jpgroom

Does anyone have a dash cover on their C230? We are thinking about getting one, or at least a custom window shade from the MB dealer. How do these fit? We had an official BMW shade for our Z3 which fit poorly and was a pain to get to stay put. Thanks

DrMike

Our favorite is the Brookstone window shade. A cool gadget with spring steel frame that become very compact with a few twists of the wrist, but expands to fill windshield. It is a reflective fabric, very durable, and can also be used for and outside cover to keep snow and ice off

MB-BOB

Check out "The Shade" at Dashdesigns.com. I have one, and it works GREAT!

Dash Designs

viper

Excuse my ignorance but what the heck is a dash shade good for ? To protect the dash from what ? Sunlight ? It would seem to me that the polymers in a quality car dash are such that they would not dry out and crack like they used to years ago.

young

wait, you're asking about sun-shields, right? i have the ones drmike is talking about but not by brookstone. i like them.

i've seen DASH covers - carpet on your dash... shudder...

vinmanc32

Not to protect dash as much as to keep out some level of heat. It is certainly better to have the shades than not if your car is in direct sunlight for a long period of time.

Those things that just cover the dash are a waste of time and look very tacky.

DrMike

I've never done a thermometer test, but especially with black interior & steering wheel, there is an incredible reduction in solar heat gain to the interior. The difference between the steering wheel being to hot to touch and being at a temperature you can tolerate.

They look funny, but I find the comfort well worth the inconvenience.

greg230

i have the one with 2 rings, that collapse onto themselves to from a nice compact thing.... it might be a knock off of the brookstone model.

like folding maps, once opened it is difficult to return to its original position all in all, window shades are tacky as all hell, i would rather be hot then have some stupid cardboard sheet over my window.

greg

jpgroom

I agree that shades are tacky and a pain. But here in Arizona they are a necessity, our summer temps are usually over 110 degrees. Try grabbing a steering wheel that hasn't been covered and I think you would agree that a sun shade helps.

BigBadDad

Ditto on the necessity of a sunshade in AZ. I use mine during the hot months, and that's it.

I remember loading up a U-Haul in the middle of summer a few years back. We were trying to load something in the back, up high. Anyhow, I had my shirt off and hit my back against the inside roof of the truck. Result: a blistering burn. It gets hot here.

MB-BOB

Sunshades are a defensive move that override the tackiness factor. You gotta have one if you live in the Southern US.

What I hate most about them is that they tend to occupy seats meant for passengers, unless you throw them in the passenger footwell or into the back seat, which then makes them hard to reach. Also, I don't like my passengers having to cover their eyes and lean back in their seats as I unfold those double circle jobs (BOING!!!) and fidget with them as we get out of the car. Just bad form.

I don't work for Dash Designs (see my post above), and I agree it looks tacky on the A-pillar (even though it's removable whenever you don't want it there, in cooler months, etc). However, this design is always stored in one place where it's reliably easy to find, it's out of the way when stored so I don't have to scramble to clear seats for my guests, and it's not a threatening safety issue to deploy or retract with a passenger in the front seat. It just takes one hand to deploy (two fingers, actually) .

Plus, my guests think it's very unique and Mercedes-like. One even remarked, "Did that come with the car?"

benzomonterey

This photo was taken at 4pm on a 104 Degree day in Las Vegas.

Boo2

IMO, keeping the interior of the car cool with less sunlight increases the life of the leather (drying, cracking, etc.).

MarkL

I know what you mean about folding them. But, then I got the hang of it. Just fold in half (obvious part), then just twist in opposing directions from a top and bottom corner. It's not always "perfect" but good enough to slip that elastic band over it and stow.

MB-BOB: I like the idea of the shade, but I don't know if I could stand to have the thing sitting on the windshield near the A pillar all the time when closed. Does it butt up right against the pillar? It attaches to the glass right?

MB-BOB

Yes, Mark, it attaches to the glass. There are two, self-adhesive clips that sit right against the A-pillar. The shade unit itself is therefore removable whenever desired.

Look at the left edge of your windshield (the right edge matches). The A-pillar isn't straight, while the Shade is, so the shade assembly does have some daylight between it and the A-pillar half-way up the pillar, but it sits flush at top and bottom. However, you can't see any of this from the driver's seat. The unit does NOT protrude ahead of the pillar into your line of sight from the driver's position. I don't notice it there at all, and it makes no noise (at first I thought it might rattle, but it doesn't).

There is a single plastic clip sitting against the driver's side A-pillar where the unit connects in the deployed position. The fit on the driver's side when deployed is excellent.

I have a picture in my camera. I really need to finish that roll...

MarkL

Hmmm... Might have to give it another look. Don't see the price on their website. Did you call the 800 number or order online?

MB-BOB

I think I recall the website instructs you to order via the 800 number. With shipping, The Shade was just under $30 for the size that fits our C-Class.

Fuzzo

just out of curiosity...don't those people who live in hotter conditions leave the roof tilted? doesn't that reduce the temp in the car? just wondering?

BigBadDad

I do. Anything to help. I also will walk long distances if it means I can park in the shade.

MarkL

If that means under a tree, I'll leave mine in the sun :p But, I'm in Maryland, so I probably don't know what "hot" really is!

Fuzzo

actually i would rather leave my car in the sun too rather than under a tree... the stuff that comes out of the birds rear is some potent stuff to paint

c240x

Say, where is that picture? It's getting hot again!

MB-BOB

Sorry for delay in posting this picture. This is of "The Shade" in stowed position, as viewed from Driver's seat.

Mark08859

Hmmm....looks as if it leaves a sizeable gap at the top and bottom.

MB-BOB

The A-Pillar is bowed and the unit is straight. Gap is about 3/4" in the middle, none at top and bottom. However, notice the grip area (in the middle) sticks-out. There is a single mount lug for the Driver's side clip... This part fits snugly into the bowed pillar on the Driver's side.

Edit: Oh wait, Mark. I understand. You writing about the length of the shade itself and the gaps above and below. Well, you need the gap at the top to ensure that the shade doesn't bunch-up as it fits under the center mirror/rain sensor module, etc. I suppose you can request a longer unit (they come in several lengths) to cover more of the bottom, but you really don't want to install it any higher than shown.

Several have asked whether you can see around it OK from Driver's position. That's why I've posted the picture. You can see it doesn't obstruct vision at all.