I asked a few weeks ago on another thread and didn't get a response, but can anyone recomend a tint shop in Chicago? My new coupe is to be delivered next week and tinting the windows is my first planned purchase.

Also, does anyone recomend the MB custom front window sunshade? It's a bunch more money than the generics at Pep Boys ($57), but if it's hands down better I'll try to get the dealer to give it to me at cost when I pick up the car.

 

I have been thinking about getting my windows tinted, what should I expect to pay for a good job?

 

isn't the car glass already uv blocking?

don't forget about the moleskin thing.

 

$200-$250

 

young, in my opinion, standard factory tint provides little or no UV blocking. I only started tinting windows with my two most recent cars. All the ones I've owned previously were factory glass.

I tend to keep my cars 7-8 years, and each of the hatchbacks had the cut pile lining in the hatch area dissolve in the sunlight long before 7 years. Cloth interiors also suffer with long term sun exposure, fading at minimum.

My first tinted car (94 Ford Probe GT) is still going strong in my daughter's hands, and the hatch area and cloth seats looks brand new (aside from normal wear/tear/soiling).

I think there's a lot to be said for the UV protection offered in aftermarket tinting. Not a scientific opinion at all, just a perception. I intend to tint every car I buy from now on. A great $200 investment in long-term car care.

 

I'm not a big fan of the look that tinting gives to the light colored (except white) C class.....especially if its very dark tint, but I think it'll look bad *** on bordeaux.

I on the other hand have a desert silver C240. I really like it without the tint, but since I live in Houston, TX I'm worried what the sun will do to the interior. I did get that protection guard stuff that the dealer suggested. For $800 I hope that it works but do I still need tinting? Is there clear UV control?

 

i never really thought about it. i just assumed that the glass was 100% uv blocking...

so i looked it up. one source says,

Q: Can you get sunburned through a car windshield?

A: Only if you try hard. A car's windshield blocks about 85% of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Other car windows block only about half.

Heat waves pass through glass and get absorbed by our bodies. So, the sun's rays can heat us shining through a windshield.

Glass protects us, though, from the UV portion. It absorbs most of the UV like an exceptionally effective sunscreen. Good thing, too, because skin absorbs almost all the UV rays that reach it

 

Where did the wing go? Glad you took that ugly thing off, it looks MUCH better without the wing.

Also, I love the light blue tint on the C32's, if I were to tint a car aside from a C32, I would tint it exactly like that. You only get the blue tint on the 2003 C32's if you get the Rainsensor option.

 

i have a white coupe, what color and intensity level should i go for? and does anybody know a good tin shop in south SF bay area? thanks!

 

I was wondering the same thing until a younger (female) co-worker mentioned that she thought only ugly guys tinted their windows. (ouch!)

 

Some have complained of window tinting getting scratched on the coupe's front windows and used moleskin to cover the metal that causes these scratches. Where exactly is this metal that needs covering and how do you go about covering it? Also, where do you buy moleskin and is it better to use cotton or polyester moleskin?

Anyone in Orange County, CA that can do this complete tinting job, moleskin and all?

 

And are we supposed to cover the rubber trim inside the window with moleskin? I've lines all over the front windows.

 

I believe it is the inner window seal that needs to be covered. I have never heard of polyester moleskin. If it is anything like a microfiber towel, I think that is what I would use.

 

Buellwinkle-

A friend of the family has a C280 which was tinted a year or so ago, and the tinter apparently added this "moleskin" stuff without being asked, so it must be a fairly well-known thing. Guy who did the tint is mobile and is based in San Diego, but I don't think he'd come to OC - you'd probably need to go down to north county (i.e. Oceanside, Vista, Escondido). FWIW, the guy has done three of my cars over the last 10 years or so, all with great results. If you are interested let me know and I'll pull the guy's card.

 

For the second time it is not a film tint on the c32's. The blue is actually a part of the glass; smashed between the layers. There is no way to achieve that awesome look in the after market world. Trust me I tried for a year. I finally got 5% percent all the way around on my black c240 and everyone says it looks like a much higher class luxury car because you can't see how small the c class is on the inside(really makes the car look larger). The limo tint really transforms a c class into a different car but you have to be ready to roll down your windows at night when your backing up out of a parking spot because you can't see sh$t. Best $220 I've every spent on any vehicle I've owned!

 

I got it done at Visions in Anaheim based on Mach430's recommendation. They did a great job and knew exactly where to put the moleskin. I thought it was the rubber part but actually it's a hidden plastic part that presses against the window below the rubber molding. Also they had an advisory on two sensors that are above the rear hatch window on the corners. If they get wet it's $228 for a replacement sensor. They had to remove all the plastic trim around the hatch to mask those sensors off. I went for the dark tint because I have the oyster interior and the medium didn't seem dark enough. There's a limo tint that's even darker but that was too much for me.

Visions phone number is (714) 630-0744 and they are at 1024 N. Tustin Ave and the 91 Fwy.

 

Thanks for the info.... do you mind sharing what the whole job cost?

 

They charge $160 for the window tinting 5 windows + $25/window to remove the door panel, sand the window strip and apply the moleskin. All together it was $210.

I asked about doing the small plastic window in the rear spoiler but they couldn't do it because it's plastic.

 

Hmmmmmm.once again it seems like you guys over there in the U S of A get stuff cheap....towards $500 is normal for a good tint job over here!!!

 

I thought it was a bargain since 2 guys worked on it for 2 hours straight.

 

buell..how far is that from LA downtown?
or anyone can recommand a tinting shop around Staples center

 

It's right off the 91 between the 55 and the 57. From downtown it's probably 30 miles. Use one of the direction websites like Zip2.com for directions, distance and driving time.

 

Hello,

Here's the story:

Got my windows tinted - 38% stealth tint.
Tried to open them a week later - and they got scratched (yes, I know that you guys warned me). Went to the tinting company today and asked them to fix it by covering some parts in the door with a soft material. They told me that they can't do that and asked me to go to my dealer. My dealer told me that they have never dealt with it before, and are willing to take my doors apart and do the thing to fix it. They want to charge me ~ $150 per door. So the total would be $300 + $230 (for the tint that I paid), that's over $500 for tinting windows!

They said that they can't do that under car warranty because it wasn't tinted when I bought it.

I talked to my sales guy and he said that he will ask their manager to call Mercedes tomorrow to find out if they mention anything about NOT tining windows in their manual. If there's nothing about that, then I have a case and I MIGHT, just MIGHT get it fixed free, but probably not.

So I'm pretty pissed now and am thinking about taking the tint off because I don't want to pay extra $300 to mess with the doors (if they even can fix it) and don't want to drive with scratched tints.

 

The guy that tinted my windows wouldn't tint the two front passenger windows, cause he said they will be scratced. I'm glad I took his advice. He also told me about other potential problems with tinting this car. But those problems only happened to one of three that he tinted. He is very professional and looks out for the customers best interest. My windows are 5% on the rear window, and 20% on the two back windows.

Where do you live? If you are in the bay area, maybe I can recommend you to him. He is very knowledgeable, and might be able to give you some advice on what to do.

Or else, Good luck!

 

in california it's illegal to tint the front windows so cops can see if you're pulling a gun when they pull you over.