ncmb007

I am very new to this forum. Thank you very much for helping me out in advance.

I am in the market for a 2012 C class in RDU, NC area. All the dealers I have visited have no C with lighting package. I find the stock light is extremly unappealing. Is after market lighting easy to get and installed?

Test drove C350 and C250. Find C250 has a better ban for the money. I did not get a chance to drive C300 Matic, none of this dealers have one stocked.

Year ending now, should be a good time to get a good deal. How much dicount can I get from the dealer to be considered as a killer deal? (Invoice price? or certain percentage off MSRP?)

Thanks guys

James

Kaewen

Hi James, you are better off getting the lightning package when you order.
You would not be able to retro fit the current lightning package to one that does not have it. There are the connectors and also the programming for the lightning package which you would have to sort out.

And installing HIDs into reflector housings irritates oncoming drivers....

Hope that helps.

Glyn M Ruck

You can retrofit the Bix with self leveling etc. But the price of doing so is very high compared with ordering the car that way. Around US$4000 to retrofit.

I would order what you want & wait.

ncmb007

Thanks guys for your input. That is very helpful. I think I am better off do a E.D. so I can get the lighting package. Thanks again.

MBRedux

Earlier in the week, you unknowingly posted the same questions on the C-Coupe thread instead of here on the C-Sedan thread, but the answer remains the same. Here is the explanation off the C-Coupe thread once again .

"Believe it or not, the reason it's hard to find a 2012 C-250 or C-300 with Xenon's in the USA is because the plant that made them was in Japan and was severely damaged by the earthquake and tsunami. The limited availability of the lights made them mostly available on only the higher end, fully equipped C-350's. However, you're on the Coupe thread... there is no such thing as a C-300 coupe."

DameMD

I was quoted $1300 per light with an employee discount (friend works at MB dealership). Some people, like myself, could not wait to have this car ordered. January-March was delivery time. I picked my car up beginning of Oct.

If what you are saying is true, I for one will take the hit and order the Bi-Xenons when the do become available, if it is possible to retro-fit. After finally seeing some pics of the C with lighting package I really wish I could have waited.

Glyn M Ruck

BiX can be retrofit to all Benz models. Benz provides kits. Some just fit the lights. Others do it properly with the auto levelling. The only slight cramp is pulling the extra wiring harness. Requires a fair bit of disassembly of the car.

ncmb007

I was trying to do an European Delivery. So with 7% discount, I think it is better than what dealer gave me 5.5% off MSRP + that $875 Destination&delivery charge if they ordered it for me. I have a BMW. So they have a conquest discount for $2000 on top of that. But I was told that E.D will not honor this $2000 and get this, even I order it now with them, the $2000 conquest discount might not be there when my car is here. That is total a blow-off for me. I am holding off my order. MB E.D. program not that attractive anyway, be honest. no round trip tickets. Audi, Volve, and BMW all provide round trip tickets for 2!! Darn it, C class is giving me such a headach with those Lights!!

MDMercedesGuy

The lighting package is available if you order. It will delay your order though - so you need to be patient.

As I was told, they are only allowing x number of production slots with Xenons through per week for production. After that allocation is used up, any orders have to be bounced to the next week. I ordered in October, and my car is slated to be built at the end of January.

I'm not 100% sure if this is true, but it makes sense to me.

MBRedux

It is true... only the very first production run had these issues, thus the initial shortage for cars currently on dealer lots. Now that they are on their third, parts, especially the Bi-Xenons are in good supply.

AdidasC230

Most of us dealers got P024 intro package cars in which HIDs are not included (mainly C250s), and no one really has been requesting HIDs in these cars, nor have they been on W203 and W204 (based on there lack of avail on used cars) so most dealers dont order them on intro base C classes. You will be more likly to find it on a 350 sedan and coupe or a 300 sedan, they dont seem to be equiped with the P24 as much. Also as Redux said the plant is also behind, due to supply. But we have over 70 C classes 60 of em are C250s and none have it, and we havent done a single dealer trade for one with em, so that should show you how low thier demand is (we sold over 100 C classes in the past 2 months). Your best bet would be to order the car or have them locate you one, although that may be quite hard as most dealers have the same stock like u in RDU and we do here P024 intro C250s

Glyn M Ruck

There are two bottle necks in the MB system at present. LHD Lighting packages from all plants & air suspension/handling kit for the ML out of Tuscaloosa. There is no delay on RHD BiX.

mac911

Honestly, I know there may be a bottleneck with ordering Lighting package. In terms of finding one on the lot, they just don't put the lighting package on many US Mercs when not standard. Honestly, the past 4 years I've had a Mercedes, it's HARD to find a C Class or SLK Class or even E Class with the lighting package on the lot. Big mistake I think.

I have lighting on my 2008 C300. My SLK doesn't have it, and I really wish it did!

MBRedux

Fully agree... come on MB... you can find more Kia's on the lot with Xenons than you can find Benz's!

Glyn M Ruck

I agree - There are two deal breakers for me with Benz. It must have BiX & it must have Parktronic.

ncmb007

Thank you so much for the info. Very informative comment!! Looks like you work for a dealer. As I mentioned above, do you think E.D. is a better deal ( I mean money wise)? I got only 7% off right, and that is it, no more discount? Or should I order one from the dealer. Are they able to give me a better deal? What is the point order from the dealer if their price is not better then the E.D.? I know my dealer price won't beat E.D. Thanks. I have never owned a MB before, really don't know how MB dealers work. A true newbie!! Thanks agin guys!!

AdidasC230

To be honest the 2012 is a new model so there not laying out huge discounts on them year end or not. MB corp has leases out right now that kind of sets the pace for them, I usually see cars sold at invoice. Unless you purchase today, dealers arent going to bend over backwards unless its for this month.

nzkaveman

Being a bit lazy here but would anyone be able to post some comparison pix between standard vs BiX?

MDMercedesGuy

There are plenty of other threads out there showing that they ARE discounting them below invoice if you are willing to haggle. Truecar shows this as well. I got mine at a good clip below invoice with about 35 or so 2011s sitting on the lot at my individual dealer.

jctevere

I got my C250 coupe with the lighting package, and a pretty hefty discount on it too since everyone wanted the base ones. :-)