5 Questions You Should Ask Before Tinting Your Car
Admit it. You want tint for your car because it looks awesome. Have you ever seen a nice car — or for that matter a not so nice car — rolling down the street with tinted windows and thought “eh, not for me?” Of course not. You wouldn’t be reading this if you had. You’re here because you’re ready to join the ranks of the cool and shady. You’re ready to be the guy cruising down the avenue turning heads. You’re ready for tint.
But are you really ready? There’s a lot more to car tint than you might think. If you get a run of the mill tint job thinking your car is going to look badass, you may be severely disappointed. Before tinting your car, ask these questions:
How Much?
Price is almost always a consideration, so let’s start here. Window tints are not prohibitively expensive, even for higher end brands. Average prices range from $100 – $400 to tint your whole car. But it’s best to be honest with yourself and your budget before you purchase. If you’re only willing to spend $100 or less, you may be better off spending that money elsewhere (like on 100 tacos at dollar taco night). Lower end tints are cheap — but they look cheap too, which totally defeats the purpose. Don’t be that guy.
Is the Tint High-Quality?
There’s a reason the rich and famous don’t shop for clothes at Uncle Frank’s House of Slightly Irregular Sweatpants (not a real place to my knowledge, but you get the point). Quality counts. Quality shows. Buy cheap tint and people will know. You don’t want that. Tint should be considered as an investment. You want a product that lasts years, not months. Spend a little extra for quality. You won’t be disappointed.
Does the Tint Come with a Warranty?
If you buy tint without a warranty, and they start to peel and crack the first time a seagull decides to use your car as a toilet, you’re not going to be happy. And god forbid a pelican takes aim at your windshield. Those things are savage. Many window tint brands offer a warranty at no extra cost. Buying warrantied tints not only covers you for faulty materials, it gives you confidence that the tints you’re buying are high-quality. After all, businesses don’t like losing money. If they offer a warranty, that likely means they are confident in their product – and you can be too.
What Level of Technology does the Tint Have?
Technology is amazing these days. You can press a button on your phone and 30 minutes later, someone shows up at your door to bring you something — food, beer, a ride to the party. Window tint has technology too. Not “I can post to Instagram by tapping my windshield” technology (yet), but important technology nonetheless. Some tint offers UV protection that help make your car literally cool, so you can ease up on the gas-guzzling air conditioner. Some offer precision machine-cutting to ensure your tint is perfectly placed on your car windows. And some even offer protection from glass shattering during an attempted theft, or from those rotten neighborhood teenagers pelting your car with a rock. (You should call the police if this happens. Seriously.)
What Brand Options Do I Have?
Brand matters. There is a reason the world’s most popular brands — Apple, Nike, BMW, Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbeque Sauce — got so popular, and it’s not just slick marketing. The world’s best brands back it up with quality and performance. Do some research into a few different brands before buying tint. See what others have to say about them. Ask your local auto body shop. Find a brand that you are confident in before making a purchase. You can start your research here.
Consider these questions before you tint your ride, and you’ll be confident in your purchase — and a bit more confident in general. After all, window tint has that effect on people.
Want to Learn More?
View the Solar Gard line of automotive window tint products to get familiar with what’s out there. Additionally, Solar Gard endorses hundreds of dealers (“Pros”) all over the world who can help guide you and give you the piece of mind that you’re getting the best product for your vehicle.
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