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You know what you are correct. I did the 3M but didn't go with the Crystalline since it was really light. But they tried to sell me on that but didn't get it. My apologies
no worries. just didn't want to see you get ripped off by paying for Crystalline and not getting Crystalline
no worries. just didn't want to see you get ripped off by paying for Crystalline and not getting Crystalline
Thanks for looking out for a brother. Yeah the word Crystalline stuck with me since they were trying to sell it to me, but still got the 3M brand at 20%.
I just purchased my first Lexus (IS350 AWD F-Sport) and had the car tinted a few days ago with Llumar CTX 35%. Once the rear window fully cured and the patchiness went away, I noticed two things.
1. Pair of scratches/cuts in the lower left back windshield tint that appear to even cut through the glass itself. I'm assuming this was from a wedge tool given the tight clearance between the carpeted shelf and window.
2. Small "slit" cut out for the third brake light.
I know tinting these cars isn't easy, so is it worth reaching out to the tint shop to see how/if they can remedy this? Pics attached. Otherwise the tint on the rest of the windows appears to be perfect. Not sure if I'm being overly OCD but I'm kinda bummed out just a few days in the car has a flaw in it. My main concern is removal of the tint and whether it could start tearing at the damaged portion or damage the defroster lines.
The cutout for the third brake light looks weird. Don't think I've ever seen the cutout that way. And I'm very picky, I would notice that slit on the first pic every time I walked up to my car, I would ask nicely to have it redone. If that slit is actually on the window, that's kind of a big deal. I think it should be as close to flawless as possible. Unless you actually requested the cutout, I would just do the whole window, if you're worried about it obstructing the brightness, I'm at 18% on the back window and have no issues with the brightness of that light.
I would take it back to the shop. If the company has experienced employees, they should have no problem removing the tint, it's just a little tedious is all. I would definitely make a complaint though.
You're not being OCD at all. You just spent $$$ on this car...everything deserves to be flawless and yes tint counts with no exceptions. Bring it back and let them know all of your concerns. If they're not willing to help you, dispute the transaction or ask for a discount
You should not feel bad going back to the installer. If they are a professional installer, they should honor fixing and installing correctly. My installer put my rear window tint on incorrectly and it started to bubble before I left the shop, so he said he'll fix it for free. He also took $100 off of the price I paid for window tints.
I'll admit that I'm a noob when it comes to tint. I've seen crappy tint on so many cars (purple color, peel easily, etc.) that I'm a little nervous to go out and get it.
Are there any particular brands or types of tint that work/look best for cars? Appx how much $ would it run for?
I've found that a good quality versus price compromise tint is a Formula 1 ceramic. It offers better heat rejection than metallic, doesnt interfere with electronics, and doesnt fade. Of course it comes with a lifetime warranty. It's about $250. It's also good to find a local installer who has had happy customers. Look for local reviews as a bad install can make it frustrating to keep returning.
Find a local installer with good reviews and recommendations. Ask around at car meet-ups (Cars and Coffee if you have a local group, etc). A good installer will have a brand(s) of film that he/she likes working with and he/she will be able to give you all the details. In my opinion, the skill of the installer is more important and makes a bigger difference than the film itself. You will also need to decide what percentage of visible light that passes through the film you want to go with. Your installer can give you the options. You will probably pay around $200 - $300
Thanks fellas! I think I'll be deciding between the Formula 1 ceramic and the 3M Crystalline (fantastic reviews online). Also found an installer in the Austin, TX area that is 5 stars on Yelp.
Thanks fellas! I think I'll be deciding between the Formula 1 ceramic and the 3M Crystalline (fantastic reviews online). Also found an installer in the Austin, TX area that is 5 stars on Yelp.
I recommend you go with 35% front side windows, 20% rear side windows, and 5% on the back window. Don't touch the windshield. But 5% back is a must for a few reasons, main one being to get less irritated by bright headlights at night.
10-14-14, 08:18 PM
My main concern is removal of the tint and whether it could start tearing at the damaged portion or damage the defroster lines.
