Let me preface this by saying I rarely spend the time to write reviews, let alone 1 star reviews, but the obvious attempt at an unnecessary money grab for about $80 (new wipers+another inspection) made me feel obligated. I scheduled my NC state inspection few days in advance for first thing Monday (8) morning before work. I arrive right at eight, only to be told the mechanic doesn't arrive until 8:30 am. A little after 9 I receive a call telling me that my car has failed because of deteriorating wipers and the tint is too dark on my front windows. The wipers work properly, especially with the Rainx I regularly apply, and show no sign of aging. My thought here is they wanted to pocket the $60 or so for new blades and instillation. I took my car here last year to have the inspection done and my window tint passed. I was told by Jason, the GM, that window tint becomes darker over time. After I asked him how he had the audacity to respond with "I don't actually know, but it does." Google why that might happen so you at least can try back up the nonsense you're telling your customers. (I was unsuccessful at finding any information on window tint becoming darker over time.) The whole concept of a state inspection is ridiculous for new vehicles, which I don't blame Carolina Car Care for. What is frustrating is when businesses try to take advantage of people/ waste their time and money. I would rather just pay some kind of tax than have to deal with any mechanic shop. I took my car, literally two miles down the street, the following day and my car passed the inspection...
Joseph, I am sorry to hear that you had a bad experience at Carolina Car Care. I want to start off by saying that yes, Jason was incorrect when he told you that window tint gets darker over time; that being said, if you were to ask a salesperson at a tint store if this phenomenon takes place, they would say yes (most likely in an attempt to upsell a better quality product). I have corrected his mistake and going forward that will not be an issue for other customers. On the subject of your tint and why it would pass last year at our shop, I have an easy answer. The inspector that looked at your car last year was notorious for ignoring window tint, which eventually led to his dismissal from the company. The state of NC mandates that all cars with visibly tinted windows be tested for their transparency. NC GS 20.127 states the following: "Any other window of the vehicle may be tinted in accordance with the following restrictions: (1) The total light transmission of the tinted window shall be at least thirty-five percent (35%). A vehicle window that, by use of a light meter approved by the Commissioner, measures a total light transmission of more than thirty-two percent (32%) is conclusively presumed to meet this restriction." Unless 32% of the light can enter your vehicle through the tint, the vehicle fails inspection. For reference, I myself have tint rated to let 35% of the light through, and you can see me easily through my driver's window if you were to pull up next to me. You have certainly seen vehicles driving with much darker tint; they are simply benefitting from the GPD's policy (since 2015) of not bothering to pull people over for minor traffic infractions. There are many shops in the area that ignore tint regulations in order to attract customers with said tint, but I myself would like to avoid being fined $10,000 for ignoring the law. On your wipers, I am sure that the rain-x does wonders for visibility and works well in conjunction with the wipers you had installed. State inspectors are also mandated to fail a vehicle for wipers is there is ANY sign of tearing or fraying, no matter how small - the idea being that a small tear could become a big tear while you're driving in heavy rain, leaving you in a dangerous position. We are in agreement that inspections for new cars are a bit ridiculous, but such is the nature of bureaucracy. I hope that this response was eye opening and informative, and I wish you all of the best going forward. If you have any questions or want to talk more about your experience please give me a call at (336)279-4101 and ask for David. Best Regards, David Dew
- Greensboro