I too, am considering a change of films

December 1, 2006

Ive done a back glass.....then did the rest of the car, had a flaw I couldnt fix in the back glass after the rest was done...peeled it and it left sploches of glue!! after less than an hour!

thats one reason I don't like the film, but, what I had to do was to clean the window inside and out right after install and check it out, if a flaw then it could be taken care of right then and there.

countpwt · December 4, 2006

We just had the SunGard salesman come by around two months ago. He left a couple of sample rolls of their hp, carbon, and hp 50 blue. The films shrink well and are easy to work with. Color matched close with factory tinted glass.

When I used it on a Tahoe to try and match factory glass, the film had a slight distortion to it. At the top edge the film actually had taken on the texture of the interior seal. Like a design.

Of course when changing films your biggest fear is the new stuff not lasting long. And the new product stinking.

December 4, 2006

Well, to answer most of the responses so far. I'm not doing it only because of prices, although a price difference of $70 for a 20"x100' roll of full-metal film sure does help. One of the reasons I've considered changing is because I've started to notice on our shop truck that I tinted (just over a year ago) how it's already started to fade. It was done with Slate 35/20.
As far as my shop prices, they are in comparison with our competitors. I tinted for 3 1/2 years in AZ, and very rarely can you get the same prices here in KS. It's hard to convince somebody that they should spend another $50 for a full-metal film instead of a hybrid when the shop down the street is telling everybody that their lifetime warranty film covers change-of-color and fading, when they dont even sell a full-metal film. I know because I'm friends with the tinter there. Besides that, everybody else in town is using SunGard, because it's the closest distributor.

To stay competitive, I need to find a cheaper film, and offer more choices. Sure, I'd love to charge more, but you can only sell yourself so much when all they care about is the price.

BTW, thanks MidcoastMW for answering some of my questions, instead of questioning my knowledge of business.

This is an interesting post. So you are wanting a less expensive film, do you expect it to be a better quality than what you had? Or are you looking for a film that will make you price competitive with your competition regardless of whether or not it is truely colorstable?

The reason I ask is that I can understand the dillema you are in but I'm not sure what the best long term solution is. Obviously your competition is waranty'ing something that they know will eventually fail sooner or later. I'm sure they are banking on the majority of thier customers either selling thier vehicles, losing thier paperwork, or just bringing it back in for an entirley new tint job before they attemp a warranty claim? Right?

Is this the strategy you are willing to commit too? I think there is more risk than just warranty repairs. I think a shop's reputation is put on the line when they slap a no fade warranty on film that will definitely fade. Let's put it this way... We remember the mfg's and the particualr films they produced with a promise of no fading that did actually fade? And we probably remember the surprised look on our rep's faces when we brought it too thier attention like they had never seen such a thing ever happen?

Does anyone here want to play that game? Is it worth it? :beer

December 4, 2006

well for a manu to say film will not fade sounds dumb to me cause the sun will even fade brick over time.

December 4, 2006

Titanium Nitride films do not fade. :beer

December 4, 2006

riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

December 4, 2006

They haven't and will not fade. No dyes, pigments, and TiN is technically not a metal so it does not fade. Known fact in the coatings industry for many years... :gasp