How to Choose a Good Car Tint Shop

by Harrison Hung

Most metropolitan areas have an abundance of tint shop choices. In the San Francisco, CA area alone, there are 30 different tint shops within a 25 mile radius. How does a consumer choose the tint shop that does quality work? What is the difference between a "Dr. Tint" and a "Quality Window Tinting"?

We at TintCenter suggest that you do a little research. First compile a list of 5 potential tint shops that are likely to do good work. Ask your friends an co-workers who have tinted their cars which tint shops they chose, look in the Yellow Pages and mark down the tint shops with large professional advertisements, or come to TintCenter.com and get price quotes from a local tint shops.

Once you have this list in-hand, its time to interview each dealer:

- How long have you been in business at this location? Do you have other shops in the area?

Good tint shops prosper despite other local competition by offering good service at reasonable prices. You should find a tint shop that has been in business for 5 or more years at the same location, this shows a stable business that will be there years down the road if somehow the tint goes bad.

Often times successful tint shops also open car tinting branches in neighboring cities. Although the installers may not be the of the highest quality since opening new shops means training new employees; however, branches are a sure sign of a successful tinting business.

- What types of films do you carry? What warranty do you offer on your work?

Quality tint shops carry complete lines of window film from one or multiple window film manufacturers. They should carry dyed, hybrid, and metallic window films in a variety of colors and darknesses. Beware of tint shops that only carry one or two types of film, and sells them aggressively. They may have acquired this film on sale, and may not be thinking of your unique requirements and concerns.

The warranty on the car tint varies depending on the window film you choose. TintCenter recommends that you install only window film backed with a lifetime warranty for materials and labor. Most films don't guarantee color and fading, it is recommended that you also choose one that does.

For the warranty to take effect, remember to get only legal window tint for your car. Illegal tint automatically nullifies any manufacturer's warranty. Make sure you get a manufacturer's warranty card from the dealer with the date, the window film used on each window, and the total cost of installation.

- Can I visit your tint shop? Can you show me a sample of your work when I'm there?

Tint shops can sound like the best shop on the phone, but 15 minutes on-site should tell you all you need to know.