I'm really on the fence about tinting these beautiful blue windows
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Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 323
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From: Los Angeles, CA. USA
2013 c250
I'm really on the fence about tinting these beautiful blue windows
I've got the c230 sport and the windows are blue. It's not dark of course, but it's also not that light since the interior is black but I'm thinking for summer time it would keep the car cooler if I tint her. I really like the reflective tint that some of the S class mercedes have, but not sure whether it'll look weird since the windows are factory-dyed blue. Worse, I don't want it to look CHEAP! What's the best color match you think for blue windows to maintain the class of the car?
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From: Orange County
2005 C Wagon (No snickering please!)
Most tints are a neutral color, so they will not look any color different than the original glass.
I understand people who live in Thailand need to tint their cars. The people who engineered the air conditioning live in Texas and have no clue what the sun load is other countries.
Most states do not allow tinting of the windshield or front side windows, so tinting the rear greenhouse alone will not be as effective as a total tint.
A tint is only as good as the installer, and a lot of them will stink up a Mercedes. Make sure you find a pro that uses quality material and knows how to apply so it does not come loose, roll up on the edges, block the high rear stop light, scratch by the water seals, or interfere with the radio antenna or window defroster grid.
There are some ceramic tints that are made in the USA, but are not sold here. Go figure. The materials I have tested at shops in LA are cheaply made and seldom match the density printed on the box, and are not the same density across the window.
I would take a pass on the tint.
I understand people who live in Thailand need to tint their cars. The people who engineered the air conditioning live in Texas and have no clue what the sun load is other countries.
Most states do not allow tinting of the windshield or front side windows, so tinting the rear greenhouse alone will not be as effective as a total tint.
A tint is only as good as the installer, and a lot of them will stink up a Mercedes. Make sure you find a pro that uses quality material and knows how to apply so it does not come loose, roll up on the edges, block the high rear stop light, scratch by the water seals, or interfere with the radio antenna or window defroster grid.
There are some ceramic tints that are made in the USA, but are not sold here. Go figure. The materials I have tested at shops in LA are cheaply made and seldom match the density printed on the box, and are not the same density across the window.
I would take a pass on the tint.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 323
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From: Los Angeles, CA. USA
2013 c250
thx for your response Movie! I'm in LA too. As I understand it, Huper optik nano ceramic is a great tint to use for heat rejection and UV blocking, but you're right, I'd need to find a competent installer and make sure moleskin's applied to keep from scratching. At the end of the day, the way it looks is most important to me so I may hold my breathe until I see a bad-*** tint job done over a blue window.
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Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Orange County
2005 C Wagon (No snickering please!)
Huper Optik. almost sounds German. Its not. TiN film coatings were designed by a German research institute funded by a couple of Singapore companies. Its primary purpose is for commercial buildings to reduce energy costs, and prevent glass injuries by bomb blasts. It has been manufactured in the US by a chemical company that used to be part of Kodak. They are as you would expect expert at manufacturing films. The commercial products are excellent. I had them on my office windows for eight years without a problem.
Eastman Chemical has owned the company for a couple of years now, but don't sell the best stuff in the automotive field here. I used a product in Malaysia that could be applied inside on the windshield. There was little loss of light, but the car was 15F cooler. I could not find that product in LA. May be a legal liability problem, or prohibited material.
Eastman Chemical has owned the company for a couple of years now, but don't sell the best stuff in the automotive field here. I used a product in Malaysia that could be applied inside on the windshield. There was little loss of light, but the car was 15F cooler. I could not find that product in LA. May be a legal liability problem, or prohibited material.
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Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Phoenix AZ & Cayucos CA
’27 AMG SL55(ordered), ‘23 EQS 580 SUV, ‘19 AMG E53 Cpe, ‘48 Willys Jeepster
I have the Huber Optik Drei tint, partially for the better color match. As for better solar insulation, I can't say that it blocks the sun any better than normal tint. I can't feel much difference on my hand from it or my windshield.
Be sure to get the moleskin protection, MB window seals easily scratch tinting.
Be sure to get the moleskin protection, MB window seals easily scratch tinting.
Last edited by lkfoster; Jan 2, 2014 at 11:15 AM. Reason: Added moleskin
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 323
Likes: 4
From: Los Angeles, CA. USA
2013 c250
I have the Huber Optik Drei tint, partially for the better color match. As for better solar insulation, I can't say that it blocks the sun any better than normal tint. I can't feel much difference on my hand from it or my windshield.
Be sure to get the moleskin protection, MB window seals easily scratch tinting.
Be sure to get the moleskin protection, MB window seals easily scratch tinting.
I'm curious if it affected your radio or phone reception since Drei is a metallic tint.
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 876
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From: Phoenix AZ & Cayucos CA
’27 AMG SL55(ordered), ‘23 EQS 580 SUV, ‘19 AMG E53 Cpe, ‘48 Willys Jeepster
No problems with the radio that know of, but I don't use it much so can't be certain. I've never had a problem with phone or sat nav reception either.
Pictures will have to wait for when I get back home. I will say for now that the color works better with the OEM blue tint than normal colors.
Pictures will have to wait for when I get back home. I will say for now that the color works better with the OEM blue tint than normal colors.
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Joined: Aug 2013
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From: Toronto, ON
2012 C300 Sport 4MATIC (current) 2006 C280 Elegance 4MATIC (sold)
Huper Optik, Llumar and 3M are good choices. The black color will blend in nicely with the blue tint on the windows. I've seen people use some sort of silver tint on their Benz and it looks horrible. Avoid cheaper tints like SolarGard, I had those on my old Maxima and whiles they were good at rejecting heat you couldn't see for s*** at night and since it was a dyed tint it would eventually fade. The new owners has that problem though 
Go with a non-metallized tint and non-dyed tint.
Go with a non-metallized tint and non-dyed tint.
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