What Qs should I ask when trying to find a good tint shop / Recommenda

[Guest 9volt]

I'd like to get my new car tinted and was wondering if you guys could let me know what I should look for/ask when I'm shopping for a good place to get it done. Obviously I'd like to find a place that knows what they're doing.

Is there a certain type or brand of tint I should look for?

The car is an 05 BMW 325i, can this car be done without removing the door panels? Any particular problems that these cars are known for when tinting?

I know I live in BFE, but if anyone could recommend a good shop near Appleton, WI I'd appreciate it.

Thanks

[carolinatinter]

flat rock stan is up that way I believe and he is on the board. maybe he can chime in and help ya out

[Guest tintgod]

flat rock stan is up that way I believe and he is on the board. maybe he can chime in and help ya out

he is in OR..not WI...

[Guest clint4883]

it depends on the region you are in. I see you are from appleton and I know nothing about the prices up there, but in my part of the world that is not an accurate quote. its not really fair to give prices on this site just for that reason because there vary so much from region to region. I would suggest that you talk to people around your area that have their windows done and in the phone book. when you talk to someone at a shop ask lots of questions about the film and the process. make sure you feel comfortable with the shop. any professional shop should be more than willing to answer your questions and take sometime to make sure you are comfortable.

[Fiveofeen]

quality tint on a bimmer should run well into --- bills. I live in BFE in Michigan

[Guest darkdan]

It's not about price. If you go to the phone book and call two dozen tint shops to find the $99 special....you're getting what you're paying for.

It's less about brand. Almost all brands make good films, okay films, and crap films. Rely less on brand name. Some are obviously a bit better than others, but just because you have ABC brand doesn't mean it's better than XYZ because they might be installing the cheap stuff!

What is it all about? A few simple questions:

1.) How many years of experience does the installer have?

This can be a problem at larger shops that have 20 installers.

2.) What kind of warranty does the film have?

a.) Is it a lifetime nationwide warranty?

b.) Does it cover fading and/or color change?

c.) What is the brand name and film line? (then research it on the internet)

3.) Ask yourself, does my car have GPS or a built-in-glass radio antenna?

a.) If yes, you need a dyed film or a ceramic film

b.) If no, the world is your oyster

4.) Ask friends, "Where'd you get your tint job? How does it look? How was the service before and after the sale? How well has it held up? Are you happy?"

5.) Ask yourself, "What benefits am I looking for?"

a.) How important is heat rejection?

b.) Do I just want the windows dark?

c.) Do I want that bling-bling chrome look?

6.) What are the legal limits?

a.) What's the penalty for illegal tint?

b.) How unsafe is it?

c.) Will my insurance company cancel my insurance or deny my claim because of illegal tint?

d.) How sue-happy are people in my area if I hit them while willfully driving a car deemed "unsafe" by my state?

Once you narrow the field down to good installers that are offering good products with good service...then worry about price.

Plus, not all films are created equal.

1.) Dyed. Originally though to be cheap, there are now many color stable (non-purpling) dyed films out there. They're GPS/radio safe. Usually, heat rejection isn't the greatest, but some do okay. Examples would be Global Quick Dry Plus, 3M Color Stable, Madico CharCOOL, Llumar AT CH, and a few others.

2.) Metalized (Hybrid, HP, etc). This is a dyed film with a small amount of metal in it. Some are color stable, others are not. It's by far the most popular out there currently. Sometimes it effects GPS and/or AM radio reception, sometimes it effects FM too while the defroster is on. Examples would be Llumar ATR Charcoal, Madico Onyx, Global HP Charcoal, 3M Tint-FX HP, etc.

3.) Full Metal. The bling! Offers awesome heat rejection. Mid to high reflectivity. It will fubar your GPS antenna! LOL.

4.) High end films. These are specialty films. Mostly ceramics or other super duper technologies to provide exceptional performance. Expect to pay a lot for these. However, you can get 70% VLT films that offer over 50% heat rejection! Or you can get a dark GPS safe film with superb heat rejection and low reflectivity! If you have to ask how much, you can't afford it! But typically they cannot fade, cannot change color, and offer awesome benefits. Well worth the money.

I hope this little guide will help you in getting the tint job your vehicle deserves! Why put an $89 hack job onto a beautiful new expensive automobile?

Did I forget anything guys?

[Guest willie]

Nice one dd

[big money]

soo, if you remove panels, you not a professional? And charging what you quoted means you provide a top quality job So if I charge the guy --- for the auto part store film, I would still be a professional

[big money]

very nice dan, but you forgot about the door panel removal, yes or no

[Guest SSC]

very nice dan, but you forgot about the door panel removal, yes or no

it's personal preference for the tinter. it's not often* /necessary/ but it does make the job easier for the tinter. the tinter that pulls panels does it on a day-to-day basis, far more often than the kid at the car dealership who usually changes your oil and made it rattle last time he replaced your window regulator.

cars are like legos... the door panels are designed to come off. there's nothing wrong with taking them off if you know what you're doing.

if it's a reputable shop, and they do damage your car, they will correct the problem to your satisfaction. you should make your decision based on whether the shop is reputable, not whether they pull the panels.

*there are certain cars that need felt added to the rubber sweeps (where the window goes inside the door). On these cars, yes, the door panel needs to be removed.