IAIN Fenton of Whiteley has every reason to smile as he stands beside his Honda Civic hatch - he has just had its windows tinted for free as the 10,000th customer to request an online quote from Southampton specialists South Coast Tints in just over a year.

He said: "I only bought my car about three months ago and had been toying with the idea of getting the windows tinted.

"If I am honest it was mainly for aesthetic reasons but I had also heard of the interior protection that it gave.

"Originally I was looking to see if I could find a number that I could phone to get a quote, so was happy to see that there was an online quoting service.

"At the time it wasn't that I thought the quote was too expensive as, to be honest, it came out at about what I was thinking it would be, but I thought I needed to save up and make sure it was what I definitely wanted - I suppose the accountant in me. As it turned out I didn't need to worry about that as I had an e-mail from the company saying I was the 10,000th quote and they would do it for free!

"I very much liked my car before but what they have done is the icing on the cake - and, in addition to just looking cool, I'm pretty sure that I have noticed it getting less hot inside!"

As the summer promises to return, the thoughts of a growing number turn to having their windows tinted to cut down the UV rays that can be damaging to both the car's occupants - it is far more effective at protecting children than suckered-on mesh screens - and the vehicle's interior.

Tinting, which is also proving fashionable, has the bonus of privacy screening in case you have left any valuables inside, although by law the tint can only be applied behind the front door (B) pillars.

The increasing popularity has proved a hit for South Coast Tints, run by Phil Thompson at Longbridge Industrial Park in Floating Bridge Road, off Canute Road, on the city centre side of Itchen Bridge.

Brother Simon, sales and business development director, said: "South Coast Tints was struggling through 2004 due to law changes that prevent any shade of film being installed on the front side windows of any vehicle, meaning we had to turn away customers who wanted complete vehicles tinted as this nullifies their insurance.

"South Coast Tints always abides by the law - it is the only vehicle window tinting business in the area that has conformed to the Trading Standards Buy with Confi-dence' scheme - and thus had to develop the business in a different way. The revamped website has paid dividends."