Diablo's Tint

Hail tech here. I do a fair amount of door dinging as well when I spot something obvious on an otherwise nice car. Helps to break the pace of slaying film.

Check out my awesome mobile peel board. I bought a clothing hanger stand and a white board from Wal Mart and then customized it. You cant cut or shrink on this peel board I just use it for the delearship 2 window tints. We precut our film at the shop and preshrink for the delearship, snap shrinking. By doing this, we can do 40 2 front windows in 3 - 4 hours. Excuse the mess 

Here is mine. made from Home depot woods, and ordered custom size tempered glass from glass shop.
while you make peel board, also why not build film display?
www.LexenAuto.com

Why did you choose to get your Lamborghini tinted at "Modern Image"? Can we see a picture of your lamborghini and the receipt for the tint job? 

I think we need some justification for this entire thread. He's speaking negatively about a tint shop. I'd like to see a receipt from the shop and the amount paid & lets hear from the OP on why he chose that shop specifically in california where there is a tint shop on every corner (which according to others would've been much cheaper) 

I mean, he isn't the only tint shop in california lol. There was zero price gouge going on, it wasn't gas or water that he needed to buy and couldn't get it anywhere else. The damn photo isn't even a lambo lol, he might be slamming the tint shop, and we are debating a false situation. Think about photography. What makes one wedding photographer worth $5k and another $45k? Just because there is a cheaper option, doesn't mean the more expensive option is ripping someone off or being dishonest. 

That's just it. Where are you getting that he's over charging? I'm happy your shop is doing well. I'm happy your employee's don't wish to earn more money. Like others have said, if he wanted after hours appointment, if he had complications, if he just wanted that tint artist to tint his lambo, the price goes up. In every industry you can get something cheap and something expensive. From Hamburgers to golf clubs. The experience and customer service is different. I am curious as to what an "honest price" is? if someone charges less than you, are they giving their customers a more honest price? 

Sorry for my bitterness in my last post!  No hard feelings really! 
but where he’s overcharged is the fact of the materials used an the time, I myself an my workers have done plenty of high end cars like this one. But like you said we need a full picture of the car an a better picture inside to really see if it’s a true Lamborghini or not! With them pictures it could be anything and he just ain’t happy an said it was a high end car! 
The side note of my shop we charge a flat rate on 99% of vehicles, the other 1% being the two an only vw bugs an the great vette back glass, we do charge an extra $100 for them, my 6 employees and me can get them done in one shot or maybe it take us 3,4,5 shots. It just depends on the day. I’ve had one call me that’s   tried a bug three times an wanted help an I got it done in one try, also it’s been the other way around I’ve had a bug and vette that’s gave me so much trouble I passed it to someone else an they got it first try. 
Moral of my story is, let’s see more pictures (which I doubt the OP will ever come back) 
and we can go from there! 

That's just it. Where are you getting that he's over charging? I'm happy your shop is doing well. I'm happy your employee's don't wish to earn more money. Like others have said, if he wanted after hours appointment, if he had complications, if he just wanted that tint artist to tint his lambo, the price goes up. In every industry you can get something cheap and something expensive. From Hamburgers to golf clubs. The experience and customer service is different. I am curious as to what an "honest price" is? if someone charges less than you, are they giving their customers a more honest price? 

Between those two I'd take the Solar fx hands down. I've been running the solar fx ceramic on my Honda Pilot for about five years now and it looks as good today as the day I installed it. As far as color goes the solar fx is pretty neutral colored with a very slight brown/bronze hue, as far as the Suntek depends on which line of film the CXP is going to be the blackest of them and CIR has a green undertone but I noticed significant haze in the sample I tried. As far as scratch resistance goes in my experience the Suntek scratches extremely easily and the Solar FX you can get downright abusive with before it scratches. I've installed films from 3M, Llumar, Suntek, Solar FX, and Xpel. Xpel is my go to and what I install every day but I really don't have anything negative to say about solar fx.

Howard, you will never cease to amaze me! The other day I found out about all the different colored film you sell and not only that but you sell them in cut down roll sizes........ Now I find you can send my film in a box with.... say autowindowtinting.com on them!!! THEN on top of that, you tinted the ambulance in the GhostBusters movie!
I wish I could intern with your company for awhile to make myself better and more efficient in the film business. Can't wait to see you at SEMA.
I have questions on having my own label but will save um for Vegas.
Cheers from all of us at Alexia's

Hello Allstartintchatt,
This is Howard at Express Films.
It would not be proper for me to opine on how SunTek treated you or anyone else for that matter. I compete with them every day and I respect them as a viable competitor. My purpose in writing this to you is to suggest that you consider another option which you might not know is available to you: Your very own brand of film.
The next logical question is who you should work with. My company has been providing this exact service to clients for decades. You can take delivery of the film in glossy boxes that are beautifully decorated with your company logos and artwork. What's more, inside the box will be a roll of color stable window film which is made by a company which I (and many others) consider to be the top quality window film manufacturer on this planet.
All at better prices than either of your current suppliers.
Interested?? Just give me a call for all the details.
Howard - Express Window Films (800)345-6669 howard@buytint.com

I think we need some justification for this entire thread. He's speaking negatively about a tint shop. I'd like to see a receipt from the shop and the amount paid & lets hear from the OP on why he chose that shop specifically in california where there is a tint shop on every corner (which according to others would've been much cheaper) 

Totally agree... there needs to be *some* justification for whatever price is charged. But.. that is such a wide range of things....  And if you are going to charge that much, you dang well better honor that job if there are issues that need to be addressed afterwards.
 
 
 

In the commercial sign industry a 25% to 100% upcharge on a rush order is common and expected, even with long standing clients. 

For perspective, $800 on an Enconoline would be appropriate in my area even if they made an appointment and waited two weeks. When I was in So. Fla you would be lucky to get $450-500 at all.
 
I recently layed clear mask on an older Porsche to prevent more damage and had the plastic on the trunk switch crumble in my hands. Called the dealership and paid to overnight a new one immediately. Fortunately I had priced the job accordingly knowing sh*t happens.
The customer said he may have never noticed it, but if he did my rep in that community would have been lost. Since I got ahead of the situation on the spot my rep was upheld and thus bolsters the justification of my pricing structure. I'm a tad higher than most in my area on purpose, because I've earned it, and deliver the goods as promised.

Completely agree @Diablo's Tint    I quoted $800 for a basic 12 passenger Econoline simply because they wanted a last minute appointment.  Is that too much for regular film on that vehicle, well yeah, but, If they choose to pay that, so be it.  Am I wrong for doing that, hell no.  

hmmm, is the risk the same tinting a lambo (which the pictures didn't look like) vs a kia soul? It's not a high price. We don't know the whole story.  A fair price is what someone is willing to pay. I mean you could say the same thing about the lambo itself lol, A lambo is over priced.  You need an oil change? call and get a quote for a civic oil change and thats what you should pay lol. How about the car insurance? will it be comparable to the kia soul? We need to look at all those same considerations. I feel bad for people who feel negatively about earning money, or guilty if they make over $50k a year, you have the wrong mindset, you're not ripping off the customer charging a price they are willing to pay, you're ripping off your family by not charging that price. 

hmmm, is the risk the same tinting a lambo (which the pictures didn't look like) vs a kia soul? It's not a high price. We don't know the whole story.  A fair price is what someone is willing to pay. I mean you could say the same thing about the lambo itself lol, A lambo is over priced.  You need an oil change? call and get a quote for a civic oil change and thats what you should pay lol. How about the car insurance? will it be comparable to the kia soul? We need to look at all those same considerations. I feel bad for people who feel negatively about earning money, or guilty if they make over $50k a year, you have the wrong mindset, you're not ripping off the customer charging a price they are willing to pay, you're ripping off your family by not charging that price. 

...or that your insurance can refuse to pay if you get into an accident because of illegal modifications...

Keep in mind different cars have different levels of difficulty. I'm not saying the $1300 is justified for that car, but there is a huge difference between tinting some cars then others. 
 
So to just have a flat rate of $250 for a 4 door sedan isn't exactly fair on the installation side of things either. 
 

 
 
 

Have you asked them to look at it?
 
Pricing might be above average, but it may be be the cost of doing buisness in California and being propperly insured.
 
If he stands behind his work at all cost it may be justified. Lord knows you can't run down to the autozone if something goes sideways.

If you decide to get into FG, I have a few tips. First, examine your market. Are you looking toward residential or commercial. If you are green in FG, starting in resi is a better option. Commercial contractors won't give you the time of day if you can't perform, carry significant insurance, and have a problem waiting for money. With resi, first thing to do is clean up your act. Far too. Any "tinters" show up in some type of Honda of Toyota with wheels that look like they are on broken axles, Sterio blasting some Snoop Dog crap, and dress like they should be selling a 50 rock in some back ally. People don't want this on their property let alone in their home. 
 Dress like you are going to a job interview...where you really want the job. You must learn, know and understand your product, as well as every other product your competitors offer. Know the pros and cons of all of them and be ready to explain them  in a way a 5 year old can understand to the homeowner. Know what the different glass types are and how film effects them, know what your costs goin in are and what your costs going out will be. Be able to show the homeowner how the film will work and benefit them via some solar tool. IE BTU meter, heat lamp, UV card etc. Have nice, well laid out and glossy pamphlets that back up your sales pitch that you can give to the homeowner.. Bring pieces of film with you that you can actually install on the glass if needed so the customer can see it on their home. 
 This business is such a blind purchase transaction, what this means is that it is really no different than being a painter, carpet installer or even a mattress salesman. People are buying blind, they have no idea how paint, film, carpet of mattresses are made... And they really don't care. They just want someone to solve a problem. 
 I can go on for days about this but it's basic business sence and practices. 
 ..Now Commercial.... Which is our primary business, is a different animal entirely. On the front end making the initial contacts it's similar to resi. Meaning you need to show a strong knowledge of product and present your business in the most favorable light possible. But after that it's all about the numbers and performance. Commercial contractors don't give a shit if you are "the best" .. They want you to get in, get out, and not mess up their hair. Just do your job, quickly, as cheap as possible and without causing them any problems. 

I’m not a fan of doing them either, I just overprice them to the point that most people don’t want to do them, and if they do it ends up being worth it for me.