This Is What a Poor Tint Job Looks Like
Your car’s window tint should look simple and neat, yet appealing all at the same time. Excellent tinting jobs showcase a well-fastened tint film, no gaps or bubbles, no signs of peeling, and a reduction in solar heat and UV radiation inside the vehicle. Unfortunately, this may not be the case for everyone!
You might be here because you’ve spent a ton of money on window tint only to have been deeply disappointed with the results. Perhaps your bad tint job looks purple, odd, low-quality, and shoddy workmanship. If you’re unsure, you’ve come to the right place.
Read on to discover what a poor tint job really looks like (and why you shouldn’t settle!).
The Holes and the Gaps
Examine your tinted windows from a 5-foot distance. If you see any holes, lines, and cracks, you probably had a poor tint job done by an untrained specialist. These lines and spaces indicate that tint was applied hastily and haphazardly.
The Violet Hue
If the tint on your car's windows looks like a purple permanent marker line in the daylight, the tinting work was done incorrectly. A violet or purple tint is produced by low-quality, inexpensively dyed tint film.
Because the color is not incorporated but rather dyed with multiple colors, some of which flash through, cheaper tint materials and adhesives turn out to be purple.
The Noticeable Debris beneath the Film
Hair, grit, or lint between your tint film and the glass suggests careless installation and insufficient preparation. It can also harm windows. Debris on the window's surface prevents the tint from bonding properly, resulting in bubbles, cracks, and peeling.
The Blisters, Bubbles, and Ridges
Visible blisters, bubbles, and ridges in your car’s window tint mean it was poorly done and incorrectly applied. They won’t disappear and are likely caused by low-quality film adhesive or faulty installation.
The Warm Car Interior
On a hot day, drive your car and record the temperature inside. If it gets too warm, you may have used a low-cost tint film that is colored for aesthetics rather than protection. The majority of quality window tint films should filter UV rays, which keeps your car cooler during hot days.
The Peeling Borders
Peeling is caused by insufficient tint adhesive or an old film that is not well attached to the glass. Eventually, this will continue to curl and peel, as well as invite pests and debris to scratch and damage your window.
The Unpleasant Defroster Bar
The front and rear windshield defroster bars, like the dot matrix windows, are textured and elevated. If the window tint is not tightly pressed against these bars, gaps and bubbles emerge, causing the tint to pucker. If you detect bubbles along the defrost lines on any window, have the tinting corrected before the glass clouds up.
So, What Now?
If the work was poor, take photos and contact the company right away. They might be able to help you if it was due to an error or inexperience. If the problem is caused by low-quality tint film or shoddy installation, request a refund, even if it is partial, and schedule your service with a reputable tint shop.
Conclusion
It goes without saying that you should simply not settle for bad service! If you've had a terrible tint job done, go to a different and more reliable team. Make sure you work only with professional tint technicians, even if their rates are higher. After all, your car is your investment!
Are you in need of car window tinting in Madera, CA? Cen Cal Tinting is your go-to car tinting shop to handle all your needs. Get your car serviced by our professional team today!
Take a look at our results.
What our customers think
Had our 2025 Tesla Model 3 tinted by Cen Cal Tinting and the whole experience was top notch. The quality of the work speaks for itself — super clean install, no bubbles, and the heat rejection is noticeable right away. What really made it stand out though was the customer service. You can tell they really care about their work and their customers. Highly recommend Cen Cal Tinting if you want it done right.
Took my Camry in for a i3 ceramic all around plus the air ceramic for the front windshield. Very pleased how it turned out. Highly recommend them. They are very professional and scheduling with them was very easy. And plus, they give you a lifetime warranty on their films.
This is my 4th car along with several referrals I have brought to this company to work on my vehicles. They have done a fantastic job on each one of them. On this particular one they did 15% tint over the factory tinted glass and 35% on the sides with a 5% windshield strip. Looking forward to all my future cars to this company. They typically complete the job in a few hours and are very connected via text message.
We Are Here To Help
We specialize in window tinting, paint protection film (PPF), ceramic coating, paint correction, and vehicle wraps. Whether you’re looking for heat rejection, gloss enhancement, or full protection, we’ve got you covered.
Absolutely. Many customers drop off their cars before work or leave them overnight. Just let us know what works best for your schedule and we’ll accommodate.
We’re located in Clovis, CA, and proudly serve Fresno and the surrounding Central Valley. Our shop is easy to find, and we’re just minutes away from most parts of Fresno.
You can call, text, or request a quote online in under a minute. We’ll just need your vehicle year, make, model, and what service you’re interested in to get you an accurate estimate.
We recommend booking an appointment to avoid wait times, but walk-ins are welcome when we have availability. Feel free to call or text us to check for same-day openings.
Yes — we recommend giving your car a basic exterior wash before your appointment. This helps us avoid rubbing dry dirt or dust into the paint when working on your vehicle, which can cause scratching. It also makes it easier for us to get great photos of your car when it’s all done!
Yes! We offer buy now, pay later options through providers like Affirm, Afterpay, and others — so you can split your purchase into easy payments. Just ask us for more details when booking.
We work on nearly all types of vehicles, including cars, trucks, SUVs, Teslas, luxury, and exotic cars. It’s rare that we come across something we can’t work on — but if you have a unique vehicle, feel free to reach out and we’ll be happy to confirm.
