Choosing the right Car Window Tinting Shop

Let's look at the process. First you should a little research. Locate 3 potential tint shops from sources such as yellow pages, online search, friends, co-workers, your mechanic or dealer.

Now it's time to "cook" every one of them and go through the following process :

• Number of years in business. Experience of the staff. Reputation of the shop.

Good car window tinting shops are successful because they offer excellent service at reasonable prices. You should deal with a shop that has been in business for 5 or more years at the same location. This is a sign of credibility and stability.

In some cases, the local shop may be a franchise carrying a recognized banner. Franchises normally have to meet certain quality standards and have training programs for their installers.

These above aspects may not guarantee quality but are positive points in your evaluation and are an indication the business is doing something right.

• What type of film do you carry? What warranty do you offer on your work?

Good car window tinting shops carry the complete line of window films, from several manufacturers. They should be able to offer hybrid, metallic and dyed films in a wide choice of colors and opacities. Be careful if you deal with a shop carrying a limited line. It may indicate poor financial strenght, in which case the value of your warranty is not not that good. It may also indicate that they have bought lots of discontinued films or perhaps of second quality. In any case, if theshop does not offer a variety of choices they may not be able to meet your specific needs and they will push a product that may not be ideal for you.

The warranty depending on the film chosen. In an ideal world, the car window tinting shop should offer a lifetime warranty for materials and labor. In addition you should get a guarantee for color and fading.

A warranty takes ful force only if the product used is legal. In other words, an illegal tint nullifies any manufacturer's warranty. You should ask the manufacturer's warranty card from the dealer. The card should be dated, indicate the type of film used and the total cost of installation.

• Seeing is believing. A visit is worth a thousand words. A sample of the product installed is worth .... gold.

Car window tinting shops can sound like the best shop on the phone, but a short visit on-site can tell you a whole lot more about the professionalism of their operations.

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?

The premises should be clean. The inventory of tools and films should well organized. Make sure the work is done indoors. This is critical, because the window must be free of dust and dirt before the film is applied.

Take a look at a vehicle have already tinted. Check the side-windows. The film should be applied to the inside and be completely flush against all 4 edges of the window. Then look at the film itself. Don't worry if it looks slightly streaky and discolored, films take a couple weeks to dry out and become completely clear. However, 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 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. Never compromise because there are plenty of other dealers out there that will offer your perfect tint.

• Get quotes

Get pricing from car window tinting shops that have passed the above tests. The quote should indicate the exact darkness, color, and type of window film you want. With these price quotes and your research on each tint shop, make the decision.

Expect the tinting work to take a couple hours to half a day. So book an appointment, either arrange a ride or go to a nearby coffee shop with a good book. Good luck!