MB SF

Anyone know the exact procedure to install it? So I just got 35% tint, I love it. But, the guy at the shop took my entire (the whole plastic strip) out of the door. Do you cut the OEM hard surface that the window contacts or do you put the moleskin over it???

gdestiny

When I got my windows tinted, I was given the option of either getting moleskin or not. My tint guy told me that he would add a strip of moleskin on top of the inside lining of the door. But I chose not to get it. The problem with the E500 is that the inside lining is so tight. So if you throw another piece on top of the inside lining it is just going to get tighter. My E500 lining actually had felt on it. It wasnt just rubber as I read in other posts. So basically to prevent scratches I just take a credit card and a soft towel and wipe the inside lining everytime I wash the car so that any dust or particles that accumalated will be wiped away and wont scratch my tint. Its worked so far. I do not believe cutting them away is a good idea. It will just make the car noisier because of wind. From what Ive seen, they usually add on top of the lining not cut it away. I hope this helps.

MB SF

gdestiny,thanks for the info. Yeah, mine are the rubber/foam ones, not hte felt. The driver's side is completly out right now and the increased noise level from all exertior noise is dramatically higher. So it sounds like the procedure is moleskin over the OEM foam creating an even tighter squeeze.

Anyone else with info? I appreciate it.

McGuireV10

Mine too.

CALBenzo

MB SF,

Where did you get your tint done?

Thanks

MB SF

I used Window Tinting Works in san Ramon. There number is: 831-2846. He pulled out the strip from the door and did not do the rear triangles but for $280 for all 5 windows, I think it was still a pretty good deal.

CALBenzo

Thanks! How come you didn't have the rear triangles tinted, or would they not tint them?

MB SF

So I mentioned it to him, he acknowledged but kind of blew it off (never commited to it). I am actully really happy with it. On the 35% I don't even notice it and I am pretty ****.

McGuireV10

From what I've read, getting to those rear triangles requires total disassembly of the door. I told my guy to skip it. And I don't mean to be rude, but I'd say that for $280 you got ripped off. A local Caddy dealership did a fantastic job on my E500 for $130... at 20% all-around. That's about the going rate around here for a good job.

steph280

I had mine done for $250 here in Orange County California. I could have driven 60 miles up north into Los Angeles downtown ghetto and have it done for $99. Time is money plus now it costs $50+ to fill up the tank, I decided to just have it done locally.

By the way the type of film will differ in price as well. There is a shop here that will put on FormulaOne Pinnacle ceramic film for $570. Ripoff? I don't know, but you get what you pay for.

CALBenzo

Do you have a picture? My first thought is that it would look a little odd not having the rear triangles tinted, while the rest of the sides are?

gdestiny

Here is a pic of mine. Its very difficult to tint back there. And if you do tint, it will be even harder to replace the tint in the future if necessary.

MB SF

And I saw gas in the Bay Area at $3.20 when we have a refinery 20 miles away. A starter home is now well over $600,000, and in San Francisco the cost for a condo (really a high rise apartment) is $1,000 a sqaure foot. So a 1000 sq foot studio is a Million Dollars.

When I had my Ferrari serviced it was $7,000 in the Bay Area and $4,000 in So. Cal?

Hey, it is the price we pay for being 1 hour from Napa, 3 hours from Lake Tahoe, and 1.50 hours from Carmel.

Everything cost more in Cali.

Cheers

MB SF

Hey Cal Benzo, the Pic that was just posted is exactly like mine. BTW, by "rear triangle" we mean the tiny 2x3" plastic piece in the lower corner of the window. Not the entire piece of rear side glass. That was kind of my point, by not tinting under the 2x3" triangle, with the 35% tint you can really not notice it.

steph280

That's exactly what mine looks like too. With charcol interior it's not too obvious.

Speaking of everything being expensive in CA, have you guys seen this thread?
https://mbworld.org/forums/off-topic/104765-s-i-m-packing-up-moving-texas.html

McGuireV10

Nevertheless, $150 is $150.

Heck, that's what, two bottles of Evian out there in Cali? :p

CALBenzo

DUH!! I did think you guys were talking about the entire rear triangle. Now I have to go out and look at what it is.

MB SF

That is the part that I don't get: In Texas you can get over 4500 square feet for $450,000, that is $100 per square foot i8ncluding the land.

In Cali to build it is $150 to $200 a square foot so that same structure (house ) would cost $675,000 to $900,000 to build. Then you have to add the cost of the land. 1/8 of an acre in Cali is another $500,000.

It does not really make sense.

McGuireV10

A big part of the Texas real estate thing is that there is, for all practical purposes, zero appreciation, and from time to time there is even depreciation. Between that and other nasty realities like inflation, you're effectively losing money on nice homes out there.

Having said that, I still really like Texas. We nearly pulled up roots and moved out there about two years ago.