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 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
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 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 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 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, 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 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.
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!
About the author:
Harrison Hung is the founder of TintCenter
Window Tinting Guide. http://www.tintcenter.com
TintCenter aims to educate consumers
about the window film industry, and
make tint purchases easy and straightforward.
Circulated by Bandoni
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