jgro1976

Ok, so I've read a million posts and threads on this topic, and there's a lot of information to sort though and I'd like to clarify a couple of points on updating factory halogens to the factory xenon headlights.

My car will have the factory Halogens, so this means that even though it's a '99, it will NOT have the harness or connectors for the self leveling system?

I need to run the 35w xenons, not the 55w?

As long as I can source the factory xenon housings with ignitors, it should be a simple plug/play operation, but without the self leveling system? Is there still a way to manually adjust the light?

You need to update the fuse from 15a to 25a?

Do you actually have to have something changed in the computer to designate that the car now has xenons vs halogens?

I'm a little bummed that it doesn't have the factory option, but the car is a single owner vehicle with '98k on the clock, that I can't pass up.

Look forward to your confirmations

nd4spd13

Hope this helps some!

jgro1976

So basically, it's plug and play, but not that simple of a plug/play operation, mainly due to the leveling system.

*sigh*

Would you pass on a single owner car simply because it didn't have those two options that would in no way effect the driving experience?

nd4spd13

Personally, after owning a C36 the xenons were really nice to have. Realistically, they're not a ton better, and when they screw up, which mine almost always have, they're stupidly pricey. I would not pass on an otherwise good car because of it though. There are many good xenon and bi-xenon kits out there to replicate the look and visibility, plus they will be a ton cheaper to fix. If you have oodles of time to search for the perfect C43 (i.e. months or a year+ even) , and that's all you want, I would wait, but in every other scenario the one you've found seems great.

jgro1976

That's kind of the decision I've come to, buy the car, because it's an otherwise pristine example of a C43. The missing options won't affect the performance or comfort of the car that much, I've just gotten used to these features in my current car.

Worse case, I buy this one, and if I'm either not able to live with it, or find another one down the road, buy that one and sell this one.

Thank you for your objective input

mbsickness

I did the upgrade on both a 94 C280 and a 96 C36. The Ballast in these cars is located behind the bumper so make sure to get this external part.

jgro1976

mbsickness, how did you manage to handle the auto leveling and/or manually adjusting the lights?

mbsickness

The auto leveling is non-functioning....the level is stationary. The aiming adjustments are still there so you simply aim your lights properly and leave them alone.

jgro1976

Oh, that's fine then, that's what I was worried about. So basically:

Source xenon headlight housings with ballasts
Install headlight housings with ballasts
Change fuse

Enjoy xenon?

jgro1976

I don't think this is for the right bulb type, but has anyone ever used one of these in conjunction with the halogen housing, with a xenon lens to provide the correct cutoff?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Caspers-Electronics-103016-HID-Shield-for-H4-/200810572121?pt=Other_Vehicle_Parts&hash=item2ec13e2959&vxp=mtr

mbsickness

Correct.

503C43 ////AMG

You are talking $1,200+ to do this conversion. You will need the ballast, bulbs, and glass (leveling system optional).

I would suggest going with the glass and a nice morimoto 3five or 5five set up and save yourself $800+

jgro1976

Thanks Jason, I'm about to sign a deal on a really clean '99 C43, only 93K on the clock, essentially a single owner car. The only downside is the lack of the auto wipers (I've read these can be retrofit) and xenon. I'm fine with manual adjustments, as well as just doing the glass, but more concerned with the bulb cutoff line and not getting excessive glare for oncoming drivers.

If just the lens helps to eliminate glare, then that's good.

503C43 ////AMG

The glass aids in the proper cutoff for HID. Here is a link to a members web page that did the conversion, it is very detailed and has a TON of pics. He has listed the costs for the parts, at the time it was $1,084 per side for the OEM reflectors new. I have seen them for around $1200 for both used.

http://kropf.net/w202/headlamps/

His name on here is Kropf

Hope this helps

jgro1976

Amazing information, thanks Jason! I'll let ya know as soon as I get him home, love to meet up.

I've seen a silver, lowered on 18" monoblock IIs in the NW area of Portland, do you know if they're on here as well?

jgro1976

Ah, THIS is what I've been looking for. Enough searching, and you shall find.

Imagine they'll be a bit more expensive to have shipped over, but if I do the whole kit shipping is free:

http://www.hids4u.co.uk/h7r-anti-gla...hid-bulbs.html

H7 HID bulb WITH their own patented glare shield to prevent light from reflecting off of the bottom of the headlight housing.

So, lenses, these bulbs and the ballast kit and I'm set.

503C43 ////AMG

He is but not often. I passed him a couple months ago and he wound up PMing me on here later that day.

jgro1976

Cool, once I get mine I was gonna drop him a note on his car since we live in the same neighborhood.

ECTurboGSX

Do you mean headlight wipers or the actual auto wiping sensor for the main windshield wiper? I've never seen the auto wiper as an option.

jgro1976

The auto wiping sensor for the windshield wipers, it came with the factory xenon package.

ECTurboGSX

Perhaps on another year, but my 98 does not have Xenons and I have the auto sensing wiper.

jgro1976

Interesting, do you have the headlight wipers?

ECTurboGSX

Yes, I have headlight wipers. I may be wrong, but I don't think HID's were an option in 98

jgro1976

That's very possible as well, I haven't looked at many '98s as I specifically wanted a '99.

nd4spd13

98' here with factory HIDs and the auto wipers, and all xenon cars came with headlight wipers.