WINDOW TINTING AND MORE . . . . .
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peeling tint. And here's the bad news: Most of those people didn't try to install the
window film themselves. They paid for a poor-quality installation.
"The materials used to tint an automobile only account for about 10 to 15 percent of
the total job. The rest of the 85 to 90 percent is for the quality of the installation
labor."
So, how do you choose a shop that will do you proud? You can check with friends
and neighbors to see if they recommend a local installer. Or, if you can't go that
route, you'll need to do some comparison shopping. Solar Control's DeVall has put
together a list of tips for finding a quality installer. "I would look in your local
yellow page books at all the companies with ads and not any of the in-column names
only," he says. "Next, I would make a list on a piece of paper of the companies that you
call and write down the following information:
"1. How long has the company been in business under the same name and same
ownership? Do they have a city business license that they can show you that states
the date they went into business in your area? Many shops go out of business each
year and just change their name and move down the street to avoid having to do any
redo work. This is a very common problem in the industry.
"2. How long has the installer [who] is going to be doing the actual tinting
workmanship/labor on your vehicle been in the business? ... A minimum of five to seven
years of experience is a must, or pass on them.
"3. Do they have a physical shop and location [where] they do the work ... [so] you can
come down and look at their workmanship? If they are a mobile tinter, pass on them as
well. You wouldn't paint a black car in the driveway of your home, so why do you
think you can get a dust-free job in the same place? Two days after the initial
installation, when all of the moisture dries up from the water, you will have a dirt,
dust, hair [infested], creased tint job.
"4. What type of warranty do they give? Is it in writing? Is it a manufacturer's full
written warranty? For how long? What DOESN'T it cover and what are the
RESTRICTIONS listed on the invoice? Some tint shops put a
sticker on the outside of your windows. If you remove their sticker, you void the entire
warranty. ... You must read their written warranty in full. Only choose a
manufacturer's full lifetime written warranty on LABOR [and] MATERIALS, including
removal of the old defective film, and make sure you get the warranty card that the
manufacturer gives them with all the information written down on it (manufacturer's
name, the film roll numbers, type of film being used, the ... color and type of film being
installed, where on the vehicle and the full retail price you paid).
"5. Is all the work done inside of their shop or outside in the parking lot? If they do it
outside, pass on them.
"6. What manufacturers of window film do they carry? Do they carry a complete line
of films, including a high-performance bronze-colored film? If they don't carry
bronze, pass on them. There are ... 95-plus films to choose from, so go for the
choices.
"7. Are they a current member of the IWFA (International Window Film Association)
since 1992? If they are, then this is a good point, as they had to sign [an] ethical
standards agreement to join the IWFA.
"8. Will they tint your front two roll-down windows with [an illegally] dark ... film if
you want them to? If they say yes to this, then I would pass on them as well. None of
the window tinting film manufacturers give any warranty on illegally tinted
windows.... [Note: What is legal varies by state. For more information, see Window
Tint.] These companies are doomed to go out of business in time, as soon as the IWFA
finds out about them and notifies the film manufacturer of their illegal operation.
Plus, ... Federal Motor Vehicle (FMVSS) fines are $1,000 per vehicle [for the installer]
if they are caught, [which] will put a major hurt on them financially and could also
put them out of business....
"9. Then go out and take a look at the actual workmanship at their shop.
"10. Do they do all the back windows in one piece of film with no seams, splices,
darts, relief line cuts? If they don't do it in one piece, then pass on them.
"11. Does all the film on the side doors go to the top edge of the glass and also go
to the side edges of each piece of glass? If it doesn't, pass on them.
"12. Is their shop a dust-free, air conditioned, well-lighted, clean and neat shop? If it
isn't, pass on them.
"13. Do they have all the films they carry displayed on physical display panels?
"14. Do they remove all of the door panels [to perform the installation], or do they
just jam the inside door rubber down with a plastic tool to cut time?
"15. Do they remove the ... package tray from the back window? This is a very important
item if you want a neat and clean, dust-free job.
"16. Do they remove the rear speakers from the back window area before they tint the
rear window, or do they leave them in and let the water hit the inside of the speakers
and thus possibly ruin them down the road?
"17. Can they eliminate the 'white area' at the top of the dot matrix area of the back
window, or after the film dries will the dot matrix look like the film has not stuck
properly to [this] area? Good shops know how to deal with this problem."
