To tint or not to tint?
 

I know this is kinda off the topic, but.............here I go anyhow. I was thinking about tinting my 190E. All of the places that I've checked wanted at least $280. Tinting a Honda or a toyota would only cost $175 the max. They claim that tinting a Benz is harder work. Is this true? Or is it because they know we drive a Benz, and that we have the money?


Another thing: I know that in California, it's illegal to tint the driver's side. I'd like to tint my car all one shade, to give it a universal look. Do you think it's worth it? I found a place in So. Cal that would do my car for $179, for all 7 windows.


Any tips or ideas? Thanks in advance.

vu

It IS harder to tint the windows in a Benz, to the extent that an MB driver is likely to be more demanding of a quality install, (They will have to take longer on the job), and if they screw up an interior part with their tools, it will likely be more expensive to fix. So they build this into their estimates.

I think it is worthwhile. The UV protection will save your interior from fading and sun damage (dry rot).

I would do it, and the uniform tint look is what I like most.

Depending on the color of your car is dependent ont he color of tint.

For white, gold, champagne, toupe, brown, and other similar colors, a good bronze tint looks best.

For black, and most other colors, black tint works well.

For red, you can get red tint, not sure if I like that though.

For blue, you can get blue tint, looks good, Mbenz has his in blue, and I like it.

For silver I like a good black or slightly mirrored tint.

As far as prices, $179 seems good. I'd see about their warranty and their end results.

I have a guy who will come to your home or office and do the install, but not sure on his prices, he does it for a friend of mine who uses him for his stereo shop.

My dad recently had them do the windows on his cars. they came to his office, and had it done within the day, both cars. Came out looking great. Not sure how much he paid though. And I wish my dad had gone with the bronze tint on the white car, but he wanted darker, so he went with the black.

Alon

Ashman - do you have any pics of a white car with a bronze tint? I have the backs tinted black on my white 300e and I need to have them redone. Curious abou this bronze tint.

Thanks

Brian

tint
 

... great UV protection.

Hi! Ashman,
I would also like to see what the bronze tint would look like on a white Benz. I have also been contemplating tinting the windows, but I do not want to take away for the car. The black tint may be a bit much for this large car (420SEL). The other day, I saw a MB with window wind visors on it. (You know, the plastic smoke items that go on each window.) I could not believe it! I thought they were for trucks and SUV's.

I wish I had pics of a white car with broze, but its basically a brown tint. On white cars with tan or creme or brown interior, I really like a bronze tint. If the interior is black, then black would be the natural choice by my style. I like to match schemes up.

I'll see if I can find any, you should be able to locate some around the net, or perhaps a local shop has some pics. Any tinting shop that really knows their stuff, should be able to do any color, and install it well.

John the guy that did my dad's SL, came to his office and did it in the garage with a florescent light, and it looks perfect.

Granted SL is probably easiest one to do....

My car probably isn't hard either, whole window is basically frameless.

Alon

To clear up your question regarding tint laws, the tint grade determines lawfulness as far as driver's side windows, not the tint itself.

You may have to go with a lighter than desired UV protection if you want all windows to be the same tint.

For most states with that law, I believe 20% is the max allowed for the driver's side windows. This was enacted back in the 80's for the protection of law enforcement individuals that had to approach a vehicle with tinted windows, and the occupants (or their contraband) could be concealed.

I've never been quoted any differently for the job except for vehicles with additional windows (minivans, SUV, etc.). If the shop does quality work, the price should not change. Find another shop.

Quality of tint is important. Cheaper film will discolor, and some even "lift" and "bubble" near the electric defroster elements on the rear window (many of you have probably seen this).

Regardless, ALL tint will scratch, so greater care must be taken to protect the film. Ammonia-based products such as Windex cannot be used when cleaning or discoloration will result.

I am considering tinting the windows on my 300E, as Texas summers (and lack of covered parking at work) makes the car unbearable to enter in the afternoons.

Be prepared for the added care required to keep your tinted windows free from damage.

i want to do just the rear windshield in my 300e, a light metallic one if possible. what would that run? are there special films that will not be damaged by and won't affect the defogger element?

Alon - any suggestions of places around Los Angeles for good tint shops?. I am located near Pasadena, CA and need a retint. I already have a tint on it but I need to have it removed and then retinted. If you know of any places around Bev. Hills or the Los Angeles areas I would really appreciate the recommendation. Thanks.

Brian

Brian,

Call the shop my friend works at, and talk to Jason, my friend.

He has a guy who comes to you to do the work, and they do a good job, they did my fathers Benz and Rolls.

My friend's work number - 310-559-1315.

He's here with me now, so I told him to expect your call. He'll be available around 1:00 pm...

The mobil guy might not be the cheapest, but his work is very good. Otherwise he might know a shop for you to go to as well.

Generally removing tint will cost extra because of the removal.

Alon

If you have a dark-colored car, definitely get a metalized-tint to block out the infra-red which HEATS up the interior. UV will also be blocked.

Unfortunately, metalized-tint is more expensive, and is a shield to radio waves (cell phones), and reflects back like a mirror to others.

If I had to do it over again on our black W124 wagon, metalized-tint would be it.

Good luck,
:-) neil

PS: there's a CLEAR European film that blocks InfraRed and UV but it is VERY expensive.

Definitely get your car tinted.

Keeps it cooler in the summer
Prevents AC from working too hard-keeps interior cooler
Prevents sun's UV rays from damaging your leather & upholstery
Makes it harder for thieves to see in your car
Makes it harder for thieves to break the glass
Looks better

Got mine done at place here in Nashville (Auto Trim Design) that has been in business forever. Does all the Benz dealer customer cars. Paid $195 + tax for all side and rear glass. Excellent job; lifetime warranty.

For anyone in southern cali, check out Tint Connection in Newpot Beach. I think their numbers (949) 650-TINT. I paid $115 for all windows excluding the windshield on my 126 which included a lifetime warranty. Hasn't bubbled or peeled for 3 years.

Its hard to talk anyone out of doing something they really want to do, especially when it looks cool :cool:, but there is a real safety concern with tinted windows beside the driver. If they are too dark, or at night, or in rain/snow conditions, you will lose the ability to have eye contact with other drivers and pedestrians.

Think about it. There are thousands of subtle cues involved in successfully completing a trip by car from point A to point B. Watching what other drivers and pedestrains are doing AND knowing that they have seen you and know what you are doing is absolutely essential on our hectic and congested roadways.

Now take away your ability to see what the other driver is looking at, or denying others the same ability to see what the heck you're looking at. That creates a problem. Insurance companies should, if they don't already, penalize those involved in accidents where lack of eye contact was a factor due to tinted windows (or loud blaring noise from those megawatt stereos :p).

Just my opinion. I know you're gonna do it anyway.

Alright guys,

I've done it. I went and got my windows tinted. I went to a place in San Diego called Tint Devil. They quoted me $209, and I only paid $209. The quality is superb. The tint in the front is only 45% I think, and the rear is 35%. I've done some research on California laws and they forbid ANY tinting on the front two drivers' side. I tried my luck. With a lighter tint, you're less likely to get pulled over.

So to close up this topic ( I think), it's a great reward to tint your windows. Your car is a lot cooler, and it protects you from those harmful UV rays. But please make sure you find out what regulations your home state has. I fibbed a bit.

Anyhow, thanks a lot for all of your help! My Benz now looks a lot sleeker and " cooler". :D

Glad to hear you got it. now where are the pics so we can see the benz?

Some would consider tint a no no, I like tint, but I think way dark is just too dark...

I like a good light tint that blocks the UV without being too dark. lightly smoked, kinda like my tail light indicators works great, and that is what my car has...

When I get mine redone, I'm going with the same, only ever so slightly darker.

I'm not even sure what my car has, but its not too dark.

Alon

WOW
 

that is expensive there was a guy here in daytona that would strip my old tint and put new tint with a 7 year warrenty on the fadding for 135 dollars.

tint removal
 

How do I take the tint off of my windows? My car has real dark tint (installed by PO), and I don't like it.

I used 3M adhesive remover to get old tint adhesive off the windows. To remove old tint, simply start at one corner and slowly peel back.

I am a big believer in tint-Dean, point well made but I guess I'm a little selfish and prefer NOT to burn my @#s every time I get in the car. To compensate for my decreased visibility to others, I obey all road signs & signal before I EVER change lanes:)

As to tint, the somewhat reflective, lightly tinted 3M product is how I went on my white '88 300TE. Looks and works fabulously, but does suffer from decreased radar detector sensitivity to the rear (metal tint). Surprisingly, it looks fairly OE because it's not overly reflective.
even
My 500E is tinted with a non-metallic, less reflective tint, and I think from a cooling standpoint works only half as well as the metallic stuff. And doesn't look nearly as good in my opinion, but does look fairly OE.

:cool: I live in FL so it is almost necessary. Just had my wife's 420 done and it was $160 for lifetime warranty titanium tint.

Question I have is in my ML(no tint) I have heard the metal tints mess up your radio reception. My antena is built in to the rear window, any advice.

As far as visibility, the titanium tint blocks 9?% percent coming in but is REAL light looking out. Great stuff. ML is not going to be real cheap with all that glass.

Does anybody know of any cheap places in the Los Angeles area? I was talking to Anon about this and I still have to call his guy, but I was wondering if anybody else had any suggestions?

Brian