How
to Choose a good car tinting shop
by Harrison
Hung
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 25 mile
radius. How does a 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
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.
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 other local competition by offering good
service at reasonable prices. You should find a tint shop that
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 also open car tinting branches in neighboring
cities. Although the installers may not be the of the highest
quality 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 film manufacturers. 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 types 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 automatically nullifies any manufacturer's warranty.
Make 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.
- 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 is
critical to remove all dust and dirt from the windows before applying
window film.
Now take a
look at a car they have already tinted. 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 the window
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.
Finally, take
a 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.
Finally, 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!
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About The Author
Harrison
Hung is the founder of TintCenter Window Tinting Guide at
http://www.tintcenter.com.
TintCenter aims to educate consumers about the window film
industry, and make tint purchases easy and straightforward.
harrison@tintcenter.com
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