Frustrated, need your advice (Tinting)

[Clearly Canadian]

Ok so what happened is that I accidentally asked for 50% tint when I actually wanted 15% tint, this was done through the dealership before I took possession of the vehicle.

So my back 5 windows are super light rather than being dark, and I paid around $280 for it. I feel like the salesman should have warned me that the tint job would come back super light "Are you sure 50% is what you want?" He is a car guy so he should have seen it coming IMO.

I called a tinting place and they charge $150 to remove tint, which helps me understand why the dealership is so reluctant to do anything about it to make me happy.

So my options (none of them good) seem to be:
- Pay $350 on top of the $280 I already paid to professionally remove and reinstall the tint
- Remove the tint myself and then get it retinted for around $200 -- I tend not to be that great at car DIY projects
- Try to escalate within the dealership, but I have a feeling that it won't go anywhere
- Any other ideas? HELP!!

 

[voon]

I understand the frustration, but: Escalate? You asked for 50% and they apparently did a good job. Be fair, this is your problem, not theirs. 50% is considered real dark where I live, so it's not unreasonable of customers to ask for it.

Get it properly redone, swallow the bitter pill as a learning experience anders put it behind yourself.

 

[Clearly Canadian]

I understand the frustration, but: Escalate? You asked for 50% and they apparently did a good job. Be fair, this is your problem, not theirs. 50% is considered real dark where I live, so it's not unreasonable of customers to ask for it.

Get it properly redone, swallow the bitter pill as a learning experience anders put it behind yourself.

Ya. You're right.

 

[David Burdette]

I’d say take it off yourself. It should be relatively simple as the tint essentially is just a really big sticker. I imagine that with a combination of peeling it off, razor blade or paint scraper, and maybe a hair dryer, you can get all the tint off.
The biggest problem you’re going to run into is it being really sticky, as long as you don’t shatter the window, which is extremely hard to do with tempered glass, there’s not much else that could go wrong .

And I agree you asked for 50% and got it, and they in all likely hood were operating in good faith, and assumed you knew what you were asking for. There are a lot of people who do specifically want light tint, which is why they have it to sell.
I understand your disappointment, a better way next time is to ask for a visual reference of what each grade looks like.

 

[DaJackson]

Be careful if you decide to take it off yourself and then take it to another tint place to get new tint installed. Some places are very particular about residue left on the windows because most of the time when people remove tint it’s old and people don’t do a good job of removing all of the adhesive.

Might help to just ask the new place so you don’t get charged a “prep fee”

 

[Clearly Canadian]

Ok so the dealership is giving me a dealer/invoice/cost on retinting ($210) and told me that the shop can tint overtop without voiding the tint? warranty. So I guess it will be 50% + 20% which works for me. She said they overtint police vehicles all the time just like this. Not sure why the police would need to tint twice but whatever, as long as it is work under warranty.

The other interesting thing is the dealer-cost tint job I negotiated when buying the vehicle cost $70 more. So I guess it wasn't dealer cost?

 

[David Burdette]

I’ve heard of over tint, know at least one person with it, and I seems to be fine.

As far as residue you are correct, and a product named “Goo Gone” can handle that, and almost anything else you would ever need to take off of a glass surface.
As far as “dealer cost”… LOL are they ever trying to hook us up?

 

[antne]

I’d say take it off yourself. It should be relatively simple as the tint essentially is just a really big sticker. I imagine that with a combination of peeling it off, razor blade or paint scraper, and maybe a hair dryer, you can get all the tint off.

You can't be serious.

 

[Clearly Canadian]

You can't be serious.

I don't have the stick-with-it-ness of this type of DIY project. Plus it's -20 degrees Celsius right now.

 

[Kia Stinger]

How long has the tint been on the windows? If a short time, it'll come off easily and won't be too much of a mess. If it's been baking in the sun - that's a different story. Still, however, all you need to do is peel off the tint and then use a window cleaner that's ammonia-based.

If you're getting a double layer of tint on the back window, that should be fine. If you're getting in on the side rear windows - that COULD be too thick and cause unnecessary wear and tear on your window motors - unless you don't open them much...

 

[David Burdette]

Antne see above. It’s not a big deal... however in 20 degrees weather... I’m not interested lol

 

[David Burdette]

I don't have the stick-with-it-ness of this type of DIY project. Plus it's -20 degrees Celsius right now.

In 20 degree weather I’m paying someone else too!!!

 

[kevin simard]

I’m curious what %tint everyone is going with.. I was thinking 20% for back 5 windows, and 35% for passenger and driver windows..

Is 20% to dark. Or not dark enough ?

 

[Mike_TX]

Video on how to easily remove tint:

A different approach:

 

[Clearly Canadian]

I’m curious what %tint everyone is going with.. I was thinking 20% for back 5 windows, and 35% for passenger and driver windows..

Is 20% to dark. Or not dark enough ?

Personally I think 15-20% is in the Goldilocks zone.

 

[Kia Stinger]

I’m curious what %tint everyone is going with.. I was thinking 20% for back 5 windows, and 35% for passenger and driver windows..

Is 20% to dark. Or not dark enough ?

I think what you have planned there is pretty good. I do 20% on my side windows and limo on the back because everybody in Florida drives one of these...

 

[David Burdette]

I went with 20% ceramic all around. Love it! I did my Optima SX the same way and loved it for years, still do!

 

[mldavis2]

How's that workin' on the skidpad for ya?

 

[voon]

I think what you have planned there is pretty good. I do 20% on my side windows and limo on the back because everybody in Florida drives one of these...

Is that the ultimate Daft-Beyond-Redemption machine?

 

[Well Stung]

I went with 15% on the fronts and 35% on the back. All ceramic