Exact-Oh

Most of those Passlock problems have been brand specific. I should know better.

That's cool. I will have to give that method a try then. I have had so many temperature issues with Passlock and bypass potentiometer differences, that I don't want to take chances and have customers returning.

Has anyone ever tried this method? Basically, you can bypass a transponder using about ten turns of wire around the actual transponder and two turns of that wire leading to the ignition cylinder. The only reason a relay is needed, is so that it is only active when the vehicle is started remotely.

I have heard that this set-up is not as accurate as purchasing bypass units, and the number of turns, wire gauge, and wire insulation thickness are so variable that it takes much longer to make these installs.

If it IS being used out there with reliability, and it doesn't add too much time to the install, I am thinking of using this set-up to save $$ on parts. Please let me know if you have experience using this.

These cars are cake to tint. The only issues I had with mine today is the Landau roof. I never understood the point of these. It's just that factory option for people pissed off at tinters or something. They totally limit visiblilty, and in harsh winters, they hold moisture and salt and rot the roof.

All of the gaskets are removable without pulling the panels. These kinda remind me of the Taurus or the BMW, with the trim around the top three edges of the window, but on these, the gasket isn't embedded under the plastic as far. Just becareful, 'cause the rubbers have metal in them, and they're easy to bend. I double cut, and it seemed as though the glass on the left side was 1/4" longer than the glass on the right side.

With the Landau roof, the quarter windows in the back doors have to be cut on the inside, and the back is a bear to shrink. I basically marked where to cut the film with a Sharpie, and cut it on the bench. Shrinking the back glass, I shifted the film up, shrunk the bottom, then shifted it down, and shrunk the top. It sucked not knowing if the film would fit before installation, and I had to do a lot of shrinking after installation.

its called batch. the color goes all the way through. Don't believe me? Break one and check out one of the pieces.

Some is coated, early SUVs like Suburbans had the coating on the inside surface.

None is dipped all the way around.

Nice try.

[*]321558

Yeah, and the crap on the early Suburbans and such used to deteriorate and look like crap after a few years... with no chance of removal.

Reverse-rolling

I just had this customer call me (the hubby that is). He offered to pay me to redo the roll-down, 'cause she doesn't understand when I suggested she get the weathstripping replaced beforehand.

IMO, new weatherstripping and less wind noise while driving would be more worth it than paying me to replace a peice of film due to a couple of spots of contamination.

Though I will do the window over for no charge, I probably won't touch anything for this guy, or his woman, again... unless it is a nice vehicle of course.

This guy is a repeat customer of mine, so I tried to be nice. He is hispanic, and his wife doesn't even speak english (I h@te that), so he is here with her car complaining of a few specks of contamination on the driver's window.

The weatherstrip is literally falling off of this door, cracked and peeling rubber everywhere. The door panel is totally cracked on the top edge too.

The rest of the job is nearly perfect. She was all upset and drove off quickly when I told him that I would redo it, but it might be worse unless she replaces the weatherstriping that's hanging in front of the glass.

She thinks she has this really cool car or something, and it's a POS '95 Grand Prix 4-door. Sometimes I just want to tell them that Garbage In = Garbage Out... but I know that she thinks her car is a gem.

Yeah, I saw a car I did in the early '90s with the TG. It wasn't too purple, but you couldn't see through the stuff very easily... no bubbles, but very distorted. Needless to say, I don't use the stuff anymore, though, it did last quite a while before the distortion happened (way past any warranty I had on that crap).

I may be interested. I am currently looking at a 48"er that is for sale only 20 miles from me, but I am not going to talk to this guy again until next Tuesday.

Great tip. I have only done a couple PPF jobs in the last couple of years, but I use the hydraulic lifts in my shop for many things, oil changes, brakes, etc.

For TD readers, they also help a lot for installing remote-starters and such underneath the dash.

I was asked by a shop owner in a neighboring city to tint glass out of his shop a couple of times per week! A lot of my current business is out of that city to begin with, but this will increase my visibility in that area a lot.

I gave him the option to use his business header on the invoices, or told him I would give him a higher percentage if he used mine. He opted to use mine... that way maybe the return customers will bring their second vehicles to my shop.

I am totally busy this time of year anyway, with the temps near 100 degrees F. I am totally leary about training a tinter/potential future competitor. I will just work extra hours this summer to offset the winter lows.

There have been two shops in that city that have tried to tint cars in the last couple of years, and failed miserably. We'll see how it goes at first, and maybe I will invest in a second set of tools. I don't know how I will like dragging everthing back and forth.

Thanks, I have to keep those days in my head for when I have bad days... cause we all do.

And, I wanted to contribute a happy post to offset TW's 'Screw This' post.

I'm bored too right now. It's the hottest day of the year here, so my last customer gave me some slack and asked me if it would be better if he rescheduled for next week. I was up for that, since it was a small truck job. Now I'm sitting here waiting to close the place.

A return customer came in yesterday and asked me to do a bunch of 12-volt wiring for him. I have tinted a few of his vehicles, his Harley windshield, and this is the guy who I make those plastic removable tinted roll-downs for.

He had originally had his trailer hitch and special towing wiring done on his truck at a U-Haul dealer down the street from me. He has a special light bar on the top of his SUV, 'cause he tows the thing around the US, transfering large trucks for companies.

He asked me to re-do all of the wiring on the entire package, including building a few patch cables to connect to Kenworth and Mack trucks.

He knows that I will solder/heatshrink all of the connections. Tearing the old ones apart, they were all crimped and taped.

The funny part of the story is that the dude who did the job the first time just happened to show up when the customer was expaining to me exactly what he needed done. We rent Budget trucks here, so we have a good relationship with this guy who does U-Hauls. He said, what's up Bill, what are ya having done? Bill (the customer) tells him... oh, I'm just having her install some new LED lights on my bar.

I love this stuff!!!

we dont have these in the UK, but they look a good profit opportunity...have you installed many?

Naughty

[*]292854

No, I haven't done any yet. I just received the info packet from the leasing company. I have had a couple of customers in the last few years that have had them installed on their vehicles, which sparked my interest. After reading the installation manual, and talking extensively with a rep from the leasing company, I am going to add them to my business.

I had a customer in the other day that had a Intoxalock system installed on his vehicle. All states are requiring these now for habitual drunk drivers if they want to drive their cars.

I was thinking of how the unit worked and how these units must install just like a remote starter or alarm system, and then I contacted the company supplying the units.

I just received the info on the units and installation. They are actually easier to install 'cause they have a lot less control wiring than your average remote starter or alarm. These people have to pay you install the unit, pay the company that supplies the units for the lease, pay you to service the unit in a frequency determined by your state DOT, and pay you to remove the units.

This is not something that you have to have in inventory or keep on the shelf. They are supplied when needed by the leasing company.

If you are looking to expand your business, and you have 12-volt experience, you should consider this as an opportunity. The only requirements of your place being an authorized service/installation center is that you are familiar with 12-volt technology, and that your shop carries at least one million dollars in shop liability coverage.

If you are interested in this as an opportunity, call Consumer Safety Technology, Inc., at 877-777-5020. You can also visit Intoxalock for more info on the units.

In the state of Wisconsin, service centers are getting between $75 and $150 for install, about $20/month to exchange the unit, and $50 to $100 for removal of the unit. That $20/month is just unplugging the thing, shipping it to the leasing company, and plugging in a new one that is supplied by the leasing company. Most states require the user to have this installed for more than one-year on their vehicle. Imagine the potential if you have many people in your area requiring these units!

I can't believe this. It just shows what money can buy now-days.

Awesome. Gotta love it when the pride/quality in your work is seen by others!

Ah, I've always considered ghosting where I would remove a finger at the bottom of a roll-down for instance, and you could still see the outline of the finger at certain angles. I have this happen when there is not enough slip-solution under the film in the location where the finger was removed.

With your advise, I will probably pass on this job. I certainly don't have the demand for that film here, and am not interested in learning how to work with another manufacturer's product. Thanks for your input.

I have dealt with ghosting, if we are referring to the same thing... Just air gaps that aren't removed with water behind them is my description of them. I would like to e-mail this guy back, 'cause he got my e-mail address from TD's awesome site here. If you could help me out with the film, I would appreciate it.

I changed major film companies 'cause a rep stopped by my place. I figure... if they don't have the time to stop at my business, they don't deserve my business. When thinking about it, I spend thousands of bucks a year on film... they should drop by now and then.

It's cool that you got the free advertising and such, but they should care more about your small business and deliver the stuff. After all, without you selling their product, they won't make crap!

I don't have the demand here, but I had one customer ask me about using a ceramic based film a couple of days ago. Does anyone have data on the effect on the antenna and navigation systems?

If it is cool to use with these factors, can someone sell me enough to do one car?

Location?

Cool. Research is the only way to solve these problems.