Window tinting - are my expectations too high?

Thanks for the advice everyone. Unfortunately it gets worse; I noticed today two not inconsiderable scratches on the rear right-hand sliding window frame and a really bad scratch all the way down the A-pillar section of the driver's door. I haven't had the car off road yet and I'm pretty certain those scratches weren't there yesterday morning. I didn't make a big deal about the scratches on the window frame, as they could happen in the bush, but the one on the driver's door is a shocker and almost certainly the result of a razor blade or stanley knife.

I took the car back and was met with relative indifference and an explanation of how they can't tint too close to the window seals, because the water would draw dirt and dust out from under the seals and under the tinting film. I doubt this would be an issue, especially on such a new car, but I was assured it wasn't an excuse. They acknowledged that one or two windows could be better (all but five panes of glass could be better) and offered to replace the tint. I asked if they could or had ever removed glass to tint it and they seemed a bit bemused by the idea.

As for the scratch on the driver's door, one guy was adamant that he hadn't been anywhere near the outside of the door while working on the windows, but the other said "oh, I've maybe done that when I was cutting out the template, we'll need to get that fixed." Unfortunately, that was all that was said on the subject.

I stayed calm and pleasant and said I'd get back to them on when I could bring it in for the tint to be fixed, so I could mull over what my course of action should be. I'm absolutely sickened by it. I mentioned it to a work colleague this afternoon and she told me that they do shoddy work; the guy who used to work for them and probably tinted my last car went independent because he was sick of their approach. If only I'd known this last week. I've decided that I don't want them touching my car again and I want my money back. I reckon I'll go to Consumer Protection tomorrow for advice on how to deal with them, then a panel shop for advice and a quote on repairing the driver's door. I foresee a respray to make it right, which is a nightmare on a two month old car.

Wish me luck.

Bloody hell mate, I do wish you luck and I'd be pretty p...ed off I can tell you, I'm pretty anal and it annoys me no end when you get morons to do a job for you and they stuff it up, and most of the time they don't seem to give a stuff:censored: Hence why I try and do everything myself, but unfortunately it doesn't extend to window tinting......

Good luck and MAKE SURE they do right by you.

Mick

I had my D1 windows tinted by a backyard operator and he had no issue doing the alpine windows with them in place. Was a top job that lasted very well, even where the dog used to lick the window.

If a back yard operator can do it - a "professional" output should be able to do it.

Garry

Thanks. Mick, I'm exactly the same mate. I can bolt stuff together and run a few wires, but unfortunately my mechanical knowledge is minimal and dark arts like window tinting completely outfox me. I do what I can though for the exact reason you describe.

Anyway, I spoke to Consumer Protection today and they've recommended writing to the tinters seeking the matter to be rectified. I that fails, I have to lodge a complaint with them. I also got a quote from the panel shop; $310 if they can't polish the scratch out and have to respray the door pillar.

I'm no sure how this is going to go. As I've said, I've no confidence in them to be able to fix it.

Can I ask those of you with tinted Defenders, what does the tint look like? Are there any gaps between the tint and rubbers, specifically on the rear and alpine windows, even if they're narrow? Is it neatly cut around the heated rear window connectors?

On my car, there is a gap between the tint and rubber on the left-hand edge of the rear door window, which they consider acceptable because it's in-line with the inside edge of the rubber (which as you know has a curved return). There are gaps of probably 5mm+ at each end of the alpine windows and along part of the top edge of the right hand one, which looks terrible from inside the car. They say they can fix the gap at the top, but probably not the ends without risking getting dust or dirt under the film. One of the small rear side door windows has a gap on its trailing edge and both rear quarter lights have inconsistent 1-2mm gaps around their edges. The sliding windows have a strip on each of the outer panes where they overlap with no tint, although this is probably unavoidable without removing the glass. There is also no tint on the glass to the outside of the heated window connectors.

I'd appreciate any feedback you can give.

As I mentioned earlier, none of mine had gaps visible on the small, alpine of main windows.

The sliding windows had an area left clear at the centre edge to avoid contamination.

I removed the alpine windows from my 110 and refitted after tinting. The tinter said that is the only way they would look good. Even then he had some problems getting the tint to stick to the curve. The tint runs under the rubbers.

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Originally Posted by DrytheRain

Thanks for the advice everyone. Unfortunately it gets worse; I noticed today two not inconsiderable scratches on the rear right-hand sliding window frame and a really bad scratch all the way down the A-pillar section of the driver's door. I haven't had the car off road yet and I'm pretty certain those scratches weren't there yesterday morning. I didn't make a big deal about the scratches on the window frame, as they could happen in the bush, but the one on the driver's door is a shocker and almost certainly the result of a razor blade or stanley knife.

I took the car back and was met with relative indifference and an explanation of how they can't tint too close to the window seals, because the water would draw dirt and dust out from under the seals and under the tinting film. I doubt this would be an issue, especially on such a new car, but I was assured it wasn't an excuse. They acknowledged that one or two windows could be better (all but five panes of glass could be better) and offered to replace the tint. I asked if they could or had ever removed glass to tint it and they seemed a bit bemused by the idea.

As for the scratch on the driver's door, one guy was adamant that he hadn't been anywhere near the outside of the door while working on the windows, but the other said "oh, I've maybe done that when I was cutting out the template, we'll need to get that fixed." Unfortunately, that was all that was said on the subject.

I stayed calm and pleasant and said I'd get back to them on when I could bring it in for the tint to be fixed, so I could mull over what my course of action should be. I'm absolutely sickened by it. I mentioned it to a work colleague this afternoon and she told me that they do shoddy work; the guy who used to work for them and probably tinted my last car went independent because he was sick of their approach. If only I'd known this last week. I've decided that I don't want them touching my car again and I want my money back. I reckon I'll go to Consumer Protection tomorrow for advice on how to deal with them, then a panel shop for advice and a quote on repairing the driver's door. I foresee a respray to make it right, which is a nightmare on a two month old car.

Wish me luck.

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I've been sickened by a few things done to my car now, and the most worse was getting a car window place to fit my gullwing window. Absolutely ****ed it up. My alpine windows turned out ok, but a little like yours that there is a slight gap but nothing extreme to bother me. It's all a nature of the beast unfortunately, like a hot girlfriend that treats you bad but you persist cause she is hot..

It's probably reasonable to lay out your expectaions before you enter into the deal - for example you want no visible seams - no dog chewed look around the rear demister - and the damned alpine windows tinted. Probably. But you should not have to lay out the expectation that they won't damage your car - that's a reasonable assumption....

I recently had my brand new limited edition defender with not a single even swirl mark on the paint in for a service at my Dealer. I specifically asked them not to dent it. I asked them up front. But it came back with no less than 14 dents 2 caved in wings and a gouge out of the door where they had opened it up on a concrete pillar. :censored: arseholes. I was so angry I could not even take it back to them to fix it - I paid for the repairs my self. I was even surprised to find someone elses service manual and portfolio in my cubby box and they had forgotten to fill out mine... Incompetent. I'm still to angry to discuss with them.

Thanks for all the extra input folks. I'm going to see a different tint shop today to see if they would be able to do a better job. Dependent on what they say, I have two versions of a letter to the original workshop drafted, both asking for a refund, on the basis that I'm not confident of their ability to rectify the work satisfactorily and asking for them to pay to have the paintwork fixed. The only difference is a mention of having sought advice from another professional in the field.

I'm sorry to hear the other horror stories from some of you. Voltron, I remember seeing your thread on the gullwing horror show a little while back. Did you get that resolved? BilboBoggles, no wonder you're angry. That's disgraceful. I presume you now tell anyone who listens not to use that dealer. I wonder if they realise how much business they can do themselves out of with that sort of carelessness?

UPDATE: I spoke with another shop and they reckon it's a pretty poor job and that the scratches are a disgrace. I sent the letter mentioning that I'd sought advice from another professional window tinter. Now to wait.

Sorry for the double post, but I got a call from the window tinter today and they were very decent about the whole thing. They've offered to give me a refund for the tint and to pay for the paint repair to the door pillar, so that's a positive result. Hopefully now the paint shop does a good job and I can find a better window tinting workshop!