geoaero

Just bought a 450 GLE, US version. (Darn car drives itself. It's pretty amazing, and a bit scary at the same time. I'll get used to it...)

The first thing I do is tint the windows. Hard to find what the factory tint level is. For those who want to know, here's how it metered out at the tint shop before tinting:

Back windows: 16% (darker than I thought)
Driver and passenger fronts: 77%

I then put 20% ceramic on the fronts, plus 80% on the windshield. Metered out at 18% on the front after installation. Pretty nice match to factory.


20 % passenger, 80% windshield

Looks pretty dark from some angles, which is what I want. I hate driving in a fishbowl.

You can still see in to some degree.

BACnMercedes

Good looking car! Almost.....makes me second guess ordering black.....again.

geoaero

Thanks! I love black. Don't second guess. I'm just getting too lazy to keep it clean, or else it would have been black!

GregW / Oregon

Yeah, I would never have black again, at least here in the Northwest.

stealth.pilot

Congratulations! Looks stunning. I was about to get my front sides and windshield tinted too. I was thinking 70 for windshield and 50 for front sides.

BTW is your baseline with the acoustic comfort package?

Did you consider further tinting the sunroof?

GregW / Oregon

I'm sure you've checked your state laws, but some, including mine, do not permit windshield tint, or only like the top 6".

geoaero

Thanks for the compliment.
No, I don't have the acoustic package.
I always leave that sunroof slider closed, so no need for me to tint that. It's easy to do, if one desires that...
​​​​​
​

bad habit

Sweet truck! Tinting the windows was the very first thing I did, drove from dealer straight to the window tint shop

geoaero

I did check the state laws, and maybe, just maybe, I violated them a bit 😉. I pretty sure tinting the entire windshield is illegal in all the states.
I tinted my last car's windshield, and I really loved that extra protection. I drive a lot, and unfortunately get a lot of early morning and early evening sun right in my face. I've already had skin cancer, and certainly don't want cataracts, so I took the chance.
It was interesting that I had my last windshield replaced due to rock damage. The windshield repair guy couldn't tell it was even tinted when he removed it.
​​​​​​​

geoaero

Can't live in the fish bowl anymore! I had to wait three days to tint. I'll plan better next time... 😆

stealth.pilot

Mine doesn't either. But I have been running 70% tint on my windshield for the past 9 years without a single issue. It's really hard to tell it's tinted and it seems to make a significant difference during the summer.

bad habit

Definitely makes a difference have the windows tinted even a little bit when it comes down to heat. How do you deal with the windshield stickers when your windshield is tinted? In NYC we have two stickers on the inside - inspection and registration. Inspection gets replaced annually and registration every two years. They are a PITA to remove as it is, can't imagine with a tint.

geoaero

Yes, I would agree. I've accidentally scraped the back window tint on my previous E-class sedan, using the back seat as a pickup truck bed, and the tint didn't like forceful scraping - at all. Had to redo the window. We don't have window stickers in Illinois.

I actually posted this original info not to convince Mercedes owners that windshield tint is the way to go. Usually, when I buy a new car, I research the appropriate forums to get an idea of what others have done tint-wise, and particularly if I can find out what factory tint level is so I can plan my tint strategy. It is usually very hard to find this info. (My previous Audi had really light factory tint, for example.) The Mercedes forums I visited listed new model GLE factory tint guesses from 20-33%. I thought I would help out other obsessive people like myself with actual measured numbers on factory glass. And also to show what 20% tint looked like on the silver SUV.
Plus it's fun to post pics of my ride when she's all clean and shiny 😄

Virginbenz

wait, i didn't know the vehicles already had 77% tint for the drivers and passengers front from the factory... interesting, i thought they were just not tinted at all.

geoaero

Yeah, they always have a little tint. You can see it when a window is half way down and you compare it to the color of the sky behind it.

This medical article highlights that automobile side windows might not give much sun protection, even at light tint levels, possibly increasing risk of skin cancer and cataracts. In countries where the driver sits on the left in the car, there are more left sided facial skin cancers and left sided cataracts.
​​​​https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...rticle/2522190

Interesting quote in the article: "
"In addition, a number of automobiles had a factory window tint on the side windows, but it did not correlate with increased UV A blockage."

GregW / Oregon

As an architect, I know that typical “clear” glass has a VLT (visible light transmittance) of about 89%. Auto glass may be slightly higher because it is probably “low iron,” which avoids the green tint. Anyhow, the additional tint is in the range of 13-15%.

SmokinBuddha

I'm thinking about tinting the windows too! Not sure which one to choose

3M™ Automotive Window Film Obsidian Series [ infused technology Film] $249

3M™ Automotive Window Film color stable $350 with up 57% heat rejection [Carbon Film]

3M™ Automotive Window Film Ceramic IR Series $499 up to 95% Heat Rejection [nano-ceramic Film]

Xpel Prime XR Plus $699 with 98% heat rejection [ FullyCeramic film]

This will include all the sides and rear windshield For a sedan.

geoaero

Ceramic seems to be the choice of those in the know. Not sure if it is that much better, but my rabid car friends insist on it.

That 3M Ceramic looks good for 499. The price range is reasonable, maybe a little high, for 4 windows and the rear. I just paid $290 in the Midwest for 2 fronts and a windshield, Global Ceramic. With a sedan, you can get perfect match in the front and back windows because you're staying with the same base glass. Send before/after pics when you're done. Once you go "tint", you don't go back!

Virginbenz

Guys, have a question on window tint. My state's window tinting laws is requiring 35% light in for both front and back windows. My GLE came with 20% on the backside and I am planning to tint the front windows to legal limit (35%), if I get pulled over or during annual inspection, will i get a citation or rejection in inspection from the rear windows since they are below legal limit (even though they are factory tint)?

is factory tint an exception to the rear windows and how are they able to tell whether it's factory or not?

bad habit

For NY state there is an exception for the aft window and 2 rear passenger windows specifically for SUVs if they are factory tinted, not sure which state you are in

Virginbenz

MA, must be the same then. thanks!

jdhoang

Getting my windows tinted and tint shop recommended doing the rear and hatchback windows. They said factory tint doesn't really offer protection from heat - does anybody know if this is true? Thanks!

geoaero

I don't know the answer for sure, but just judging from the medical article that I quoted earlier in this thread, factory side windows don't appear to give much sun protection. If you base your thinking on that, you probably don't get much heat protection either from the factory side windows.
I'd agree with your tint installer.

nextmilenium

I'd like to tint my side windows also but with my luck, I'll get pulled over for a fix-it ticket within few days.

Daso

I'm doing the 3m ceramic tint tomorrow for exactly that reason. Lowest possible tint as well.