Alright, so I currently have my taillights tinted with spray-on tint... but it looks like crap and i'm gonna sand it off and buy some DIY window tint from walmart and use it on the taillights. I've seen it done and it turns out better IMO and is way easier than spray-on.

What % darkness should I use (preferrably really dark)?
Keep in mind that I have upgraded my taillight bulbs to some super bright LED bulbs, so they shine pretty good.

 

I would say 20% tint, 5% would be way too dark. You can buy pre cut tint that fit your tails online.

 

go with 20% or if there is 15% like drifting said 5% would the darkest but it would be really dark sort of completely black

 

right now my taillights are almost black and the lights shine through good
i might go with 15% or if they have 10% maybe that

probably 15% though

 

what tint did you use? and how does it look bad?
if its just orange peeled them get some 2K grit sandpaper and wet sand the taillights lightly..... after alittle sanding wipe over the lense and dry the lense.... if you see shiny dots keep sanding in that area until its all smoothly scuffed up, then get some rubbing compound and rub it back to a shine and wax over it for that mirror finish.

and if you didnt sand the raised lettering off the taillights then the tint layer will still look bad. which is why i said to sand the lettering off completly smooth and then retint.
i have a tint cutout for my taillights but ive never tried using them, they fell behind my sub in my corner and they have been there for the last year or so now.LOL
tint layer will look even worse! around the cracks will eventualy dry out and crack up and collect dirt, even just as bad on the raised lettering.

 

well the main problem is that i suck with anything in an aerosol can. lol.
it was some hobby shop remote control car body tint, but a couple people i talked to have done it successfully
i've seen people use the window tint though and it turned out good, so i'm gonna try that.

 

Hey they say practise makes perfect right. 15% should work well and you said you had l.e.d lights, so it will shine through.

 

for some reason i think spray tint should be more durable than tinting films. i guess you can try the tint film and see how you like them. but like drifting said, practice makes perfect. lol

 

i think the thing though that makes tinting taillights harder than spray painting something though is that if the coat isn't perfectly even on the taillights, you notice it more, because the lights shine through it. with paint, it takes a more uneven coat to notice it.

i think i'll be doing the taillights tomorrow. just got paid today and i have a little money available to spend on my car, so i'll go ahead and do this.
hopefully it turns out good.

any pointers for using tint film on the taillights? addiction, you mentioned the cracks in the taillights, is there any way to make sure the film is fine over the cracks?
could i put the tint on the taillights, and then cut the film along the cracks with a razor blade and then push each side of the now-cut tint film down into the crack so that it follows the contours of the dip in the crack?

 

well, i attempted it, but i couldn't get the tint to be on there without wrinkles. Del Sol taillights are one piece, so I guess that makes it a little more difficult. I'm gonna buy some VHT.

For now, I just sanded 'em down with 320 grit on an orbital sander, and then sanded with 2000 grit. Afterwards I buffed them with meguiar's scratch-x, and they shine good. Until next week when i order some VHT they'll be stock.

luckily that tint was only 9 bucks.