So I recently got a 2008 Acura TL, and I decided to get her tinted at a place i've used for my past 2 cars. They have done a great job all those times. So I got the Acura tinted with my usual 15% Llumar tint, but I wasn't as happy this time. They didn't tint the quarter rear panel where they rubber is (said it just can't happen), and the dot matrix looks very uneven around my break light, and is visible on one side and the other side picked it up, so no dots on that side.

I told him about my concerns, and he said let it set for 3-4 days and let him know. But i'm pretty sure still not going like it in 3 days. I don't like confrontation, and i feel if i say something and they say i'll re-do it, they may be super pissed. I know its a bad way of thinking, as I PAID for this service.
Any nice way of going about this? Just tell them i'm not happy, and just redo what I don't like?

 

Tint does usually take a few days to settle. However your concerns about the uneven cuts are justified as tinting these days is a pretty penny. And what are you talking about the rear quarter panel? You mean the smaller windows?

 

You are correct, OP, in getting what you paid for.
the quarter window is tintable all the way behind the rubber.
Take it back and get your monies worth

 

There is not a lot of over-head in tint. You will likely get a LOT of kick back when asking that it is re-done due to them having to remove the existing and then reapply. They would be out double what they made doing your car in the first place.

Some people may tell you to go ahead and tell him to re-do it, but once you have had tint a few times, you know what to discuss beforehand. Those rear panels can be done.

Hopefully they removed the light housing and did not tint around it. Cause here again, it can be done.

If it's a crappy job, by all means stand your ground. If it is items not discussed before hand, you may be out to dry.

Good luck man.

Mo

 

Quarter window is def tintable...I've had mine done all the way...I also know the same place I went to didn't do it for other TLs...I made sure to ask beforehand. But that's BS that it's not tintable.

 

Ya the smaller window in the rear passenger sides.
I want to see what i got in the back windshield, to see how the dot matrix settles
I don't think they removed the light housing, they may have tinted around it. Is that a bad thing?

I'll talk to them tomorrow, i've been happy with them before, hopefully they can hear me out. If not i'm going to ask them to take off the side quarter panels, and refund me a small amount, and I can spend the extra and get it done somewhere that will do it for me. I don't have any other complains for the tint, windows look great....i just don't like the quarter panels and the uneven dot matrix in the back.

 

I understand now what you mean by the 'dot matrix' area. Sorry. Yeah, that would heal itself up faster in hot summer days. I usually wait until summer to do my tint because the heat helps it sit up better and faster. Keep it in as much sunlight as you can.

As for the 3rd light - I got lucky. Had not payed attention to a tinted TL. It is all about how it looks to you. Not bad, so to say. You cannot even tell I have a 3rd brake light unless I depress the pedal. It helps with the flow of the back window and the darkness of the window.

Personal pref...

 

Sounds like your having the same problem as me...Seeing as I am a 17 year old and the owners of the shop are assholes, I highly doubt if I went back in that anything would change.

 

Is the white area shown a gap where no film was applied?

 

Exactly what my problem is. I've had a few cars done by them, and its a small city with only two good tinting places. We own a few businesses here as well, and I don't mind throwing the word around of a job i'm not happy with., i'll be going tomorrow to see what they have to say, if its no dice, the other two cars are getting tinting somewhere else. Either I get compensated to get that part done somewhere else or they do it right. I'm glad I found this board! You guys are awesome!
BTW Love the NightHawk Black, I just love that color. I'd say push your cause, you paid for a service

I"ll post some pics of my TL once I get the tint fixed!

 

we havent even broached the subject of applying moleskin to your window blades so they dont scratch your tint... suggest you do a search for moleskin on this site.

 

Exacly what he said or itll have hairline scratches from the windows going up/down.

But let me digress and say this to the original poster and 17yo kid. This will sound very abrasive but it's life.

You guys need to really man up. You paid good money for a service. So because you are scared to upset someone, you dont want to go back? Really? Who raised you guys. Thyey deserve to see if they messed up and need to fix it. You guys arent the 1st this has happened to in this site but the spoke up and and got it fixed. So when people as why you tint looks F'd up like that you don't have to look like a softy with no backbone after you tell those people the story what happened and why you didnt go back to get it done correctly as adults would do. So go back, show them, and request that they redo it. They wont get mad and beat your ass so you go running home with your tail between your legs boys.

 

And you can always contact the BBB of their crappy service

 

So tint guy told me the other day that they would not apply this moleskin. He said that trash (sand, dust, general debris) gets caught on the rubber that rubs the window when it goes up and down. Applying moleskin to that area simply traps more dirt, thus magnifying the issue.

He peeled back the gasket at the edge where the window meets the door and showed me where the plastic touches the glass inside the door - where I would assume you apply the moleskin. He said they typically just trim that piece of rubber off and the problem is solved. Really? He said it serves no use.

Thoughts?

 

i think they dont know how to or want to apply the moleskin and it's much easier for them to just cut the window blade that keeps wind/road noise out. The tint is on the INSIDE of the car, the rubber blades we're speaking of are on the INSIDE of the car. They are right that dirt in the blade causes the scratch, but moleskin acts as a cushion between any dirt, the window, and the blade.

 

After reading that, I do feel a little weak for not going back in sooner. I'm planning on going back tomorrow and walking in and showing them the issue and stand up for my cause. Thanks for the push to do so, and ill post how it goes!

 

^Yeah, go back there. I too am 17 raised hell (politely) at a Midas shop for badly scratching up a brand new rim I had mounted. I could have just lived with it, seeing as my other 3 rims have some kind of blemish on them, but instead I paid $0 for them to replace it and mount it.

 

I got my tints not long ago. Before I got the job done I met with the installer and stressed how important it was to me that the hard parts were done. Two hours later my car came out exactly how I wanted it. My quarter window's are tinted and also over my rear high mounted brake light. Do not settle for a incomplete tint job people!

 

Awesome. My comments could have you shoot back at me in one of two ways. I'm glad you completely deconstructed what I was trying to say and are using it to be prolific to get the job done RIGHT... Just a fellow Acurazine family member giving another member tough love. Keep us updated and remember were here to help. Let us know what they say and post pix of redo. Don't forget to ask about sheeps skin to eliminate scratching the tint that you paid a lot of money for in this tight economy.

 

Yeah, see I was afraid that supposedly non-functional part did in fact serve the purpose of keeping wind/noise out of the car. Thanks for the heads up.

As for everyone saying he should stand his ground and go back or else it is sissy - Not covering the specifics of how your car is going to be tinted prior to the car being tinted does not make it the tinter's fault. If they tell you "NO", they are not strong arming you.

When you get a car detailed, you discuss the specifics of it first. When you get a suspension installed, you discuss the specifics of it first. You do research.

You could not buy wheels, get them mounted, balanced, installed and then go back and say you do not like the offset, fix it at your own cost.

The guy did not do a crappy job. Most any TL with tint I have seen had the rear door windows done like this. It is very common.

It all has nothing to do with age. It is business. I am not saying leave it alone and run away as fast as possible. But do not go back into the situation simply feeling like you are owed something because someone did a service for you. And if they won't fix it, don't run out blaming your age or them being a crappy vendor.

 

I was just about to say the same thing when I read this! Grow some nuts man! If ANYONE does any kind of service for you, whether it be dryer cleaning, car detailing, or even at a restaurant if something isn't the way you asked for it, or if its done wrong SPEAK UP! You paid for it, it should be done right!

 

I agree with this comment. If details weren't discussed ahead of time, they don't necessarily owe you since they perform the work requested.

However, you should definitely go back there and explain that you are unhappy. Just don't come off with a "you guys screwed up" attitude, especially if it was not discussed ahead of time. Just explain that you don't like how it came out and explain how you'd like them to fix it and hopefully they'll be willing to do it. If they don't want to fix it at no charge, perhaps they'll fix it for some small charge... or you could promise a tip to the guy doing the fix-it work.

 

Where in NC are you located btw? You haven't filled out you profile so the misellanious info shows under your "handle"

 

Haha, actually I live far from NC. I made this account a year or two year ago when I was big on Tarheel basketball, and still am. But I live in Wichita, KS and I have never liked KU or K-State and really am a fan of Roy Williams!

 

Ahhh... thats a shame. We have great meets it seems in Raleigh and Charlotte. I'd like to do one in Wilmington this summer since we're on the beach and a lot of stuff to do since many movies are filmed here and TV shows.

 

I know, I've heard NC's a great place. I went to Hilton Head, SC last summer and it was really nice. Thats the closest I've ever been to NC unfortunately

 

Um not to me..lol. I'm from here but went to college in FL which ill be returning next fall.

 

Well that's not fair, I didn't have the option to compare it to Florida. Florida>NC but what I meant was that NC>KS hahah

 

dont 4get the moleskin

 

When I had my windows tinted they did the same thing with the rear quarter panels. They also said "it can't be done" I told them yes it can because I have friends with it done. They still refused. I took the car to a different installer who did the rear quarter panels for me the way I wanted it for 50.00. I then took the car back to the original tint shop and showed him their work and demanded a refund of 50.00 to cover the other tinters work.... They sent me a check for 50.00.

You gotta do what you gotta do to get what you want. You aren't asking for anything other than what you had anticipated the final product to look like so you shouldn't settle for anything less.

 

Just an update. I grew some balls and stated my case. I had a print out of a picture of another TL with the same tint that was done 2 years ago, and I showed it to them. They were still confused by how they must have done it, but I told them if they don't feel confident they can replicate the job then don't, cause I do not want any damage to my car. Then they got the owner, and he said he would do it personally.
It was done the next day, and it looks great, but I noticed a minor scuff mark on my rear door frame (outside), but i'm not sure if it was there before or if it is new, as I meticulously stated looking at my car after the redo on the car. It could have been there before not sure, but i've started becoming suspicious.
You all are right, do your research, and state your standards. I used to be naive, and went to them based on my past experiences, who knew they would not be that great.

Now i'm looking at my car up and down and finding minor things that I don't like....man this is not good for my OCD!
Glad I found this board, you guys are lifesavers.

I'll post some pics soon once I take her to the wash.

 

Awesome bro. I'm glad you found my advice more helpful than offensive... I'm glad you are happy now.