Euro headlight options for E500
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Euro headlight options for E500
Hello all!
I just purchased a 1994 E500 and I am looking to change the headlights to a projector type lens and retrofit xenons. I DO NOT want the cheap "crystal" types we see on ebay. Does Hella make a Euro lens with a projector low beam? I've been looking all over the place but I can't seem to find one. Thanks!
I just purchased a 1994 E500 and I am looking to change the headlights to a projector type lens and retrofit xenons. I DO NOT want the cheap "crystal" types we see on ebay. Does Hella make a Euro lens with a projector low beam? I've been looking all over the place but I can't seem to find one. Thanks!
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Newbie
Joined: Oct 2006
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Car is being shipped
I don't have any pics of the car yet. I just bought it off ebay, and I should be getting it in about 2 weeks. In the mean time, I've just been investigating some possible mods. I love xenon headlights, so I'm trying to figure out the best way to go about it. Here is the link of the ebay auction if you wish to see the car. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Merce...42920083QQrdZ1
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'87 260E
No projectors from OE manufacturers. Buy a stock Euro headlights then put in Xenons, H4's for the headlights & H3's for the fog lamps. Better if you can find H4's with Lo/Hi beam & pass light. Works like a stock headlight.
Last edited by Lorinser880; Oct 16, 2006 at 02:51 PM.
Super Member
Joined: May 2003
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From: Boise, ID, USA
300D, 500E, E420
Why not get the correct E500 Euro headlights, then install relays, heavy gauge wire, and Rally bulbs? That's what I have on my '94 and the output is astounding... has to be equal to HID in terms of lumens output. You have to get the lights from Germany, like from Speed-Autoteile.com, they are different from the standard W124 Euros.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,213
Likes: 5
From: Kirkland, WA
500E Signal Rot
If you install HID's in a halogen light assembly, you never will have usable light, a usable HID beam cut off and you will be blinding on-coming traffic. Stay away from this type of ghetto modification.
So, you can get a aftermarket headlight with a clear lense and do your retro fit (like I did) or you can use the bosch or hella euros and modify them. The kicker to modifing the bosch or hellas is that you need to polish out the flutting in the lense, this is the only usable solution. It is time consuming and expensive, but can be done
http://kamran1860.tripod.com/n_xenon_e.htm
This is the best HID retro I have seen to date, I believe he spent around $400 to have the lenses polished.
So, you can get a aftermarket headlight with a clear lense and do your retro fit (like I did) or you can use the bosch or hella euros and modify them. The kicker to modifing the bosch or hellas is that you need to polish out the flutting in the lense, this is the only usable solution. It is time consuming and expensive, but can be done
http://kamran1860.tripod.com/n_xenon_e.htm
This is the best HID retro I have seen to date, I believe he spent around $400 to have the lenses polished.
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Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 356
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From: Glendale, AZ
'95 E420 SE
I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I have a '95 E420 and it has been suggested that I should upgrade my headlights to E500 lights (one of my stockers is cracked). The question I have is this: should I be looking to try and buy an OEM set of E500 lights and whatever wiring, relays, etc. that need to go with them or is there a QUALITY aftermarket alternative? I like the projecter style setup, but so far most of those setups look pretty sketchy quality-wise and I do not have the time to build a hybrid setup like was shown in a previous thread (nice work though).
TIA for any words of wisdom.
TIA for any words of wisdom.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,213
Likes: 5
From: Kirkland, WA
500E Signal Rot
Your going to pay a premium for E500 specific euro lights, now on the other hand, for the regular W124 euros, you can pick these up for a much better price. Quality is in the order listed, from best to worst.
1. Bosch
2. Hella
3. Tyc
4. Asian projectors.
1. Bosch
2. Hella
3. Tyc
4. Asian projectors.
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'87 260E
If you install HID's in a halogen light assembly, you never will have usable light, a usable HID beam cut off and you will be blinding on-coming traffic. Stay away from this type of ghetto modification.
So, you can get a aftermarket headlight with a clear lense and do your retro fit (like I did) or you can use the bosch or hella euros and modify them. The kicker to modifing the bosch or hellas is that you need to polish out the flutting in the lense, this is the only usable solution. It is time consuming and expensive, but can be done
http://kamran1860.tripod.com/n_xenon_e.htm
This is the best HID retro I have seen to date, I believe he spent around $400 to have the lenses polished.
So, you can get a aftermarket headlight with a clear lense and do your retro fit (like I did) or you can use the bosch or hella euros and modify them. The kicker to modifing the bosch or hellas is that you need to polish out the flutting in the lense, this is the only usable solution. It is time consuming and expensive, but can be done
http://kamran1860.tripod.com/n_xenon_e.htm
This is the best HID retro I have seen to date, I believe he spent around $400 to have the lenses polished.
Euro headlight with HID's work's fine with me, Low & High beams, w/ Pass light. It's all weather, white w/yellow, so driving in the rain or fog is never a problem. Blinding oncoming traffic is not an issue, you can simply adjust the beam. Best thing about it, no modification & it's easy to install.
Last edited by Lorinser880; Nov 4, 2006 at 02:23 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,213
Likes: 5
From: Kirkland, WA
500E Signal Rot
I did something similar in my 190, but never got a clean cut off for the HID, the halogen fluting throughs the light all over, I never knew how bad it was till I picked up my TSX with HID.
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From: San Diego Californ-i-a
89 300TE, and 68 280sel
I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I have a '95 E420 and it has been suggested that I should upgrade my headlights to E500 lights (one of my stockers is cracked). The question I have is this: should I be looking to try and buy an OEM set of E500 lights and whatever wiring, relays, etc. that need to go with them or is there a QUALITY aftermarket alternative? I like the projecter style setup, but so far most of those setups look pretty sketchy quality-wise and I do not have the time to build a hybrid setup like was shown in a previous thread (nice work though).
TIA for any words of wisdom.
TIA for any words of wisdom.
STick with the OE!
