Side Window Reflection on A-Class

[HugoBNB]

I wonder if any of the learned folk on here are able to help me with this one please. We now have an A-Class motorhome, and whilst being delighted with it overall, I am struggling with this one issue. The glare coming in to the cab and onto the inside of the side windows is making it very difficult for me to see the rear view mirrors. Particularly so at this time of the year with the low sunlight.
Is it just me, or is this a common problem? Also, are there any solutions available?
Thanks.

 

[brynric]

I have a Pilote G600 and in certain lights there is an awful lot of reflection, more if the sliding window is open. When you know it’s likely to happen you focus a little more and get used to spotting the real image through the reflection.

 

[Lenny HB]

Had two A Class over the last ten years not really had a problem. Getting the sun straight in your eyes happens sometimes a bit more than in a car but not enough to worry about.
Not had any problem with reflections.

 

[Wh05apk]

I have this problem, we have a le voyageur which has double glazed side windows which seems to make the problem worse, I think it is just down to the angle of the flat glass, and can't see much can be done.

 

[Tombola]

I don't have an answer but yes have noticed the same especially with headlight reflections.
I put in down to the glass being dead flat.

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[Ridgeway]

We discovered exactly the same. Only an issue when reversing but for me became really bad when trying to park the van in it‘s storage shed as the light in there is poor and it then becomes almost impossible to see anything in the rear view mirrors.

I asked another user of the same van and he gave me the solution which for us is to lower the front blind which totally cuts out the reflection and works a treat. You need of course a blind that lowers from the top to achieve this though otherwise you would loose frontal visibility.

 

[HugoBNB]

I have this problem, we have a le voyageur which has double glazed side windows which seems to make the problem worse, I think it is just down to the angle of the flat glass, and can't see much can be done.

Yes, our Hymer is double-glazed.

 

[WESTY66]

I too noticed a lot of this on our Carthago, never really noticed it so much with the Adria Sonic, but considerably more noticeable with the Carthago

Edit, I never give the double glazing a thought, that must be it

 

[HugoBNB]

We discovered exactly the same. Only an issue when reversing but for me became really bad when trying to park the van in it‘s storage shed as the light in there is poor and it then becomes almost impossible to see anything in the rear view mirrors.

I asked another user of the same van and he gave me the solution which for us is to lower the front blind which totally cuts out the reflection and works a treat. You need of course a blind that lowers from the top to achieve this though otherwise you would loose frontal visibility.

Unfortunately for me, the blind draws from the bottom.

 

[HugoBNB]

Had two A Class over the last ten years not really had a problem. Getting the sun straight in your eyes happens sometimes a bit more than in a car but not enough to worry about.
Not had any problem with reflections.

Were the side windows double-glazed and tinted Lenny?

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[Lenny HB]

Were the side windows double-glazed and tinted Lenny?

Tinted single glazed, just seen Ridgeway post, I have the electric front blind and always have it down about 9".

 

[WESTY66]

Tinted single glazed, just seen Ridgeway post, I have the electric front blind and always have it down about 9".

Single glazed

Pah, no Wonder You’re going upmarket on your next van

 

[bladerunner]

Yep, an issue for me
double glazed
tried antiglare spray to no avail
Have 360 omniview which helps, but yes, a problem.

 

[Larrynwin]

I had that problem with the drivers side mirror so made a mirror size Perspex deflector , sprayed black and attached to a screen sucker, problem solved.
If of interest will photo in the morning and post , it’s taters out there now.

PS it attaches inside preventing sunlight reaching mirror.

 

[Lenny HB]

Single glazed

Pah, no Wonder You’re going upmarket on your next van

Not having the double glazing, could of had it in this van. Too many problems with it.

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[WESTY66]

Not having the double glazing, could have had it in this van. Too many problems with it.

Didn’t realise it was an option

 

[Lenny HB]

Didn’t realise it was an option

Standard on E-Line and above.

 

[HugoBNB]

Not having the double glazing, could of had it in this van. Too many problems with it.

What issues in particular? Just in case, although highly unlikely, we buy another MH in the future. We hope that this one will see us through. Although, I do recall a similar statement two years ago with our last one. Then, rainy day, driving up through the midlands, a bit bored and fed up with the traffic on the M1.
"Let's just pop in here and see what an A-Class is like these days,"
"Ooh that's nice!"
"In stock. How much to change?"
Next time we are bored on a rainy day, I think we will go to the cinema.
Thank you for all the replies. I am going to experiment with some screens of sorts and will post anything I think works.
Safe and happy travels all from us.
BnB

 

[CazPaul]

We don’t have a problem on our A class with doub kg e glazed side windows.

What problems you ask, how long have you got

To me it was the worst idea ever, we’ve had A class with single glazed side windows and never noticed any difference

There’s a long long list of people who have problems with the side widow double glazing failing, it’s not the failure so much it’s the extortion thereafter when they obtain a price for replacement. Some people take them out themselves and try to replace.

 

[jongood]

Not having the double glazing, could of had it in this van. Too many problems with it.

Not that I'm at all tempted by anything new, but that is a box I wouldnt untick, the double glazed are warmer/cooler and quieter. Ok they can fail but in 18 years I have changed 2 and 1 is looming. Clou liner has 7 of them.

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[BusyBuilder]

I think they fail because they get shocked by the vehicle such as potholes. I think the seals eventually gives way.

 

[Shrimp]

As a passenger I notice it if I’m looking at the views but when in my role as co-driver (we are a lefty) I look thru the reflections, don’t even notice them now.

 

[HugoBNB]

As a passenger I notice it if I’m looking at the views but when in my role as co-driver (we are a lefty) I look thru the reflections, don’t even notice them now.

That did cross my mind, but at times it is impossible to ignore them. At certain angles, the reflection is all that can be seen in my MH.
Are yours double-glazed units?

 

[Lenny HB]

Not that I'm at all tempted by anything new, but that is a box I wouldnt untick, the double glazed are warmer/cooler and quieter. Ok they can fail but in 18 years I have changed 2 and 1 is looming. Clou liner has 7 of them.

Everyone I know with them they have failed in 3 to 5 years. I like the idea of them but wouldn't have them.

 

[Ridgeway]

That did cross my mind, but at times it is impossible to ignore them. At certain angles, the reflection is all that can be seen in my MH.
Are yours double-glazed units?

Agree there, the reflections totally bock any vision in the RVM.

One idea i had until this bright German fella told me about the blind lowering trick was to use some window tint film on the side windows. Never got round to trying it though but i still think it could work with the right film.

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[HugoBNB]

Agree there, the reflections totally bock any vision in the RVM.

One idea i had until this bright German fella told me about the blind lowering trick was to use some window tint film on the side windows. Never got round to trying it though but i still think it could work with the right film.

I am just in the process of ordering some. There is a legal bit about over tinting driving windows, but if can template the section where the bus style mirror obscures my forward view, it may be fair mitigation.

 

[tonyidle]

I have this problem, we have a le voyageur which has double glazed side windows which seems to make the problem worse, I think it is just down to the angle of the flat glass, and can't see much can be done.

Same van but never noticed.

 

[Ridgeway]

I am just in the process of ordering some. There is a legal bit about over tinting driving windows, but if can template the section where the bus style mirror obscures my forward view, it may be fair mitigation.

I wouldn‘t use tint, pretty sure it will give a poor result.

You can find anti-reflective films specifically for the purpose and i assume they‘ll be better.

As for installation it will be better to apply the film on the whole window in the normal way.

 

[jongood]

Everyone I know with them they have failed in 3 to 5 years. I like the idea of them but wouldn't have them.

First arto 6 years, replacement not needed, second arto 8 years replaced fronts. Lounge window on clou gone when I bought it but not done it yet.

 

[nicholsong]

We discovered exactly the same. Only an issue when reversing but for me became really bad when trying to park the van in it‘s storage shed as the light in there is poor and it then becomes almost impossible to see anything in the rear view mirrors.

I asked another user of the same van and he gave me the solution which for us is to lower the front blind which totally cuts out the reflection and works a treat. You need of course a blind that lowers from the top to achieve this though otherwise you would loose frontal visibility.

That is my problem, exacerbated by the fact that on my nearside is a bright yellow south facing wall which beams a strong light onto the double-glazed driver's window.

Thanks for the tip about the blind. I will try that next time.