Anyone ever ticketed, for "Euro" lights ? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

truckinik · #1 03-25-2007, 01:54 AM

Ok, Here's an interesting one.
If Euro lights, are not on "Americanized" cars from the factory, and are "Illegal" to use on your vehicle, in the USA due to "Candle-Power"or whatever the reason is.
Have any of you ever been so much as cited for them, or questioned about having them on your ride? I haven't but I know they are, in fact "Illegal" in the US so I thought I'd raise the question...

t walgamuth · #2 03-25-2007, 02:05 AM

one night i was dropping one of my kids off at a friends house in my 240d. i had my fog lights on for some reason. a guy pulled up next to me in a 116 body mercedes and said that i shouldn't drive around with my "autobahn" lights on. he said they were illegal and i would get a ticket.

i sat there for a few seconds wondering WHAT THE HELL he was talking about and finally said "ok, thanks a lot".

i think he had just gotten his benz maybe and was excited to talk to someone who had one about something.

tom w

truckinik · #3 03-25-2007, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

one night i was dropping one of my kids off at a friends house in my 240d. i had my fog lights on for some reason. a guy pulled up next to me in a 116 body mercedes and said that i shouldn't drive around with my "autobahn" lights on. he said they were illegal and i would get a ticket.

i sat there for a few seconds wondering WHAT THE HELL he was talking about and finally said "ok, thanks a lot".

i think he had just gotten his benz maybe and was excited to talk to someone who had one about something.

tom w

LOL, Is that not why we're all here as well ?
I remember how I felt, in my first Benz, and I can relate. Don't even try to say you didn't. I can see the smile on your face from here while you reminisc....lol

t walgamuth · #4 03-25-2007, 02:15 AM

yeah. i remember.

it was 34 years ago though.

tom w

truckinik · #5 03-25-2007, 02:32 AM

I got my first, in 2000. I bought my first 79 300CD for $6,000.oo with 56k on her. Silver with black leather, as are all the rest to this day. I bought her with the full intention of ripping her Diesel out, and installing a small block Chevy, with 6 speed standard from a newer Camaro. Needless to say, I didn't do it to that car, and did it two years later to an 81 300CD, same color combo also. I was still, so ecstatic about that day. Very big deal for me. My father, a very wealthy international arms dealer had had every vehicle imaginable in his years. I however, had only had some American cars before, and had never so much as ridden, in a Mercedes before buying her. She was perfect, and I was so proud. I guess I hijacked my own thread haven't I ? lol

Jim B. · #6 03-25-2007, 02:52 AM

Yes, the EURO LIGHTS are not legal, it said on the box "For off road use only", when I bought them, and I went ahead anyway and installed them (W126 series, Bosch H4)
and the result was like night and day (no pun intended).

For sure, I would highly recommend them on ALL W123/W124/W126 cars.

I have never heard of police ticketing for this offense on the older Merecedes though, and likely none of them either know or care about that "violation" although, there are enough "mean" ones out there who'd probably do it if you got pulled over and failed their "attitude test", if you do, then they write you for everything they can think up (It's called "stacking" violations)

Not only do the EUROS give a cleaner more integrated look, they are much brighter, and throw a much better beam pattern on the road, and thus make night driving safer. Today, that idiocy no longer obtains as the sealed beams are discredited and obsolete and not found in new cars.

However, the U.S. DOT, in its infinite wisdom, decided that sealed beams were necessary, along with the wonderful idea to outlaw the trunk mounted hazard warning trianges "Warndreieck" and the first aid kit. Defiant to the end, I have all three of these illegal items on/in the car.

I have never warmed to the idea of lawyers - (and GOVERNMENT lawyers, at that!!) having the power to tell me how my car should be equipped. What about you?

davidmash · #7 03-25-2007, 02:54 AM

Back before head lights got deregulated I had to change the lights out once a year for inspections. I also got a fix it for them one time as well. This was back in the 80's though. Now since healights come in all shapes and sizes and no loger hae those litle nipple things on them (think sealed beams) I have never had a problem.

truckinik · #8 03-25-2007, 03:24 AM

I put the Euro lights on my first 79 300CD as well as two of my Freightliner Centurys. I've not had any issues with them, to date anyways. I also have them from the factory, on my 88 560 SEC,AMG,Euro. So far, I've not had anyone so much as question them. Even during D.O.T. inspections, no one fussed about them.

al76slc · #9 03-25-2007, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim B.

... along with the wonderful idea to outlaw the trunk mounted hazard warning trianges "Warndreieck" and the first aid kit.

Huh??? They're illegal? Why?

G-Benz · #10 03-26-2007, 09:30 AM

Curious...do Euro's fail visual inspections in CA? Or is that just limited to the engine compartment?

Dee8go · #11 03-26-2007, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim B.

. . . I have never warmed to the idea of lawyers - (and GOVERNMENT lawyers, at that!!) having the power to tell me how my car should be equipped. What about you?

Well, I for one am glad to see that the government is FINALLY becoming much more active in running my life for me. I mean, after all, who am I to make decisions about things that concern me?

Fortunaltely, the government already relieves me of most of the tough decisions about how best to use the money I work my butt off for. What a relief to have THAT burden lifted!

I mean if these decisions were left up to me, who knows WHAT I might do. I might make a bad choice . . .

BENZ-LGB · #12 03-26-2007, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim B.

I have never warmed to the idea of lawyers - (and GOVERNMENT lawyers, at that!!) having the power to tell me how my car should be equipped. What about you?

Coño chico, yo creia que eras mi amigo!

PaulC · #13 03-26-2007, 10:41 AM

Sealed beam headlights became law beginning in the 1940 model year. The reasoning back then was sound, as vehicle manufacturers were responsible for headlight design prior to that point and some were not excelling at that task. Issues included poor weathersealing that allowed the inside of lenses and reflectors to become dirty, interesting beam patterns created by poor lense fluting, oxidized reflector plating which killed output, etc. Sealed beams were a tremendous advance in the quality and consistency of vehicle lighting at that time, almost comparable to halogens vs. HID's. In theory, it's still a great idea, as the issues described above have made somewhat of a revival with the advent of aero lenses and seperate bulbs. One of the worst lighting patterns I have ever encountered in an automobile was on a new first-gen Dodge Intrepid. No problem spotting owls in trees at night, but actual lighting of the roadway was apparently a bit beyond the talents of the Dodge boys.

Ashman · #14 03-26-2007, 10:54 AM

never had a problem with mine and I have hid in them too.

Cops don;t know they aren;t suposed to be there or arent normal from my experience. plus on the w124 the euros make it look like the 94-95 anyway as they have similar look.

Maybe in states with yearly inspections you may have issues, but in California we don;t have those kinds of inspections.

But no I have never been given any hassl for them.

Alon

TheDon · #15 03-26-2007, 11:41 AM

so all cars are supposed to have sealed beams now or something?