You can buy precut kits online for cheap. But I would rather pay pro to do it right. Plus the warranty.

 

Not an option for everyone, but I went to the JY and found an XJ with factory tint. Much better than any tint film. Of course you can't choose your darkness, but it has been fine for me. Oh and also you'll have to install the windows so if you're not up to that task then too bad. The rear glass, I actually bought with tinted glass at an auto glass shop and it was cheaper than having it tinted. (that shop also does tinting) It's easiest to just buy new gaskets and cut the old ones out.

 

Yeah. Like I said had factory privacy glass in my '96. Wish the '00 had it. I have walk through privileges at 3 boneyards because they are customers of the auto parts store I work at. We are not pick and pull where I live. Insurance regulations I guess. Every time I see an XJ with factory tints I want to just do it. Thinking that might be a little much though. When you say rear glass are you talking the hatch? Because I am thinking that even with factory privacy glass that is not tinted? And if so you bought this new from an auto glass shop? With a rear defogger? How does what they sold you match the rest of the tinted glass that you pulled off the boneyard XJ?

 

everything but the front windshield and front 2 Windows is tinted with privacy glass. 18% which is dark enough for me. I took my jeep to a good tint shop and he matched the front windows to the rear windows very well. Color and darkness.

 

No, I've never removed ghetto tint lol.. But have had it on a 94 chevy 1500 actually named her LaQuifa hahahaha... Lord forgive me.

 

This is by far the best and cheapest in the long run.

 

paying a pro to do it is if that's the part of the quote you're talking about. That way it comes with a warranty and if they mess up the install they are the ones who have to fix it which saves money over you messing it up and you paying to fix it.

 

Thanks for the info. If I pay to have the tints done I can now tell the guy the 18% figure you posted. No desire to tint my front driver and passenger side windows. Still I need to take a better look at those XJ's I see in the boneyard. Really do want the factory privacy glass. Just figure putting all of it in is a little beyond me and paying somebody to do it would a bit much for something I want not need. Of course that hasn't always stopped me before.

 

If your glass is un-tinted (meaning factory "smoked" or just stock clear) it should really only cost $150 to tint the back windows (basically everything but the front door windows, and the windshield). Shop around and you might be surprised.

I know that ~4 or 5 hours of my time is worth way more than $150. I actually had a guy come on-site to one of my clients offices while I was working there, and he was there for 3 hours (we bill at $150 an hour for IT support). So I actually still made money while he was tinting my car ($300/3hrs=$100/hr - my rate was $150/hr) which is pretty funny. I got everything tinted with 5% on the front two, and 20% over the back two using some 3M ceramic tint). Did a great job - took up 10 minutes of my time including paying him at the end - super convenient.

 

I got a referral from a buddy who said his cousin works at a tint shop but installs on the side. Quoted me 185 for everything as dark as legal and even a strip on the front windshield which at only 6" down is legal in Alabama. I'm taking the offer!!

 

Well, I got my rear door and quarter windows off of an 97+ so the rear hatch glass was not going to work on my 87. The privacy glass from an early XJ was more mirror like, so that didn't match well, but I think it would have been ok. The new glass I got (with a defroster grid) matched quite well to the 97+ factory tint. I am very pleased. I think the glass cost me $100 before tax about 5 years ago.

 

School me, what's the attraction in this? Glass is clear for a reason.

 

i am curious too... My Jetta is tinted really dark 20% or so, but i didn't tint it.

 

privacy from people who want to see what you got, keeps the heat down (when I drive my dads car with untinted Windows the sun feels like it's burning me and I can't stand it), keeps the interior from sun damage (fading and cracking as much), I like the way it makes the vehicle look, and you can pick your nose at a redlight without people seeing.

 

Exactly what Hen said pretty much. It gets super hot here in Alabama and tint really helps keep it cooler. And not to mention I mainly use my xj as a dd and my hunting vehicle. There's literally 2 guns I keep in the jeep. I also carry a pistol concealed and I open carry often. Plus I don't like people staring into my jeep at stop lights. Maybe I'm weird lol but that's just me. Kinda just like my privacy.