Cbc200

I am looking to have the acoustic glass fitted to my GLC - I’m happy to pay for this myself but have been informed by Mercedes customer service that this option is available from factory but not as a retrofit.

I’m aware many people have had this fitted in the US but can’t seem to find any in the UK - either under warranty or self funded.

Has anyone had any experience with the acoustic glass in the UK?

decorily

Don't have experience of replacing acoustic glass...but surely, unless acoustic is a different thickness, it is interchangeable with normal glass!

Cbc200

I believe the acoustic glass is 1mm thicker, but I don’t believe that will prevent it from fitting as it not exactly a tight squeeze anyway.

I have questioned MB customer service again saying that if my window was to be broken, surely it would need replacing so why can’t it just be replaced with acoustic glass instead (at my expense) - they took a week to reply last time.

My windscreen is acoustic so I don’t know why the front windows weren’t, would make sense for the fronts to be too!

decorily

What they are telling you doesn't make sense!
If the glass is only 1 mm thicker then it should be doable...in fact the extra 1mm could help give a better seal and maybe reduce wind noise that way also!

Cbc200

The info about it being 1mm thicker is from another thread, I’ve not confirmed this with Mercedes (sorry I should have been clearer) - MB just said it is not able to be retrofitted which I don’t believe as I know there are plenty of US owners who have had it fitted after delivery.

I just want to know if there are any UK owners who have had it fitted after delivery and not from factory.

I personally don’t see why there should be a problem if I am willing to pay for it!

kombifan

Just buy the parts from the parts counter and have a glass shop install it.

Most dealers sublet this anyway since they don't carry people who can do glass work anymore.

Just get the window glass part number from us sites or even order it from there if possible.

Good luck!

Cbc200

Looks like I’ll have to go down this route as they’re not being very helpful.

If I do manage to get it done I’ll post the results on here!

mercedes.fan

Honestly it might be less of a hassle to just sell your GLC and find one with acoustic glass, or sell and order a facelifted one

Cbc200

Possibly, but a lot more expensive as it’s on PCP and have only had it since December.

I’m not even sure you can add it from factory in the UK, just like we can’t have the ventilated seats.

I have contacted my local dealership to see if they can retrofit and am waiting on a reply from them.

Will update if they do get back with an answer.

kombifan

Your car is on pcp! 😱


Lol.

But honestly bwhat is pcp? Personal contract......

They should retrofit. It gets done all the time, I looked into it for my gl, but the laminated glass was 400 each so not worth it for me.

If they don't. Or say they can't, do try the glass shop or any mb certified body shop. Must glass shops that do windshields can change the wjndow glass too. If you don't know any, ask your insurance company for recommendations.

Cbc200

It’s similar to contract hire.

Well if it does end up being 400 each I will put up with it as is!

Had a call from my dealer about an hour ago, they’re seeing if they can order it in for me.

I’m sure I read on another thread that the glass is about £60 each (might be wrong) - which isn’t bad, just depends how much they charge for fitting.

If they’re going to charge a ridiculous rate then I’ll take your advice and see if there are any glass shops around that can fit for me!

gfish

I have a 2016 GLC300 4matic and we had regular glass got a crack in it and had it replaced. The glass company scheduled our visit and had the wrong windshield. So rescheduled and wrong again so they drove to the dealer and picked up a windshield they had in stock and put it in. On the drive home I told my wife the car was quieter and when I got home I looked at the glass and it was acoustic. So yes it fits no problem and it made a difference.

Cbc200

Thanks for confirming that the normal and acoustic windshields are interchangeable, and that the different glass does actually make a difference!

My GLC came fitted with an acoustic windshield from factory, I am looking to change my front side windows to acoustic glass because for some reason these are normal.

Before this I had a C-Class (W205) and it was quieter than my GLC. I don’t know if my C-Class had normal or acoustic glass as I never checked but it was definitely quieter.

Nico49_75

Hi Cbc200, I have exactly the same concern!

I have ordered the new GLE in the UK but I couldn't order the acoustic package. GLE should be delivered in September btw.

What I can tell you:

- I don't think the price is about £60 each as the price of the acoustic package is more than £1000
- the glass company I contacted in France refused to do the job as it is against their internal policy to replace non damaged glass
- I have acoustic glass on my Peugeot 5008 and you can notice it on the top of the glass which seems to made of two slices of glasses with a plastic in the middle,
- MB in France is not completely helpful, they pretend they can do nothing unless I get a VIN wich natively incorporate the acoustic glass
- I think laminated winshields are mandatory in Europe, at least in France for 35 years.

If you have any information about the replacement of your glass by acoustic glass I would be interested. Will do the same.

Thanks

anoop

Is acoustic glass an option on the GLC? I don't see it in the ordering guide. Does acoustic glass offer added protection in terms of UV and/or IR?

Is an IR windshield an option? This is an option with Jaguar and Alfa Romeo.

Also, how the performance of the glass (windshield, front side glass) in summer heat? There were some articles a while ago saying MB glass doesn't filter UV as well.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/175436...her-motorists/

Nico49_75

Yes, on the new GLC acoustic glass is an option. I found that on the Belgian MB website (quite cheap €145). So this should be available in the US soon.

The acoustic glass does not offer protection in terms of UV/IR in itself. Usually this comes with the option tinted glass. But if you choose the acoustic option it should come (but I'm not completely sure) with: you'll get tinted glass (with UV/IR protection) plus acoustic glass. But if you only want UV/IR protection you can choose the tinted glass.

To my knowledge there is no IR windshield option because all windshield give protection against UV/IR.

anoop

You mean all Mercedes windshields?

Jaguar calls it out explicitly for the XE -- search this for infrared:
https://www.jaguarusa.com/Images/Jag...638-647274.pdf
But for the F Pace they say solar attenuating windshield
https://www.jaguarusa.com/Images/Jag...638-633639.pdf

With the Stelvio, it's part of a package as seen in the build tool:
>>>
Driver Assist Dynamic Plus Package$1,500

1. Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go
2. Automatic High Beam Headlamp Control
3. Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning Plus
4. Infrared Windshield
5. Lane Departure Warning

>>>

Nico49_75

Unfortunately, it seems that I'm wrong and that not all vehicles have a windshield with protection against UV/IR. Even the Mercedes.

For Mercedes it depends on the models and the countries. In France for example all GLC of the current model have a windshield with UV/IR protection.

So I guess that for the new model in most of the countries, the windshield with UV/IR protection will either be included in the basic price or be available as an option (except countries like Canada and the UK where on most of the models this is usually not in the basic price and the option is not available).

fabbrisd1

Yes - 851 "Heat and Noise" Insulating (Acoustic) front side window glass is a USD$150 option in the US 2020 Dealer Order Guide.

This front side window glass I understand has a additional "poly" layer in it's laminated construction which makes it a touch more expensive to manufacture - and that added internal layer gives better Noise and IR blocking properties.

GLC windshields are standardized now - one construction.

For additional UV and especially IR blocking - the major window film companies all have "clear" tint products that will block up to 85% of the remaining UV and IR... including 3M Crystaline.. that are suitable for all windows including windshield.

Cbc200

Having still not had a callback from my local dealer I gave them another call this morning.

The person I spoke to was really helpful and it turns out it is available in the U.K. and they don’t need to contact Germany to order the parts.

If anyone is interested in having it fitted in the U.K. here’s what he told me:

Having searched for parts for my GLC using the chassis number only the normal glass came up - what he did was remove my chassis number from the parts catalogue search and the acoustic glass came up as an option (he’d never had a request for acoustic glass before and I don’t think he really knew what it was), there’s currently 3 in stock for both sides in the U.K. and are £160 for the pair.

The expensive bit is having them fitted as it’s going to cost me another £500 (including discount apparently).

Its probably not worth the cost but I’ve decided to have it done anyway, so will update if I feel it has made difference.

Nico49_75

Very interesting post! I hope I'll find a guy as helpful as yours in France...

What do you mean by "having them fitted"?

Definitely, please keep us informed of the outcomes of this.

Cbc200

Sorry if I wasn't clear on my last post.

The total cost to buy the 2 glass windows (front driver and passenger glass) from the dealer is £160.

If I want them to fit the glass it is an extra £500 on top so the total to buy and fit is £660.

I'm sure it would be cheaper to just buy the glass and get a local garage to swap them, but if anything goes wrong I could void the warranty for anything window related so I'm just going to have Mercedes swap them for me.

I'd love to be able to swap them myself but wouldn't have a clue!

Lets just hope they do make a difference!

Nico49_75

Thank you for the clarification. Btw, you gave me a second clarification: I thougt that "£160 for the pair" was for one side and then another £160 for the other side but it turns out that a pair is the front driver and passenger glass. And I suppose that you cannot order the rear side glass?

In such a case, is it still worth replacing its side windows...

In terms of price £660 is in line with the quote I got in Paris from a car glass repair and replacement company (like Autoglass) which suggested me €1500 for the replacement of the front and rear driver and passenger glass for the previous version of the GLE.

Cbc200

Ah ok I see, yes the £160 is for the front driver and passenger.

I don’t believe it is available for the rear side glass, I’ve no idea about the GLE but for the GLC I don’t think the acoustic glass has ever been available for the rear glass.

For the cost it’s probably not worth it, but I am still having it done and am just hoping it makes a difference, even if it’s a small difference.

Nico49_75

I would do it as well. My understanding is that acoustic glass helps reduce the wind noise, notably the one created by the exterior mirror. So, I hope for you there will be a difference, at least during windy weather.