Location: California
I’m a repeat customer at a local tint and stereo shop. About five weeks ago, I had them tint my 2016 Honda Civic. After the first job, I noticed the trunk was wet and mentioned it at pickup. I also asked them to look at my backup camera, which had been malfunctioning. Without providing an estimate or getting authorization, they did $200 of electrical work. I was frustrated by that, but didn’t escalate it.
I brought the car back recently for a reinstallation to fix some tint issues. At drop-off, I specifically asked them not to protect the trunk and subwoofer area from moisture. When I picked up the car, I immediately noticed:
- Deep scratches and swirl marks on both rear quarter panels
- Adhesive residue/goop on the paint
- Scratches inside the quarter panel area—only reachable by someone working on that part of the glass
- Water intrusion in the trunk again
- Darkened defroster lines and large bubbles in the rear tint
I walked back into the shop immediately, but was told the installer had left. I sent a detailed email with photos the same day—no reply. I just got a written response today from their owner saying they “apologize for the sub getting wet,” but claim it happens some times when using steam, and that “there’s no way” the body damage could have occurred during tint.
Since then, I’ve had the vehicle inspected by another tint shop and a glass shop. Both confirmed the rear defroster lines are damaged and that the entire rear glass must be replaced. I also received a $4,800+ estimate for the paint repair (the other tint shop owner said if he was them he’d be getting ready to call his insurance). I have documentation, receipts, before/after photos, and a clear timeline.
I commute via alternate means, and the car had been washed a few days before drop-off. It hadn’t been exposed to anything in the meantime. The damage clearly happened during the reinstallation.
Any advice on how to proceed would be appreciated. Right now I am thinking I may just need to go to small claims and let a judge decide.