Choosing a Good Auto Window Tint Shop
Most metropolitan areas have an abundance of tint shop choices.
In the San Francisco, CA area alone, there are 30 different tint
shops within a 30 mile radius. How does a discerning consumer
choose the tint shop that does quality work? What is the
difference between a "Dr. Tint" and a "Quality Window Tinting"?
We at TintCenter.com Window
Tinting Guides suggest that you do a little research. First,
compile a list of 5 potential tint shops that are likely to do
good work. Ask your friends an co-workers who have tinted their
cars which tint shops they chose, look in the Yellow Pages and
mark down the tint shops with large professional advertisements,
or come to TintCenter.com and get price
quotes from a local tint shops.
Once you have this list in-hand, its time to interview each
dealer:
How long have you been in business at this location? Do you
have other shops in the area?
Good tint shops prosper despite local competition by offering
good service at reasonable prices. We suggest that you find a
tint shopthat has been in business for 5 or more years at the
same location. This shows a stable business that will be there
years down the road if somehow the tint goes bad.
Often times, successful tint shops open car tinting branches in
neighboring cities. Although the installers of the branches may
not be the master tinter of the bunch, since opening new shops
means training new employees; however, branches are a sure sign
of a successful tinting business.
What types of films do you carry? What warranty do you offer
on your work?
Quality tint shops carry complete lines of window film from one
or multiple window filmmanufacturers. They should carry dyed, hybrid, and metallic window films in a
variety of colors and darknesses. Beware of tint shops that only
carry one or two lines of film, and sells them aggressively.
They may have acquired this film on sale, and may not be
thinking of your unique requirements and concerns.
The warranty on the car tint varies depending on the window film
you choose. TintCenter recommends that you install only window
film backed with a lifetime warranty for materials and labor.
Most films don't guarantee color and fading, it is recommended
that you also choose one that does.
For the warranty to take effect, remember to get only legal
window tint for your car. Illegal tint can nullify any
manufacturer's warranty. When you purchase your tint, be sure
sure you get a manufacturer's warranty card from the dealer with
the date, the window film used on each window, and the total
cost of installation as well as the receipt.
Can I visit your tint shop? Can you show me a sample of your
work when I'm there?
Tint shops can sound like the best shop on the phone, but 15
minutes on-site should tell you all you need to know. Good
dealers pay attention to customer service. They should be happy
and willing to spend the time to talk to you and explain how
their shops work. Remember, if they don't spend time with you
know, will they spend time with you when there is something
wrong with your tint job?
A tint shop's work area should be indoors and clean. Their tools
and window films are organized in a professional manner. If the
tint shop is outdoors or in a parking lot, this is a negative
since it iscritical to remove all dust and dirt from the windows
before applying window film.
Now take a look at a car they have already tinted, and look at
the rear window. Is the window film applied in a single piece or
is it cut into strips that surround the defroster lines? The
most skilled tint shops always apply film in a single piece. Now
look at the borders of the rear window, in many cars there is a
black 'frit' edge on the window, Make sure the window film looks
securely attached to the frit as well.
Pay attention to side-windows. The window film should be applied
to the inside and be completely flush against all 4 edges of the
window. Now look at thewindow film itself. Don't worry if the
film itself looks slightly streaky and discolored, window film
takes a couple weeks to dry out and become completely clear. If
there are bubbles of air under the film or the film itself is
not complete flat against the window, this is a sure sign of
sloppy tinting.
Get price quotes from each dealer for the exact darkness, color,
and type of window film you want. Never compromise because there
are plenty of other dealers out there that will offer your
perfect tint. With these price quotes and your research on each
tint shop, make the decision. Refer to the cost of car tint article to help you rank
the dealers.
After you make your decision, remember to always make an
appointment with the tint shop before you tint your car. Even if
they say "drop-ins accepted" or "bring it over any time", you
want you tinter to be calm and prepared for you when you arrive
and not rushed. Tinting may take a couple hours to half a day,
so either arrange a ride or go to a nearby coffee shop with a
good book. Enjoy!