Bad tint job? Need advice

[cyberpandavan]

Hey guys, need advice on what I should do/expect. I just got delivery of my Model Y, and scheduled an appointment with one of the most reputable tinting shops in the PNW. I decided to ceramic tint all glass panels, including the windshield. I have gotten other tinting done at other places, and usually they go without a hitch. This time, the tint came back, and after examining it for a day, there's little clusters of dust trapped underneath the tint on nearly all glass panels. The worst piece is the cut of the roof which was uneven and you can see the contrast between the glass and the tint.

I talked to the tint shop, and they've agreed to re-do the tint, or at least fix it where there's dust trapped inside. There's one glaring issue for me though. When I took the car home that night to examine it, I noticed the outline or scoring of the window on the outside that looks like a blade was run through it. With the cut against the black portion of the glass, and under LED lighting, its very noticeable and almost like a rainbow outline (some places uneven and multiple cut lines) on the glass of the car. When I asked the shop, they said that this is just the nature of the business and there will be this cut if I wanted my windshield tinted.

I've had other cars where I tinted the windshield, and I've never noticed this "scoring" of the outside window. I'm afraid that if we were to re-do this, there's going to be some more cuts that are also very noticeable. Should I be afraid of this? There's also specs of dust in the rear window, but because of the danger or damaging the defroster in the back, I'm hesitant to ask them to re-do this as well. They're going to refund me the money for the roof, as they noted that this is too difficult for them to do. There's plenty of Teslas that come through this shop, so I'm curious if it's not normal to tint the roof?

Should I just ask for a refund, have them take the tinting off, and go to another shop?

For reference, here's a portion of the specs of dust in the windshield:

Here's a portion of the tint cut on the roof:

 

[Jjrss]

Looks like garbage... get a full refund and go somewhere else unless they are willing to redo the entire thing

 

[cyberpandavan]

Looks like garbage... get a full refund and go somewhere else unless they are willing to redo the entire thing

The shop is willing to redo the tint except for the roof, but I think my issue is that I'm hesitant to get it done there. They are very cool when I talk to them, and super professional. Nothing wrong with a little dust under the tint, if they are willing to redo it, and anybody can make those mistakes. I think the bigger issues for me is that they scored my windshield with a blade, and are likely to do it again since I have to get it redone. The other issue is that they did the roof tint job that was visibly poor even before everything was set, and gave it back to me like that.

Is it normal to cut the film on the windshield, and for people to see the outline of this on their glass?

The shop noted that some dust specs could be fixed, without removing the entire film. Is that true? How much dust is acceptable?

Did anybody else have issues with tinting their roof? The cut line was one thing, but there were dust specs trapped all around, big water pockets left under the tint like they forgot to squeegee a part out, and other minor imperfections.

My rear hatch window has dust specs in it, but I don't want to damage the rear defrost element by taking it off. Sure, I can ask for a refund for the whole thing, but now I'm left with a blade outline on my windshield, and I don't think I'm whole in this situation.

 

[Jjrss]

The shop is willing to redo the tint except for the roof, but I think my issue is that I'm hesitant to get it done there. They are very cool when I talk to them, and super professional. Nothing wrong with a little dust under the tint, if they are willing to redo it, and anybody can make those mistakes. I think the bigger issues for me is that they scored my windshield with a blade, and are likely to do it again since I have to get it redone. The other issue is that they did the roof tint job that was visibly poor even before everything was set, and gave it back to me like that.

Is it normal to cut the film on the windshield, and for people to see the outline of this on their glass?

The shop noted that some dust specs could be fixed, without removing the entire film. Is that true? How much dust is acceptable?

Did anybody else have issues with tinting their roof? The cut line was one thing, but there were dust specs trapped all around, big water pockets left under the tint like they forgot to squeegee a part out, and other minor imperfections.

My rear hatch window has dust specs in it, but I don't want to damage the rear defrost element by taking it off. Sure, I can ask for a refund for the whole thing, but now I'm left with a blade outline on my windshield, and I don't think I'm whole in this situation.

They just heat it, peel back what is needed to remove the dust with copious amounts of soapy water and squeegy it back down.

The reason they won't redo your roof is because of how much material was used. Either make them give you a full refund/sizeable discount on the roof, or have them redo it fully. Seeing jagged cut marks on the material would drive my OCD bonkers more so than any trapped dust. The loss on material/labor is their fault, not yours or the car's.

 

[Montucky]

It seems pretty clear that they cut the tint pattern on the glass, and cut with enough pressure to scratch the glass. Bad form, and they're responsible to fix it. I too would share your concerns of them doing more work on the car, but if they're established like you say it could just be that the wrong guy was put on the job and you just need a better installer. You could ask that the owner do the work instead. regardless, if the work was that sloppy with multiple issues (dust, improper cuts, scratched glass, water fingers, etc..) then it might be time to just negotiate a refund and walk away. I can't really tell from the photo, but hopefully the scratches aren't too deep.

Here's a discussion I found that might give you more information on the scratches: Opinion on these scratches after getting window tinted

Sorry man - That's no way to start off with a new car.

 

[Jjrss]

Also keep in mind, the "dust" could easily be overspray from the factory. I still have a patch on the driver's side windshield that catches the sun occasionally.

 

[Mateo83]

If they are reputable they should make it right. Give them the shot to do the job right the second time. If they cant, then maybe they aren't as good as they led on.

 

[cyberpandavan]

They just heat it, peel back what is needed to remove the dust with copious amounts of soapy water and squeegy it back down.

The reason they won't redo your roof is because of how much material was used. Either make them give you a full refund/sizeable discount on the roof, or have them redo it fully. Seeing jagged cut marks on the material would drive my OCD bonkers more so than any trapped dust. The loss on material/labor is their fault, not yours or the car's.

That's good to know. Thanks! The jagged cuts bother me as well but I don't look that way when I'm driving, and seeing white specs when I'm driving is no bueno.

It seems pretty clear that they cut the tint pattern on the glass, and cut with enough pressure to scratch the glass. Bad form, and they're responsible to fix it. I too would share your concerns of them doing more work on the car, but if they're established like you say it could just be that the wrong guy was put on the job and you just need a better installer. You could ask that the owner do the work instead. regardless, if the work was that sloppy with multiple issues (dust, improper cuts, scratched glass, water fingers, etc..) then it might be time to just negotiate a refund and walk away. I can't really tell from the photo, but hopefully the scratches aren't too deep.

Here's a discussion I found that might give you more information on the scratches: Opinion on these scratches after getting window tinted

Sorry man - That's no way to start off with a new car.

Thanks for the info! Good read, I appreciate it. I'll negotiate with the owner and see if they can be extra careful with the windshield cut. Scoring the glass where you can see the cut seems like bad practice, but I'm not sure why this shop that has been around for years are telling me that it's normal. The cuts are faint in sunlight, but visible with LED lights, and I can feel the cut with my finger nails.

If they are reputable they should make it right. Give them the shot to do the job right the second time. If they cant, then maybe they aren't as good as they led on.

For sure, things happen, and I know it can be a difficult job with that big of a roof. I just wasn't expecting them to hand it to me like that. I wished they would have just told me up front that they messed up the roof, and offered to make it right before I took it home.

 

[BarrettF77]

If they already have cut the glass on the first attempt, what kind of guess that they will do it a second time or worse? Talk to management and say this is a new car. This isn't going to fly. Gaps of the window tint are unacceptable. I also refuse to tint roof or windshield for this very reason. If you can't have a computer cut it for you, that's a nope. The art of a good tinter is seemingly lost it feels.

 

[cyberpandavan]

Here's the cut on the glass, and it goes all the way around the black portion of the glass. The camera makes it look fainter than it is, but let me know if I'm just nitpicky and this should be expected.

 

[jcanoe]

Is it normal to cut the film on the windshield, and for people to see the outline of this on their glass?

Absolutely not. Any time you layout tint film for trimming using the front windshield or rear window glass as a template you need to first apply a 1/4 inch vinyl tape onto the glass at the margin to protect the glass from scoring.

Watch starting at the 1:00 mark.

 

[andaconda]

Here's the cut on the glass, and it goes all the way around the black portion of the glass. The camera makes it look fainter than it is, but let me know if I'm just nitpicky and this should be expected.

View attachment 769843

There are also heating element wires that go up to the cameras above the rear view mirror where they made those cuts. Hopefully the wire traces were not severed.

 

[andaconda]

There are also heating element wires that go up to the cameras above the rear view mirror where they made those cuts. Hopefully the wire traces were not severed.

HERE is an example of the traces in the windshield.

 

[cyberpandavan]

Great info guys, thanks for the help! I talked to the shop and stressed that I don't want to see any more cuts on my windshield. They're willing to redo the windshield and front windows with 3M Crystalline to make up for the hassle, and also refund the roof. We don't like the imperfections, but such is life and I think it's an okay compromise.

There are also heating element wires that go up to the cameras above the rear view mirror where they made those cuts. Hopefully the wire traces were not severed.

I did not know this. Is this on the interior?

 

[PacificPower]

Hit up Tinting To Go in Kent, WA

He did ceramic tint all around on my MYP and the front windshield. Fair prices and even fixed an issue I had with the tint drying. Super professional and good prices.

Curious to know what shop did this job?

 

[captanzuelo]

Absolutely not. Any time you layout tint film for trimming using the front windshield or rear window glass as a template you need to first apply a 1/4 inch vinyl tape onto the glass at the margin to protect the glass from scoring.

Watch starting at the 1:00 mark.

So, the shop omitted maybe $5 of tape and 5 mins of their time to prevent scoring the glass. Then told OP its normal to scratch the glass. Sounds like a bunch of amateurs working there

 

[T3SLACL3]

If they are reputable they should make it right. Give them the shot to do the job right the second time. If they cant, then maybe they aren't as good as they led on

THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[syoung]

I approaching my window of delivery on an MP3 and have been researching tint materials and shops. There's a pretty big disparity in costs between shops which makes me concerned. No one wants to overpay but the half priced job gives me pause. Anyone know of a good tint shop they can recommend in CT? I just want a good job at a fair price.