OMG yeah I would not be paying for that tint job at all! Mine was done in a single piece with Pinnacle 30%, and is flawless. The door glass tint edges were shaved as well so that there is no gap at all in the film, and it was under $450 for the whole car. You need to find another installer, and if they won’t refund your money contact Xpel to see if they can assist.
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Tint problem and seeking advises
- Thread starter yxm3
- Start date
I'd would personally go with #2 and then go find another installer to redo it in one piece.
just to chime in here:
1. that is not acceptable work - even hen new, i have never seen bubbles this large on any tint job
2. an experienced window tinter will be able to do a job so good it looks like it came from the factory
3. highly recommended to tint the back window in 1 piece for a number of reasons - and you still retain elegance of the translucent roof
4. objective opinion: tinting halfway or in 2 pieces does not look good. if you have ocd or pride in your vehicle, id recommend splurging for the 1 piece rear window
With that being said, given my high expectations, I would HIGHLY recommend Transparent glass Coatings in Soquel, CA (by Santa Cruz). About $550 with Llumar F1 Pinnacle ceramic tint. It looks luxurious
1. that is not acceptable work - even hen new, i have never seen bubbles this large on any tint job
2. an experienced window tinter will be able to do a job so good it looks like it came from the factory
3. highly recommended to tint the back window in 1 piece for a number of reasons - and you still retain elegance of the translucent roof
4. objective opinion: tinting halfway or in 2 pieces does not look good. if you have ocd or pride in your vehicle, id recommend splurging for the 1 piece rear window
With that being said, given my high expectations, I would HIGHLY recommend Transparent glass Coatings in Soquel, CA (by Santa Cruz). About $550 with Llumar F1 Pinnacle ceramic tint. It looks luxurious
Atari2600
Active Member
Curious if the installer was on their list... https://www.xpel.com/clearbra-installers/united-states/connecticut
Yes, the installer is on the list. It is supposed to be a very reputable shop according to web reviews, which makes me think this was likely a subpar job on a difficult task from a good installer--everybody has ups and downs. What really surprised me was when the owner said this is normal due to the difficulty and they are inclined to move away from 1-pieced installation all together to assure quality.
That's a pretty terrible job.
I don't think people should be obsessed with 1 piece. I had mine tinted in 2 pieces and the piece is cut right above the defroster line. You can not tell it is 2 pieces unless you put your face into the back window and you can not tell from the outside.
I don't think people should be obsessed with 1 piece. I had mine tinted in 2 pieces and the piece is cut right above the defroster line. You can not tell it is 2 pieces unless you put your face into the back window and you can not tell from the outside.
Is it possible that you post a picture of the connecting region between the two pieces? Thanks!
boriszima
Member
A reason why i found installer through these forums, who has experience doing Model 3 since the back glass is huge. I also have some minor imperfections, but they do not bother me as its out of sight. Yours on other hand, need some TLC. As others said, Job is not acceptable especially how much you paid.
Atari2600
Active Member
Hopefully XPEL will make it right then. Looks like an intern was left alone to do the install and I think it looks horrible. Because of stories like this and cracked windows I installed the Tesla sunscreen on my roof window and the back window.
XPEL did reach out to me, by email and by phone. They clearly stand by the quality of both their product and service, and make all the effort to take care of the end users. They will even go extra miles to have their lead installer to come to reinstall the tint on my 3. This level of customer service says a world of the company. Kudos to XPEL! To avoid any unnecessary negative vibe on the company and product (even though they did not cause any of the problem), it would be fair to remove this thread now. Thanks everyone for the valuable discussions and information!
+1 . I have my back window done 1 piece and it looks nothing like that ( same shop that has done my BMWs for about 15 years.. they have been in the same place for over 20 years).
Skill matters much more than the type of tint. I would ask them to take it off and refund you for the job since they will likely hose you if you say "refund me for the rear piece"
EDIT: just got to the part where the OP says xpel will send someone to fix it. Thats awesome!
I had to shine an LED light on it to show. My tint is 20%
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Xpel's response is truly above and beyond. Kudos to them for going the extra mile. Certainly gives me confidence the next time I'm in the market for PPF or window tint.
Lesson learned for all. If you're going to a tint shop you've never been to before, ask what they will do for bubbles if they are apparent. Also, ask if they have to redo, if they can guarantee they won't damage the defroster lines. Lastly, check on the installer's actual experience as you can always end up with a historically great shop that just hired a rookie.
Lesson learned for all. If you're going to a tint shop you've never been to before, ask what they will do for bubbles if they are apparent. Also, ask if they have to redo, if they can guarantee they won't damage the defroster lines. Lastly, check on the installer's actual experience as you can always end up with a historically great shop that just hired a rookie.
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I became a firm believer of XPEL due to their customer service. I have a post of a different issue and I was reached out to by Chris the xpel sales rep that went up and beyond for me. I been advertising for them for free(referring people to get xpel tint, etc) because I know others would have backup of such a great company.
joebruin77
Active Member
Before I had my rear window tinted using Xpel Prime XR Plus, I watched a couple youtube videos on how to the rear window tint install is done. I remember thinking to myself, how in the world do they install such a large piece of tint in such a small area. In the video, they used a stick-like tool . But when I went to the shop where I had it done, they had a much better solution. They lowered the rear seats all the way down and laid down on top of the lowered seats. They had full access to the rear window with no obstructions. This was so much better than what I saw in the video online. So whenever you have it reinstalled, asked them if they lower the backseats and install it in this manner.
Atari2600
Active Member
You may want to keep this thread and not ask for it to be deleted. I’ll look into XPEL window tint for my side windows now instead of waiting for Llumar IRX to roll out to the dealers. I have their protective film on my cars but never considered them for window tint.
joebruin77
Active Member
I have Xpel PPF on the whole car and also Xpel Prime XR Plus on all windows except for the windshield. I am super happy with both products and highly highly recommend Xpel!
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