xudeck

I am just about this close to purchase DEPO headlamps for my 1988 300E. I am also planning to go the HID route. Just wondering, if anyone has done HID conversions on their cars and if anyone has some advice etc. I also have a couple of questions

1) What kind of bulbs are used on the euro headlights? 9004? H1? For Low beam and High Beam and also what kind for the Fog Lamps (might as well)
2) Best brand out there?
3) Brand with a good price?
4) What color temperature is most liked by members out here?
5) Are after market HID's street legal?
6) Will it hurt oncoming traffic? (don't want to do that)
7) Anyone with good deals to offer?

Thanks in advance


Fezz

mgw_300e

there are a bunch of threads on this - a few of the guys have done this, really well.

myfirstbenz

NONONO, avoid DEPO's! Get TYC. I have had both and I have depos right now, and the quality is better in TYC. Buy the euros from Katmac.

I had an HID euro setup in my 400E then moved them into my TE when I rolled that car.... I love the setup , and the light is not offensive. There are many aftermarket HID kits, but some are better than others, some offer high low beam, and I had this, a magnetic sheild moved when I hit the highs to change the dirrection of the light up. I would avoid this, since eurolights come with vaccum adjustment in them , you don't really need the high-low HID's, buy the vaccum switch for the headlighs and then use that to adjust to a high beam. One of my HID bulbs burnt out probaly due to the wreck, so I have to buy a new replacement set... not a priority now so I am back to hallogens until the summer.

I had 6000k, this is closer to the factory color and one of the colors closer to the sun. I miss my HID's so much, especially in foul weather.

Euro's use H4/9006 bulbs.

myfirstbenz

Matt, what bulbs are you running, that is a great shot in you sig.

xudeck

Hmm...I can get DEPO's for 150 and TYC's for 250, and my budget allows me for DEPO's. I'll go with DEPO's for now and maybe later on for TYC's when I get a newer w124. But HID's are a must where I live in Canada with all the snow storms that we have to come across. I shall also try and read up on the HID stuff that other members have posted.

Regards
Fezz

mgw_300e

Thanks!
Silverstar H4 main bulbs and H3 fogs. I think I tweaked the color/brightness a bit in the pic. The fogs are actually amber colored. Also, there are 5w city light in the main reflector.

mgw_300e

If I'm remembering right, you'll spend around $400 for the whole conversion.

Bigpete123

Seriously man, if I were you I'd save up your money and do it right. I know I've been saying this a lot lately. But cutting corners almost always ends up costing more in the long run... If the Depo's poop out on you, you're out $150 and you'll be back to square one. Except then you'll have to go out and get TYC's. I have TYC's and they're definitely mid-level quality. While Bosch and Hella are nicer, they aren't worth the extra money IMO. TYC's are the best for the money.

It's just another $100, and it's $100 well spent. Just wait until you have the money.

Bigpete123

Oh, and to answer your question about legality. In the states, euro headlights aren't even street legal. The cops never notice them because they look very stock and they're not extraordinarily bright. It's just some stupid department of transportation thing. I can't imagine that euros with aftermarket HID's are street legal in any way whatsoever.

I have read a lot about HID's being installed in headlights without proper reflectors... and the HIDs blind on-coming cars. I have no personal experience with that, but it's enough to make me shy away. My lights are plenty bright as-is.

mgw_300e

x2

Federic0W124

If you're going to run HIDs be sure to use relays.
when I first installed mines one side would always fail to ignite.

xudeck

I do get what you are saying and yes you make a very good point about cutting corners and how they eventually cost more. I shall wait and get TYC's then. Its just someone told me DEPO's were pretty good too, hence my willingness to purchase them, but then again im a newbie!!

So lets say, I got the TYC's and I wanted to get HID's on them. Whats the deal with proper reflectors? I do not want to blind oncoming traffic, but at the same time don't want to do what natural_person or 2phast have done. Thats a lot of work and I am not the handiest man around.

What kind of HID's should I get without blinding oncoming traffic and without doing any major modifications on TYC headlamps?

CDP

wow are you guys kidding me?

DEPO's are WAY better than TYC's. lol and the headlights Katmac says are crap.

Fezz, I already talked to you about this via emails.

Anyways, Go with the DEPO's for now and if you're still interested I'll get you in the group buy I have going on with E-Code Hella 500E headlights.

Most HID kits have shields on top of the bulb which prevents the blinding of upcoming traffic. Hence why all my buddies with W201's and W124s have no problems with theirs when it comes to that... I can get you a kit in any color for around $280.

Bigpete123

Well, I can't necessarily argue against that because I havent' seen Depo's before. But what I've read is that Depos are low quality.

I have actually had 1 problem with my TYC's just recently (I posted it on this site, actually). The bulb socket on one of my headlights melted completely. The problem was not the TYC's, it was the bulbs that Katmac sold me. They were nearly double the recommended wattage. This wouldn't be an issue at all if you're just gonna convert to HID's.

And like I said early, I have no experience with HID conversions. All I can tell you is what I've heard.

If money is an issue, I say buy euros and see if they do good enough of a job for you. If not, consider just upgrading the wiring to the lights (heavier guage) and getting ceramic bulb sockets and just moving to higher wattage bulbs.

HID's would be the next step after that if you have an insatiable appetite for really bright headlights.

xudeck

Yeah I know you said DEPO's thats why I was going in that route. I was about to email you regarding them. I would have gone for the group buy, but its going to cost me a lot more than the budget that I have in mind for my headlights. Thanks for the offer for the headlights and HID's. I think I will just pick up the DEPO's for 150$ US and I found someone on MBFanatics.org who is getting me 6600K HID's used on newer Benz's for 235$ CAD. He lives near me too, so there wont be any shipping charges and all that stuff.

2PHAST

HID burners in a halogen light assembly are never going to give you the proper beam pattern. Not only are the reflectors wrong, the flutting on the lenses will throw the light all over the road. Even those cheesy after market HID kits with the shields are not going to help, they do help with elimination of the hot spot created by the tip of the burner, but as for controlling the light, you need to start at the source of the problem.

There is no way to retrofit a proper reflector, so you would need to look at using a HID projector assembly and polishing out the flutting on the lense.

This install is done as perfect as it can be done. Use this as a guide for your project and you will be most happy with the results.

http://kamran1860.tripod.com/n_xenon_e.htm

Bigpete123

That is very hardcore. That guy did a great job. The only thing I would change is aesthetics- the black area around the bulbs makes the car look kind of bug-eyed. So I would at least put chrome tape on it or something. That is assuming that it wouldn't mess up the beam pattern due to reflections.

Bigpete123

okay, nevermind. I actually decided to read his write-up, and the chrome color made the light reflect all over the place. hmm.

AMG_Fred

What about the ones that have that ceramic plating or something at the tip plus the shield. ChrisDpham, we are going to need pictures of your friends' car light output against a wall 25 feet away. And write one up for another unhappy customer with TYC, my passenger side headlamps can't be adjusted except for the main headlight to move up and down.