Window Tinting Experience - Advice needed

_Kaiser_

So I decided to get the windows of my new car tinted and having searched through this forum for recommendations/feedback on where to go, I contacted a Dublin based company (who shall remain nameless) to get the job done.

As agreed then I brought the car to them on Monday last week just after lunch and was told it'd take about 3 hours to do it. Fair enough, I spent the afternoon in a nearby shopping centre and went back around 5pm to collect it, only to find that it wasn't even halfway done - was after 7pm when I finally left with the car with instructions not to open the windows for the next 3 days.

Anyway, I noticed on the way home that there seemed to be a lot of streaks on the tint/film and several bubbles, so I duly emailed to ask if there was anything I could do, or if they'd need to have the car back in with them.

The reply was that the streaks should dry out and the bubbles settle after 3-4 days but that they would provisionally book me back in for this morning if required. Grand, I replied that I'd wait and see then and let them know by Friday if I thought it needed looking at - which as it turns out, I subsequently did and had this confirmed by the person that answered the phone.

I turn up at a few minutes past 9 this morning and explain the story to the guy that's there. News to him apparently and there's nothing in the diary - naturally the person I rebooked/confirmed with isn't in today - but after a few somewhat heated words (I've just driven over an hour to get there and his attitiude is "well not my problem") he agrees to take it in and have it back to me by lunchtime(ish). He in fact agrees with me that the first attempt wasn't a good job.

I go and have breakfast and head back just after 12 to pick it up. Things are looking much better but as I'm getting in the car I think I see a rather noticible scratch on the rear door. The car is filthy so I head to my former local carwash (done by hand) and having done this I find out that in fact it's a rather long scratch extending almost half the length of the door. I take great pride in and care of my car and I know this wasn't there when I left the apartment this morning.

I ring the owner of the place and explain the story (he wasn't there when I brought the car over this morning) and arrange to meet him so he can have a look. He agrees that it's a rather deep scratch but says that he's reviewed their security tapes and maintains it wasn't caused by his staff. He's also unwilling to offer any sort of compensation for the fact that I've had to make a 100 mile round trip to let them fix their first attempt at the job.

So somewhat annoyed (to put it mildly) I decide to just head home at this stage as he's not budging from this stance. On the way though I hear something come loose in the back seat area but don't see anything obvious.
However when I get home, I open the rear door (same one that's scratched) to find a long plastic/rubber strip on the floor. Turns out it belongs between the window glass and the plastic/fabric door panel which itself is loose and I can't get this strip back in place properly.

I've tried ringing both their office number and the owner's mobile but neither are picking up, so I'm posting here both to offer a warning (no names though for obvious reasons) and for any advice on how I should proceed? To say I'm pissed off is an understatement.

Thanks for any feedback

colm_mcm

what good is warning us against a company you won't name?

Sounds like terrible service. hope it wasn't the company I recommended!

_Kaiser_

colm_mcm wrote: »

what good is warning us against a company you won't name?

Well I'll wait for the mods opinion on that (don't want to be causing Boards any legal issues), but it's one thats been recommended here a few times before

colm_mcm

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Well I'll wait for the mods opinion on that (don't want to be causing Boards any legal issues), but it's one thats been recommended here a few times before

First letter of their name?

Gumbo

sounds to me its the company in the business park in Blanchardstown?

i just got mine done in Vision Tint over off the greenhills road a few weeks back, i got the factory tint option, yhinks its around 50% and 35% with the lighter on the front.

great job, done in about 2.5 hours so no complaints there.

bad form on the company that done yours, there supposed to be one of the big players out there for this sort of thing and this the way they treat their customers. :mad:

_Kaiser_

kceire wrote: »

sounds to me its the company in the business park in Blanchardstown?

i just got mine done in Vision Tint over off the greenhills road a few weeks back, i got the factory tint option, yhinks its around 50% and 35% with the lighter on the front.

great job, done in about 2.5 hours so no complaints there.

bad form on the company that done yours, there supposed to be one of the big players out there for this sort of thing and this the way they treat their customers. :mad:

I'll hold off confirming or denying any guesses until one of the mods gives an opinion on that, but I can confirm that the crowd I went to are one of the bigger/well known companies alright

TheBazman

kceire wrote: »

sounds to me its the company in the business park in Blanchardstown?

i just got mine done in Vision Tint over off the greenhills road a few weeks back, i got the factory tint option, yhinks its around 50% and 35% with the lighter on the front.

great job, done in about 2.5 hours so no complaints there.

bad form on the company that done yours, there supposed to be one of the big players out there for this sort of thing and this the way they treat their customers. :mad:

Yeah used them aswell a few weeks ago - again 2.5 - 3hrs - good job and no problems at all

Fey!

How long was it between the owner agreeing it was a deep scratch and saying he had reviewed the security tapes? Did he see the scratch up close himself? Will he allow you to see the video he claims to have scrutinised?

Take pics, as well of pics of the loose pieces.

_Kaiser_

Fey! wrote: »

How long was it between the owner agreeing it was a deep scratch and saying he had reviewed the security tapes? Did he see the scratch up close himself? Will he allow you to see the video he claims to have scrutinised?

Take pics, as well of pics of the loose pieces.

There was an hour between my call to his mobile and bringing the car back over for him to have a look at for himself - presumably he reviewed the tapes during this time.

Yes he saw the scratch up close and that's when he announced that he'd reviewed the tapes and talked to his staff. I don't know if I'd get access to the tapes myself (wasn't able to get him afterwards) and to be honest I was just that pissed off that having an argument on the street seemed pointless given his unmoving position that they didn't do it.

Longrangedriver

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

So I decided to get the windows of my new car tinted and having searched through this forum for recommendations/feedback on where to go, I contacted a Dublin based company (who shall remain nameless) to get the job done.

As agreed then I brought the car to them on Monday last week just after lunch and was told it'd take about 3 hours to do it. Fair enough, I spent the afternoon in a nearby shopping centre and went back around 5pm to collect it, only to find that it wasn't even halfway done - was after 7pm when I finally left with the car with instructions not to open the windows for the next 3 days.

Horse ****e, if it was done properly, you can open your windows on collection of car.

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Anyway, I noticed on the way home that there seemed to be a lot of streaks on the tint/film and several bubbles, so I duly emailed to ask if there was anything I could do, or if they'd need to have the car back in with them.

The reply was that the streaks should dry out and the bubbles settle after 3-4 days but that they would provisionally book me back in for this morning if required. Grand, I replied that I'd wait and see then and let them know by Friday if I thought it needed looking at - which as it turns out, I subsequently did and had this confirmed by the person that answered the phone.

If it was squeegeed properly, there should be no sign of any streaks, or bubbles, or any excess water between the film and window.

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

I turn up at a few minutes past 9 this morning and explain the story to the guy that's there. News to him apparently and there's nothing in the diary - naturally the person I rebooked/confirmed with isn't in today - but after a few somewhat heated words (I've just driven over an hour to get there and his attitiude is "well not my problem") he agrees to take it in and have it back to me by lunchtime(ish). He in fact agrees with me that the first attempt wasn't a good job.

First of all, if the job wasn't done to a good standard, it should have been taken back in and resolved without any problems, and if it was really bad, they should have offered you some sort or refund, but then there are too many cowboys in Ireland.

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

I go and have breakfast and head back just after 12 to pick it up. Things are looking much better but as I'm getting in the car I think I see a rather noticible scratch on the rear door. The car is filthy so I head to my former local carwash (done by hand) and having done this I find out that in fact it's a rather long scratch extending almost half the length of the door. I take great pride in and care of my car and I know this wasn't there when I left the apartment this morning.

I ring the owner of the place and explain the story (he wasn't there when I brought the car over this morning) and arrange to meet him so he can have a look. He agrees that it's a rather deep scratch but says that he's reviewed their security tapes and maintains it wasn't caused by his staff. He's also unwilling to offer any sort of compensation for the fact that I've had to make a 100 mile round trip to let them fix their first attempt at the job.

So somewhat annoyed (to put it mildly) I decide to just head home at this stage as he's not budging from this stance. On the way though I hear something come loose in the back seat area but don't see anything obvious.
However when I get home, I open the rear door (same one that's scratched) to find a long plastic/rubber strip on the floor. Turns out it belongs between the window glass and the plastic/fabric door panel which itself is loose and I can't get this strip back in place properly.

I've tried ringing both their office number and the owner's mobile but neither are picking up, so I'm posting here both to offer a warning (no names though for obvious reasons) and for any advice on how I should proceed? To say I'm pissed off is an understatement.

Thanks for any feedback

Sound like someone covering ones tracks, after a ****ty job, the tapes are supposed to be kept for up to two weeks, so you may still get to see the tapes, unless they delete them too. I work with one of the leading signage companies in the country, and if we got anything that wrong, I'd assure you that the head would roll. We don't do the smaller stuff, mainly corporate stuff, but I know too well that there are to many small mickey mouse firms out there, giving little confinence to the public.

Hope you get something sorted.

stratos

Sorry to hear yor story, hope you get it sorted out. I am surprised people pay to have their car windows tinted, it's a pretty simple diy job and can be done in about 4 hours.

VH

Sounds like a nightmare!:(

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

I take great pride in and care of my car

To anyone considering window tinting who takes great pride in their car:
1. Door cards are taken off to allow full access to glass. Cards don't go back on as well as they did in the factory.
2. Glass that's not on a door is cut out. eg the back window or side windows in coupes/hatches.

colm_mcm

Advising customrs not to open the windows for a period after tinting windows is standard practice.

antodeco

colm_mcm wrote: »

Advising customrs not to open the windows for a period after tinting windows is standard practice.

Yep, thats what I was told! I got mine done near a large roundabout in Dublin I was told to bring it in at 10am, and it should be done by midday. I hadnt heard from them by 1, so I rang them, but couldnt get through. A taxi journey in and as I was getting there I receive a phone call. "We're about to start the tinting now, what tint did you want?". So back to work I go in the taxi. By 5pm, hadnt heard from them, and again tried ringing. Back in a taxi I go, and arrive and its still not done :mad:

Had to hang around for another 45 minutes. Was all done by the time I was getting into the car. The doors and ground were soaking wet and seemed like a very sloppy job. (Was getting dark and beginning to rain at the time I was leaving). The next day I noticed around 100 bubbles across the top of the two rear windows. Left it for another few days and they were still there. Then I noticed that there were large gaps of around 1cm between the side of the windows (when closed!). Rang them, emailed them, no joy in the response. Eventually mailed me back asking me to drop it back in.

OP, Im waiting to see who it was who did yours before I bring it back!

Fey!

Longrangedriver wrote: »

Horse ****e, if it was done properly, you can open your windows on collection of car.

Any cars/vans we've had done, we've been advised to leave the windows closed for a couple of days to let the film adhere to the glass properly; it the window is opened before it sets, it can pull the tint up and ruin the job.

Longrangedriver wrote: »

Longrangedriver wrote: »

If it was squeegeed properly, there should be no sign of any streaks, or bubbles, or any excess water between the film and window.

You'll sometimes see a couple of, but not many, bubbles on the back window, as it can be difficult to access. These will generally disappear with a couple of uses of the rear demister, which will essentially evaporate the excess water.

Longrangedriver wrote: »

First of all, if the job wasn't done to a good standard, it should have been taken back in and resolved without any problems, and if it was really bad, they should have offered you some sort or refund, but then there are too many cowboys in Ireland.

+1, but even the best tinters can have an off day, and it is a job which will sometimes take a couple of attempts to get right.

Longrangedriver wrote: »

Sound like someone covering ones tracks, after a ****ty job, the tapes are supposed to be kept for up to two weeks, so you may still get to see the tapes, unless they delete them too.

It is not mandatory for business' to have surveillance at all, and it is also not mandatory for them to keep tapes for any length of time; some places have working cameras which don't record at all, and others have fake cameras! And they don't have to show the OP the tapes, but might out of good will if they're definite there's nothing on them. That said, the OP had to wash his car before he was 100% definite it was scratched (that's how I read it, anyway), so the tapes may not be clear enough to be decisive.

Longrangedriver wrote: »

I work with one of the leading signage companies in the country, and if we got anything that wrong, I'd assure you that the head would roll. We don't do the smaller stuff, mainly corporate stuff, but I know too well that there are to many small mickey mouse firms out there, giving little confinence to the public.

Don't knock the little guy; they have to be better because they generally have a lot more to lose than the big guy who can sometimes afford to ignore complaints! It is true that there are firms who take the mickey, but it isn't always the smaller ones!

Longrangedriver wrote: »

Hope you get something sorted.

+1

stratos wrote: »

Sorry to hear yor story, hope you get it sorted out. I am surprised people pay to have their car windows tinted, it's a pretty simple diy job and can be done in about 4 hours.

I wouldn't attempt to do mine, as it is a VERY easy job to much up.

The last car I had done took about 4 hours alright, but it took the guy 3 attempts at the back windscreen to do it right, as the back windscreen is generally done in 2 or 3 sections to allow for the curve in the glass and the size of the piece needed. Results here:

The same guy who did that did my old Civic coupe, and it was the same. A different guy did our Sedona, but it was all flat, easy access panels of glass, so it was a much easier job.

In all cases they did a slightly lighter tint on the front than on the back, but it isn't that noticable from outside.

VH wrote: »

Sounds like a nightmare!:(

To anyone considering window tinting who takes great pride in their car:
1. Door cards are taken off to allow full access to glass.

True in most cases

VH wrote: »

Cards don't go back on as well as they did in the factory.

Very much depends on who takes them on/off. Door cards are fairly straightforward to take on and off; mechanics have to do it for some jobs, as do guys installing aftermarket speakers/central locking/electric windows. The people who put the panels back on wrong are the ones doing a sloppy job in the first place.

VH wrote: »

2. Glass that's not on a door is cut out. eg the back window or side windows in coupes/hatches.

Again, no. As described above, back windows are done in sections; rear windscreens and fly windows have the tint cut to shape from the outside, and is then fitted on the inside. If the film is marginally too big, it is trimmed in situ.

colm_mcm wrote: »

Advising customrs not to open the windows for a period after tinting windows is standard practice.

Again, +1

OP; I really do hope you get sorted out.

Apologies for the stupidly long post and multiple quotes; just wanted to clear up a few things as I've experienced them.

Longrangedriver

Fey! wrote: »

Don't knock the little guy; they have to be better because they generally have a lot more to lose than the big guy who can sometimes afford to ignore complaints! It is true that there are firms who take the mickey, but it isn't always the smaller ones!

I'm not knocking the smaller firms, if it wasn't for them we'd get bombarded, as most of our time is used up with large contracts. I agree with some of the larger firms also taking the p too, we couldn't afford that, as bad news travels too quickly around the top, no offence meant there. I also didn't do my own tints, even though I can do window graphics or applications in my sleep and I also send my customers to the same firm, as I feel I can trust them.

When we do a job its, photographed immidiately, so we have back up to show the finished state. When we do vans/cars etc for customers we photo the vehicle when it arrives and point out any marks/scrapes to them, before the work is carried out.

If security footage was taken it must be kept for up to a max of 28 days so that any evidence can be retrieved.

Fey!

Longrangedriver wrote: »

If security footage was taken it must be kept for up to a max of 28 days so that any evidence can be retrieved.

That seems to be a little bit off. An hour is less that 28 days, and surely you can keep footage for longer than 28 days if you want to?

Personally, I use a digital system, which records over itself every 15 days. The only way I can keep footage for longer is to download it onto a computer.

NiSmO

This post has been deleted.

Longrangedriver

Fey! wrote: »

That seems to be a little bit off. An hour is less that 28 days, and surely you can keep footage for longer than 28 days if you want to?

Personally, I use a digital system, which records over itself every 15 days. The only way I can keep footage for longer is to download it onto a computer.

The max of 28 days was only what I was told to keep a certain tape for, so the cops could check it for evidence, don't know why, but thats what I was requested to do, I'm only going on previous experience. I'm sure if you'd want to keep it for some other reason, well thats most likely okay.

_Kaiser_

Update...

I was back over with the company in question last week and spoke to the owner again. He seemed more reasonable and let me see the cameras (although not the footage itself) for myself. I pointed out that with the glare from the sunlight and the distance/angle in question that you'd see nothing, but he maintained that it was good enough to show that the scratch wasn't caused by his staff.

He did say that he'd talk to them again and call me that afternoon however with his final decision. This callback never happened, until I rang myself yesterday evening. Now he says he has 2 witnesses (employees no doubt) to say they didn't damage my car and he refuses to pay for it, and so I can take it to court if I wish, but that's his position.

To say I'm pissed off is an understatement, so I'm going to let people decide for themselves. The company in question is based on the southside and has been named in this thread.

[disclaimer] This thread represents my own personal experiences with this company, and is being posted for information purposes only. I accept that other customers have had positive experiences with them and this incident may be an isolated one [/disclaimer]

Tails142

Only two places mentioned in this thread so it must be XXXXXXX you're talking about.

Mod edit: speculation removed

peasant

Please do not speculate on who it could or couldn't be.

As it was said, the company in question has performed flawless work for others and seems to have slipped up in this case.

any further speculating/naming of names is only going to end in (libel) tears ...so ...thread closed

Seth Brundle

In fairness, he has provided you with the tapes and with the word of his staff.
None of us know when it occured but from what I can see he is doing his best for you.
I think if you wish to take it further then you need to speak to a solicitor.