From Projector to Xenon! Thanks ZAM2000
#1
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From Projector to Xenon! Thanks ZAM2000
Hey guys,
Just wanted everyone to know that ZAM2000 is a great guy.
I bought some of the new style projectors and a month back and Zam has helped me to install new ribbed lens and Xenons. He was one of the first to modify his own lights and be a guinea pig.
But thanks to his inginuity, it all works flawlessly.
For those that are interested in the new projector lights, they are worth it.
And for those that want to go the extra step to get them converted to Xenons, it is far superior to the Halogens.
By the way, I don't have the Check Engine Light.
Just wanted everyone to know that ZAM2000 is a great guy.
I bought some of the new style projectors and a month back and Zam has helped me to install new ribbed lens and Xenons. He was one of the first to modify his own lights and be a guinea pig.
But thanks to his inginuity, it all works flawlessly.
For those that are interested in the new projector lights, they are worth it.
And for those that want to go the extra step to get them converted to Xenons, it is far superior to the Halogens.
By the way, I don't have the Check Engine Light.
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Not sure who else installed these but from what I have read on this board, no ones else has on the 96 - 99 models.
Anyway, I am very happy with these and he did a great job. That's all that matters to me.
I don't have any night pics yet but I will take some in the next few days.
Anyway, I am very happy with these and he did a great job. That's all that matters to me.
I don't have any night pics yet but I will take some in the next few days.
#5
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nice, actually i was the first person to custom install the 2000+ into 96-99 w210....richard023 was the first to do it and i know theres a couple out there that have done it as well
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#10
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Thread Starter
Originally Posted by ruffrob
Very,very nice,Ocean,how long did the install take???
Thanks ruffrob,
Your ride looks sweet.
The Xenons took about 2 hours to install.
Took less than it should have because ZAM prepared the them in advance at home. So add maybe another hour to that.
BT320:
Love your grill!
Last edited by OceanView; 09-27-2004 at 06:35 PM.
#11
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Originally Posted by alexbenz
nice, actually i was the first person to custom install the 2000+ into 96-99 w210....richard023 was the first to do it and i know theres a couple out there that have done it as well
I didn't know that. Now I do. Cool.
I really haven't seen too many people with the Xenons on the older W210's in Cali. Especially with the projectors.
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AlexBenz,
Are you running with the projector lens that came with the light set ? The Depo lens is very low quality lens. I've seen quite a few who fit xenon into the projector headlight, but so far, none have changed the junky Depo lens/projector into something better (Hella, Valeo, Bosch, Stanley...).
Having bright light is one thing, having bright light distributed properly is another.
I highly recommend lens/projector retrofit first, it's even more important than xenon one. The optical element (lens) is the MOST important factor in lightning, just as w/ camera. You can find a set of Hella/Valeo H7/90mm projector here and there, and the lens is pretty much fit in the projector housing. Fitting a xenon set w/ Depo lens is pretty much like stuffing an E55 engine into a C230 w/ standard transmission: you get some extra, but is far from extracting its full potential.
I've tried out couple projector, all are H7/90mm (with same bulb), and would rank them as follow (combination of even distribution, cut off sharpness, brightness). Amazing to see how same light source (bulb) could look so vastly difference w/ difference lens...
- Depo/InPro: 2/10 (after market)
- ZKW: 4/10 (after market)
- Hella: 8.5/10 (Mercedes, BMW, Nissan..)
- Valeo: 9/10 (Audi, BMW)
- Bosch: 10/10 (Porches, BMW, Range Rover, Jaguar ??)
- Stanley: 10/10 (used by Honda S2000 ???)
I hardly seen anyone retrofitting projector in the Benz forum, but in the BMW forum (E39), lot of people have done this (buying aftermarket Depo light w/ angle eyes & clear cover, then replacing the crappy Depo projector w/
some reputable German/Japanese ones).
Here's another take on the BMW forum
Lens/Projector comparision
Are you running with the projector lens that came with the light set ? The Depo lens is very low quality lens. I've seen quite a few who fit xenon into the projector headlight, but so far, none have changed the junky Depo lens/projector into something better (Hella, Valeo, Bosch, Stanley...).
Having bright light is one thing, having bright light distributed properly is another.
I highly recommend lens/projector retrofit first, it's even more important than xenon one. The optical element (lens) is the MOST important factor in lightning, just as w/ camera. You can find a set of Hella/Valeo H7/90mm projector here and there, and the lens is pretty much fit in the projector housing. Fitting a xenon set w/ Depo lens is pretty much like stuffing an E55 engine into a C230 w/ standard transmission: you get some extra, but is far from extracting its full potential.
I've tried out couple projector, all are H7/90mm (with same bulb), and would rank them as follow (combination of even distribution, cut off sharpness, brightness). Amazing to see how same light source (bulb) could look so vastly difference w/ difference lens...
- Depo/InPro: 2/10 (after market)
- ZKW: 4/10 (after market)
- Hella: 8.5/10 (Mercedes, BMW, Nissan..)
- Valeo: 9/10 (Audi, BMW)
- Bosch: 10/10 (Porches, BMW, Range Rover, Jaguar ??)
- Stanley: 10/10 (used by Honda S2000 ???)
I hardly seen anyone retrofitting projector in the Benz forum, but in the BMW forum (E39), lot of people have done this (buying aftermarket Depo light w/ angle eyes & clear cover, then replacing the crappy Depo projector w/
some reputable German/Japanese ones).
Here's another take on the BMW forum
Lens/Projector comparision
Originally Posted by alexbenz
nice, actually i was the first person to custom install the 2000+ into 96-99 w210....richard023 was the first to do it and i know theres a couple out there that have done it as well
Last edited by zam2000; 09-28-2004 at 01:00 PM.
#17
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zam2000, no doubt the quailty isn't the greatest but i have no problems seeing at night... i even have 8000k hid's in both the headlights and fog lights and i live in some dark areas up here...i agree on the quailty of the lens and i am working on changing them out but i love the look.......
#19
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oceanview did you replace the projectors with 90mm in the w211 style headlights or just upgrade your new lights to xenon?
Last edited by Shane C; 09-28-2004 at 08:36 PM.
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He has the Hella 90mm projector lens pulled from Audi A6 (thread lens). The ballast & bulb came from Acura TL.
Almost identical to my setup: Hella 90mm projector lens from W211 and ballast & bulbs from Acura TL
It's quite some work to retrofit the lens into the current projector housing, since we didn't want to take out the front cover lens.
Almost identical to my setup: Hella 90mm projector lens from W211 and ballast & bulbs from Acura TL
It's quite some work to retrofit the lens into the current projector housing, since we didn't want to take out the front cover lens.
Originally Posted by Shane C
oceanview did you replace the projectors with 90mm in the w211 style headlights or just upgrade your new lights to xenon?
#21
im new to this board (new w210 owner as well) and after lurking for a few weeks ive decided that upgrading the lights on my 97 e320 is the first mod i wanna do. a couple questions though,
1) i get them at auto dynamic right?
2) where can i buy bosch or hella h790mm lens that fit into these lights?
3) will my local dealer be able to retrofit these lenses into the lights
4) do you have to upgrade to xenon or can you keep the halogens
5) anything else i need to know? i heard the in pros need to be sealed with silicone, is this true for the depos?
thanks, im glad i found this forum, looking forward to future mods....
and apologies for being such a n00b
JY
1) i get them at auto dynamic right?
2) where can i buy bosch or hella h790mm lens that fit into these lights?
3) will my local dealer be able to retrofit these lenses into the lights
4) do you have to upgrade to xenon or can you keep the halogens
5) anything else i need to know? i heard the in pros need to be sealed with silicone, is this true for the depos?
thanks, im glad i found this forum, looking forward to future mods....
and apologies for being such a n00b
JY
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2000 E320
Second that question about how to retrofit the Hello 90mm lenses into the projectors. Will it fit any projector or is there a specific brand/model that's needed?
zypher, I found a place that you can buy the 90mm Hella lenses from:
http://www.rallylights.com/hella/90m...m%20Fog%20Lamp
I've heard of them before, but never ordered anything so I can't attest to how reputable they are.
zypher, I found a place that you can buy the 90mm Hella lenses from:
http://www.rallylights.com/hella/90m...m%20Fog%20Lamp
I've heard of them before, but never ordered anything so I can't attest to how reputable they are.
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Originally Posted by zypher84
1) i get them at auto dynamic right?
Originally Posted by zypher84
2) where can i buy bosch or hella h790mm lens that fit into these lights?
Originally Posted by zypher84
3) will my local dealer be able to retrofit these lenses into the lights
Originally Posted by zypher84
4) do you have to upgrade to xenon or can you keep the halogens
Originally Posted by zypher84
5) anything else i need to know? i heard the in pros need to be sealed with silicone, is this true for the depos?
Yes, you should seal the light housing w/ silicon to avoid condensation. Not much else, if you want to have a pro doing the job, it'll probably cost as much as the part itself, which too me is probably not worth it (I rather get an OEM reflector xenon set). If you could do the job yourself, after $700-900, you have a xenon light set that's way superior (and nicer) compared to OEM xenon set. Retrofit xenon kit is easy. Retrofit lens/projector is quite some work.
Last edited by zam2000; 09-29-2004 at 02:34 AM.
#24
wow thanks a lot zam, very informative. i may have to stick with the depo lenses though, since you said retrofitting better lenses is difficult and my dealer wouldnt be able to help me. maybe when i save up some $$ for xenons i could pay you to do it?
JY
JY
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2000 E320
Ditto that, thanks for all the info zam. I took a look on eBay and there are tons of HID upgrade kits for sale anywhere between $150-$300. I'll probably want to upgrade the cheap Taiwanese HID job on my car with new ballasts and bulbs sometime soon.