W123 Euro versus U.S. lamps...
 

Just wondering why the Euro headlamps are desirable to U.S. owners, Just asking, as Im based in the U.K myself and wondered what all the 'fuss' was with 'Euro-headlamps' as I see it crop up again and again.....

Is it the earlier 'round lamps behind single-glass' or the later more 'square lamps behind single glass' that are desirable. I have both types of Euro lamps, but quite like to look of the U.S. headlamps....

A local guy to me, Mark Kosovich, who probably knows more about the W123 than anyone currently at M.B.UK reckons that optically, the earlier Round lights are far superior to the later type. Both apparently were made by Hella...

Just curious....:stupid:

I have both and they are about the same performance wise. The"rectangle type" are more desirable here and I believe its just that "Euro" look thats appealing. I sure like them and the adjustable feature is pretty cool also. I run the "Philips Plus 30" bulbs.

For my w124, the US version does just fine.

For my w123, I like the Euro because (1) the light output is much, much better than US, (2) the one-piece design looks better than the US quad-lights, and (3) city lights at dusk just looks cool.

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. (or pond in this case)

I like the square euro lights because they don't have that junky clear plastic that surrounds the US lights and looks like ass.

My 280TE wagon has the 'square euro' type, but I was going to replace these with the earlier round type from my defunct 300D, as they are more to my taste. I plan to fit the xenon gas discharge-HID lamps and igniters from that hideous BMW Im currently running......

Lots of things to do yet though, like change the engines over 300 into 280 WILL go!:D

It's not that big a deal either way, I have one W123 car with U.S. lights and one with square euro lights. The euro lights seem to have a slightly better light pattern, but it's not a very big difference. The plastic surrounds on the U.S. lights need to be replaced every few years because they get cracked, but they only cost about $100 each. Some folks think the euro lights look better, I actually like the looks of the U.S. lights a little better, but I wouldn't bother to switch them in either direction unless I was trying to make the car "correct."

euros have city lights, those turn heads...

I've been putting Euro lights on my cars since the '70s.

To understand the difference, you either have to drive them or understand the US FMVSS lighting standard. I can't stand driving with DOT (US) lights.

The European standard has a sharp cutoff on the low-beam, and strict light control. The US lights have no cutoff, and simply put the low-beam moves the light source high and to the left of the center of the reflector, which effectively drops the light pattern low and to the right (for driving on the right side of the street). Basically an un-focused blob for a low-beam. The high-beam is a little better in composite lights, but the optical quality of the US sealed-beam bulbs is crappy on any beam.

The look of the Euros is nicer too, and having decent quality glass vs our plastic or cheap molded glass is noticable.

Light output is superior from the Euro lamps.

What are city lights? A seperate bulb, or a part of the reflector?

A seperate bulb that dimly lights the main reflector.

I like the look of the stock lights, but wanted better output...so I got the round style euro lights.

Ill have a spare set of good US specs in a month or two.. trade you ^_^

Alastair,

As was touched on in this thread, for about 55 years or so, US laws required "sealed beam" headlights. When they were first mandated ca. 1939 they were superior to most of the existing 6 volt separate bulb lights. As time went by they became less and less effective as compared to most European auto headlights, but the law remained. I expect that it remained because one of the largest companies in the world, General Electric, lobbied congress to keep it that way.

I remember how amazed I was in early 1969 when I first arrived in Germany and rode in a Mercedes cab through the country one night. The headlights were unbelievable because I was comparing them to US sealed beam headlights.

In the late eighties or thereabouts, Ford began doing their own lobbying to get the ridiculous sealed beam laws repealed.

IMHO, the US lights on the 123's are weak at best as compared to a good set of Euro replacements whether round or square. The early 124 US lights were REALLY bad and they were not sealed beams, but somehow met US law. I guess the US law required that they have no more than three candle power each! Putting Euros on a 124 in place of the US lights makes a much begger difference than does replacing 123 US sealed beams with Euros.

My $0.02,

I have two 87 124's
 

and I replaced the standard 60/55 watt bulbs with Hella 100w high beams and 80w low. Not fantastic but better than the original. "Not DOT approved" but they have passed state inspections twice. :D The bulbs alone are reasonably cheap too, less than $10ea. shipped.