Did a search and couldn't find too much info on this.

I wanna replace the plastic housing that encapsules the fog lights on my 300 E, to enhance the front end look. Current ones are all dinged/chipped up.

Did a search in FastLane and all I could find was "fog light reflectors".

Is that what this part is called. If not, what are these plastic parts called, and how difficult are they to replace?

Thanks for your help!

--Paul

Paul:
If you don't have Euro lights, just the standard US lights, then your headlight /lens is seperate from the foglight/plastic lens. This seperate fog light lens covers the fog light and is connected to and part of a plastic frame that surrounds the headlight, no? If yes, this part is called a 'headlight door' and MAY be what Fastlane is calling a 'headlight rim or frame' - the price is about the same ballpark for the 'door'. Give Phil a call on the 800 # and confirm this.

However, given my druthers, I'd druther apply the $180 a pair of these doors cost towards the $300-400 cost of Euro lights, if I really wanted to clean up the front end. (Pic below). Hope this helps.

http://www.warewolf.net/jelliott/12_front.jpg

Hey, those Euro lights do look pretty damn sweet. $300-$400 for both assemblies?

Not too bad. I will definitely look into it.

Thanks for your reply JCE.

--Paul

And as a bonus, you will find out just how poor the stock US headlights on our 300Es were! You will have light on the road with the Euros!!!!

JCE:

What brand are those Euro lights and where can I pick up a pair?

I wanna get rid of the stupid headlight wipers anyhow :D

--Paul

Mine are Hella off of a parted out gray market car. I got them used for under $300 a pair. In previous posts (Search for key words 'Euro Headlights') lots of people have posted web pages and prices for these lights. Prices for new vary depending on vendor, brand, whether or not you have to take them with turn indicators (required purchase by some vendors, even though they are seperate pieces), and whether you want clear or orange turn indicators. New seems to range from about $350-$500 depending on all the variables. In order of preference and availability, they seem to be Hella and Bosch (MB OEM suppliers of these lights), then come the Italian and Tiawan copies. There are home pages for Hella and Bosch listed under the search as well, as well as wiring tips and color codes, overvoltage bulbs, used versus new, ebay versus web orders versus store front purchases, keeping or scrapping the wipers, and references to a Star magazine article that shows how to add the manual aiming knob on the dashboard for the lights that have the vacuum actuators in them (some don't). There is even a discussion on 500E lights vs the 300E lights - 500Es have a driving light in place of the fog light. I would post these addresses, but there are literally dozens of routes and suppliers, and a search for Euro Headlights will give you the most info, a couple of hours of reading at least, and lots of sources to check for current best prices.

Phil at Fastlane may be able to get them as well, and Fastlane prices are usually about the best out there - give him a call.

[Edited by JCE on 06-30-2001 at 10:46 PM]

Thanks JCE...
 

..for all your help :) Looks like i'm gonna go with the Euro's and maybe even keep the wiper system using the modified assembly that 'barrie' mentioned.

I've emailed a couple of places about used Euros, including the place you bought yours. $500 a set is not what I want to pay right now.

Also, my '90 300 E has 195k on it and needs some new springs/shocks. You mentioned in one of your posts:

<<By the way, I saw in your post that you are contemplating new springs/shocks. Check out the Sportline package from the PartsShop - I love what it did for the handling and ride while still keeping it all MB parts!!!>>

I looked for this package in Parts Shop but couldn't locate it. Any chance you could point me in the right direction?

Thanks again!

--Paul

Paul:
The Sportline parts list is described under the "cars" tab at the top of the page, and included 4 springs, shocks, 2 sway bars, lower control arm bushings, sub frame bushings, etc. The only thing not included was the spring pads, which are dirt cheap and can vary the height of the car by a bit. The package price, I believe, varies from year to year based upon subtle changes that occured each year. At least, that is my impression, as when I sent in for a price quote from PartsShop, I needed to include year, VIN, Engine #, and option codes from the plate by the radiator. I put my driving impressions under the Sportline description ("cars" tab), and this has been discussed in threads almost as much as the Euro lights! (another couple of hours reading!)

I agree, for the cost of headlight doors, your better off paying a little more for euro lights.

I upgraded to euros, clear blinkers, and the euro wiper system, and i like it a lot. i also have the piaa superwhites and piaa ion fog light bulbs, a big differnce compared to stock! and the lighting looks like xenons.

Since the euros are glass, hopefully they will last longer than the plastic US headlights.

Mine are TYC, an aftermarket, for $150.00 each side brand new, I guess its a good price. I will try to get a pic of it on here soon.

Paul:
I forgot earlier - you don't have to buy the whole thing, I understand. You could get just springs/shocks, or just the sway bars, or everything but the bushings, etc. I had a tech install everything, and the control arm bushings added a bunch to the labor. I'm not sorry I did them, as I love the results, but if you are on a budget, you could do just springs and shocks, then sway bars and rear sub frame bushings (sub frame has to be dropped anyway to do the rear sway bas, so why not do the bushings.)

Rear thrust arm replacements were dirt cheap at about $35 per side while they are in there, and also has a dramatic improvement on handling. If your car seems a little loose at speed, like it wants to wander a bit, you might have a good tech check them out as well, as the superb rear suspension WILL show wear with over 100k miles on them, especially if you get enthusiastic like me (guess what, another heavily discussed series of threads ;) ) This is a useful pic that was posted a while back:

http://www.warewolf.net/jelliott/arms124.jpg