Or are they the same thing, and no difference really?

(The round ones seem to have the parallel lines between the lights) ??

Which are better, which are available, which do you like, were there actually two different styles you could choose or did they change in the model run?

Square ones:

http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_32800-Mercedes-Benz-W123-1983.html (Lebanon)

http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_31772-Mercedes-Benz-W123.html (Berlin)



Round ones:

http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_62743-Mercedes-Benz-200-W123-1977.html (Munich)

http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_21141-Mercedes-Benz-200-W123-1976.html (Italy)

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

I prefer the square ones - look more European to me.

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- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

GreasyBenz, CarNut and others have the run down on some of this.
UK lights "set" left.
France has rules for fogs.
Germany, U.S. etc.
I hope some chime in as the info is interesting.

As for me, the square units just fit. After all it is a German Car and that is what you get in Germany.

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Buzz
1977 300D 151K (TMU) DB922 Pastel Blue w/Blue
1981 300SD 450K DB753 Astral Silver w/Black
1987 190D Turbo 340K DB199 Black Pearl w/Black
1990 350SDL 190K DB199 Black Pearl w/Black
1994 E320 Convertible 65K DB(9)744 Brilliant Silver w/Grey
1995 E300 Diesel 150K DB (5)904 Midnight Blue w/Saddle

I have both, one on each side , No I mean I have the round ones on my "79 and the rectangle ones on my 85, they preform the same as far as I can tell.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

I prefer look of the rectangle (square) ones, and have them installed on mine. They are some made-in-china units, not Bosch, but they seem to work well.

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'83 300D Turrrbo 295K miles

The rectangles never did it for me. I like the dual clear round lights my W116 has with the fogs underneath. Might do this with the W123 someday, make the yellow fogs extra high beams and add real fogs underneath. Seems like I remember someone discussing this recently.

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Seth

1984 300D 225K
1985 300D Donor body
1985 300D Turbo 165K. Totaled. Donor Engine. It runs!!!
1980 300SD 311K My New Baby.
1979 BMW 633csi 62K+++? Dead odo

I think the round ones look better in the wagons. square for saloon and coup.

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

The rounds went on "lesser" W123's such as the 200D, 240D, 230, etc. The square ones went on higher line W123's such as the 300D, 280E, etc.

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Adam Lumsden
(83) 300D
Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section

I thought the early W123s came with the rounds and the later ones came with the square lights.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I believe it's both. Early lesser cars came with round lights. After 81 or 82 all came with rectangular lights. 280s always had rectangular lights.

The determinant might be adjustability. It's hard to find round lights with vertical adjustment. I believe all rectangular lights have the vacuum adjustment mechanism. All factory units anyway. Not sure about reproduction headlights.

Sixto
93 300SD 3.0

In addition to my signature I've had an '82 240, and an '85 300. All had round headlights, which I'm a big fan of on the 123's. Hey Sailor15015, some has mentioned doing the fog swap out, can't remember who, or how.

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83 SD

84 CD

For the cheeeepest euro lites, you can just replace the 7" sealed beams with some E-code H4 lites. great upgrade. as little as $40.

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1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.