Euro light installed in my 300SD!!!

[Actros617]

Here it is, i got it for a bargain. $140 for a pair, Anyone know what can i buy that will protect these light from road rash and rock scratches?

Next up Adjust hood stoppers, Bi-xenon HID lights, and vacuum controlled head light!!!

[Jeremy5848]

Looks good. I did something similar to my '87 W124 but spent a lot more money, you got a great bargain.

To protect the glass and also the little trim panels under the headlights, buy some Xpel film. It comes in "kits" that are pre-cut for various cars or you can buy it in bulk. There are also shops that will install it for you. I was quoted $100 to do two cars; bought enough material for three cars for $30 and did it myself.

It's like very thick Scotch tape; you get the film trimmed to your size, remove the backing, wet the sticky side of the film and the lens, then lay the film on the lens and squeegee out the remaining water. Their web site is here. I have it on all three of my cars.

Jeremy

[snookwhaler]

That looks really good! And you don't have to worry about them turning yellow.

[compu_85]

Don't install HIDs into those. It will not work. I think you'll find that with a quality halogen bulb the lighting is fantastic. Be sure the insides of the fixtures are clean, the reflector and lens seem to get grimy over the years.

-Jason

[mike-81-240d]

Originally Posted by Actros617

Here it is, i got it for a bargain. $140 for a pair, Anyone know what can i buy that will protect these light from road rash and rock scratches?

Next up Adjust hood stoppers, Bi-xenon HID lights, and vacuum controlled head light!!!

Go to a Large chain Tint shop and ask for some clear 3m scraps, they gave me mine for free.

[Actros617]

Its a brand new depo headlight, i dont think i will need to worry about cleaning it...

[compu_85]

Ah cool.

Take a picture of the beam pattern sometime. I'd like to know how the chinese copies compare to the factory units.

-J

[H-townbenzoboy]

Originally Posted by Jeremy5848

Looks good. I did something similar to my '87 W124 but spent a lot more money, you got a great bargain.

To protect the glass and also the little trim panels under the headlights, buy some Xpel film. It comes in "kits" that are pre-cut for various cars or you can buy it in bulk. There are also shops that will install it for you. I was quoted $100 to do two cars; bought enough material for three cars for $30 and did it myself.

It's like very thick Scotch tape; you get the film trimmed to your size, remove the backing, wet the sticky side of the film and the lens, then lay the film on the lens and squeegee out the remaining water. Their web site is here. I have it on all three of my cars.

Jeremy

When you put the Xpel on your lights, did you have to buy all of that extra stuff from them to apply it?

[Jeremy5848]

Originally Posted by H-townbenzoboy

When you put the Xpel on your lights, did you have to buy all of that extra stuff from them to apply it?

"Extra stuff?" The kit came with a small white plastic squeegee and I supplied my own water and alcohol. Don't recall anything else besides instructions. Are you seeing something in their web site that is new since I last visited it?

In September 2007 I bought two pieces 19x8 inches (for the Euro lights of the W124) plus a 7 inch round pair and a 5 inch round pair (for the W123) for $39.40. The least expensive shipping method offered was Fed-Ex for $14.38 which I thought was a real rip-off. I still have the package and enough scraps to do the fog lights on my wife's '96 E300D.

A month ago I bought 3 feet of 2 inch Xpel for the trim strips under the W124 lights. That was only a few dollars -- about $10 with shipping, I think.

Jeremy

[JimmyL]

Now you just need yellow bulbs in the fogs...

[H-townbenzoboy]

Originally Posted by Jeremy5848

"Extra stuff?" The kit came with a small white plastic squeegee and I supplied my own water and alcohol. Don't recall anything else besides instructions. Are you seeing something in their web site that is new since I last visited it?

In September 2007 I bought two pieces 19x8 inches (for the Euro lights of the W124) plus a 7 inch round pair and a 5 inch round pair (for the W123) for $39.40. The least expensive shipping method offered was Fed-Ex for $14.38 which I thought was a real rip-off. I still have the package and enough scraps to do the fog lights on my wife's '96 E300D.

A month ago I bought 3 feet of 2 inch Xpel for the trim strips under the W124 lights. That was only a few dollars -- about $10 with shipping, I think.

Jeremy

All you need is water and alcohol? XPel has all of these extra "installation tools" listed on their website like squeegees, special liquids and such. They have a kit listed for the W123 Euros for $69.95, which with a sales tax and shipping cost brings the total to $83.16. Griots has some pre-cut protectors for W123 Euros priced at $59.99 with shipping for $13.50, bringing the total to $73.49. I need to find out how much it would cost locally at a shop that installs this stuff. Or maybe I can buy some in bulk from XPel and cut to fit and install them myself. They sell it for $0.13 per sq/in. I need to get the dimensions for the W123 Euro lenses to find out how much of the bulk stuff I would need to order.

[Jeremy5848]

Originally Posted by H-townbenzoboy

All you need is water and alcohol? XPel has all of these extra "installation tools" listed on their website like squeegees, special liquids and such. . .

Yes, they'd like you to buy one of everything. I didn't buy any of their expensive junk. The squeegee came with the kit. All you have to do is to make bloody sure the surface is clean (work inside if at all possible) and work slowly and without helpers (kids, wives, pets).

Curved surfaces take a lot more stretching; a heat gun or hair dryer might be helpful. I have Hella headlamps in my W123; the lens surface is much less curved than the DOT headlamps so that was an easier install for me. The relatively flat surface of the rectangular Euro headlights is easy.

The same problem exists now as I faced two years ago . . . they sell a kit for W123s with Euro headlights but mine are the round ones; they sell a kit for the American-style W124 headlights but mine are Euro.

In 2007, I went to the "Universal Headlight Protection" section of their web site and bought the first three items on the menu:

19 by 8 inch cut-to-fit lamp protection kit (two pieces) "Part Number: H9905, Our Price: $43.95" That would do your W123 Euros but GOOD GRIEF! I paid $13.50 in September 2007!!! Since that one is so expensive (and more than you need), I'd measure your headlights and order exactly the size pieces you need and no more.

6 7/8 round headlamp kit (without alignment pins) "Part Number: H9903A, Our Price: $16.95" For the large headlamps on the W123. -- That's more reasonable, I paid $13.95.

5 inch round headlamp kit (without alignment pins) "Part Number: H9904A, Our Price: $8.95" That's for the W123 fog lamps. I paid $11.95 so that one is actually less expensive than two years ago.

Jeremy

[H-townbenzoboy]

Originally Posted by Jeremy5848

I'd measure your headlights and order exactly the size pieces you need and no more.

I went out and measured my Euros and found them to measure out at 15.5 in x 8.5 in. XPel will sell that amount of material for $17.13 per side. After taxes and shipping, the total cost is $44.93. I don't believe it comes with the squeegee, but I can get one of those in-town if I need to.

[Bens lover]

Sweet!

[volosong]

tagged

Thanks for the tip. Need to install my Bosch euros in both my C124 and W201, but fear rock chips. Now, I have no excuse to finish the job.