W126 depo headlamps, thoughts? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Hit Man X · #1 01-14-2016, 08:10 PM

Needing a pair of ECE lamps for the SDL, how is the overall quality of the Depo units compared to Bosch? Granted most Bosch today are 30 years old and sandblasted to hell. Do the seals last? Fitment decent?

Give me your thoughts please, good and bad.

Wodnek · #2 01-14-2016, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hit Man X

Needing a pair of ECE lamps for the SDL, how is the overall quality of the Depo units compared to Bosch? Granted most Bosch today are 30 years old and sandblasted to hell. Do the seals last? Fitment decent?

Give me your thoughts please, good and bad.

i never had a 126, but I bought a set for my 87 300 TD that i used to have. i was happy with the quality vs the price. I have Hella lights on my 87 300D, so i could compare them side by side. The light was almost as good. never had moisture get into the lights on either of them.

big d · #3 01-14-2016, 09:46 PM

I have them on my 1991 350 sd for three years and they are very good.No problems with fogging or water .

86-300sdl · #4 01-14-2016, 11:03 PM

Similar experience as above. No complaints. Glass lens.

No problems with the wipers & wiper motor cover. Others have said something about having to remove them or switch them out for euros.

Zacharias · #5 01-15-2016, 10:30 AM

Based on experience with Depos on my w123, highly recommended. They have even been through three eastern Canadian winters with no issues.

I only had a bit of water intrusion into one of them after driving the car in a truly awful rainstorm. I opened the rear access door on a sunny day and it dried out quickly, with no recurrence.

The most negative thing I can say is that, when I got mine, I found I had to gently crimp the electrical connectors and be careful of the nut retainer hardware pieces, all of which were very low quality and wanted to fall off.

The lens retainers on mine are also of vastly inferior quality to the OE version and wanted to pop off when I was wrangling the lights into the openings on the install. However, I think the w123 install is trickier in that regard than the w126.

Mxfrank · #6 01-15-2016, 12:15 PM

I have a set on the 190d. The fit was tight-no real problem, but they occupy every cubic mm, which required some careful work. I think the light output is a tad less than stock, So I use 65 watt Osram Rallye bulbs. No gaps, no leaks, no problems.

babymog · #7 01-15-2016, 12:48 PM

Although I side with the Hella/Bosch OEM lights when I can, the DEPO Euros have to be a helluva lot better than the stock US lights on the 126/201/early124!!!!!!!!

bsmuwk · #8 01-15-2016, 06:51 PM

I throw Depos on every Merc I get through. Not worth keeping the garbage US spec stuff around.

They also house 55W HID's with no reflector melting and the beam cut off on the glass is perfect.

ROLLGUY · #9 01-15-2016, 07:13 PM

I will echo the comments about Depo's on a 123 (my only experience). They are well worth the price, and look much better than the US spec lights.

Hit Man X · #10 01-15-2016, 09:14 PM

Appreciate the info guys. Guess I can import seals and those clips easy enough through alternate channels.

MBeige · #11 01-16-2016, 01:31 AM

I have no experience with DEPO on my cars, but my mechanic has a set on his 300TE. Looks and works great, I drove it home one time I needed to leave my car at his place, so we swapped for the night.

The stock US DOT lights use 9004 bulbs, which have 45W only at low beam. Compare that to 55W H4's or 9003's for low beam, with better beam pattern.

I got lucky and found a set of Bosch w123 Euros for my car for $120. Spent a bit more for extra sets of lenses and correct mounting hardware.

A W126 with beautiful Euro headlamps is just very stately - here with Buzz's SDL:

DieselClan · #12 01-16-2016, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBeige

I got lucky and found a set of Bosch w123 Euros for my car for $120. Spent a bit more for extra sets of lenses and correct mounting hardware.

Where'd you buy the "correct" mounting hardware for these, or do you have a part # for it? I put a set of Bosch Euro's that I found locally on the '84 300D but just used the screws from the US lights to mount them on. I would like to have the correct hardware eventually.

*Note: Hood not shut all the way in photo*

mannys9130 · #13 01-16-2016, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bsmuwk

I throw Depos on every Merc I get through. Not worth keeping the garbage US spec stuff around.

They also house 55W HID's with no reflector melting and the beam cut off on the glass is perfect.

Please do not put HID bulbs in a reflector housing meant for halogens. They don't have the proper geometry, cut off, or lens pattern to properly aim the light. They blind other drivers and are so much of a safety hazard that several states have made it illegal to use aftermarket HID kits.

gatorblue92 · #14 01-16-2016, 06:32 AM

I also had Depo lights I bought for my 91 300TE a few years ago along with a set of genuine Bosch lights from my old 87 300E and I honestly can't tell a difference in the light output. The Bosch lights were easier to mount and the quality is better than the Depo lights but not worth the added cost.

bsmuwk · #15 01-16-2016, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mannys9130

Please do not put HID bulbs in a reflector housing meant for halogens. They don't have the proper geometry, cut off, or lens pattern to properly aim the light. They blind other drivers and are so much of a safety hazard that several states have made it illegal to use aftermarket HID kits.

Spoken from someone who most likely has no experience doing so on Mercedes specific European headlights.....

Have been doing so for the past 7 years, unlike other cars, the fluting in the lenses prevents glare.

That statement will hold true for other cars with plastic clear lenses and will absolutely hold true for the factory NAm spec lights, not for the euros.

Sent from my toilet paper phone because it's a piece of shi....