Beware of V-Kool - It and they are crap

[saat]

I installed V-Kool's Elite on my E90 when I bought it in Dec2008, with the intention of just trying something different from my regular favorite.It was the biggest mistake I ever made.From the onset, I experienced the following:1. My GPS Signal does not come thru enough. I ended with a re-radiating antenna.2. I almost broke my windscreen and now approaches all smart tag booms carefully cos the sensor does not detect my smart tag.3. Some edges started to discolor which later turn into delamination.4. My autogate remote only works with the window open.V-Kool's response - "Bring your car in, I will check. We installed in so many cars and no problem, why your car got problem".I retired from my company and I bought the car over and for the ownership transfer, it had to be submitted for Puspakom inspection. As a condition of passing, the tint had to be removed cos it does not pass the test.I enquired with V-Kool and I am told the following:1. Only their film is approved by JPJ and not when it is installed. Irrespective of whether the film is approved or not, all tints have to be removed when sending for Puspakom inspection.2. In order to make a claim to replace the windscreen tint, I need to furnish V-Kool with the following:- The Puspakom report (what for I dont know cos it say pass, having torn the film)- The film that was removed (lucky I have this strewn all over the floor).- Photocopy of my IC.- Company Board resolution to prove that the car is sold to me (what is the relevance of this).- A letter from the company attesting that I am a staff (I am a retired MD for heaven's sake).Response from V-Kool "Sorry Sir, hope you understand this is our company standard procedure. Normally we dont replace because it was removed by Puspakom."Prior to purchase, they make sweet promises. They give you assurances. Show you a letter from JPJ saying their film is approved. "Any problem comeback, I'll fix it right away". They even gave me a 5 year warranty.Beware, the JPJ approval is just a marketing ploy. Prepare to pay for a new tint everytime you go thru a name change.Now that I have the problem, the JPJ approval letter and warranty card are not worth the paper they are written on. The sweet promises are all empty and they still make me jump thru hoops just to get a replacement of my front windscreen. I dont have the time nor patience for this. (I guess this is what they are counting on).I shall pay RM850 to have a new tint installed by my favorite rather than have to do all those things for V-Kool. I am posting this so that if anyone is considering V-Kool, I strongly and sincerely urge them to reconsider. Use the others. V-Kool is crap and so is the organization. They are not sincere.Any V-Kool sales person here, take note.

 

[rpmnut]

And that's why I tinted my 525i with Huper Optik. No problems so far and already passed one roadblock check with flying colours.

 

[genozide]

Hi Saat,
One of my car had to change the registration number and therefore Puspakom inspection is required.
As usual Puspakom tear down the front windscreen film.
I had other defects on the V Kool tint which was installed in 2005 at a dealer in Kajang.
The Kajang dealer changed hands and they dint wanna entertain my case.
Called up HQ and they directed to a tint center near Avenue 8 PJ.
At first they dint wanna replace the front tint as they claimed Puspakom's action is not justified.
I showed them the removed tint sheet together with the Puspakom letter
They reluctantly agreed to change the front and affected glass.
I requested them to complete change the tint as new tint mixed with old tint make my car look weird.
Had to press hard.
They finally gave in.
All windows tints were finally replaced.

 

[climenta]

saat, what's your favourite tint ya? care to share?

 

[astroboy]

Thanks for the info saat, very sad thing to learn the hard way. Lesson here is never trust the salesman!

All those listed down above, I am well aware of when making my decision to proceed with my Elite installation. You should have done your research because most of those VKool user I know, they too aware what they are getting themselves into.

I am having Elite in both my car and have tried 3 variants of the Elite, 2005, 2007 and 2010. The 2005 and 2007 when comes to remote control or SmartTag transmission, very bad. I had to wind down window to open my gate or go extremely slow through SmartTag gantries. Sometimes I just give up and wind down window and hold my SmartTag outside..

The 2010 variant is much better. I believe the metallic coating is reduced. The metallic coat is to restrict or reduce IR penetration.. there's no best of both world. I apply tinting mainly due to blocking of IR penetration which is heat. Elite has one of the highest IR filtering properties in the industry while UV filtering is nothing difficult as all scored well.

Elite is a 70% visible light penetration film and that's what allowable by the JPJ for the windshield. Don't forget all windscreen has coatings with few percentage of light filtration, even at 1%, it will reduce the Elite tinted windshield to only 69% visible light penetration, so consider illegal liao.

 

[anaksarawak]

bro.. sorry to hear your experience. mind share who is your favorite tint?

 

[saat]

I think I have posted it a long time ago and it is Ecotint.

 

[saat]

Forgot about mentioning that I too have to wind down my window to open my auto gate.

This is the reason why there are so many hand sticking out the window when approaching the smarttag scanner even in the rain. I can bet that they are using V-KOOL.

V-KOOL STINKS

 

[mizhan]

question. how do we know for certain we are getting what they say they're installing on our cars? be it V-Kool or whatever? imagine installing a RM300 tint and charging you 'V-Kool' price. ini skim cepat kaya!

 

[astroboy]

question. how do we know for certain we are getting what they say they're installing on our cars? be it V-Kool or whatever? imagine installing a RM300 tint and charging you 'V-Kool' price. ini skim cepat kaya!

The original VKool film has this hologram of VKool prints on the protective layer which gets peeled off during application.. so if you are allowed to be there during application, very easily identifiable. After application, from a 10 degree angle, looking over the Elite tinted window from outside the car, u will see rainbow colored hologram like a badly detailed paint job. I can spot an Elite tinted vehicle anytime of the day from close examination with naked eye.

When your windscreen is VKool tinted, make sure you keep the receipt that states the price and film grade/type. Otherwise, when screen pecah, insurer won't pay you VKool claim. I kena before.. manage to claim RM400 for my film because of unclear receipt, re-apply windscreen VKool is whopping RM800 [only windscreen]. I use the back door method [unauthorised], still cost me RM650.. .. Ops... I talk too much.. :10:

 

[GMENG]

I've been using V-kool since my last Audi in 2001 and now E60. So far no issue with smartag or JPJ. I suspect some installer using fake film. (By the way, I'm not agent for v-kool.)

 

[astroboy]

I've been using V-kool since my last Audi in 2001 and now E60. So far no issue with smartag or JPJ. I suspect some installer using fake film. (By the way, I'm not agent for v-kool.)

When u sell your car, the buyer will have headache.. but that's non of your problem.. haha! I have a friend who's migrated, sold his car to his sister.. VKool Elite kena striped by JPJ during ownership transfer inspection.. his heart damn sakit, but he re-apply the Elite.. some of us really swear by it, and that was just a mini Toyota MPV..:4:

 

[MRsamdol]

So many asking what is saat using now shows that there is still no sub to vkool in the market right now. Guess the problem is not the product but the vendors?? Sorry had to point out as the title was misleading and i also wanted to know what saat is using if he thinks vkool is crap.

So to confirm vkool tint is good but its pricey and the aftersales sucks correct??

 

[astroboy]

Saat wanted something to pass JPJ and not causing disturbance to eletromagnetic transmission, VKool is obviously not the best choice. For Saat, I would suggest 3M.

VKool is my best choice because I love its green hue color plus the highest IR rejection rating in the industry, the price bites though.. ouch!

Just like picking my BMW, if I aimed for reliability, common affordable parts, less electronic gremlins, long warranty period.. BMW wouldn't fit the bill.

 

[saat]

If you read my post carefully, even the product sucks. It is ori V-Kool.

I have posted here that I have used EcoTint on many of my cars before this. This car was the first one with V-Kool.

Have even written a report card on EcoTint Ray-Barrier in this forum sometiem ago.

I am going back to EcoTint.

So many asking what is saat using now shows that there is still no sub to vkool in the market right now. Guess the problem is not the product but the vendors?? Sorry had to point out as the title was misleading and i also wanted to know what saat is using if he thinks vkool is crap.

So to confirm vkool tint is good but its pricey and the aftersales sucks correct??

 

[astroboy]

EcoTint has how many variants? Maybe one day during TT, we can compare report card.. haha.. My "school bus" has yet to tint..

I was using SolarGuard on my side windows on my mini MPV, can't afford the costly RM2.8k Elite all round. The SolarGuard also comes with 5 year warranty, one of the sub brand [sub standard, sub price] of VKool distributor. Quality really sucks! Managed to claim all, peel and re-apply days before the warranty expire. All windows show sign of stretch marks, like the tummy of most mothers. They call it "streaks". It's cheapo film la.. so padan muka.

For VKool customers info, their warranty issues apart from those pain in the @$$ procedure mentioned by saat, also when you wish to claim warranty, the replacement/rectification date mustn't exceed the warranty expiry date. If you return on the last day of warranty and complain, despite confirm material defect and that day workshop full, you cannot fix the next day because to them, consider "warranty expired".. basket! I almost kena..

 

[MRsamdol]

^^Thanks for clarifying saat and like astroboy i still use vkool because simply its the only one that repels heat the best but as it is one of the most expensive i would like to try out other brands but so far with many comparisons nothing is as good as vkool. I have used solarguard too and it's not as good. Will look out for ecotint.

Is there a tint comparison thread already? Somebody start it for our knowledge and info on the many tints available?

 

[haywire]

Saat wanted something to pass JPJ and not causing disturbance to eletromagnetic transmission, VKool is obviously not the best choice. For Saat, I would suggest 3M.

VKool is my best choice because I love its green hue color plus the highest IR rejection rating in the industry, the price bites though.. ouch!

Just like picking my BMW, if I aimed for reliability, common affordable parts, less electronic gremlins, long warranty period.. BMW wouldn't fit the bill.

3M also the same la, doesnt allow SmartTag transmission at all. My brother in law is using it. Paid RM1700 for it for his Vios in the 3M tint centre in Kota Damansara. Heat rejection is fantastic, they have a sample there with a powerful light beam to imitate the heat transfer. Doesnt feel the heat at all from the other side compared to normal tint.

Got quoted RM2100 for my E39. Didnt do it yet though no money :4:

 

[zidee]

Mine bought used E39 already come with VKool. Not sure which type. No problem with Smart Tag. However it already show some degee of aging especially for rear glass. Tempting to change rear portion at least to much much darker tint but afraid of de-mister broken issue.

 

[535i]

I m on 3M (E39). Paid 1.7K (i think but defintely not 2k) for it. Not Smarttag frenly, not JPJ frenly - my choice.
But not sun frenly either .. very hot sia .. V-Kool was better but 2.4 k laaa ...

BTW - i paid SGD 600 for dunno-what-brand in Singaland - after the LTA koyak my tint.

To be honest - i do not trust all this 'warranty' thing in Mesia ... I consider all that as sunk-cost ..