whether they want to still have the job done but with a limited warranty that doesn't included scratching.
Not worth the headache IMO
 

It's fairly common to have a caller ask "How much to do a small sedan?"
Invariably it's some kind of European car that is more difficult to tint than your average Camry.
Note that a small sedan can be an hour's work, or it can be 3 hours work.
This is why it's crucial that we know what we're quoting on.
I see your point that just because it's a Mercedes we shouldn't punish you with a higher price, but if that Mercedes is a bigger job then we reserve the right to charge more.
Hopefully that back window isn't laminated glass too, as not only will it be more difficult to work on out of the car, there's a high risk of breakage during refit and those Merc rear windows don't come cheap.
Good luck
 

Also, there is the whole BMW owner thing.

Whilst I understand the risk of defroster line damage during film removal, I always ensure the customer is willing to take the chance that nothing may even go wrong, and that if there is loss of some or all of the lines, it's not my fault.
I didn't manufacture the glass, nor did I necessarily install the old film. So why would you assume responsibility?
I attempt to save as many lines as possible, because work is work right? But their car, their problem.

If you remove the rubber bailey channel, it is likely that that triangular piece can be easily removed for your purpose, but as already mentioned, wind the window down and cut against the edge of the glass.

That's nothing.
Prior to this one I tinted a couple of small cruise ships that were bound for Tahiti.
They were still in the process of being built at the time, so as I finished each cabin, I taped clear/opaque plastic sheeting over the window so protect the film from being damaged by other tradesmen.
As it happened, the other tradies liked the view out of the windows so much that they were removing our plastic so they could see out properly. 
By the time I'd finished the second ship there were that many windows that needed to be re-tinted due to scratches that I ended up virtually doing a 3rd ship worth of work, at their expense of course.
A couple of months later the ships sailed to Tahiti with numerous tradesmen on board, still finishing their work whilst trying to make the delivery deadline.
I was asked to join them to re-tint yet more cabins, but circumstances didn't allow me the time away from my shop.

That's nothing.
Prior to this one I tinted a couple of small cruise ships that were bound for Tahiti.
They were still in the process of being built at the time, so as I finished each cabin, I taped clear/opaque plastic sheeting over the window so protect the film from being damaged by other tradesmen.
As it happened, the other tradies liked the view out of the windows so much that they were removing our plastic so they could see out properly. 
By the time I'd finished the second ship there were that many windows that needed to be re-tinted due to scratches that I ended up virtually doing a 3rd ship worth of work, at their expense of course.
A couple of months later the ships sailed to Tahiti with numerous tradesmen on board, still finishing their work whilst trying to make the delivery deadline.
I was asked to join them to re-tint yet more cabins, but circumstances didn't allow me the time away from my shop.