# Issues with window tint on a lease return?



## reedog117 (Jan 20, 2008)

Just moved from financing to leasing cars, and am about to go tint my 2017 i3. Has anyone had any issues regarding window tint on lease turn-in?


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## HypnoticS (Sep 27, 2009)

No issues, as long as you keep it legal.


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## ard (Jul 1, 2009)

HypnoticS said:


> No issues, as long as you keep it legal.


You got that in writing????????

Technically BMWNA can ding you for it, maybe significantly. Especially if you turn in and walk away - only to get a bill weeks late for $$$.

There will now be a littany of anecdotes of how a dealer did or did not charge for this. Basically YMMV, make sure it is not going to be a problem at turn in- if they bith just scrape it off.


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## jjrandorin (May 8, 2013)

Ard is right (he usually is)... they absolutely CAN ding you for it if they choose to. The only thing is, on lease return you would know if they were going to ding you for it, because you would either do a pre lease turn in inspection where they would tell you that (if its third party) or, the dealer would tell you on turn in (they give you a document that shows you chargeable items, at least they did for me). You sign said document as well, so you would know at lease turn in.

Just as a side note, I turned in both of my last leases (in california) with tint that was not legal. Its not legal to tint the front driver or passenger windows (if 4 door the back ones are ok, the front arent) and both of my cars had 30 percent tint on the front driver and passenger windows. Of course, here in CA its common for cars to have non legal tint. Its kind of like this... Just because I am driving around with non legal tint (and have done so for about 10 years now and not been hassled), that does not mean a police officer CANT charge me for having illegal tint. They absolutely can, even though they dont in general.

Turning your car in with tint is kind of like that. In most places, the dealer would consider it an upgrade (sort of like they do if you turn in a car with BMW performance OEM parts on it), UNLESS it "looks bad" as in bubbled up, or they are in an area where they feel they wont be able to sell the car with that tint. THEN they will charge you for it.

If you dont want to stress about it, just get the tint, and either plan to pay someone $50-60 to take it off, or ask during your pre turn in inspection if its going to be a problem then. I would not let that hang you up on getting tint in the first place, because its EASILY and cheaply reversible, and you will know if you have to reverse it before you turn the car in.


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## HypnoticS (Sep 27, 2009)

I have tinted my last 4 bmw leases. Worst case scenario, they make you take it off.
On the plus side, cars with tinted windows tend to sell for more.


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## ard (Jul 1, 2009)

HypnoticS said:


> I have tinted my last 4 bmw leases. Worst case scenario, they make you take it off.
> On the plus side, cars with tinted windows tend to sell for more.


And a dealer could charge you at the lease return for the tint, AND leave it on, AND sell it for more...


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## HypnoticS (Sep 27, 2009)

You can tell you to remove it...thats about it. charge you for what exactly? :dunno:


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## ard (Jul 1, 2009)

HypnoticS said:


> You can tell you to remove it...thats about it. charge you for what exactly? :dunno:


Bmwfs can charge you a fee to 'remove aftermarket modifications' when you turn in the lease.

This fee can be assessed at the time the inspect the car at lease end. If you just turn the car in, and you don't insist on the formal inspection be done at that time, you may not discover it was charged until weeks later.

And as I stated, their charging the fee does not require them to actually remove the tint


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## HypnoticS (Sep 27, 2009)

ard said:


> Bmwfs can charge you a fee to 'remove aftermarket modifications' when you turn in the lease.
> 
> This fee can be assessed at the time the inspect the car at lease end. If you just turn the car in, and you don't insist on the formal inspection be done at that time, you may not discover it was charged until weeks later.
> 
> And as I stated, their charging the fee does not require them to actually remove the tint


Absolutely, thats why its a MUST to get an inspection report when the car is turned in.


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## DDGator (Mar 4, 2013)

Tint is a selling point in Florida. It was a non-issue on my lease turn-in and I was at maximum legal.

Yes, I guess they could charge you, and even leave it on the car for sale... but it would be the last car I buy from that dealership.


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## armando95 (Dec 14, 2010)

We've turned in 3 in the SoCal area, to 3 different dealers, all with tint including front windows (techincally illegal in CA) ... not one of the 3 dealers ever dinged us for it or even put it on the pre-inspection. Just an FYI no guarantee but I used to be worried about it and no longer worry about it really...


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