Messed up Tint on Rear windshield

[smuggymba]

Just got Formula One tint (Pinnacle Series) here in Houston 2 weeks ago and it's a crappy job. Supposedly I went to a place with good reputation but whatever.

All the windows had bubbles and some tiny dust specks/particles. The tint guy replaced the tint on all the 4 doors yesterday but did NOT replace it on the rear windshield - the place where is messed up the most.

He said if he tried to take off the tint from the rear windshield, it would take off the defrost lines and he won't do it. HE agreed that the job is "average" but won't remove the tint. Needles to say the dot matrix portion is horrible.

I had my wife's Honda done at a "local/cheap" shop for $180 last year and it's perfect - no dot matrix issues or bubbles - infact the dot matrix area is impressive. The film was LLumar. If the dot matrix is perfect on a Honda, why can't it be on an X5. Is it the film properties?

I just can't stand the tiny bubbles and more importantly the dot matrix area. Is there a way the tint can be removed without damaging the defrost lines? Is it covered under insurance? Other options?? I'd rather have no tint than the ugly bubbles and dot matrix.

[ard]

Sue him. Small claims

Tell him he can avoid that by replacing the rear window, at a shop of your choice.

(The reason he agreed it is "Average" is that "Average" is perfectly acceptable...he knows it gives you no grounds for a claim, etc...)

Some tint films are too stiff to conform to the defrost lines and the dots... but good shop will know this and either refuse or let you know/agree in advance. Even if the film is the issue, he should not have installed it if it will not work right.

Go to a better shop and get a second opinion, better a written estimate to fix.

GL

A

[PROW355]

IMO, the rear window is the most difficult to tint. !st you have to cut out the tint to size and then heat shrink (DIfficult to me) it on the inside of the glass.

The rear window tint job shouldnt cost more than $60 bucks, if you supply the desired tint to the tint shop.

[smuggymba]

Originally Posted by PROW355

IMO, the rear window is the most difficult to tint. !st you have to cut out the tint to size and then heat shrink (DIfficult to me) it on the inside of the glass.

The rear window tint job shouldnt cost more than $60 bucks, if you supply the desired tint to the tint shop.

If I can take off the tint from my rear windshield, I'd never put it again.

Ca the defrost lines be fixed or do I have to buy new glass?

[smuggymba]

Originally Posted by ard

Sue him. Small claims

Tell him he can avoid that by replacing the rear window, at a shop of your choice.

(The reason he agreed it is "Average" is that "Average" is perfectly acceptable...he knows it gives you no grounds for a claim, etc...)

Some tint films are too stiff to conform to the defrost lines and the dots... but good shop will know this and either refuse or let you know/agree in advance. Even if the film is the issue, he should not have installed it if it will not work right.

Go to a better shop and get a second opinion, better a written estimate to fix.

GL

A

researching my options...if anyone know places in/around houston - let me know.

[jeremym]

Wow, sounds like the installer is a d-bag. Let us know how this pans out. I'm very curious. Good luck!

[chiefneil]

You might want to hop over to the consumer forum on tintdude.com. From what I've been reading over there, it sounds like an actual professional (which I don't think your guy is) should be able to remove the tint.

Window Tint Forum -> Consumer Questions

[zz6938]

use steamer to get the film off the rear window. I saw a video on youtube. People take off their existing film without any damage.