LOCAL BUSINESS REVIEW: I feel the need to share a situation that happened with a local business and warn others how to avoid this same circumstance. When I bought my Explorer, I took it to Solar Bay, owned by John McBride, in Natchez to have the windows tinted. Tab and I also decided to have the windows tinted on the Focus at the same time. When I took the vehicle over to Solar Bay, I told them I was a Louisiana resident and wanted the legal limit on the windows. Being a private citizen, I have no idea what the percentage is, but I assumed they would know and would adhere to both the law and my request. I had a few minor inconveniences with the installation, but nothing that I felt needed too much attention and paid my $500 for the vehicles. Last week, Tab was pulled over by a Louisiana State Trooper who told him that the tint on the Explorer was too dark, the law is 40% and I am at 16%, and that there was a tint on the front windshield as well which was illegal completely. Of course, this hit us out of left field because we had no idea. (The fine for this is $234, by the way.) The next morning, Friday 9/19, I called John McBride to tell him what had happened and to tell him that I was very aggravated. At that time, Mr. McBride was apologetic and told me that he was going to make this right. He went on to say that he had some workers working for him that were not doing what they were supposed to and that he had since cleaned house. He told me that he wanted to keep me as a customer and that I could bring my vehicle the following week to have it taken care of. He said not to worry about a receipt, just bring it on in. I also mentioned to him that he had tinted my other vehicle at the same time and I wanted that fixed as well. He had no problems. He also said that he was going to take care of that ticket if he had to go to court for me and fight it himself. I got off the phone Friday singing his praises because of how well he was handling it. Wednesday morning, 9/24, I took my Explorer to his shop at 8AM. At 3:30pm, I called to see if the truck was ready so that I could have it that evening. His tone had completely changed. He told me that he had checked the tint on my vehicle and that there was no way his company had made this mistake. He went on to say that I would have to prove that I asked for Louisiana legal and that if I couldnt, he wasnt doing anything on the tint. He told me that he felt like I had gotten mad that I got a ticket and that I regretted the tint that I asked for and wanted him to replace it at his expense. He was loud and refused to allow me to get a word in; he cut me off any time I tried to speak. He called me a damn liar at one point, which set me off. I asked him what had changed since Friday when he was promising to fix it and he said that he just doesnt think he should have to. The conversation got extremely heated and I realized what he was doing: He wanted me to get so mad that I would come get my truck and refuse to allow him to work on it. So, thats exactly what I did. When I got there, my car had not been touched. The keys were in the same spot that I had left them. The door had never been opened. He never had any intention of working on my vehicle. I got into my vehicle and drove away without another word to him. My very strong pieces of advice: 1. Know the law about tint prior to going. 2. Make them write on the receipt that you want it to conform to the legal limit of whatever state you reside. Make them be very specific on the % of tint for every single piece of glass. 3. Make them show you, with the meter, before accepting the vehicle once the tint is on. 4. NEVER, EVER, EVER do business with Solar Bay in Natchez. He is a smooth-talker who will turn on you like a snake when he doesnt want to own up to his responsibilities as a business owner. He has no respect for the customer and has no problem calling a female a damn liar.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 14:11:41 +0000