I am getting my windows tinted tomorrow. They quoted me a price of $235 with tint cut out around the third brake light. For $335 they would remove the third brake light and tint the entire rear window. Not sure if I should spend the extra $100 for the third brake light.

The place that does my detailing and regular washing is going to do the tint. They have performed good work in the past.

What would you do?

 

keep the brake light

 

$100 extra to do the third brake light.. NO
if they were good at tinting, they would spray the window and slide the tint in front of the brake light. that's what my guy did, but few actually take time to remove the brake light.

 

Third brake light would only be removed for the tint and then put back in place.

 

Frankly I would leave it- do you really want someone messing with that part of the rear deck? Looks perfectly fine without the tint over the entire window. As LexusFsprt said if they were a great shop they could probably pull back and slide the tint down.

 

My tint place didn't even ask me, that's kind of a common sense thing for a quality shop since most cars have those third lights...They are probably just looking to charge more from a dumb customer who would say yes to anything that seems better. I would just check with another place, tell them about this, and they'll just laugh and remove the light for free as they should, or slide underneath it as someone mentioned.

 

Don't pay an extra $100 for that. Remove it yourself from the back seat not from inside your trunk. Very simple. The third brake light are held on by tabs and pops right off. Push housing towards the rear window, then pop the side closest to you up. Then slide whole unit out. Then you will need to remove the bulb. Took me one minute. It's not even that snug, and kind of slides from left to right even. So if they tint around it, there's a chance they won't get it perfectly centered. Sloppy.
Good luck.

 

i wouldnt tint over it anyways, reduce your braking visibility to other drivers? No thanks

 

The third brake light is so easy to pop off the rear deck. it comes off without removal of the rest.
Pop it off and tint in front of it. Looks way better than a cutout.

 

LOL.....don't pay the extra 100....that shop is ripping you blind!!!!!
Tint the whole backglass without the brake cutout (looks cleaner)

It can be removed by pushing to the left and pulling it towards the front.

Repeat, don't pay the extra 100 for that....it should be included with the $235

 

Thanks. I will do that myself if they insist on charging the $100

 

to OP, i wouldn't remove the brake lights. its a big driving (or braking rather) hazzard! havn't you ever drove up behind someone and usually your focal point is in the center of the car, and all of a sudden they brake and you don't see it until a second later? be curteous, leave that ***** in. also check your state laws, i know if you don't have one in, on, or if it's broken in VA, cops fine your ***.

 

Maybe the OP could clarify, but I read it as the shop will charge extra to remove the tail lamp assembly just to allow access to apply tint behind it. They would replace the tail lamp assembly when the tint work is done. I don't believe they are actually suggesting that the light be permanently removed.

 

Find another shop .
Tinted my back window without brake light removal-the back shelf can be depressed / pushed down slightly to create the void needed to slip the tint in front of the light.

 

Break light never came up when I was inquiring 4 different tint shops. It's also one of the easiest things to remove in your car.