Importvision headlights - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Richard Eldridge · #1 12-30-2004, 04:10 PM

I recently bought a pair of "Euro" headlights from Importvision for my 85 300TD. According to the box they came in, they are made by LUCID in Taiwan, and have a place for three lights: the headlight, the foglight and a city light. The side lights they sent me are clear colored and the socket has only a one element (turn signal) socket, rather than the two element socket that came on the car with the amber side lights.

There is no provision for adjustment of the lights from within the car, as on the DEPO lights I put on my 90 300D sedan.

I plan to put an two-element amber LED in the sidelights, using the old socket. There is no danger that the side lights will fall off, as they are bolted on, rather than held on by a spring-grabber device as on the W124.

When I first looked at these things, I thought that they looked like something made by Chrysler or GM rather than Bosch: they are pretty on the outside, with a nice glass lens and appropriately shiny reflectors. Inside, howver, they are somewhat cheesy (like the stuff on my 82 Buick). Still, if the lightbulbs fit and the lights are adjusted, it should be just fine.

I went to the Atozone and was unable to determine which bulbs to use, as everything was sealed in those icky bubble-packs, so I took the whole thing down to Finish Line at SW 8th and 54th St, and we determined that the proper headlight was a Flosser Halogen H-4 (625543), the proper foglight was a Flosser Halogen H3 (3320) , and the City light was a Flosser T-4, a small oblong flashlight-bulb looking thing. These were made in Der Faderland and all fit and were quite a bit cheaper than what AutoZone or Discount Auto Parts has for sale.

Lamentably, i could not find the six-hole headlight plugs (006 545 80 28/ 009 545 38 28) or the wire end contacts (003 545 26 26), thought Mercantile Europarts will order them for me.

The headlights were $195 for both, the side lights were $36 the pair. There is a disclaimer on the side lights as to how they are not for use on the street (for off-road use only) and such that Importvision does not tell you on its site. They look just fine, though, and with amber two-element LED bulbs of the proper intensity I am pretty sure they will not get me a ticket here in Miami.

I ordered these at the beginning of November, but by Dec 3, nothing had been sent and I received no message, so I called them. They claimed they were waiting for the side lights so they could send it all together. I told them to send the headlights alone if they didn't have the sidelights, and two days later, they called me and told me they had the side lights and it was all being shipped. They shipped it FedEx Ground and it took a week.

There are no instructions or stampings on any of the lights to tell you which lamps to use, so I am giving the specs here for the benefit of future cheapskates who might like to dress up their W123's on the cheap with Asian parts.

I bid on five pairs of used Bosch lights before this: each time, some sniper grabbed them up for pennies above my minimum, so I got desperate.

Still, I think these will work out fine. The part you see looks good: the molded pattern on the glass and sidelights look natural; and stock, and the reflectors look properly reflective, and all the bulbs fit in their sockets, though the city light needed to be fiddled with a bit.

If I get wacky, I can find BLUE lights for the city lights.

Pete Burton · #2 12-30-2004, 04:18 PM

Richard, it would be nice if you could post a picture when you are done. How much, IYDMMA, did you have to pay for them?

KCampbell · #3 12-30-2004, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete Burton

Richard, it would be nice if you could post a picture when you are done. How much, IYDMMA, did you have to pay for them?

From reading his post it would appear that he paid $195 for the headlights, and $36 for the sidelights. Unless you were referring to the bulbs when you said "them"?

Of course it may be that he added the price after you posted your reply, thus making you appear inattentive!

Kevin

Richard Eldridge · #4 12-30-2004, 05:35 PM

It was not my goal to make anyone appear innattentive. Your noticing this indicates that you have been extra attentive.

I will send a gold star upon receipt of a SASE.

I think shipping was about $25.00. They must weigh about 20 lbs. They arrived well-packed, by the way.

I shall try to post a photo, but they are sure to look close to the original Euros, that is if they are the right dimensions, which I am sure they are.

Importvision has photos, and you will find others on E-Bay.

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A friend of mine has a beautiful 1999 300D and it looks exactly like new, EXCEPT for the foggy-looking plastic lenses. Plastic lenses seem to always get "frosted" and make the car look elderly before its time.

At a recent MBCA meeting at the dealership, the salesman was showing off a new S-class. He tapped the headlight with a knucles and said (whic an entirely straight face) that "These lenses are made of space-age resin and won't get foggy like glass lenses do".

Whaaaat!?? You, sir are barking mad. Have you not regarded the cars on your very lot? (I thought).

I was tempted to say something, but out of respect for the nifty sandwches they served the club, I held my tongue. All the other members know a salesman when they see one, and can judge such nonsense all by themselves.

Perhaps I was not placed on Earth to identify untruths arbitrarily, after all.

rg2098 · #5 12-30-2004, 06:02 PM

Heres the picture off of importvisions site

h2odiesel · #6 12-30-2004, 08:05 PM

I've found the correct six hole plug needed to intall euro lights. They are also used as tail light plugs in several late 70s and early 80's MB models. So if you're cheap or don't want to wait for delivery check your local u-pull-it yard

Richard Eldridge · #7 01-04-2005, 09:46 PM

I've found the correct six hole plug needed to intall euro lights. They are also used as tail light plugs in several late 70s and early 80's MB models. So if you're cheap or don't want to wait for delivery check your local u-pull-it yard.
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Needing these plugs, I went to where I got the plug for the Depos I put on my 90 sedan: Mercantile Europarts.

Alex, the friendly guy who sold me the other plugs for about $8.00 for two plugs and the wire end fittings a month ago, looked up the parts numbers and told me that if I would pay him $14.50 on that Thursday, he would have them for me on Monday.

"But you have to carry these anyway for the Euro headlights you have on sale", I point out.

"I will have them on Monday of you pay me now." he repeats.

But I want to install them NOW. I go to a place at 57 NW 36th Street that sells both new and used parts. The German guy tells me that he is closed, that everyone is on vacation and that he has just come to feed the dogs, and that he won't have any plugs, that I will have to special order fit "from Chermany".

Then I recal what you said about the tail light plug and that MMT had mentioned a large number of Mercedes at the U-Pick just S of 84 Lumber on US 441 in Hollywood.

I go there. I pay the $1.00 admission. I immediately find a set of plugs, clip them off with my trusty diags, thereby acquiring ten wire ends as well. Some fellow has also put four blue wire taps on these as well.

I also find a nice set of H3 fog lamps and some 1157's and a set of horns. I pay $11.50 fior the lot and come home. The sockets that Mercantile Europarts COULD have sold me for $4.50 each are listed by the U-pick as lugnuts at 60 cents each.

I recycled a couple of wire ends for the city lamps by melting them loose and sticking a 12" wire take-off.

The Lucid Lamps are mostly plastic, while the original Bosches are partly metal and obviously made with more precision. I goof up and install the left lamp on the right side. It does not fit evenly, so I observe the "H-4" is upside down. Read the box, stupid!

So I put these on the correct side. Putting the wire end tubes into the plugs is hard to do, as they want to pop out before I can snap the top on. This is because I should have done the plugs FIRST and thereby had more freedom of movement. I follow the directions. Within 2 hours I have it al together, and everything works on the first try.

I put the clear corners (made by DEPO, I suspect in Taiwan) on, but use the old 2-element sockets, so the side marker lights will be on and the turn signals will work as well.

I bought a pair of LED 1157 lights for $14 plus tax at the AutoZone. They are clear when unlit, but flash amber.

Where the old lamps went flash---flash--flash, these go flashyflashyflashy. They look great at night, but are slightly less visible in the daytime on a bright traditionally sunny Florida day. But the flashyflashyflashy rapid flash is also more noticeable.

The headlights look GREAT! I am happy! Even though they are Asian Euros
the nifty clear glass lenses make my 1985, 193K 300TD look new--well at least 5 years newer. The alignment is spot-on (I didn't mess with it) and they throw more light than the old sealed beams. I did not put in Silverstars, just a pair of German made Flossen H-4s. The reflectors reflect, the lamps shine and I have nifty citylamps.

I will attempt a photo of both my cars sometime soon. nd once more, I offer my gratitude for the immense help this fine Forum has been to me.

Danke shoen, Tanke, Gracias, merci, Shi-shi, Grazie, Spasibo

Alan Hamm · #8 01-05-2005, 10:34 AM

I too found some used 6 prong plugs, but the parts numbers do not match exactlyt the ones posted on this site for the install. I guess it does not matter if it all fits.

Richard Eldridge · #9 01-05-2005, 01:24 PM

The only thing that matters is that the six (actually five: pin one is unused) holes in the socket match up with the prongs on the headlight. The metal inserts (I guess they are aluminum, as a magnet will not pick them up) fit into the bakelight socket and if they are too loose to fit the pins, you could squeeze them ever so slightly, or perhaps put a dribble of solder on the headlight plug.

Mine seemed sort of lose, but they fit fine, without too much or too little resistence. I think this may have to do with the spacing of the pins on the headlight.

You will save some time and aggravation if you put the wires into the socket BEFORE you indtall the headlights, because the wires are barely long enough and one tends to pop out before you can the plug the others in, especially when there is some tension caused by stretching the harness around the headlight module.

The left side is easier to do than the right side, because there is more space to work in.