aftermarket window tinting

[anonymous-user]

Factory specified window tints are, as you would expect - flawless.

I have seen quite a few retrofitted tints and its really obvious that its been done. The big giveaway it where the film is laid over the dotted fade around the perimeter of the glass.

My question is this - is it not possible to achieve a better finish than this? Are the dots always going to be visible or is it down to the skill of the window dude?

[Renovation]

The Dots are always visible

They are raised and the film isn't thin / pliable enough to get down to the glass around them

Some are better than others (films and installers) but none are perfect.

I've wondered about razor blading the dots off before tinting - can't see why it wouldn't work.

[530dTPhil]

The dots are silk screened onto the glass before it is tempered, so effectively baked into, rather than onto, the glass. I work in the windscreen industry and have never seen the black dots removed with a blade or any other method except laser which is used when a glass manufacturer needs to remove the OE logo.

Agree with the OP, it is always possible to tell aftermarket filming compared with OE privacy glass, but only if you know what to look for. Probably doesn't bother most people.