Hi we just recieved our c240 what a great car.. its so practical....

one question.. would it be against mb owner morals to put on those $60 HID "xenon look -a like" bulbs on the car???

i really didnt have the option of getting the xenons on this car.. if i did i would have to wait until march - early april..


thanks

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Turk..
00 S500 W220
93 300SE W140
01 C 240 W203
86 SVO Mustang (Turbo Pwr'd.. hehe)

I agree. They are illegal, and they do stop you for them. I think the color looks cheesey anyway. If it seems dark to you, try some new bulbs. They do get dimmer over the years. Also look into the Hella or PIAA bulbs with a higher wattage. Don't get crazy, because the higher the wattage, the higher the heat. You could melt stuff with the wrong bulbs.

I paid many bucks (about $1K) for Xenon lights on my '96 E Class and was a little disappointed. I got my new C240 about two months ago, and I wouldn't change anything about the lights on this car. They are the best lights I've ever had on any car, period. And that includes my Euro lights on my 240D which are great.

I think, although I don't know for sure, that they are finally letting us have the same lights here that are put on the European cars. If the Euro lights on these cars are any better, they would probably require a locomotive license in the US.

I live way, way out in the boondocks and good headlights are very important to me. I drive 20 miles one way each day, almost always in the dark on winding, narrow paved farm roads, they are fun, but I find myself dodging deer, other wildlife as well as escaped livestock. For this reason I feel that I have a good bit of experience with headlights.

My advice, don't touch those lights at all. Leave them just like they are and enjoy knowing that there aren't too many sets of headlights that are any better. The fake Xenons actually emit LESS light.

Good luck,

I have been using so many different brands of high wattage bulbs. The only brand that I can trust is the Philips Rallye Light Bulbs. I ordered a pair of 9006 80W bulb and installed them in my 95 Honda Accord. I can see the dramatic difference between those poorly make "Made in Korea or Taiwan". In fact, those filaments are so poorly aligned that I have to aim the headlight a bit higher that standard bulbs. After I installed the Philips, I have to aim them lower to avoid getting a ticket. The Philips bulbs that I am using are "Made in Germany" and UV Block which is important to protect your expensive lens and reflectors. However, the bulb is also marked with "Not for Sale/Use in Germany". If you want the maximum brightness, you SHOULD always use the CLEAR bulb, no blue, gold, green, violet, orange...........



Check out
http://www.eur.lighting.philips.com/automotive/indexflash.html

By the way, I ordered the bulbs from Fosmo

Check out
http://www.fosmo.com

Car Nut
99 E430 Sport with HID!!!!

I personally don't like xenons. The light just doesn't look natural to me at all, or even similar. Its awkward when driving a car with xenons. I've driven a 2001 BMW 740IL with them, and I didn't like the light output color at all. it didn't seem to be an improvement over the normal lights to me.

Alon

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'92 300CE - Sold
2004 C240 - 744 - C7 Wheels - Android Radio
2002 C320 - 816 - Sport Wagon

You'll get a NOTICEABLE difference with PIAA superwhite bulbs but, don't expect that much. The standard lights on the new C's are excellent to start with. The colour is a brighter whiter white than most to start with. There at least as good if not better than my fathers '01 S40.

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1989 300CE - 269,000 km
1994 SL600 - 59,000 km

BMWTEK, having probably the worst lights in Benz history, a W124, I'll swap for most anything. I've installed #10 ga. wire to a double contact relay, one for each light am using 100/80 watt 9004 bulbs and I just have brighter W 123 lights. It's much better than stock, nothing like yours or an H-4. Be Glad in it and don't let anyone steal your JOY. Happy Trails Beep Beep from Houston.

Donald, still in the dark.

blackmercedes,

Unless you drive a US spec Benz before about five years ago, they do not have the same great headlamps as those cars in the rest of the world. This is not the fault of MB, it's the fault of the insane US headlight laws. In recent years the laws have been changed, and the situation is much better.

Have a great day,

Larryb. your post to Blackmercedes was behind mine so the editors passed you to my e-mail. We're going to have to quite meeting like this. This subject has been a hot one for the 13 years I've had my 300E, and will continue as new owners of these machines come on board. What surprises me is there isn't much said about the instrument lights that are just as bad. Happy Trails Beep Beep from Houston.

Donald
In the dark

i agree with "SHYNE". the PIAA bulbs don't have an HID look
but, they are really white!! i like them very mutch in my 300e. people do always flash me though. they must think that i have my brights on.
goodluck!
adam

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Current Stable:
01 ML55 AMG
92 500E (a few mods)
87 300E (lots of mods)
00 Chevy 3500HD Diesel Box Truck
68 18' Donzi Marine
06 GT i-Drive7 1.0 Mountain Bike (with GPS!)

PREVIOUSLY OWNED:83 300SD, 87 420SEL, 88 420SEL, 90 420SEL, 86 560SEL, 86 190E 2.3-16V AMG, 94 E320

Neat topic!

A few words about the science of lighting and vision. All other things being equal, like pattern, focus, etc. the output of a lamp has to DOUBLE for it to be a practical increase for humans with normal vision. So, any swap of bulbs means you should think in terms of doubling the power, from say 50W to 100W.

That said, the usual warnings about putting double the heat into a headlamp system not designed for it apply.

Personal note: I don't like Xenons because their color looks different. I'm sure they work great, or the fine MB engineers wouldn't bother to develop them and offer them.

BCingU, Jim

Adambourassa, I used Phillips 100/80 watt 9004 headlamp bulbs. Don't ask me where I got them for I can't recall, somewhere in New Mexico. As JimH remarked you must double to get any effect. Not just your wattage but the wires feeding those flamethrowers. I rewired using H/D Dbl contact relays and # 10 gauge wire. Now I have just brighter W124 headlights. Happy Trails Beep Beep from Houston.

Donald
Here it's shining in your eye

Technically, one should be able to detect a proportional increase of 8% (min) when it comes to brightness of light - according to the Weber Fraction for light stimulus discrimination. Good luck finding 48.6/70.2W bulbs, though...

But seriously, Donald, for those of us that can't afford Euro headlamps yet, can you give some detailed instructions on how to rewire the lamps to handle the increased wattage? And the relays - availability/ ease of installation? Obviously not much of an electrician here...

Thanks a bunch - and happy holidays to all!
-Nick

Nickjamal, a number of members of MBCA have made this wiring modification. I have complete instructions on E-Mail. If I had your address I would send it to you.

Donald
Britter, but not Euro

Nick jamal, I didn't leave you my e-mail address. Try dlswnfrd@juno.com. You see everything about me is cheap even my Internet Provider.
Donald