Car Tinting: Should You DIY or Go Professional?

You’ve heard that DIY car window tinting is bad idea. But it’s so expensive to pay for professional tinting. Is the price really worth it?

Raytech staff removing my old tint on the side window

Find out here. Below are all the pros and cons you need to know about professional vs DIY tinting.

From this guide, you’ll learn which option is best for you. If you’re going to invest the money, make it a wise investment with this guide.

DIY Tinting: Pros

Contrary to rumors you may have heard, there are pros to doing your own window tinting. Here’s a quick breakdown of these advantages.

More Options

Any pro shop you go to will have their own preferred brands. Your options will be limited to whatever varieties they decide to offer.

DIY tinting gives you almost unlimited options. You can browse around to your heart’s content until you find the perfect kit for your budget and skill level.

You can even read thousands of user reviews to make sure you don’t pick a dud. That way, saving money doesn’t have to mean sacrificing quality.

Save Money

No matter which option you choose, you’ll undoubtedly end up saving money. Even if you spring for the most expensive kit on the market, you still pay nothing for the installation.

DIY Tinting: Cons

You’ve also heard many arguments against DIY tinting. Here’s a complete overview of these disadvantages.

Mistakes Are Easy to Make and Hard to Fix

By far the greatest warning against DIY tinting is this. There are thousands of ways you can blunder it. 

Nor are these mistakes uncommon. In fact, it’s often very difficult not to get it wrong unless you are professionally trained.

Even worse, most kits don’t provide for easy do-overs. One mistake means having to buy a whole new kit.

Now, your investment has doubled. In fact, you may end up paying as much as you would to have it professionally installed, anyway.

Lastly, tinting is designed to be permanent and, thus, not easy to remove. Therefore, any mistakes you make are also difficult to remove.

On the other hand, if mistakes are easy to remove, so is the tinting itself. Such a kit won’t last very long.

It Might Be Illegal

Not all types of tinting are allowed in all locations. For example, a 50 percent windshield tint is not legal in all states. Accidentally installing the wrong kit could land you in legal trouble.

Professional Tinting: Pros

Professional tinting is the more reliable option in every way. Here are a few reasons why.

More Reliable Work and Price

Tinting pros are highly unlikely to make mistakes. Besides, if they do, it’s their problem to fix with no additional cost to you. 

Also, the tinting job will be of better quality and longer lasting. It may last as long as your car does without requiring reapplication. The work might even be guaranteed for a certain amount of time/mileage.

Save Money

Fewer reapplications means less money spent. In the long-run, pro tinting usually ends up cheaper, especially since there’s no cost to fix application mistakes.

Avoid Legal Issues

With pro tinting, an illegal tint job isn’t your problem; it’s theirs. And they’re not about to make that mistake. Tinting professionals always stay fully educated on local statutes to avoid legal issues.

Professional Tinting: Cons

There are very few drawbacks of professional tinting. Fortunately, they’re easy to avoid.

Price

Professional tinting costs a lot up front. But there are probably affordable payment plans available. Plus, it saves money in the long-run.

Scams/Shoddy Work

The last thing you want is to blow all that money on a bad investment. So, how do you know you can trust them?

Easy: check online reviews, Better Business Bureau, their certifications, etc. Therefore, scams/bad pro tinting jobs are rare and easily avoidable. But they are still possible if you don’t watch out.

Which Will You Choose?

So, did you decide that professional tinting is the better option? Or are you confident you’ll find a kit that works best for your budget and skill level? Whatever your choice, heed the warnings in this guide.

Car RC is your #1 car tips resource for long-distance driving. Check out our homepage for the latest tips on maintenance, DIY vehicle improvement, and more.

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1 thoughts on “Car Tinting: Should You DIY or Go Professional?

  1. Afton Jackson says:

    Wow, I never knew there were legal issues regarding car tinting and that professionals can avoid them for you. I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz about car window tinting from my friends, and I was eager to try it out for myself since I always go on long drives around this time of the year. However, after reading your article, I’m convinced I’m better off finding a car window tinting service that can do it professionally instead.

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