Not sure if this forum already has this topic or not. But I thought I would share some valuable information with you guys regarding tint removal. Today I spent a few hours removing the dark tint from my 2000 GS300 myself since the going price at a shop is $225-250. I decided to remove it because in New Jersey, it's illegal to have the 2 front windows tinted. Tired of being pulled over and don't like the look of only the rear windows being tinted. After plenty of googling, I used a procedure that I actually had seen on YouTube.com that requires no chemicals or razor blades. So that means no risk of damaging your leather interior, your health or scratching your windows!

Items Needed:

* Steamer
* 2 ply cotton gloves and latex gloves
* Tweezers
* Steel wool pads (brillo)
* Clean rags and maybe some goo-gone
* Windex

I went to Bed, Bath & Beyond and bought a 1400w steamer for about 70 bucks, they have cheaper ones too ($39) but I'm going to return it tomorrow anyway as soon I get the moisture condensation out!

All you have to do is be patient and give the entire inside of the window an overall steam for about 5 minutes. Let the tint sweat - this loosens up the adhesive behind the tint and allows you to pull off slowly leaving no adhesive residue on your window. This will better your chances of peeling off the tint in one piece. Steam the top left corner real good and use your tweezers to start peeling that corner away. Continue to steam and pull SLOWLY!! This way the adhesive will stay on the tint not the glass, I pulled the first one off too fast and had some adhesive on my glass, had to use goo-gone and a steel wool pad to remove.

The steamer works especially well for the rear window, there is no chance of damaging your defroster or radio antenna lines!! Razor blades can cut these lines and your basically done. In some cars you can remove the rear deck and get in real close. I realized that the GS300's back seat doesn't fold down, but the rear deck brake light pops right out with some wiggle! Tight squeeze back there but the steam floods a lot of the glass making it much easier than I hand anticipated!!

Be sure to wear the cotton gloves with the latex gloves over them, this allows your gloves to stay dry during the steaming, trust me that bad boy gets super hot! If you have any adhesive left on your glass, prep it with some goo gone - let it sink in and wipe it down with a clean rag. If the glue is stubborn you can either use a steel wool pad with some water or steam the glue and wipe it down. When your finished, be sure to clean you windows with a coat of your favorite glass cleaner!!

Then sit back and appreciate the $225 bucks you saved!! Well worth it. Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to help anyone out there who was contemplating tint removal.

Ryan-

 

Good post, i am actually going to be removing my front tints after being subjected to ticket after ticket... I was actually going to take the whole window out to peel the tint back with a hair drier and a razor blade. But i will try this before, sounds much easier. Thanks.

 

Yeah this is much easier, with a razor blade you run the risk of scratching your glass and cutting your defroster lines on the rear window - not good!! A steamer is much easier cause of the hot water making the tint sweat. A hair dryer might just burn the film and then you'll be peeling off a 1,000 little pieces of tint with a razor blade!

Let me know how it works out for you!

 

I used amonia last time I had to remove tint and it was a pita. Next time I'll try this method. Good writeup

 

Very nice

 

I used a steamer to remove my old tint and it's so much easier.

 

depending on how old your tint is, you may or may not need a steamer. If your tint hasn't turned purple, or is less than like 2-3 years old, a razor blade is the quickest way to remove the tint. Takes like 5 min per window, and no it will not scratch your windows.

If your tint has turned purple, it is a bit harder, and a steamer may help with the left over glue, but even then, razor blades are fine and probably quicker. Usually, steamers are used on back windows, where there are defroster lines, and razor blades will ruin them if used. Another method to remove the tint on the back window is to place those big black trash bags on the tint, and let the sun bake it, then the tint comes right off when you peel it.

Either way, good job to the OP!

 

I've actually used windex and black trash bags with great success. You just need a hot sunny day and a few hours to leave it to soak.

 

Great writeup!!

 

Careful with the trash bag trick. I used it to remove the tint once. Added some type of spray I got off eBay. Put the trash bags on and let the window get hot. Removed the tint pretty easily. Next morning went out to the garage to find my window had shattered in a thousand pisces. It was still intact until the first time i opened and closed a door, then crash. What a mess. Not sure why it happened as I live in Florida and there isn't that much of a temperature change over night, but it did. So if you use the trash bag trick, be wary.