Tips for Finding a Good Car Tint Shop
Date Added: January 29, 2008 03:16:18 AM
Any large city might contain 30 or more car tint shops. With this many choices how does a consumer know which one will provide quality work for a competitive price? How does the consumer know the differences between “Tint Machine” and “Professional Window Tinting?”
You need to start by doing some research and build a list of three to five tint shops which you feel would do good work. Maybe they were referred to you or are well known in the area. You can find them by asking friends and co-workers if they have had any experiences with car tint shops or check the yellow pages for tint shops that have professionally done advertisements there.
When you feel you have compiled a good list of potential tint shops it is time to speak with them.
Find out how long they have been in business at that particular location and if they have any satellite located in the area.
Businesses that provide quality service will typically survive while lesser quality shops fail. If you are able to find a tint shop that has been in business for ten years while their competitors are just a couple years old, you will have found a stable business that should still be around if the tint has problems down the road.
A tint shop that has branch offices is another sign of a good business. You should be aware that a newly opened branch office may have employees that are going through a training period though.
At this point you should ask them if they warranty their work and which film products they carry.
A sign of a good tint shop will be one that carries the complete line of window films from one and even many different manufacturers. That would be lines that offer different types, colors and darkness. If you come across a tint shop that carries only one or two lines which they are very aggressive selling you should be cautious as they may have purchased that film because they got a great deal. They may not be thinking in terms of what the best film for your project is.
The film that you choose will determine the warranty that you get with it. Choose a film that comes with a lifetime warranty for both labor and materials. Also make sure that the film is legal for use in your car because if it is not legal the warranty will be voided. Retain your warranty documentation in a safe place.
Ask the shop if you could visit and see some samples of their work.
Anyone can talk a good game, but a visit to see some of their work should reveal what you want to know.
A quality tint shop cares about their customers and would be willing to spend time showing you samples and explaining the process. If they are not willing to spend time with you to gain your business what will they do if something goes wrong afterwards?
The work area for tinting should be well organized with a look of professionalism. The work should be done indoors in a clean area away from dust. Proper installation of the film requires a dust and dirt free environment.
When you are looking at the sample car the side windows should have the film applied from the inside with the film flush to all the edges. It is normal for the film to look streaky as it dries over the first week or two, but the film should be flat against the window with no air bubbles.
The rear window film should be applied in one single piece and flush with the edges of the window. This should also be perfectly flat with no air bubbles.
Get price quotes from the tint shops you are comfortable with for the exact film you want. Always get the tint that you want because even if one shop does not have it, there will be one that does. With your quotes in hand you can make a decision on the tint shop you want to do the work.
Now that you have a tint shop picked out you should make an appointment with them for the work. Even if the shop says you can just drop it by anytime, you should try to make an appointment so the tinter is prepared and not rushed to get it done. You should allow for a few hours or even a half day so have a ride arranged.
