3vil3d

Hey Folks,

Does the C32 in the US have a different config to the one in Australia?

Based in Oz - I figured I start tweaking my C32 myself with a tiny/gentle little project..change the licence plate light - how hard could it be right?

Bought these from ebay...thought they'd fit - looked like they'd plug right in. But I when open the light cover up - it's not plug and play - rather it's an ?old fashioned? housing with a traditional/replaceable filament bulb.

So my question - would these have fitted in a 2002 US C32 - and just not the Oz one? Or did I buy the wrong thing?

chris.bachman

My 2004 has the same housing as you. Check with Jbspeed for a replacement unit that will work. They ship anywhere in the world.

MIKESV8

I would've just gone with the led bulbs.so much easier to install and they look amazing.

chris.bachman

I have LED replacement bulbs. They won't last as long as the full replacement unit.

JUAN CASAUS

I replaced the whole unit and have had zero issues. I got it from eBay a while back. Kind of a PITA to install though.

moosejaw

YOu could modify that ebay one to fit but youwould have to do some splicing.
Or you can extract the bulb from it and put it in your stock one.

If you are not comfortable with it, get the JB Speed ones.
I have those on my E Cinco Cinco.

JonMBZ

I have those ones I didn't install them myself, but the tech told me they were not that simple to put in as I thought. I do get a bulb error warning quite often, but they still work.

Apox

Got mine from some site I don't remember the name of. Built in resistors to bypass the bulb errors. Sadly it was the entire housing, so I had to take off the panels and stuff to install it. I don't think MB could have made it more of a nuisance to install new license plate housings if they tried.
Worth it though, car looks so much more luxury when done

saer1one

Same as everyone else.. I bought a set from JB Speed.. Fits like a glove with no issues or error lights..

walee112

Sorry to bring this back from the dead. But has the excessive brightness bothered you guys? have any of your done anything to make the lens opaque so that less light is emitted? I love the color but hate the brightness...

Anyways, here's my contribution. Do the JB speed lights emit this much light too?

MIKESV8

From experience and what I've seen, replacing the whole housing will make it that bright. Just replacing the bulbs and switching them out with LED bulbs will not be that bright, it gives the perfect hint of white or blue IMO. I've done it on all my cars.

maverik259

thats the nature of LEDs brother...they just are a lot brighter than halogen unless you control them with a voltage regulator, but then you are gonna start throwing codes

ricecooker713

The brightness never bothered me. Their almost to the point where it's hard to read the license plate numbers at times.

Streets look like San Francisco, is that where you are located?

cldriver

Yeah, they were too bright so I spray tinted mine and its just right.

JonMBZ

what spray tint did you use?

cldriver

R/C car spray tint from Pactra.

I didn't need that much paint to tint it and I had some lying around, so didn't want to buy a whole large can of whatever spray tint used for normal head/tail lights.

JonMBZ

Cool thanks for the info, I am going to buy a new set sooner or later because I still have the same stupid flickering and bulb off warnings and bulb failure issue.

walee112

Yep, San Francisco!


I've been looking into this spray tint stuff too.. I bought some ebay tail light tint film, and it just turns it yellow! A little bit of yellowing is okay, but I'd hate for the color to the same as the halogens

How did the RC spray tint affect the coloration?

cldriver

No yellowing, its been a year.

Accidental L8 apex

So, we're buying LEDs for the plates to make them brighter, but they're too bright so then we spray-tint them?

walee112

For me, I wanted whiter. I would get the led bulbs since they wouldn't be as bright, but everyone says they die after a few months and that we're better off getting the LED housing.

Can anyone speak on the life span of the LED bulbs?

MIKESV8

Have you seen a sexy black C55 with a black grille driving around the city? That'd be my old one not to be a stalker or anything, but I have pics of your car parked I think in the city.