Headlights Question
12-21-2011, 10:53 PM
#3
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2004 Volvo XC70; 2012 GLK 350 4matic
The only affordable way is at build. Replacing halogen headlights with factory Active Bi-Xenons would be massively expensive.
Wayne
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12-22-2011, 02:15 PM
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2012 C300 4Matic
*facepalm*
False. In the automotive world Xenon and HID are the same thing. Actively turning on and off? Do you mean like flashing your high beams? Cars with HID headlights either have halogen high beams to prevent such issues, or have Bi-Xenon HIDs which means 1 bulb functions as both low and high beam with a motorized 'eyelid' that lifts up when you flash your high beams. This prevents any 'bulb lag' and also any problems with turning on and off rapidly.
Where did you get $400 from? The lighting package in a US 2012 C is $1,290. It is so superior to a $100 kit that the two cannot even be compared. Adding an HID kit to a MB designed for halogens will yield very poor light output and may blind other drivers. The lighting package is adaptive to the road preventing blinding of other drivers because the light output is motorized & constantly adapting. It is a Bi-Xenon system so you also have HID high beam. It also adapts to provide fog light output. Further it includes automatic high beams and a head lamp washing system, both also great for not blinding other drivers. It is a complex integrated system, not just a couple of HID bulbs shoved in front of a reflector as a $100 kit is.
areyouin - If you want to upgrade your existing Halogens there aren't many good options. You can go with aftermarket HIDs - but please be sure they are aimed down so as not to blind others. You could replace your halogens with some whiter ones (Philips Crystal Vision are a good compromise) but you risk losing light output. Last option, you could retrofit Mercedes factory HID headlights - but that will be extremely costly. Probably best to leave alone unless you have money to burn. I wish I had the lighting package myself. I've installed the Crystal Vision halogens & a set of AZN Optics LEDs to get rid of that yellow look. Works for me.
Where did you get $400 from? The lighting package in a US 2012 C is $1,290. It is so superior to a $100 kit that the two cannot even be compared. Adding an HID kit to a MB designed for halogens will yield very poor light output and may blind other drivers. The lighting package is adaptive to the road preventing blinding of other drivers because the light output is motorized & constantly adapting. It is a Bi-Xenon system so you also have HID high beam. It also adapts to provide fog light output. Further it includes automatic high beams and a head lamp washing system, both also great for not blinding other drivers. It is a complex integrated system, not just a couple of HID bulbs shoved in front of a reflector as a $100 kit is.
areyouin - If you want to upgrade your existing Halogens there aren't many good options. You can go with aftermarket HIDs - but please be sure they are aimed down so as not to blind others. You could replace your halogens with some whiter ones (Philips Crystal Vision are a good compromise) but you risk losing light output. Last option, you could retrofit Mercedes factory HID headlights - but that will be extremely costly. Probably best to leave alone unless you have money to burn. I wish I had the lighting package myself. I've installed the Crystal Vision halogens & a set of AZN Optics LEDs to get rid of that yellow look. Works for me.
Last edited by acr2001; 12-22-2011 at 02:33 PM.
12-22-2011, 04:20 PM
#9
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Another option is to retrofit true HID projectors, then add HID kit. I know one guy on here retrofit his C class with S2000 projectors (one of the best in the market) and then threw on an aftermarket HID kit. Cheaper than lighting package, with great performance and clean cutoffs.
12-22-2011, 05:33 PM
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2004 Volvo XC70; 2012 GLK 350 4matic
Factory original is still the best. Expensive on the assembly line. Less expensive than retrofitting. It only took one drive around the neighborhood the night we got our new GLK to understand the difference between halogens and Bi-Xenons.
Wayne
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12-22-2011, 06:45 PM
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2012 C300 4Matic
Another option is to retrofit true HID projectors, then add HID kit. I know one guy on here retrofit his C class with S2000 projectors (one of the best in the market) and then threw on an aftermarket HID kit. Cheaper than lighting package, with great performance and clean cutoffs.
These idiots with their blue aftermarket HIDs pointed at my windshield just make me grouchy. I saw a guy yesterday who had a *REALLY* bright idea - he decided that his blue HIDs (pointed up) weren't putting out enough light. Solution? Replace high beam bulbs with yellow HIDs and keep them on at all times, while driving around NYC. It's good that I don't carry a gun.
12-22-2011, 06:45 PM
#13
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http://i1.lelong.com.my/Malaysia/-08...yee1986@12.jpg
http://images01.olx.com/ui/1/88/34/398434_1.jpg
http://www.hipropower.com/img/hppw/h...p95xs96xsr.jpg
These are all halogen bulbs. It doesn't matter if it says WITH XENON ADDED or H.I.D. or whatever (I've seen these at auto zone).
If you were sold a car equipped with "XENON" lights and you get THOSE...
Nobody refers to those bulbs as xenons. Except shady Malaysian companies using it to confuse the idiots among us...
