Ross

Does anyone know how much the 2003 Bixenon headlamp cost?

vodc4

expect to pay around 2000 (includes the installtion)

dfc

You should try ebay.de, they occassionally have good stuff for MB's at significan't cheaper cost. Be sure to use a good translator.

--=-=-==[ 03' C32 AMG ]==-=-=--

bagwell

I got mine thru this guy --

Steve (MBenz) [s_krabbenborg@hotmail.com] he's a mederator over at benzworld.com

$900 shipped.

I installed myself....not that hard...I'm not a mechanic or anything.

they are completely plug and play (if you presently have halogen you are required to have the computer set to XENON - PRESENT...but they'll still work...have to turn them on for approx 10 secs b4 starting the car)

Harris

If you buy it from your local parts department, its US$2800 excluding installation.

bagwell

damn....I might have to auction mine off!!!

av2

Will they work on non-xexon equiped cars? "They'll still work..." Do they work perfectly as stock Xexons? I really want to pick up a set of these lights. Please, more details!

bajaiman

Yes, the Bi-Xenon will work on the non xenon W203, all you have to do is just to replace the OEM headlights with the OEM Bi-Xenon headlights, like Bagwell said...its just plug and play.

I got mine from the same guy, the headlights have some minor imperfections ... such as some really really small scratches which quite hard to detect unless you look at them close up.

rrf

If you go from non-Xenon W203 to either Xenon setup they will work plug-n-play. BUT you will not have "auto-leveling" because the non-Xenon cars save a few bucks by not including the leveling sensors and harness. That is OK though. People say the sensors/harness is not worth the trouble. You just adjust the lamps as normal lamps are usually done.

Also need to visit dealer and have system set to Xenon=PRESENT.
There can be a small fee for that ($25 or so).

Taucher

If I already have Xenons on my 2002, will I have to do anything besides the install? I'm starting to think I might get them. TIA

rrf

If you have Xenons already:
Install, (not for the non-mechanical) and align. That is it.
I did all the work myself, including the alignment. In all it is a fun project but do-able.

Alignment is simply turning a plastic screw as they point down the street. I picked a car about 1/10 mile away and lit his door with the main beam, but not his window. No biggie.

rrf

BTW, someone somewhere asked if the "clang" noise the Bi-Xenons make when going from low to high beams is "normal". My Bi-xenons do it too. Apparently it is the reflector plate that drives the high beams going into and out of position as needed.

av2

Hi Folks,
I just purchased a pair of Bi-Xenons. I would like to try and install the lights myself and just have the dealership program the setting. What things do I have to look out for? Can someone that installed the lights please explain? Some people said the front bumper must be removed, is this true? Thanks.

bajaiman

Somebody (SLKBoy I think) in this forum did a documentation on how to replace the factory headlights to Bi-xenon. Its not hard to install the bi-xenon, took me about 1-1.5 hour. You do have to remove the bumper … its not hard tho…there’s only 4 screws and 2 brackets that hold the bumper. Good luck

Heres the link:
http://www.jimmyhwang.com/hid2.htm

bagwell

I did NOT remove the bumper entirely - just did one side at a time...its much easier and safer !

for those that need to have the computer settings changed - to XENON - 'PRESENT' - I'm 99% sure that your svc advisor/dealer will have no clue what you are talking about - I have the DAS computer screens in a M-Word document if you want it.




bajaiman /// how much did it cost you for shipping to beautiful Sydney ???? USD

bajaiman

Bagwell….I think I paid the same amount as you to ship to my beautiful Sydney , its the same price that Steve quoted in his posts in benzsport. How do you like your bi-xenon?, I really like mine quite a lot and I think it makes my car look “unique” for the time being as not many people have bi-xenon here in Sydney.

bagwell

love the BI-XENONS !!!

looks unique/updated/way more modern/clean


oh and did I mention the awesome light output from the HID projector lenses !!!


beautiful !

I think I'm actually going to keep the car in spite of the probs I've had, until the warranty runs out...then that's it !!

rrf

Living in the city, I don't get to use the high-beams often.

Came up behind a slow moving fellow in the fast lane on the freeway and stayed patiently behind him for about one mile.
Finally I had enough, so to give him the hint I flashed him with the Bi-s. Let's just say that got his attention, and he pulled into the #2 lane pronto. BTW when the lamps came on, it lit up his interior like day and I could just about read his speedo! Use them judiciously.

bagwell

hehhehe....

these things are the brightest I've ever seen or used.....unbelievable lite when you click on the hi-beams !!!!!
DO NOT GET IN FRONT OF ME AT NITE IN THE FAST LANE !!!

Harris

Yep, the reflector works brilliantly!!

antonio

hey bajaiman, how do you like the remus exhaust? does it have a nice sound or is it loud? also, curious to see what the cl grill looks like. do you have any pics and how did you install it? thanks.

bajaiman

My Remus exhaust sounds quite nice but a bit too quiet for my taste, its not loud at all....if my Remus can sound just a little bit louder then its gonna be perfect ....maybe i should remove my resonator. You'll find plenty of info about W203 CL type grill if you search in the forum but if you wanna see the picture you can go to W203 picture thread as I have posted pics of my car a few days back. To install the grill...pretty easy...can't tell you how but if you search in the forum you'll find one...it only took me less than 10 minutes to do.

hantzis

I just talked with my dealer about bi-xenon's for my 04 c32. Since I bought the car at the same location, they said they will give me a good deal on the purchase and install. And the price? $3,000. Someone said $2k from an MB dealer... Are these guys trying to screw me?

cschow

This is kind of strange actually.

First off, from my understanding, due to changes from last year, it is forbidden for a -dealer- to upgrade headlamps from halogens to any form of HID lights. This restriction does not apply to non-dealer shops, however.

Of course, with the C32 there is the complication that the dealer computer must be used to set XENON=PRESENT if the car originally came with halogens. Knowing all of this when I did my bi-xenon upgrade last year, I asked a service advisor at a local dealer whether they would do the light upgrade to me. THe service advisor said yes, but wanted to check with the parts guy about pricing, but the SA thought the lights would be 1500/side = 3000. The parts guy knew that they weren't allowed to do the upgrade, and referred me to a shop. I then bought from the recommended shop, knowing that it cost more than what I could have gotten them for, but it was only because of that recommendation that I was able to get the techs to set up the XENON=PRESENT computer setting.

So if you're getting charged 1500/side for bi-xenon lights only, you are getting ripped in a major way. Whats often unsaid is that if you had factory HIDs they would have come with a mandated leveling sensors, as well as a larger washer fluid bottle and a headlamp washing system. Noone ever retrofits these when they do HIDs because supposely the cost is prohibitive. Although I often wonder why some leveling sensors, a wiring harness, some pumps, tubing, and a new plastic bottle would cost so much. But I couldn't even get the dealer last year to discuss a pricing for all of this. If your 1500/side price includes all of these accessories, then you've likely got a good deal.

In any case, there is no harm to setting XENON=PRESENT even before you have HIDs, so get the dealer to do at least that ASAP. Then you can sit back and determine where you want to source the lights from.

Kev04C320

For new Bixenons, dealer usually can charge some where between 1100-1300 per side.

If they give you a quote of 3000 excluding installation, the price might seem a little high.