kce430sport

do you think tinting takes away from the look? Cheapens?


any thoughts ......

E-Klasse

If you get good quality tint then it adds to the look. Go to a good tint shop as well. What looks bad is poor quality tint that is installed incorrectly like film that is fading or has air bubbles under it. Get a good metalic film that is not too dark because that could affect the resale value of the car.

jimmydagreek

If you're going to tint your car, you have to do it tastefully and do it correctly by going to a reputable shop! Madico is one of the best if not the best brand of tint to use. I used to tint back in the day and Madico is all I used. I recently had my Benz tinted at a local shop that I have known for years and they still recommend Madico Tint over any other. Most good shops with guarantee the film from bubbling, cracking, peeling and fading for the life of the car as long as you own it. You must of course take care of your tint by not use any alcohol or amonia based cleaners on it (like the ones that some carwashes use). Depending on how dark you want it, my Benz has a medium tint on it. I went with 20% in the rear section and 35% on the 2 front doors to give it that fading to light look from front to back. Check out my pic...

E430guy

Ken,

I just had the windows in my sliver E430 tinted with a good quality metalic tint. I did 50% on the front and rear door windows and 35% (i.e. darker) on the back window. It looks very nice. Be aware, of course, that ANY after-market tinting on the front door windows is illegal in California. For that reason I went with the slightly lighter 50% tinting on the front and back doors.

With our model and year MB, the rubber stripping on the door windows presses on the window to the point that the tinting can be scratched. To prevent that, I had a felt strip installed on the innner rubber (extra $75).

The total was about $275 and I'm very happy with the look. Go hence and tint! Thanks,

jimmydagreek

I haven't had any scratching of my tint yet but I don't really ever roll down the windows. Greg, could you please take a pic. of the felt strip so that I may and let me know where you go it so that I may pick some up and put them on before anything happens? Thanks for your help...

kce430sport

Yes I would like to see this felt too Greg, Ken

6.3

I think about tinting my 98 e430. Does any one know any good places in NY?

E430guy

As soon as I get my digital camera working, I'll post a photo of the felt strip. thanks,

MikeyE430

Use a nice smoke color from a decent tint shop that knows what they are doing and that sell quality materials. I got my whole car done here in Nashville for $195.

E430guy

Mikey,

First of all, nice car! I also suggest a metallic tint, rather than the plastic tint. Metallic looks nicer, won't fade to purple and (unlike the plastic) comes with a lifetime guaranty.

I paid more than Mikey for his tint, but I live in So Cal, where (other than NY) everything seems to cost more.

thanks,

jimmydagreek

Greg, I agree that a lot of things cost more here but if you paid more than Mikey (here in So. Cal.) then unfortunately you paid too much, no offense of course. What kind of metallic tint did you put on your windows? Do you have a pic. of your Benz with this tint? I am curious as too what you have for what you paid over $200 for. Thanks...

"Plastic" film which is actually Charcoal film also comes with a lifetime guarantee against bubbling, cracking and peeling as well, and metallic tint will turn purple just as fast if you don't use the correct cleaners on your windows. BTW, metallized tint will cause some disruption with cell. phones, GPS and radios. As the car wash (for those of you that take your car there) uses their alcohol or ammonia based cleaners on your windows, over time, any and all window film will degrade, become brittle and fade into an ugly purple color. I used to tint windows back in the day (as I mentioned earlier) and still have connections at the local tint shops here in the SFV. I keep in contact with one of my sources and always have them keep me up to date with the latest technology and products in window tinting. One of the best tinting films on the market still today is made by Madico . For one of the best window cleaner/sprays you can buy, go to your local Costco and buy the ammonia free foaming spray window cleaner that comes in a light blue and white arosal can. I have been using it for many years on all of my cars and never get anything but the best results from it time after time.

This is just a bit of my knowledge on window tinting and strictly my opinion only as I have been involved in this for a long time. I am not an expert by any means and every persons' opinion might differ from one another but what else would you have to talk about if everyone always agreed with the same thing. I always appreciate anything anyone can add from their experiences with different products and situations. Anyway, thanks for listening! J

E430guy

Jim,

WOW! You da man when it comes to tinting!! Thanks for the info. I paid $250 for my tinting here in SB. The price was increased by about $80 as I had them install felt strips on the inner rubber window seals to prevent the seals from scratching the tint. They recommended that I do this and I just went with their recommendation.

I will seek out the window cleaner that you suggest. I have wondered what to use on the tinted side of the windows so as not to damage the tint. Thanks for that tip.

I pretend to know NOTHING about tinting, other than what the local tint guy here told me about fading and lifetime guaranties (and such). Anyway, I got 50% metallic on my front and back door windows and slightly darker 35% tint on my back window. I like the look very much. A guy in my office with a BMW 540i is going to have the same done to his car, as he likes mine.

To minimize the risk of trouble with "the man", I keep my moonroof open while driving to better illuminate the inside of my car (the theory being that the tint will seem lighter).

Anyway, there you go. Thanks again for the useful info! ciao!

jimmydagreek

ohhhh, you so you actually paid $170 plus the $80 for the felt strip. That's a good price! As for illumination on the interior during the day, you are right, the sunrood open is a good idea. At night, turn on your interior lights if you don't want to be obvious about rolling down your windows when you come next to a cop. Also, the windows or the sunroof open at any time will give you better cell. phone reception/signal because of the metal in the tint. If you can't provide a pic, I hope you can make it to the Northridge GTG on the 31st of this month. I'd like to check out your ride. You might want ot talk to SiLvaC32 (Jerry) in this forum about possibly doing a little caravan from SB as he lives out there too. Anyway, take care and I'll talk to you soon...J

MikeyE430

Eagle 1 20/20 glass cleaner is an excellent product, available most everywhere that will clean your glass without scratching tint. That is all I use. I get it at AutoZone. K-Mart also has it.

I find Eagle 1 products are among the best.

E430guy

When Steve (MBenzNL) initially installed my COMMAND unit, it only connected with 3 satelites due, he said, to my metallic tint. He made some change to my GPS antenna to improve the reception to 7 or 8 satelites (which is optimal).

So, metallic tinting does adversely affect reception......

I'll look for those window cleaning products you guys recommend. Thanks for the info!

ciao!

jimmydagreek

Thanks for the specific info. Greg. It's good to know that some things can be rectified (as in the GPS signal) with some adjustments.

entropy

jimmy...beautiful car. you should paint your door handles!!!!!!

kce430sport

Well ... I guess I got hosed too!

I had my E430 tinted with 35% (all around) from a highly recommended place here in the NW with Madico. They did an awesome job, however I paid $269.00 without a felt trim (Greg).
I shopped around before I had it done and they were the highest priced by about 10%. I did find someone (who always want to work on a Benz) NOT! for a buck seventy-five .... but you get what you pay for. And for this car I ain't skimping.

I too Greg hear from the people who did my car about the metallic tint and the reception being affected.


cheers, Ken

E430guy

Ken,

Well maybe I'm the one who got hosed if I bought $80 worth of two little felt strips that NO ONE else seems to need. Please tell me that your tinting is getting scratched by the day! (NOT.)

35% is pretty dark there, Ken. You must look like a drug dealer in your ride!

ciao!

kce430sport

Greg … no scratching, at least for the last 3 weeks since done …. For what I paid they will guarantee it for life!
35% is the most allowed here in the state of Washington, I have very light interior so it doesn’t look too dark. I even have the rear sunshade to make darker if I do desire.
I was very concerned about a black Benz and dark tint.

I’ll back it out of the garage now and take a pix at 6:12pm on a cloudy night to show you.

kce430sport

Ok … I can’t believe I released these pix…. It’s like that photo of your girlfriend that you thought … "Hey she looks better than that!"

I'll do more on a sunny day. When it’s clean and looking SHARP ...

kce430sport

little darker

kce430sport

beige interior makes it lighter ....

MikeyE430

Greg,

Hope this makes you feel better. My tint is developing large vertical scratches. Wish I had known about felt strips. I rarely roll down my windows, but they are there!

jimmydagreek

entropy. thanks for the compliment. It still needs some work though, including the door handles that I e-mailed Steve (MBenzNL) for but he has been busy and I have not received a response yet.

kce430sport, clean ride! You paid too much but at least the work they did looks good from what I can tell in the pics. I have not had any scratches yet myself but I am going to put the felt strips on ASAP. You are also correct that lighter interior in a car makes the tint look lighter.