chokaay

Yes, they do come heavily tinted, but there is still IR and heat transfer through the glass (although less than the other windows and windshield).

In my E350, I tinted the pano roof with Huper Optik Ceramic 60. It didn't really darken the glass any, so you still can enjoy the view, but it cut down the IR and heat transfer significantly! IMO, it's a must if you live in a very sunny state, like CA...

chokaay

From my experience, it's detectable when the car is in very bright light, and the light source is overhead (like on bright sunny days with clear skies).

It's much less detectable when outside is less bright or when the light source isn't overhead (like cloudy/rainy/snowy days, or inside lit parking garage or tunnels, or in the late afternoon or evenings when the sun is in front or back of you).

petee1997

Between the heavily tinted glass and the screen, the sun and light are not an issue where I live. I can't speak for more extreme climates where even the side glass must be tinted darker to cut back on the heat. I love the brightness inside the car during our long,long winters. It's my first pano roof and I can say it will be a must for all future cars.

lovnlife

Love pano, no problems. The shade is solid, no light or heat gets through when closed. I leave the shade open, except for in the summer. My car is Black/Black. I agree that the pano roof looks nice on the white cars. On Black, you can't tell the car has it unless you look inside.

kl07rph

Off the wall question, but I always wondered "what if" a rock were to come smack-dab into one of these panels...being that there's loose rocks here, there and everywhere. Don't even want to think about the cost, let alone the gruesome dissection for replacing one of the pano panels

petee1997

What if a rock went through your winshield...

What if a truck hits you while passing another car..

What if your girlfriend leaves you for another man and takes the pano roof car..

What if this thread goes on and on and we all die and never see the end...


Insurance was invented for the what ifs in life.

kl07rph

Understood, perhaps I should have phrased my question better in the sense of usefulness/durability vs. wow factor. Anyway, definitely true about insurance; I tend to dwell on pessimistic things instead of enjoying it hehe.




Hahaha now that would be something else ...fortunately I'm married hehe

220S

Okay, your ex-wife taking the car. Better?

As Petee says, a brick will sooner fly thru your windshield before anything happens to the pano. And insurance will cover both. Assuming you carry insurance.

Anyway about the pano:

Usefulness is there, it's not wow factor alone. i.e., it allows for a more expansive feel to the cabin and lets in diffuse light when you want more light.

Durability? The only real drawback is structural stability and higher center of gravity (weight of the glass sitting on the roof.) The pano will squeak and groan on uneven pavement. The weight will be negligible unless you are looking for the best ETs at the strip. Center gravity issue is nothing to even think about since these cars aren't meant to be tossed into the corners anyway.

Any stability issue fear is nothing, however. It's not going to twist out the frame like the old days of the Targa Porsche and convertible sports cars. The glass and steel frame of the pano is pretty much equally as stable as a full steel roof. And all modern convertibles have a reinforced undercarriage (which is why they usually weigh more than non-convertibles.)

The choice is yours. In a true sports performance car, no sunroof at all is best. e.g., the CF roof of the M3 coupe is designed for less weight, stability, and lower center of gravity. In a comfort sedan like the MB, why not get a pano roof?

bugatti

All, Thanks for all the reply. I hope this thread help some people understand Pano a bit more. I certainly did.
I ended up with a arctic white E550 with no Pano. The dealer with Pano was just a bit hard to deal with.

You will see me around.
Thanks

gaazmon

It makes the car look really nice. Lol, I wouldn't spend the money on a black car though or even dark gray.

The only thing that bothered me was I cant till the sunroof open BUT still have the shades closed like on the regular sunroofs to allow for air but not sunlight.

mhh

I was really disappointed in the blind for the pano roof on the new model. I have a pano on an 08 S65 and the blind blocks all light. Looking at a pano on the new E63, the glare through the blind was way too much and the cabin was getting a lot of heat. The blind looks and feels cheap too.

K-A

M-B has been doing some funny business with the cheap headliner material since the W204, now into the W212 and probably beyond. I'm not too into Pano as I like to avoid cutting down on a cars structural integrity as much as I can, and mostly, I couldn't live with the rattles I'd think, however considering the 212 is built with 75% ultra high strength steel, I'd be curious to know how much flexing the structure would allow.

One thing to consider that hasn't been pointed out yet, someone pointed out rocks hitting the glass and what it would do, assuming the glass wouldn't (and shouldn't) break, imagine the immense damage that would do to a steel roof, and how much repair $$ you'd have to spend. Also, glass doesn't dent, and bird poop won't stain it permanently like it would paint.... Not to mention you don't have to wax and detail the roof all so much.

I wouldn't want a Pano car, but of course it has its perks.

gaazmon

The blind on mine covers all the light. The new ones aren't as good. Again, MB pushing the "if you want that feature, you should move up" strategy.

I honestly don't think I'd buy one again (we shall see how it lasts for the next few years with rattles). I mean the exterior look makes it crazy, but idk. I wasn't even looking for the option when I bough the car, just the car I found had it. My friends dad's SL55 had the pano roof and MAN that thing rattled like h*ll, it was scary.

Another nice perk is that I can clean the roof with a squeegee at the gas station since it's glass

K-A

Yeah, totally saves you from a large area that would usually need detailing, almost makes it worth it to me. Couldn't deal with the rattles I don't think though, as it is the couple that I hear elsewhere from time to time drive me crazy.

gaazmon

Ya, I think overall I wouldn't get it again. Also, I think the regular sunroofs can till open higher than the pano ones. I have to have a glass sunroof though, none of that no sunroof (i.e. M3) or steel roof stuff.

kl07rph

I think you along with everyone convinced me thoroughly . My future lease/purchase of a E350 is going to have a pano roof hehe. I'm looking more for comfort than a performance car (surprising for a guy in his late 20s ). Unfortunately it isn't going to be for awhile since my wife needs a new car...I like the GLK but she prefers the "less manly" ML. hehe kidding aside, Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays everyone

K-A

Wait, an ML is less "manly" than a GLK?

Well, I guess I do see more (read: only) woman driving ML's.

You're not alone on being in your late 20's and preferring comfort over all else. You can put me in an amazing twisty turning, ***** to the wall fast car, and I'll love it, but put me in a comfortable and well engineered, refined, plush Luxury, etc. car and I'll REALLY love it.

Rowrbazzle

I hadn't even thought of that. Outstanding. I look forward to not having to worry about waxing the roof of the car. Haven't had any rattles yet. I think the shade creaked once when it opened on a cold morning.

As for the other stuff, I haven't noticed any light issues. When I look up with the shade closed I can see that the sun is there, but I don't feel as if it's too bright. Likewise, the glass is well tinted so it usually takes a pretty bright day before I feel the need to close the shade. Also, I think the front pane is bigger than the regular sunroof so you get even more open air when it's open. I think.

K-A

Yeah, that detailing aspect is a huge winner for me. As well, don't have to worry much about bird poop, chips, etc. etc. so much as well.

I've always considered the Pano to be a deal breaker for me, mainly due to the rigidity factor, but if I get another Benz, I'll probably be open to whichever the particular car I'm considering has.

gaazmon

My second favorite thing (1st being exterior looks) is the fact it's so much easier to clean.

That sucks how u guys get light in from the sunshade. The older style had no holes for light to get it. Sometimes I truly believe that when something first comes out new, the technology and quality is better than when it gets more mainstreamed. This is especially true in the electronics business.

220S

+1 I wouldn't be a happy camper if the cloth allowed light in the cabin. It would be a deal breaker for me.

However, one could get a good custom auto upholsterer to put in an opaque blind like the pre-W212 cars have. Might be worth researching.

gaazmon

I wonder if the S class has this or the nice fully covered one (probably the later).

Ya our Land Rover LR2 has the cover that lets light in. It's horrible. If that's how the W212 is, I would not get the pano roof (wow, MB is just giving me an excuse to spend less money, lol).

K-A

SO, today my Pano roof argument came into play. Windy *** day, sitting at a light, under a tree, and I hear stuff (sounded like little pebbles, probably little fruit berries or something) being pelted (falling) onto my roof, the whole time all I can think is "IF I HAD A PANO ROOF THIS WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM!!!!". Lol.

Gaazmon you're totally right, in this day and age, when a new idea or innovation comes about, it usually has the most care and R&D put into it during its first "phase", as it mainstreams and gets more popular, they usually cut corners and de-content. We've seen this by Auto Manufacturers, suppliers, M-B, etc. etc.

Rowrbazzle

I think I made it sound worse than it is. The amount of light that comes through is (very) minimal. If I look up I can see that the sun is there (blurry orange ball), but it's not bright or anything. Looking directly up the shade is somewhat translucent, but from an angle you can't see anything but the material.

It wouldn't surprise me if it's a cheaper version of the old shade, though. That stuff does seem to happen. But, like I said, no creaks or groans from the panes like the old ones apparently had. Overall, I quite enjoy, and have no complaints about, the pano roof.

emilner

I think the amount of light let in is being way overblown. You can look directly at the sun and barely tell it is the sun vs a light bulb, seriously. My 211 with the regular sunroof let in the SAME amount of light through the vents in the back of the shade. What are we splitting hairs about?

One benefit I have found is the car is MUCH quieter in the rain! Any car I have been in, 211 included, you hear the metallic sound of the rain on the roof. With the pano there is no reverb, you barely hear it from the roof.