I read some reviews maybe 2 years ago about Hella and Depo. At the time, people said the Depos were just about as good as Hella and they cost way less.

Then I read some reviews about 2 months ago and it sounds like Depo has gone down in quality or the people who bought them previously and liked them at first had them fail by the time I researched again.

Are Depo's still safe to buy or do they make them lower quality now? Or were the glowing reviews I read 2 years ago from people who just put them in and loved them because they hadn't failed yet?

1991 300d 220k

I bought my Depo lights almost two years ago. Still look and work good.

I also wired the city lights to run as DRLs.

Hope this helps.

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Regards,

Stephen

2006 E500 Wagon “Werner”, 114,500 miles
1990 420SEL “Mr. C”, sold
1984 300SD “Dieter”, 2nd owner, 66,000 miles
2011 ML350 Bluetec “Baron”, Sold
2011 R Bluetec “Fancy”, Totalled, RIP
1994 S500 Coupe, Sold
1984 300SD 236,000, Sold
1979 300TD, Black Mariah, flooded in Katrina

Have had my Depots for almost 3 years, running LED bulbs. Also added two strips of WalMart LED's wired to a DRL relay. Come on after startup, and go off about 20 seconds after shutoff. Pic #2 passenger side LED, Drivers side halogen.

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The Depos I bought for a W123 were okay, no adjustments were possible as they're left out of the Depo's copy of the original Hella lamps to $ave a few pennies and increase thier profits .

You get what you pay for here .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

The passenger side appears to be higher in output lumens. How is that headlight focus in comparison as far as you are aware?

Interesting photos. I usually can determine a headlight that is noticeably brighter than the other at night. As long as I feel they are aimed properly. When driving. The actual filament area and the location..In relation to the reflector changes the way the headlight focusses.

I just installed some on my w126 a few weeks ago, and I'm satisfied with them, but time will tell.

Both headlights are aimed properly, passenger side is LED, the LED lamps put out a "whiter" light, and are a little brighter. Drivers side is stock halogen light, and appears "dirtier", dimmer. Run the LED's in the 78CD with Depot assemblies, and Bosch headlights with halogens in the 83CD. The Depot/LED setup is a lot brighter, will be swithing the 83 to LED's soon.

I've been looking at upgrading the stock headlights on my 1978 300CD, and would kind of prefer the euro lights that do away with the US market "headlight doors". Where are you guys finding these lights? I've looked on fleabay & amazon but haven't really come up with very many options at all, which surprises me. There were a few sellers from some communist-block, bolshevik countries, with clapped out, corroded dirty lights that they were asking TOP DOLLAR for! And then had the nerve to be asking for 150 dollars shipping as an insult to injury!


So where's a good place to get these lights affordably? I'd love to find some LED versions as well.

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2007 Dodge Ram 3500 Cummins Turbo Diesel 4x4
1994 GMC S-15 pickup 4.3 5MT
1985 300 SD
1978 300 CD
1962 220-S Fintail - awaiting restoration