When you book window tint, paint protection film or a ceramic coating, you are trusting someone with one of the most expensive things you own. Most people assume the person they talk to at the counter is the person who will work on their car. At a lot of shops, that is not the case.
At Automotive Protection Solutions (APS), the owners are the installers. The same people who answer your call, quote your job and stand behind the warranty are the ones applying the film to your car. We do not subcontract the labor on our customers’ vehicles, and that is something we are proud of.
The problem with subcontracted installers
Many shops sell the job and then hand the car to a subcontracted installer. Sometimes that is a crew that moves between several shops in the same week, and sometimes it is whoever is available that day. The shop name is on the invoice, but the person doing the work may have no connection to the business at all.
Subcontracted installers are usually paid per car, so the incentive is to finish fast and move on to the next job. Their training, their standards and their experience can vary a lot from one person to the next. As a customer, you have no way of knowing who will show up, how many cars they have done before, or whether they will still be around if something needs to be fixed later.
That gap is where problems show up: lifted edges, dirt trapped under the film, knife marks on the paint, rushed prep and finishes that look fine on pickup day but fail a few months later.
Why an owner who installs makes a difference
When the person working on your car also owns the business, every job carries their name and their reputation. There is no one else to blame and no reason to cut corners, because the result reflects directly on them.
- Certified, experienced hands. Our installers are certified and bring more than 15 years of experience protecting vehicles, from daily drivers to exotics.
- Consistent quality. The same team does the work every time, so the standard does not change depending on who was available that day.
- Direct communication. You talk to the people actually doing the job, so questions get real answers and nothing gets lost between a salesperson and a crew.
- A warranty we stand behind. We did the work ourselves, so we take full responsibility for it.
Our shop is open: come see who is working on your car
Because we do our own work, we have nothing to hide. Our shop is always open to the public. You are welcome to stop by, see the space, meet the team and watch who is working on your vehicle.
From our lounge, a large window looks directly into the install bay, so you can sit down and see your car being worked on. You should never have to wonder who has your car or how it is being treated. You can read more in Come See How We Work: Our Shop Doors Are Always Open.
Inside our Southwest Austin shop
Our shop was built to be visited. There is a comfortable lounge where you can wait or check in on your car, a clean and bright install bay where the work happens, and our Best of Dripping Springs award for window tinting on the wall.
Customers often come in during their install to see the progress, ask questions about the film or the process, and see the care that goes into the prep and the details. We think that is how it should be.
Questions to ask any shop before you book
Whether you choose APS or another shop, these questions will tell you a lot about who will really be working on your car:
- Who will actually do the installation, and are they employees, owners or subcontractors?
- How much experience does the installer have with my type of vehicle?
- Can I visit the shop and see where the work is done?
- If something goes wrong after the install, who fixes it?
- Is the warranty backed by the shop, and by the manufacturer of the film or coating?
Protection done by the people who own it
At APS, the people who own the business are the people who protect your car. We do not subcontract the labor, and our doors are open so you can see that for yourself.
Explore our window tint, paint protection film and ceramic coating services, see recent work in our gallery, or book online. Better yet, stop by the shop in Southwest Austin and meet the team.
