The Pitfalls of Price Shopping for Tint, Clear Bra & Paint Coatings

It is completely natural to want to get a “good deal” on anything we purchase. However, sometimes in an effort to get a good deal, we end up with a bad value and a bunch of regret. Such was the case with a recent client that brought a new Corvette Z06 to us for paint protection and paint coating. The window tinting had already been done, and it was not pretty. When asked about the condition of the tint job, the owner admitted that he had went with what he thought was the best option, which meant the lowest price. As you can see by clicking on the pictures below, he got what he paid for.

This owner had a $100,000 car that was now blemished with a very sub-par tint job all because the purchase decision was made just on price. The end result was that he had us remove the bad tint job and do another complete installation with proper film and proper installation techniques. The end result was stunning and worthy of this American super car.

We would like to suggest that all of our clients look at two very important variables when choosing a shop to do their window tinting, paint protection film or paint coatings. The two variable are product quality and installation expertise. Both of these variables are important to get a quality job. A great product installed poorly will yield bad results just as quickly as a sub-par product installed by an expert. Here is what you need to know to make sure you are properly comparing when price shopping so you don’t end up like this poor Z06 owner that had to pay for the job to be done twice.

Product quality is a complicated issue. The reason is that most companies that manufacture a window tint, paint protection film or paint coatings typically offer several product lines of varying quality to hit specific price points. So, you may have heard great things about a particular manufacturer, but those things might be referencing their premium product. Their lower tier offering might leave something to be desired.

It is important to ask who manufactures the product being installed on your car and also the particular product line from the manufacturer that is being used. Two companies might use the same manufacturer, but one may use the premium while the other uses the value line. Comparing prices without understanding that vastly different products are being used would yield your price shopping irrelevant.

*When comparing pricing, you need to understand both the manufacturer, and the model line from that manufacturer, of the product being used. Only then can you be assured that you are comparing apples to apples.*

We used a magic wand for the bullet point of this section as a good installer is like a magician. The same product placed in two installer’s hands can yield significantly different results. When comparing the costs of a job, no other component should be looked at as carefully as the skill level of the installers. A great installer can make even a mediocre product look terrific. On the other hand, a sub-par installer can make even the finest product look shoddy.

*When comparing prices, you need to take into account the skill level of the installers and the process they use. A quality installer is an artisan and you can expect to pay more for the quality they bring to the job. A top quality product installed poorly is still a shoddy job.*

There is a difference! When you want the very best, call the pros at Jay’s Detail at 210-863-1633 or email us at jaysdetail@gmail.com for your car detailing, paint protection, paint coating and window tinting needs.