DamonDash

I am thinking of upgrading my headlamps to the bi-xenons, but don't want to pay $2,000+ for the originals. I have heard that DEPOT makes an aftermarket version that look about just as real at the originals. Please post opinions and pictures of your car if you have the aftermarket Bi-xenon headlamps.

wally AMG

you don't need to spend $2000 I saw set going for $800-$1000 you will never compare real one's with Depo one's never... I did it years ago on my C class, I was more than happy with the real one's, just do your search... also I guess aftermarket sale xenon, not bi-xenon, I'm not sure if I'm wrong...

andrew c230k

I have a set of OEM forsale... is your car black by any chance?

draz.amg

They might look the same but the quality isn't the same. OEM BIXs will always be better in output, cutoff, etc. but not by that much when you compare the price differences. You can always retrofit them with FX-R projectors and the output/cutoff will be better than OEM BIXs.

W203E35

I was about to comment similar. From what I have heard not a huge difference between OEM biX and DEPO Projectors. A lot of people like SB mentioned retrofit the projectors and they are much better.

DamonDash

Honestly I dont care how they look when lit up.. I just like how they look in general

DamonDash

I don't care about the output as much... I just want the look!!

saer1one

Thats great that you want the look, you posted DEPO's vs. OEM's, members are telling you OEM's.. From experience i've had both (DEPO first, then OEM's) DEPO's look good but quality not so great. I had them installed and with in the first week the left side projector mounts broke inside, months later the plastic clear housing started flaking off, got rid of those and went OEM. Bought them for $800 used, i've had them for 3 years now and no problems. We are answering to what your question is.. DEPO's vs. OEM's.

OneOfaKindTrini

Depo XENON D2S type projectors are fine, theres no need to drop $1600+ on OEM Bi-X.. If the cutoff isn't good enough do a TL projector retrofit.

Norwichdelta06

explain to me the differencet between a DEPO Ds2 and a DEPO with an h7? are the bulbs comptaible?

raymond g-

here are pics of 203 with Depo headlight in which the owners dropped in HID
kits. painful to look at. quality sucks. the H7 halogen headlights are designed
to work with H7 bulbs, not HIDs. the conversion shifts the focal point which
causes the beam to be brighter, yet accentuates the poor R&D of the projector
bowl.

Glyn M Ruck

OEM BiX are in a whole different class than Depo.

Norwichdelta06

soo a DS2 would fit in a H7? Because there is a shield on the ds2 corrrect?

slammer111

OEM bix cost around $1000 on these forums.

I got mine (OEM) in 2004, and will say this is the SINGLE best mod for the car!

Don't rice your car with crappy quality parts, you're not driving a Honda.

samaritrey

Yeah if you shop around you can get the bix used for around $600 you just have to be patient. I got mine for less then that but i got really lucky.

fookoo303

d2s is the true size for a xenon bulbs. They are slightly longer than standard halogens so the "flame" of the bulb is in a different position. h7 is the size for standard halogens on the w203. If you dont care about the performance of the projector then just get the depo's.
I personally am a fanatic with lighting and say they both aren't great and retrofit for best results.

ND2020

Obviously OEM bix are the way to go, but my Depos with HIDS do not look anywhere near that bad.

LorinserCClass

You gotta pay to play-OEM hands down

draz.amg

You can always get H7 DEPO projectors and put in H7 bulbs.

TemjinX2

if you live in a well lit area with good lighting from city lights then it doesnt matter. You do see a huge difference when you go into a area with poor lighting. Mugenx didn't think depos were bad until we went on a highway with no city lighting and I told i'm afraid for your life..lol.

But if you only care about the look, just go depos. The light output is below stock halogens but if you drive in the city it doesnt really matter as much.

Norwichdelta06

i'm going to order these in Jan/FEB if i'm not happy with them i'm going to send them out to get them retrofitted.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Plug-...Q5fAccessories

ALS2000

wow, the beam on those look great compared to the example above. please keep posted of when you install them later if they actually look as good as advertised. thanks.

Moviela

Aftermarket projector conversions are not worth the powder it would take to blow them up. Aftermarket lamps and ballasts for Bix housings are mostly junk that will not make it to one year. The lamps are often counterfeit and not putting out the color or brightness the sellers represent. Depo housings look OK, but I would only consider one to replace a broken housing on a car I was going to sell.

OEM housings made by Automotive Lighting can be changed for H7 housings, but you will not want to spend the money on the full conversion kit. The kit includes a bumper and the headlight washing system, a headlight switch for the washer button, a front axel sensor, a rear axel sensor, and a sensor wiring harness. Without the washer system and the leveling system you run the risk of dazzling on-coming drivers, and take on the liability that might incur.

That said, bix does increase the amount of visible light on the road. It is useful where other lighting is not available. It also looks cool. I am not sure there is enough difference between the halogen lamps and bix.

The design of the C class H7 lamp housings is Mercedes-Benz at its best. The lighting is far better than other cars on the road with the same lamps. Take a look at the offerings from the four-cylinder headquarters in Munich (BMW) with H7 lamps and you will see a large difference.

The bix on the c class is only the low beam. High beam is always halogen powered. Out in the countryside where the high beams are on, the light on the road is pretty much equal for both bix and H7 OEM housings.

Javvy

I have depos and I like them juts paid like $380 shipped with HID kit installe don the headlights...........cant beat the price and the light out put is excellent for the money that you pay.............I am running 6000k bulbs............

here is a link to the cutoff pictures of a depo set up that I had posted some time back......

https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ht-cutoff.html

Glyn M Ruck

Slight correction. The BiX on the C Class achieve most of the light output on high beam & are a lot better than the standard clear lights. Measured & proven by Benz and others.

For low beam the internal shutter comes down on the Bix to create the cutoff. On high beam the shutter raises to allow full light output from the BiX projector & the halogens turn on. You can block the halogens & you will see that the main long distance throw of the lights is achieved by the BiX. The halogens work as medium throw (rather yellow) fillers. The BiX carry the main high beam lighting of the road. This is why the BiX have to be auto leveling in Europe, SA etc. Because they are so much brighter & have greater throw & can blind oncoming motorists. It is also why they dip mechanically.

Every time I drive a C Class at night with standard lights I feel half blind & slow down.