MrTee12

So, I decide to go to the Acura Dealership to get my Annual Emissions and State Inspection. The reason I chose to go to the dealership instead of a local auto shop is because I have been experiencing the notorious "rattle" when I first start my car in the morning.

Anyways, I knew ahead of time that I would probably have to pay for a few additional things besides my inspection (like oil change, new rotors, filter change, etc) so I figure I'd knock everything out at once.

When I arrive I tell the Service guy that my engine rattles after cold-start. He tells me there is nothing he can do about it unless he hears it, so I would have to leave it overnight (). Unless they are going to give me a loaner it's not going to happen, I live too far from the dealer.

Next, after checking my car out he complains about a number of simple modifications:

-My fogs are not original (they are H11 blue HID bulbs) and that it would cost $75 to replace with the OEM.

-My DRL are not the original (they are LED) and he would have to charge me to replace them with OEM as well.

-My license plate light is "blue LED" and he would have to charge me to change that as well (supposedly it's illegal in PA, I haven't been pulled over so whatever).

-Then what really pissed me off was the tech guy cut a slit in my front windshield tint and the Service Manager tried to snake me with a crooked deal. He goes "since its technically illegal to have it on your front windshield I cannot pass your inspection, plus the lights". So he has the nerve to tell me to guy back to the tint shop who did them and have it cut off, just to return for my stickers on Monday, and he would split the cost of "re-tinting" my windows.

I couldn't believe he had the nerve to ask me to cut my tint off ($120 original cost) and then pay for it to be removed, just to have him re-tint for an inspection sticker. My tint is the lightest possible tint, the only reason he noticed it was because I have a rectangle cut around my original stickers.

I could not wait to get out of there. I thought about complaining but I wasted enough of my time there. He's expecting me to return with a tintless front windshield on Monday to get my Inspection sticker (I did get me Emissions) and my original bulbs (which I have at home).
I done with that place, I'll get my car serviced somewhere else. Crooks!

usdmJON

So they ruined your tint and dont have to fix it?

iCrap

Why is your windshield tinted?

MrTee12

Because my OEM windshield had a serious crack. It needed to be replaced and the the replacement windshield was like looking through a fishbowl. I had no protection from the sun whatsoever.

ceb

So the "dealer ripoff" is that the inspection station actually had the gall to expect you to be driving a car that complies with the law.

PA is one of those states that is notorious for checking for lighting compliance and tint.

Technically, your car has sufficient safety violations that it could be impounded. You're lucky the dealership let you drive out of there.

As far as any tint damage is concerned, you can't complain about damage to a non-compliant system. They cannot legally fix it (they would be breaking the law) and they cannot compensate you for damage to an illegal system.

All they have to do is call the cops, your car is impounded, you pay fines and you get your car back once it is in full compliance.

You have two options at this point.

Get your car into compliance and get it re-inspected.

Find an inspection station that is willing to pass your car as-is but you'll have to take your chances with the po-po and not complain later.

Get that tint off your windshield.

Jaheri_cbp

Always such a Debbie downer.. Don't worry about ceb I think he comes on the forums to get practice being a full time narc. My car has no cats and an aftermarket intake and he hates that too. Just realize that Acura is just doing their job by recommending what is legal in your state. You should just move to Florida where they don't give a shit

Misterg12

I have to agree but then again I work for a dealership

NBP04TL4ME

Agree with ceb and Misterg12.

If OP knew he was "less than legal," he should have gone to a shop where he knew they might let him slide. Not sure where the mix-up in expectations started.....

Jaheri_cbp

I implied that I would put my intake back to stock b4 going to the stealership if I had a warranty issue and ceb didn't like that either lol.. NARC!!! My warranty is done regardless but I am smart enough to know if my car is modded up crazy the last place I'm going is to a dealer for anything besides buying maintenance parts. Mr tee u should know what to expect b4 going to the dealer.

usdmJON

It is not illegal for a shop to apply tint. It is illegal to drive with tint in certain areas. OP has not broken the law in an officers eyes yet this company has damaged his property. The shop that did his tint did nothing wrong. The shop that did my front side tint did nothing wrong. Me driving with it makes me the one breaking the law. Not the shop.

Id cut my losses and give the place one hell of a review. Just explaining to tuners that this place will milk you for what your worth. And throw in if they are willing to rip you off then who else are they willing to rip off by other means.

ceb

Sorry but you are wrong. It is illegal for a company to add parts to a car to make it non-compliant.

They can sell the tint and the owner can put it on, but the shop cannot tint the windshield.

What amazes me is that the OP thought it was OK to go to the dealership to get his car inspected when he should have known that PA checks lighting and tint closely.

Dealerships must comply with state laws but there are usually shady places that will overlook those things.

Calling the dealership experience a "ripoff" is absurd.

This is like the guy who complains to the cops that a crack house ripped him off and is surprised when the cops arrest him.

The OP is clearly clueless.

rawger

This x100. Those state inspections sound like a biatch.

MrTee12

Thx for all the feedback. I clearly understand the situation. Those who are saying I'm "clueless" have to understand that this was my 1st time tinting my front windshield and it was a necessity at the time, now I'm regretting it, but it's life and everyone has had a moment they wish they could do over.

I accept the fact that I have to get my windshield tint removed, but I'll just get it cut so the top layer blocks enough of the sunlight, that's what I should have done in the first place.

All of you have to understand that, this bugs me because the tech had a nerve to tell me he would re-tint it. Why?? So I can go through this situation again in the future?? I understand he has a job to do and he can't pass me for the blue license light and such. But he made the biggest deal like someone had made alterations to his car or something. Most members on here have do alterations/mods, and mine are minor in retrospect. He sounded pissed that I had the nerve to change my DRL and Fogs. Go figure!

This whole experience I learning experience and I'll leave it at that. Thx for all the helpful comments.

MrTee12

Honestly, like I stated originally, I needed to get my engine checked for the "rattle" that is a common occurrence with the TSX. I really didn't think it through due to the fact I had made several alterations.

ssjoeboe9

I think overall they had no right to cut a slit in your tint. It's still your property.

usdmJON

It is NOT illegal for a company to add parts to a car to make it non-compliant.
Try walking into a tint shop and asking for front tint. They'll do it without hesitation because they know today they can't get in trouble. It's on you as the owner and consumer to know what you can't legally DRIVE with. That is the thing. It's illegal to drive with tint. Not have it. You can legally tint a car not for road use. The shop isn't going to ask what you do with the car.

Now. A dealership can't sell a non compliant car. This is true.
But op already purchased the car and it is now his. I doubt the dealership does the tint anyways so they wouldn't be the one installing it.

In my opinion dealer should pay to remove it or remove it themselves and call it a day. But clearly this is a shady shop not willing to fix a problem they created. It would take 30min to take the tint off. Dealership should bite the bullet and uninstall what they damaged. A GREAT dealer would make up for it with like a free pint of oil or some shit.

ceb

It is illegal for a place of business to make a car non-compliant. Although you may not believe it, that is the way it is.

A tint shop may not legally tint a window to amounts exceeding legal limits but they do it all the time. They are - however - risking their licenses.

The basis is the expectation that a business knows the laws and cannot knowingly modify a car to be non-compliant. If you're in an accident then you could sue the business that made the car non-compliant.

iSeeYouTwo

It is illegal. When I got my tint done (20%, which is illegal in MA) the shop owner said he would do it, but I could not say where I got it done if I were ever pulled over and asked by authorities, because he'd be risking his license.

NBP04TL4ME

^+1 My thoughts exactly.

robpp

iTrader: (2)

in 1998 when i had the 2 front windows of my jeep tinted the sales slip says 'tint all windows EXCEPT front doors'. so they installed 20% on the front doors to match the factory tint on the rest of the side and rear hatch.

some facts. i have owned the jeep since June 1998. It was tinted in July 1998. Has 158,000 miles. Have never been asked or questioned by any police officer ever including when pulled over 2 times for speeding. NEVER EVER. And since this is Colorado the only inspections we have here are Emissions. "State dont care if you have no lights, no brakes, busted ball joints, etc BUT DONT MAKE MY AIR DIRTY".



JUST SAYING

NBP04TL4ME

Okay - but not sure how that applies? You have never been stopped or questioned about something that isn't regulated in your state???

Or are you truly "JUST SAYING"

benben01

I must be geezing... I am on the side of ceb's and nbp04tl4me's arguments here

ceb

So the tint shop lied and everybody in CO is too drugged out to care about tint.

You're JUST SAYING that the OP should move to CO and he won't have those problems. Good point.

MD is like that too. Once the car has been registered, there are no inspections other than emissions until the car is re-sold. At that point the new buyer must have the car go through a safety inspection - but - cops frequently ticket for non-conforming equipment.

NBP04TL4ME

"geezing" isn't all bad.

ceb

How would you know, sonny?

NBP04TL4ME

Haha - I haven't reached geezing status in your estimation??

robpp

iTrader: (2)

thats right ceb/

and im older than all y'all/

and all my shit is tinted.

and will be forever onward. just adjust the % based on harrassment levels.

EricInMaryland

I am surprised the OP is driving with Blue Lights and is not getting pulled over in PA. That's a bigger no-no than tinting.

robpp

iTrader: (2)

Green cost me $90 once. At time cop told me blue on constant he would arrest you.

xtcnrice

no need to obfuscate your plate rob, anyone who spots a jeep with green leds will know its you

edit: anyone on AZINE will know it's you :wink:

usdmJON

Im going to assume the liability on illegal tint is different state to state.

Here in Cali, you can't feign ignorance on a product you purchased. The consumer has a degree of responsibility over the service provider. One good reason I can see is if you are tinting a show car which run abundant in Cali, it may not be insured for legal road use so the shop wouldnn't be breaking any law at that point.

If you then insure the car for street use, you can't blame the tint company. You are the one driving the non compliant vehicle.


Damn, I wish I lived in a state so ass backwards I could buy something then pretend I didn't know better.

ceb

Of course the operator is ultimately responsible, but since it is illegal for a tint shop to tint darker than the legal limit, the law ALSO assumes that the tint shop knows the laws.

BTW, there is no exemption for "show cars". If a car can be registered then it must conform to all laws.

robpp

iTrader: (2)

That pic was from about 5-6 years ago.

It looked otherwordly at night at a distance. .

kixo

Could you have tinted the front windshield with a clear tint, thereby getting the UV protection but not running afoul of the law (and the self-righteous dealer)?

usdmJON

There is an exemption... if the car is being used and registered for off road purposes, like a non street legal show car or track car, then it does not need to conform to the same state laws like tint.

As for the operator verse shop responsibility, as I said maybe it is different from state to state. But here in California where I got my front passenger window tint done they have signs on the walls that say the state law and explains all front windows MUST be clear. But theyll tint any window as dark as you want. Theyve been doing it in the same spot in my valley for the past decade. And this isnt some small town where the cops dont care. Ive had two tint tickets in a year. And my place slaps a logo on the window even illegally tinted windows. They arent afraid of cops knowing who installed it... why? Because the only person at fault is the consumer here. The shop isnt required to check if the car is registered for legal street use or not. If it wasn't then they break no law applying the tint even in your states that hold the shop accountable.

ceb

You cannot "register" a car for off-road purposes. If it can be driven on the road then it must comply with all laws and regulations. The term "off-road" has no meaning under vehicle laws. A tint shop (even in California) is risking its license to operate if they intentionally apply a non-conforming tint.

The only "exemption" in many states are "farm use" vehicles that are insured and registered in a different category and their use on public roadways is very limited (between farms owned by the same person at reduced speeds etc.)

To get us back on topic, nobody can a shop for complying with the rules it is being paid to enforce. In this case, the state of PA has authorized the shop to do state safety inspections according to the laws of PA. The OP cannot expect the shop to waive those laws for him. He was foolish for expecting them to do that and even more foolish to condemn them for a "rip-off attempt" here.

usdmJON

No.
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs%2Fbrochures/howto/htvr19.htm
^Registering Off Road use cars which can be tinted but still be registered.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs%2Fbrochur...cts/ffvr01.htm
^Non Op vehicles not driven on state roads but still registered.. i.e. an insured show car.

These two forms of registration are not victim to the same registration and insurance laws of street use vehicles.

Again, maybe things are different from state to state. But if you care to get to the bottom of it here is their website, ask them why they feel they can't be held liable. As I stated, they dont beat around the bush and tell you to not mention them. They slap their logo on limo tinted front side windows in Cali all day. They print the cali state law on your receipt and if you ever claim you didnt know they can point to that.

Maybe the shops in your state just aren't smart enough to cover their own ass like that.

xtcnrice

Great arguments from both sides guys. However,

ceb

I guess you mean this...

Off highway vehicles (OHV) subject to off–road registration.

OHVs are vehicles such as racing motorcycles, trail bikes, mini bikes, dune buggies, all–terrain vehicles, jeeps, and snowmobiles. These vehicles are operated exclusively off public roads and highways on lands that are open and accessible to the public. They do not require regular registration, but must display an identification plate or device issued by DMV.

...but I have no idea what this has to do with the discussion.If you want to continue to argue a non-point then go ahead and argue with yourself. The OP was foolish to go to a dealer to get a non-compliant vehicle inspected and an idiot to come here to complain.

I'm not playing this game any longer.

Jaheri_cbp

Who the frick is OP?? I thought his name was mr tee?? Mine is jaheri_cbp, I'm i an OP too?? This topic has gone all over the place I figure I would to.. But really, who's the OP?! lol I'm off to go ride my limo tinted dune buggy with smoke stacks and blue LEDs on the roof down the interstate now...