acb3nz

Thank you, Your car looks great with the tint

TruTriLV

Yeah, I dont know what I would do with out the fronts being tinted. 120 degrees over the week and my car is a sauna. I notice all the Highway Patrol have their cars blacked out...so different than Cali.

Alvin Nakamura

Just got my 02 CLK430 on the 4th of July. First and only thing I've done so far was to remove the 20% 3M tint and replace it with 35% ceramic. Hawaii law allows 35% max for front/sides, and rear. Limo okay for rear/sides, and no tint allowed for front. Kinda disapointed that the 35% didn't look as good as the 20%, but I'm real paranoid about being stopped for something incidental and just happen to have alcohol breath.

Ceramic tint is really cool. The heat block is way more important than the shading. This stuff keep the car cool. 35% front/sides and rear, 20% rear/sides, 5% on the sunroof, 85% on the front (although illegal). Car left out in the Hawaii sun all day has only a fraction of the heat in the cab of what the original 20% used to let in. Must also be better for the leather. Higly recommend ceramic in lieu of conventional or metalic.

Just my POV

sd964

I was told to go with a ceramic type film vs. the metallic type do to the radio antenna going through the window. Is there any truth to the metallic film disturbing the radio reception??

SoCalCLK

Ceramic tint is good. 2002 is a great vintage for the CLK 430.

DevilsAngel

I have suntek on my car and i guess that it is the metalic kind and i have no problems at all with reception, in fact i actually get really good reception, i can still get local radio station when i go to the beach which is almost 2 hours away from where i live.

Jessica90

It's true on some cars. I know on the e36 for example, metallic tint interferes with the radio reception.

bmwg84

Rule of thumb, if no one else mentioned it tint lighter if you have dark interior (black..) and tint darker if you have lighter interior (grays)

bmwg84

does anyone feel that tint takes away from the classiness of the original blue tinted window glass?

Alvin Nakamura

I tinted over the blue with standard grey. You can still noticably tell that the glass is blue. Can't tell you if that takes away from the look or not.

DevilsAngel

thats a bad rule imo. I have black interior and blacked out windows look hot. I don't know who made that rule up, but I think that they should reconsider.

and as for tint taking away from the classyness I don't think so at all. if that was the case then Bently's and other higher end cars would be class-less don't ya think? to each their own tho

John 99CLK430

DevilsAngel FTMFW!! Amen!

Damn, well my tint is starting to bubble & peel (ugh pissing me off) and my side windows make so much damn noise because it's starting to peel off on the sides and when I drive on the freeway it gets worse, I have to tap my roll down window to get rid of the noise somewhat and now I'm a bit tough on what new tint I should get I don't know whether I should go ceramic tint or stay with my original Metallic tint, I like the Metallic because I had it but the car is so damn hot...so i dunno if Ceramic will help this problem and look good? I might go a bit darker on the side windows, I'll leave my back windows as is with the same tint (dunno what it is to be honest) and I might even take the risk of tinting the front window because I need to keep the sun away.

help anyone? lol

Jessica90

In the day, you can somewhat tell my windows are dark with a bit of blue-ish tint, but at night, they're completely black, and I don't think it takes away the classiness. I agree with Devil, to each their own.

John, go with better quality tint film. Your car deserves the best
Make sure to get a lifetime warranty too.

I got 3M film. The guy said that it'll rarely peel, fade, or bubble up. But if it does, that's where the lifetime warrany comes in handy.

How long have you had the tint on your car?

SoCalCLK

4 years and it still looks the same! Charcoal 35% medium tint

Jessica90

That's really good. Hopefully mine will last that long. Don't know if I'll keep the car for another 4 years. But another year for sure!

Alvin Nakamura

Most Mercedes models require application of felt strips on the inside of the operable windows. The factory rubber molding will damage tint in no time without it. Most tint shops charge about $5/window to do this. It also better helps keep the tint clean and eliminate any squeaks. It's a must if you want your new tint to last.

Did an actual heat lamp test with the tint shop techs to determine heat transfer through different tints. 85% ceramic tint actually blocked more heat than 20% 3M and Metallics. There is actually another high tech tint that blocks even more heat transfer than ceramic. However, it's kinda new, and the shops arn't comfortable giving warranty for this product yet.

Jessica90

Did not know that. Thanks for the heads up. Will def. do that to my next car.

Too late to do anything now, but I'm not worried too much. I'm sure my tint will be fine next year. That's when I'm planning on selling the car. Plus it doesn't get hot here. Our weather is usually 65 degrees/partly cloudy/cloudy.

On our old E class, we had our windows tinted, not sure what kind, but I think suntek. 3 years later, when we sold it, it was still in good condition.

here are some pics before we sold the car;

bacardy703

I'm thinking about going 35% on tint in Virginia, but it looks like 50% is max legal light transmission...anyone have 35% (or lower) and not been harassed by the cops? I'd hate to just go 50%, but if it means not getting harassed, it's worth it, sadly

RAMourelatos

I went to Omega Tintworks in the Bay with the intention of doing a 20% and ended up getting an 18% ceramic tint and havent had an issue with the police. The tint looks really good and not overkill.

sfclk

Getting 50% done as we speak...I'll be back with pics...