Car Tinting Issue - What’s Your Opinion?

I just got my car tinted at a reputable tint shop on Sunday, top of their line product and cost me a cool $380.

Usual “let the residual water evap out” conversations. Lifetime warranty for the film.

While driving home, I noticed a spot of dirt, which after a days worth of drying, appears to have been a fabric fibre on the drivers side door in between the glass and the tint film.

I’d almost just want to ignore, but once you notice it, you can’t unnotice it. I’m also concerned that it might create a point of failure in the tint and gradually become a larger bubble.

Is it right to reach out to the tint shop to strip and reapply it? Surely this would be covered under the warranty?

Poll Options expired

  • 133
    Yea, take it back
  • 3
    No, suck it up it will be fine

Comments

  • +6

    Call them and ask about it

  • +5

    They will happily re-do the window.

    • +4

      This, the film is probably like 10$ and labour they can hammer out a window in like 10 minutes.
      They should fix it.

      • Windows are easy but the rear will be much more work especially with removal

  • +2

    Ask them if they can do it again. I'm no expert but I'm under the impression that the raw cost of the materials involved isn't that high and some of these small businesses rely on good reputation/word of mouth/etc to get new customers… so hopefully they'll do the right thing and fix it/replace it if it's an issue caused by their application and they have any pride in their work/reputation.

  • It’s very likely they will fix that no worries.

  • just go back - that kind of thing would drive me crazy

  • +4

    reputable tint shop on Sunday
    top of their line product and cost me a cool $380.

    Doesnt sound right..

    • Small car, very easy to tint. Owner and sole operator of the shop.

      • Small car,

        Was it a Peel P50 ?

        • or Morgan 3 wheeler
          .

          • +1

            @Nugs: Just use a permanent marker to tint that

      • +1

        Small doesn't mean anything. Unless you're comparing a Ram vs Fiat 500, It takes virtually the same amount of time to cut around a big window vs a smaller one.

        $380 is suspiciously cheap for a 'top of the line' product. I've had a couple cars tinted over the last few years and have noticed prices steadily creeping up for ceramic from $500 at the absolute low end, to $1000 for mid-size cars.

        • +1

          $380 is suspiciously cheap for a 'top of the line' product.

          that was my point.
          Also done on a Sunday ?? for that price?? Sounds like a cashy by one of the staff…

    • FWIW tinting costs alot more nowadays than it used to… but there's also lots more fancier tint products which claim to do all sorts of things beyond just making it look dark.

      • +1

        Oh god the spiel I got about carbon kryptonite coating that blocks all the UV and heat.

        It's all mostly bs

  • Some of these so-called reputable stores only know how to post IG eye candy, rather than do a proper job.

    Back on topic, yeah get them to strip and re-do it. It will eventually bubble up.

    If it's the rear window, I'd be hesitant, given that's where the demister is, and a reputable store on IG absolutely farked it up when removing the old tint.

    • only know how to post IG eye candy

      They probably re did it a few times to get it 100% right or a lot of photoshop work. From a distance and through a lens it is easy to fool people.

      • That wouldn't surprise me one bit.

        The shop that farked up my PPF has been doing it for 20+ years AND still managed to cock it up. They weren't particularly cheap either, so I wasn't being a tight@rse. The whole premise of you get what you pay for isn't true in this (social media) day and age.

  • is it right to reach out to the tint shop to strip and reapply it? Surely this would be covered under the warranty?

    100%. Call or visit and mention/show them the issue. They'll likely say wait the usual prescribed drying period due to people that complain about water bubbles etc in new tinting 30s after driving out of the carpark, but after that they'll just re-do it for you.

  • Yep, if you haven't done so already, go back to the person who tinted it and get them to rectify.

    P.S. If anyone does want a very reliable and professional tinter in the Western Sydney area, hit me up, I know a guy who does excellent work.

    • I'm keen to get an insight on this:

      All Aspects Window Tinting
      Steve's Auto Group
      Option Window Tinting (inside Ultratune)
      Tint On The Move
      UV Protection Window Tinting
      AUSTRALIAN TINT WIZARD
      PRESTIGE & CUSTOM CAR SALON PTY LTD
      CDM Motorsports
      SunSafe Rooty Hill
      Adrians Window Tinting
      Detail Artist.
      Tint Haus Australia PTY LTD
      Sydney Premium Detailing

      • Why'd you post a list of them?

        FYI I just got my car PPF wrapped at detail artist in Rydalmere.

        • Why, not I'm looking at the above

  • Get yourself a carbon tint while you’re at it

  • +2

    $380 is very very cheap for top of the line tinting, especially at a reputable dealer. Their premium tints start at about that price and if you want decent tints like ceramic, UV, Nano, Steel,etc you're getting closer to $1k

  • +2

    $380.00 is definitely cheap. Too cheap.

  • it wont fail (within 5 years) but it would be distracting/annoying, i would take it back

  • It is under Warranty, just take it back.

    It will only get worse. One bubble / defect is a Roadworthy Issue.

  • I am concerned about that (low) price. I've had cars tinted since 1991 - never been that cheap.

    • +1

      Tint a car did our Rodeo in 2000 when we bought it for circa $250, still looks good and it has spent 'some' time in the sun
      .

      • Yeah, I'm sure I actually used Tint a Car pretty much for all of them also. Maybe my memory is failing me and it was that cheap back then. No chance of finding an invoice that far back though so can't disprove myself :)

  • I'd be surprised if they didn't see it when doing the job and just hope you don't say anything.
    How did you end up dealing with this?

    • +1

      called them, they asked me to come in same day so it wouldn’t be an eye-sore for me, stripped and retinted it in less than half an hour

      • +1

        thats good customer service

  • From my experience, don't go to a reputable tint shop because your car will likely be tinted by an apprentice.
    A good enough tinter will open their own shop or do privately for cash.

  • Get it fixed. Otherwise it really will become your first world problem. Once it's seen, it can't be unseen.

    If you wanted a dodgy job with lumps in it, you would have done it yourself

Login or Join to leave a comment