ok, how about those who are not friends with the shop owners....
I called this one place down here in Austin that supposedly does good work and asked them about tinting the fronts 10% or 15% (I think 25% is the legal limit here), and the guy I talked to on the phone told me to come in one day and talk to the "main" guy. He said if I don't act like an ass and be cool about it, he will more than likely do it.
If not, I'll just take my happy ass back home and get a guy in my hometown to do it, no questions asked.