C36 AMG, C43 AMG (W202) 1995 - 2000

Installing C43 HIDs on non-HID C43

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Old May 15, 2008 | 08:32 PM
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Installing C43 HIDs on non-HID C43

Anyone done it?? Or know how hard it is? Im most likely pickin one up on Monday or maybe even sooner and it doesnt have HIDs.
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Old May 15, 2008 | 08:34 PM
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my 1st mod, and it was GREAT! clean cut off.........
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Old May 15, 2008 | 08:44 PM
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REALLY??? What kit did you use?? OEM? Just straight splice or what'd you do??
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Old May 15, 2008 | 09:03 PM
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if you go with oem you have to install the sensors on the suspension (pass side front and rear) along with run all the wire, this is for the auto adjusting feature. you should also have a tought time finding where to mount the ballasts. i ordered/installed a set of HID's on my 97 c280 but they didnt come with the sensors so it wasnt that hard of an install. got the headlights (new) from bekkers.com, or rather an ebay ad that bekkers had placed to move old inventory. they no longer carry the HID direct replacement headlights for 202's anymore.
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Old May 15, 2008 | 09:29 PM
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Originally Posted by SeeKlasse
if you go with oem you have to install the sensors on the suspension (pass side front and rear) along with run all the wire, this is for the auto adjusting feature. you should also have a tought time finding where to mount the ballasts. i ordered/installed a set of HID's on my 97 c280 but they didnt come with the sensors so it wasnt that hard of an install. got the headlights (new) from bekkers.com, or rather an ebay ad that bekkers had placed to move old inventory. they no longer carry the HID direct replacement headlights for 202's anymore.
So what you just said was....pretty much....nothing, hahahah. Do you know who carries em now? Or any other alternatives?
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Old May 16, 2008 | 01:14 AM
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'98 C43 AMG. Obsidian Blk w/2 tone slvr/blk interior
what im saying is if you buy actual c43 hid's youre gonna have to deal with installing those sensors amongst other things. but id you buy a prefab w202 headlight set with hid in there, they COULD be bosch like the ones i bought and you dont have to deal with as much crap... i have no idea who carries em now, maybe email www.bekkers.com and see if they can find you a set like the ones they sold me. be prepared to spend almost 1000 with shipping.
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Old May 16, 2008 | 02:22 AM
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Yeah, I get ya. Well, I found an HID kit on ebay. $300. Seems pretty complete and efficient. Thanks.
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Old May 16, 2008 | 11:51 AM
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i got one kit off ebay....... paid something like 120 bux..... i've had it in the benz for 3 years now... no issues. theres no splicing, the only custom part of the job is actually drilling the bulb cover..... everything else is just plug and play....
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Old May 16, 2008 | 06:54 PM
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Originally Posted by MBHustla858
i got one kit off ebay....... paid something like 120 bux..... i've had it in the benz for 3 years now... no issues. theres no splicing, the only custom part of the job is actually drilling the bulb cover..... everything else is just plug and play....
I got mine for $72 shipped. No problems. Only drilling the bulb cover as well.
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Old May 29, 2008 | 02:23 PM
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98 C43
Is the lense of the headlight different on the C43's with HID's installed from the factory? My C43 did not come with HID's from the factory. If I want to add HID's will I have to change the lense and/or headlight housing?

TIA!
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Old May 29, 2008 | 04:36 PM
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s/c 99 c43 amg
Originally Posted by Lensolo
I got mine for $72 shipped. No problems. Only drilling the bulb cover as well.
what you guys mean by drilling the bulb cover
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Old May 29, 2008 | 07:31 PM
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the round plastic cover that you pop off to replace the bulb, for example. you have to drill a hole in it to run the wires in from the HID ballast since there is no room for a ballast inside the headlight assembly.

you do not have to buy any special lenses or reflectors, when you purchase a HID kit its just plug and play, kinda like replacing the bulb with a new noe, except the new bulb is a HID bulb.
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Old May 29, 2008 | 10:35 PM
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what does a hid look like pictures, Thanks,
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Old May 29, 2008 | 10:57 PM
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'98 C43 AMG. Obsidian Blk w/2 tone slvr/blk interior
the light or the bulb assembly?

if it helps, HID lights emit a white-blue light that is very clean looking, you notice these types of headlights most frequently on high-end cars as you may have seen on the road.

HID lights require a ballast to power them, as they step-up the voltage many times to create an arc through the gas element, causing it to glow. HID's are more energy efficient (give off more lumens per watt than standard incandescent bulbs) but you may have to upgrade your fuse to accomodate the larger spike in current upon firing, which then levels out to about half or 2/3rd of the current use that the original non HID light was using.

for example, you have a 7.5 amp fuse for your headlight/s. standard headlamps use about 6 amps consistently. when you fire up a HID light it uses more than 10 amps, sometimes up to 13, and then lowers to even out at about 4 or 5 amps. so even though your new healights use less power thay initially draw more power so you may have to upgrade your fuses to accomodate this effect.
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Old May 30, 2008 | 11:22 AM
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Originally Posted by Richee
Anyone done it?? Or know how hard it is? Im most likely pickin one up on Monday or maybe even sooner and it doesnt have HIDs.
Have you bought or fitted them yet? Make sure you buy a H1 coversion kit its much easier than fitting the original MB parts as I think you will need the complete headlamp units. I feel that 6000k is best I paid £80 from ebay and also did the bumper fog lamps which was a little bit more difficult to secure the ballasts in a good place.


Mine were very easy about an hour to do a properly and secure the ballasts on the inner wings and drill holes through the lamp covers.

My auto level adjust works fine (it do not have auto its just the control knob below the lights switch)
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Old May 30, 2008 | 11:47 AM
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Originally Posted by £ C43 £ AMG £
Have you bought or fitted them yet? Make sure you buy a H1 coversion kit its much easier than fitting the original MB parts as I think you will need the complete headlamp units. I feel that 6000k is best I paid £80 from ebay and also did the bumper fog lamps which was a little bit more difficult to secure the ballasts in a good place.


Mine were very easy about an hour to do a properly and secure the ballasts on the inner wings and drill holes through the lamp covers.

My auto level adjust works fine (it do not have auto its just the control knob below the lights switch)
i thought our head lights were H7 at least thats what the guide says, cuz thats what i ordered.
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Old May 30, 2008 | 01:33 PM
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i hope what i ordered fit, cuz i dont feel like returning them, i ordered H7 6000k
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Old May 30, 2008 | 06:01 PM
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'98 C43 AMG. Obsidian Blk w/2 tone slvr/blk interior
lucky ******* has the eurospec c43 with the manual leveling headlights...

can u post a pic of your HID foglamps in action? id definitely be interested in doing that at some point.
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Old May 30, 2008 | 06:58 PM
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1999 C43 AMG
Originally Posted by e30t387
i hope what i ordered fit, cuz i dont feel like returning them, i ordered H7 6000k
hey, did we meet at the dublin meet? is your c43 black with supercharger? just wondering...
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Old May 31, 2008 | 12:12 PM
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s/c 99 c43 amg
Originally Posted by svt ricco
hey, did we meet at the dublin meet? is your c43 black with supercharger? just wondering...
no i didnt go to that meet
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Old Jun 2, 2008 | 05:26 AM
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Originally Posted by e30t387
i thought our head lights were H7 at least thats what the guide says, cuz thats what i ordered.


Sorry for the wrong info......... your right the H1 are the fog lamps. The H7 is for the headlamp.
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Old Jun 2, 2008 | 11:17 AM
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s/c 99 c43 amg
Originally Posted by £ C43 £ AMG £
Sorry for the wrong info......... your right the H1 are the fog lamps. The H7 is for the headlamp.
NO problem i put em in saturday took me about 15 mins, they look great, i just ordered a slim kit for the fogs now.
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