hey so i've always been interested in converting my halogens over to HID's but never looked to far into it, i'm pretty uninformed in the electrical area and was hoping you guys could help me with a few questions
First the plug n play issue people are having.. i keep reading about setting Present to Xenon? whats this about, is it just a setting on the cars display or how do you go about doing that?
and second, basically if i've had no real experience with wiring electrical ballasts/sockets/anything of the sort, what would i be looking at trying to install this myself? a days work and then a broken headlight? or is this soemthing that's pretty doable with a few instructions and pictures? or would i be better off bringing it in somewhere in the first place, and if that's the case what should i be looking at on installation costs? (i'd probably get a closer estimate actually calling a shop lol but any help is appreciated)

edit: and this one makes me feel real dumb but
yet i went through that link and on the website the kit is called "The Apexcone Raptor Kit"... the only other kit option is a Slim Ballast, and in the description it doesn't state Apexcone or Raptor kit.

Thanks alot for any answers on those!

Really, it was easy! I have no wiring background, but it's all just olugs. The raptor kit is the cheaper one that uses Raptor ballasts and Apexicone bulbs. The other used the same bulbs, but DDM ballasts. There is no need to worry about the Xenon = present option if you use the error eliminators. I would absolutely recommend doing the conversion! I drove from St. Augustine to Boca Grand today (a 5 hour drive, 3 of which were in the dark) and the lights made a hell of a difference! I was worried going into the project, but once I figures out what I was doing, it was a breeze. Do it, and if you need any help, send me a PM. I'm not sure where you're located, but if it's near me I'd be glad to give a hand.

Thanks, also i was just reading through omg its nates HID install on HIDs
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...d-install.html
and someone mentioned that it gave an error on pre-facelift models (which i'm assuming is before 05?) I've got an 03, can anyone confirm that i'll have errors or not?

Here is my standard warning to anyone looking at a kit to fit standard Halogen housings:

There are some questions you need to ask any one that sells kits to convert to HID lamps:

Is the conversion beam pattern correct?
How is the conversion made to be beam pattern correct?
How is the conversion tested to ensure beam pattern correctness?
If it is not beam pattern correct, can they tell you how to fix it?
Do they know what a correct beam pattern looks like?
Are they aware that non-beam pattern correct conversions have serious disadvantages? A person could get hurt!

I can't see how a bulb designed for a projector housing can be installed in a reflector housing and get a proper beam. Since the lamps must have their base changed, it might be possible. Mid 90's Mercedes actually had such a lamp, but it has fallen from favor. One big problem with putting a HID lamp in a reflector is the insulation of the return wire. Most reflectors are metalized, and will arc to the return wire.
The color temperature of the lamp is either 4300K or 6000K. The metallic salts in the bulb determine the color temperature. Only 4300K is used in OEM headlights. How would you measure it? Knowing that most people can't, sellers lie. The way they make it blue is to put a filter on the external glass. This raises the color temperatue, but decreases the light output significantly.

My experience is that Osram (Sylvania) or Philips HID bulbs get more blue as they age, and they last about 2,000 hours. Asian lamps (unknown manufacturer) seem to remain rather constant in color, but expire at about 200 to 600 hours.

Conversion to Bi-Xenon is possible, but you must change the housings. MbenzNL.com has more infomation on factory parts.

I assume I will need the eliminators too?

I would recommend it. I bought the ballasts under Matt's advice with the understanding that I could return them if I didn't need them. It's only twenty bucks, so it's not too bad. It's funny, thought, I spend half as much money ($40) on the unibit as I didn on the whole package. Well worth it though! It was a great Christmas gift from the gf!

Thanks for the info.

I guess I was just lucky that my car didn't need the error eliminators. It is weird how different W203s can be, even across the same year models.

Check out xenithxenons.com......

great kit, totally PNP with relays wired in-line, NO ERRORS, NO FLICKERING.
A little more than most kits, but seems pretty high quality, 112.00 out the door.

Pretty comparable... $93 vs $112

you dont need the error eliminators

kit works fine....

for which kit? I think it's been established that results may vary. Maybe the '05s are different.

No, it's hit or miss with the 2005s, too, Drew. Happy New Year.

Happy New Year, Matt!

lookin at getting fog and low, do i need the eliminators? and if i get the eliminators do i need to purchase 2 or is just 1 enough? i have the 2007 model.
sorry i'm noob at this hid install cause i came from an import and we don't need any eliminators

I assume you're ordering from DDM... each order of eliminators ($20) is a pair. If you're doing both fogs and lows you will need to order two (two pair which is 4 total). Good luck.

Anybody have before and after pictures of these lights on there car? Also how is the beam pattern? Is it scattered like most aftermarket HIDs on oem light housing, or does it look similar to stock HIDs with a good pattern? Thanks

There are little darker patches that lie on the edges on both sides, but are not really visible over the hood. I have pictures that I will post in just a little bit.

ahhh gawd damn it =( i just ordered 1 pair of the elminators

Just put them on for the lows and don't use your fog lights until you get them in. I also heard that you can turn the lights on for somewhere between 20 and thirty seconds before turning your car on. After that time period, the car stops monitoring the power output, or something. Whoever I heard this from needs to chime in.

have any pictures of the lights and the cutoff of these? thanks man

I did not see a pure apexcone kit. Do you have a link? Thanks!

It's the Apexicone lights with the DDM slim ballasts. http://www.ddmtuning.com/index.php?p...=101&parent=85

hows the cutoff with these lights? are any of you using halogen lenses with these or oem? thanks

Here are the pictures. They are all I have at the moment, but I can take more if you would like something specific.

They are the 55w 6000k DDM slim ballast kit. I am absolutely astounded at how great these are. They are in the stock halogen housings (H7 bulbs) with error eliminators. Also, just the low beams. One thing that I have noticed with these is that the cutoff goes up alot on the right (for signs and such), but just at dusk, highway signs light up amazingly.