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BMW 3-Series and 4-Series Forum (F30 / F32) | F30POST > Technical Forums > Cosmetic and Lighting Modifications (exterior & interior) > Window Tint Issues - Should They Be Reworked?
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      10-16-2017, 01:59 PM   #1
utjeffc
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Window Tint Issues - Should They Be Reworked?

I just had aftermarket tint applied to my F30, and there are a few issues that I plan to bring back to the installer for rework. Some of them are obvious flaws, but I just wanted to check to see if the other issues are common/expected and I am being too critical. This is my first car that I have outfitted with aftermarket tint, so I thought I'd run it by you folks.

Below are descriptions of the issues, and I've attached some pictures to illustrate them. I apologize in advance for the dirt and dust, but you should be able to see the faults.

1. Front driver & passenger side windows, tint cut short of the window opening near the A-pillar tweeter. Barely visible from the outside, visible from the drivers seat. I'm not sure if this is a common result of the tweeter pod design, or if the installer was just taking shortcuts.

2. All side windows, sloppy cut line along top edge of window. Not visible with windows rolled up, but visible when rolled down.

3. Rear window, hair trapped between film and glass. Enough said.

Let me know what you think. Should these all be corrected by the installer?
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      10-16-2017, 02:25 PM   #2
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My f30 is tinted and I can say my tint job is spot on perfect. I payed over 340$ and didn't go to the cheap people that were offer lower quality tint for 200$. Most tint shops give lifetime warranty if they used good film and most definitely cover installation error.

Take it back to them and have it redone! If i doesn't bother you too much, ask for a significant discount. Im sure they wouldn't mind giving you a good discount, as they probably dont want to go through the hassle of peeling the tint and redoing it and spending more time in labor.


Take it back and have it done to your expectations !
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      10-16-2017, 07:06 PM   #3
John in VA
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Most tinters in TX have plenty of experience, as so many cars are tinted. I don't know if they were in a hurry at the end of day/week, but be nice, point out the issues & give them a chance to make it right. Good luck!
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      10-16-2017, 07:37 PM   #4
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I worked in a tint shop. That is a piss poor job even if you paid $99.

Take it back, have them remove it and get your money back.
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      10-16-2017, 09:11 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueCrabMafia View Post
That is a piss poor job even if you paid $99.
+1. The way they cut the tint to avoid the A pillar shows that they don't know the right way to do it. I bet the tint doesn't extend down past the seals into the doors either, so sooner or later it will lift off there. I don't know if you should trust them to remove it from the rear window without tearing off the defroster traces. Ask them how they do it. If they don't say that they use a steamer don't let them touch it, take it elsewhere.
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      10-16-2017, 09:38 PM   #6
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That's pretty bad. I only use Hüper Optik film on my cars. Hüper Optik only sells to licensed installers. If you go to their website and find your local installer, you're more than likely going to get a good professional install.
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      10-17-2017, 09:07 AM   #7
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you should not accept that no matter what excuses they come up with, it's just (what BlueCrabMafia said)...
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      10-17-2017, 09:27 AM   #8
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very sloppy work!
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      10-18-2017, 08:57 AM   #9
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Thanks for the responses everybody. The shop agreed to rework the whole job, I am dropping it off tomorrow. They claimed they do not use a steamer to remove the old tint.

I live in a somewhat rural area in Texas, where there are three shops that apply tint. The shop I went to was actually the highest estimate I received ($240), but I chose them because they used Llumar film and that film was well regarded online. Now I see that they are not a "LLumar® SelectPro™ dealer" on LLumar's website, so that should have been a clue. I wanted to use a local installer so I could drop it off before work and pick it up after.

The only issue that the shop tried to diminish was the line along the side windows. He claimed that they use the window as a guide, and sometimes that edge is not perfect...
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      10-18-2017, 09:33 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by utjeffc View Post
The only issue that the shop tried to diminish was the line along the side windows. He claimed that they use the window as a guide, and sometimes that edge is not perfect...
That last part is complete BS. They should be over cutting the tint when they mold it and you will never see those lines.

If they are cutting it exactly to the window, they do not know what they are doing.

I would find another shop.
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      10-18-2017, 10:45 AM   #11
utjeffc
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueCrabMafia View Post
That last part is complete BS. They should be over cutting the tint when they mold it and you will never see those lines.

If they are cutting it exactly to the window, they do not know what they are doing.

I’d find another shop.
Yeah, I replayed his comment in my head a couple times just to make sure I was hearing it correctly. And when I asked him how they take off the film, his reply was "we do it our way," which does not instill any confidence after seeing the result of their way of installing. I probed to ask whether they would steam it off and he said no.
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      10-18-2017, 11:19 AM   #12
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with the tint that new, a steamer may not be necessary however most shops would probably use it just to guarantee the cleanest removal.

your tint job is completely unacceptable and i wonder about how what care they took in the removal and re-install of the door and surrounding trim panels, where possible. or did they even do that? most shops do

if that kind of work happens to me, i usually just accept the loss and take it elsewhere because i don't want them touching the car anymore.

since they agreed to redo it i suppose it's worth a shot. hope it works out for you.
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      10-18-2017, 12:02 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by utjeffc View Post
I probed to ask whether they would steam it off and he said no.
That settles the question as to whether they know what they're doing. They don't. I can see them tearing it off, leaving glue all over, then using a razor blade to scrape it off, and in so doing scratching the glass.

Search out a shop that does 3M or Huber. An inept shop can't get a franchise from them.
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      10-29-2017, 12:07 AM   #14
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This was from a shop?? It looks like a $50 garage job...
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