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      03-02-2012, 11:09 AM   #1
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Bad Tint Shop

3 days ago, I decided to get my car tinted after seeing the job done on my buddy's cars and the good price I was quoted ($170 for 4 window and rear wind shield). Since I only have one car, I had to wait for it.

Day 1: I took the car there at 4:30. By 7pm, they were only able to finish the wind shield and rear 2 windows). I was told to bring my car back the next day to finish. I didn't feel comfortable paying until they finish the job and do it well. But he wouldn't release the car unless I pay him. They promised that they will do a good job. I trusted them after seeing the job that was done on my buddy's two 550 (he had a lemon and got a new replacement 3 weeks ago). So I paid him full amount with credit card. BAD MISTAKE!!

Day 2: When I was ready to go to the shop, the owner called and asked me to come another day. The technician couldn't make it in. Which is fine.

Day 3: Once again, I took the car there at 4:30. I was in the work area talking to the technician for only a minute. because I wanted to show him the problems with one of the rear window (bubbles and the film did not cover fully, there is a noticeable gap). The owner literally kicked me out of the work area. He said, stop talking to him, let him work. Before I had the chance to say that I only wanted to point out the problems, he immediately said "any problem, you can talk to him after he is done". His attitude totally changed.
6pm: he came out to the waiting area and told me that he was pissed at his employee for quoting me $170. He said "this is a "Special" BMW with "SPECIAL" windows. If he saw the car 1st, he would have quoted me at least $300. Ok, It will be another 45 minutes"
7pm: He came to me all pissed again saying "your front two windows are special windows, I have wasted a whole roll of film and had to turn away a customer because we have spent double the time on your car". That's when I finally told him that my buddy has brought his BMW 3 weeks ago and had the tint done for the same price. He then told me not all BMW are the same. I told him "YES, my buddy has the exact same car/model and you guys actually did the same job twice". He was speechless and walked out of the work area. The techician admitted to me that he doens't know why he has hard time with my car. He had no problem with the 2 cars before.
In the end, the owner told me that they have to special order a kit that cost $120 to just do my car and I have to wait ONE week. I know what he is doing. Trying to make me feel bad and the take the fault off himself. I am leaving the country for a month in 6 days. So the nice employee and technician told me they will try to get the kit and finish the job before I leave. Who knows if they will play dumb after one month and not honor their job.

Total time that will most likely spend: 9 hours. Lesson Learned. Never to pay for a job in full until it's complete and you are completely satisfied.
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      03-02-2012, 11:17 AM   #2
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That sucks, I know very good tint shop in Kansas City if you ever come down here. He's been tinting for 20+ years. He does everything by hand, it takes him about 45min to do my 5 series. He uses the best film brand and no bubbles to pop.
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      03-02-2012, 11:21 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by JNoSol View Post
That sucks, I know very good tint shop in Kansas City if you ever come down here. He's been tinting for 20+ years. He does everything by hand, it takes him about 45min to do my 5 series. He uses the best film brand and no bubbles to pop.
thanks. that's a little far. 45 minutes?! wow. he must be really good.
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      03-02-2012, 11:46 AM   #4
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Do you guys have bad tint jobs? anything special about F10 front windows??
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      03-02-2012, 11:59 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yxc145
3 days ago, I decided to get my car tinted after seeing the job done on my buddy's cars and the good price I was quoted ($170 for 4 window and rear wind shield). Since I only have one car, I had to wait for it.

Day 1: I took the car there at 4:30. By 7pm, they were only able to finish the wind shield and rear 2 windows). I was told to bring my car back the next day to finish. I didn't feel comfortable paying until they finish the job and do it well. But he wouldn't release the car unless I pay him. They promised that they will do a good job. I trusted them after seeing the job that was done on my buddy's two 550 (he had a lemon and got a new replacement 3 weeks ago). So I paid him full amount with credit card. BAD MISTAKE!!

Day 2: When I was ready to go to the shop, the owner called and asked me to come another day. The technician couldn't make it in. Which is fine.

Day 3: Once again, I took the car there at 4:30. I was in the work area talking to the technician for only a minute. because I wanted to show him the problems with one of the rear window (bubbles and the film did not cover fully, there is a noticeable gap). The owner literally kicked me out of the work area. He said, stop talking to him, let him work. Before I had the chance to say that I only wanted to point out the problems, he immediately said "any problem, you can talk to him after he is done". His attitude totally changed.
6pm: he came out to the waiting area and told me that he was pissed at his employee for quoting me $170. He said "this is a "Special" BMW with "SPECIAL" windows. If he saw the car 1st, he would have quoted me at least $300. Ok, It will be another 45 minutes"
7pm: He came to me all pissed again saying "your front two windows are special windows, I have wasted a whole roll of film and had to turn away a customer because we have spent double the time on your car". That's when I finally told him that my buddy has brought his BMW 3 weeks ago and had the tint done for the same price. He then told me not all BMW are the same. I told him "YES, my buddy has the exact same car/model and you guys actually did the same job twice". He was speechless and walked out of the work area. The techician admitted to me that he doens't know why he has hard time with my car. He had no problem with the 2 cars before.
In the end, the owner told me that they have to special order a kit that cost $120 to just do my car and I have to wait ONE week. I know what he is doing. Trying to make me feel bad and the take the fault off himself. I am leaving the country for a month in 6 days. So the nice employee and technician told me they will try to get the kit and finish the job before I leave. Who knows if they will play dumb after one month and not honor their job.

Total time that will most likely spend: 9 hours. Lesson Learned. Never to pay for a job in full until it's complete and you are completely satisfied.
Hey, you used a credit card. Call them up and complain. Most cc will intervene to help you. If the service guy does not perform then the cc will credit you.
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      03-02-2012, 12:58 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by BMWrules7 View Post
Hey, you used a credit card. Call them up and complain. Most cc will intervene to help you. If the service guy does not perform then the cc will credit you.
That's if you carry a Black Card!
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      03-02-2012, 01:01 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yxc145 View Post
thanks. that's a little far. 45 minutes?! wow. he must be really good.
Yep, if you do make down, it's call QT Image. Lifetime warranty on the tint and workmanship. He also remove your rear high mount brake lamp cover to tint over it; I hate it when some tint shop cut around brake lamp, just plain tacky.
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      03-02-2012, 01:26 PM   #8
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Thanks.
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      03-02-2012, 02:39 PM   #9
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I highly doubt there is a special kit for the cars windows lol. He probably just wants to charge 120 for the extra time and labor its taking them to tint your car. The place you went to is shaddy.....I mean the guy didn't even know how to quote prices for audio work. Seemed clueless. Its a shop you would find out in no mans land. Never go there for anything. I would never leave my F10 there. My 2 cents.
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      03-02-2012, 03:07 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by Hunter5179 View Post
I highly doubt there is a special kit for the cars windows lol. He probably just wants to charge 120 for the extra time and labor its taking them to tint your car. The place you went to is shaddy.....I mean the guy didn't even know how to quote prices for audio work. Seemed clueless. Its a shop you would find out in no mans land. Never go there for anything. I would never leave my F10 there. My 2 cents.
Cons

I know..... it's too late. I went there only because they did a pretty good job on the 2 550 my buddy owns. But I really don't understand why they are having so much problem with my 2 front windows.

By the way, did you get my email?
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      03-02-2012, 07:11 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by JNoSol View Post
That's if you carry a Black Card!

.aaaaand pretty much just about every other cc...
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      03-02-2012, 07:15 PM   #12
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Had my tint done at Majestic Auto Glass on Ashland (1347 south ashland). Think I paid about $200, maybe a bit more. There's one little spot I don't like; but the rest is stellar. Took a few hours...

Lifetime warranty; so they'd fix my spot that bugs me if I went in. Just FYI if you bug out on the current spot.
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      03-02-2012, 11:52 PM   #13
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Call the credit card and stop/hold payment. They will hold the payment pending an investigation. By the time the investigation is done, you will either have your car finished, to which you can have them cancel their investigation, or he will screw you and your credit card company will withhold payment. A mistake would have been to pay cash......
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      03-03-2012, 09:17 AM   #14
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no, it was credit card. Thanks. I will call CCC today.

Rmastale. Thank you. if this doesn't work out. I will check out your place.
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      03-03-2012, 10:40 PM   #15
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How about rear windows at night?
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      03-04-2012, 02:31 PM   #16
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How about rear windows at night?
rears are good.
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      03-04-2012, 03:54 PM   #17
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damn sad to hear that. Looks like to me you went to a shabby place. The whole "special crap" is BS. thats how they get you. look the film is purchased in rolls. Ends up coming out to like $30-40 for the amount of material they use. The rest goes to shop. Ive tinted every single car i owned. (8) and the first 3 I got suckered with the whole "special this" "special that". Then I learned. So when I went to get my 550 tinted I called a different shop from the one I go to, they quoted me $225 because "thats a special car" for all windows and $100 for windshield. I called back my shop and said " hi i just spoke to x shop and they said $325 for everything tinted on 550, but Im not paying that" so they said well how much do you want to pay, I said at most $250 including windshield, and even then I know I'm overpaying" he said ok bring it. Went like 20 min later and the owner said "you were the one that called? why did you even go to another shop and not straight here?" well I just wanted to find out what the prices were" he just grinned. I was out the door in under 2 hours. The one that gave him the most trouble was front windshield. and after he did it the next day I noticed so many bubbles that nevr came off and like 3 hugs scratches he must have done with blade. went next day and had it replaced, no charge. Lesson is when you see someone giving you bs excuses to charge more for something, LET THEM KNOW YOU KNOW ITS BULLSHIT, guarantee you they will change their attitude very quick!
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      03-04-2012, 05:02 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yxc145 View Post
3 days ago, I decided to get my car tinted after seeing the job done on my buddy's cars and the good price I was quoted ($170 for 4 window and rear wind shield). Since I only have one car, I had to wait for it.

Day 1: I took the car there at 4:30. By 7pm, they were only able to finish the wind shield and rear 2 windows). I was told to bring my car back the next day to finish. I didn't feel comfortable paying until they finish the job and do it well. But he wouldn't release the car unless I pay him. They promised that they will do a good job. I trusted them after seeing the job that was done on my buddy's two 550 (he had a lemon and got a new replacement 3 weeks ago). So I paid him full amount with credit card. BAD MISTAKE!!

Day 2: When I was ready to go to the shop, the owner called and asked me to come another day. The technician couldn't make it in. Which is fine.

Day 3: Once again, I took the car there at 4:30. I was in the work area talking to the technician for only a minute. because I wanted to show him the problems with one of the rear window (bubbles and the film did not cover fully, there is a noticeable gap). The owner literally kicked me out of the work area. He said, stop talking to him, let him work. Before I had the chance to say that I only wanted to point out the problems, he immediately said "any problem, you can talk to him after he is done". His attitude totally changed.
6pm: he came out to the waiting area and told me that he was pissed at his employee for quoting me $170. He said "this is a "Special" BMW with "SPECIAL" windows. If he saw the car 1st, he would have quoted me at least $300. Ok, It will be another 45 minutes"
7pm: He came to me all pissed again saying "your front two windows are special windows, I have wasted a whole roll of film and had to turn away a customer because we have spent double the time on your car". That's when I finally told him that my buddy has brought his BMW 3 weeks ago and had the tint done for the same price. He then told me not all BMW are the same. I told him "YES, my buddy has the exact same car/model and you guys actually did the same job twice". He was speechless and walked out of the work area. The techician admitted to me that he doens't know why he has hard time with my car. He had no problem with the 2 cars before.
In the end, the owner told me that they have to special order a kit that cost $120 to just do my car and I have to wait ONE week. I know what he is doing. Trying to make me feel bad and the take the fault off himself. I am leaving the country for a month in 6 days. So the nice employee and technician told me they will try to get the kit and finish the job before I leave. Who knows if they will play dumb after one month and not honor their job.

Total time that will most likely spend: 9 hours. Lesson Learned. Never to pay for a job in full until it's complete and you are completely satisfied.
I am very skeptical of places with really low prices. the price you were quoted is ridiculously low. If you think of the cost as hourly labor + materials + liability of having to redo it if owner isn't satisfied, then it is really hard for me to envision that it is worthwhile for any skilled person to do it at $170.

Another way to put it is if you pay rock bottom price, you get the guys whose time is worthless to them and who have very little business.

I usually look for high end shops, and I calculate what the implied hourly technician rate is. If that rate is less than $70 an hour you are probably not getting a good place. The best places have technician rates of $90-120 an hour.

I don't know what kind of film you are using either, and maybe your friend had a different film. But with a top notch ceramic film I would expect to pay $500 for this job, not $170.
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      03-05-2012, 09:36 AM   #19
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$500!!! That's insane! Would you be ok with paying that? Seriously there's like $40 of materials being spent. If the technician is well experienced then he can do the job on under 2 hours and if no windshield, then like 1:15 tops! And I went to one of the best where I live. NYC
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      03-05-2012, 01:56 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EL MEJOR View Post
$500!!! That's insane! Would you be ok with paying that? Seriously there's like $40 of materials being spent. If the technician is well experienced then he can do the job on under 2 hours and if no windshield, then like 1:15 tops! And I went to one of the best where I live. NYC
Agree, $500 for a tint job is crazy talk. I paid $160 for mine, using mid-high end 20% smoked film. It took the guy 45min and I can't be any happier with the workmanship.

It only make sense to spend $300ish if you have a show car, where it will be judged tidiously.
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      03-05-2012, 08:17 PM   #21
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Yea; $500 is crazy. $300 is absolute tops.
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      03-05-2012, 09:58 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rmastale View Post
Yea; $500 is crazy. $300 is absolute tops.
+1... $500 is cray!! Had one shop quote me $550 for ceramics I was WTF .. Then found another experienced shop that quoted me $340 for the same job
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