E-Class (W211) 2003-2009

Side Lights

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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 12:17 PM
  #1  
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E-class E300e Estate, Sprinter (stretched limo)
Side Lights

It was pointed out to me that the side lights on Europen 211's look a shade of yellow?

Rubbish I thought, but me being me investigated before saying "Rubbish"

Shock, horror, they really look naff when alongside a bi-xeon headlight.

It is a common thing for folks to generalise and claim that simply because one country supplies a certain specification, then the rest of the World must be the same.

Do US 211's with bi-xeons have these yukky side lights?



A friend supplied me with some brilliant white PIAA side lights (PIAA H99 Platinum) and here is the 'after' picture:



It certainly highlights just how bad the originals looked. Before criticising it would be interesting for bi-xeon vehicle owners to actually check the side lights.

Regards
John the illuminated

A sunny, but cloudy afternoon in Torquay
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 12:26 PM
  #2  
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I have noticed that but didn't know what type of bulbs to stick in there. Thanks to your post I just found some and ordered them.

BTW, I am in the US.

Are they hard to replace?

Last edited by htownbdr; Mar 15, 2006 at 12:28 PM.
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 12:35 PM
  #3  
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03 E320 -wife's car now; 07 Porsche Boxster S - my toy
yukky side lights

glojo,

I have a US '03 E320 (H7 halogen headlights) and the manual shows for the parking/standing light a W5W for both bi-xenon (D2S-35W) and halogen low/high beam headlights.

I guess considering that this bulb is a 5 watt, it could be called "yukky". MB could have put a candle in there for more light with an electronic ignitor, but then we would always be at the dealer getting yet another W211 electronic option fixed!!!

Your "after" picture looks great.

Regards,
paul...
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 12:45 PM
  #4  
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From: Torquay, England
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Originally Posted by paulv
glojo,

I have a US '03 E320 (H7 halogen headlights) and the manual shows for the parking/standing light a W5W for both bi-xenon (D2S-35W) and halogen low/high beam headlights.

I guess considering that this bulb is a 5 watt, it could be called "yukky". MB could have put a candle in there for more light with an electronic ignitor, but then we would always be at the dealer getting yet another W211 electronic option fixed!!!

Your "after" picture looks great.

Regards,
paul...
Hi Paul,
I dared only mention the bi-xeons simply because I have no knowledge of hte conventional halogen units.

The yukky yellowish side light is 5watt.

The side light in the second picture is a 5watt???

I am renowned for being a bit thick, so as usual I miss your point.... "MB could have put a candle in there for more light with an electronic ignitor"

I believe MB should put those second bulbs in as standard!

Hi htownbdr,
The bulbs are quite easy to replace, check the manual for location, BUT the fitting needs to be turned 90 degrees counter clockwise then pull out. (Our manual forgets to mention the turn 90 degrees bit) The bulbs themselves are very small and simply slide into the fitting.

Regards,
John
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 12:59 PM
  #5  
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03 E320 -wife's car now; 07 Porsche Boxster S - my toy
Stupid joke

John,
I was just making a stupid joke about MB's troublesome electronics. I know that Hoen makes some nice replacment bulbs called Xenonmatch whci are brighter that halogen and stay within the wattage ratings, but I've never tried them.

Regards,
Paul...
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 01:26 PM
  #6  
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Its big and Grey!
100 times nicer!
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 01:27 PM
  #7  
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My '03 has the "standard" headlights (white, not blue) and the running lights/parking lights (whatever they are called) are notably yellow even compared to the white headlights.

It's not something I worry about. I really don't care what the strangers I pass in the darkness think of the color of my running lights. Each to his own, though.
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 01:42 PM
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John. you must have been sleeping. Too much of that crack you're on!!! There was a thread about 2 years ago that went to about 17 pages talking about these bulbs. I had mine on order even before my car arrived. They look much better. I even changed the full beam H7s for the white look too.

hope your feeling well.

M
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 03:44 PM
  #9  
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Originally Posted by htownbdr
I have noticed that but didn't know what type of bulbs to stick in there. Thanks to your post I just found some and ordered them.

BTW, I am in the US.

Are they hard to replace?

where does one order theses for an 03 w211?????
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 04:19 PM
  #10  
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I just did a quick search and found this place:

http://sportscar-parts.com/mivastore...d_corner_lamps
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 05:20 PM
  #11  
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Originally Posted by Fastbuck
There was a thread about 2 years ago that went to about 17 pages talking about these bulbs.
Hi Fastbuck,
You'll be telling me next you wrote the Da Vinci Code

Before starting this thread I must confess I DID do a search, but I don't think it went back two years

Did you post pictures..... A picture paints a thousand words etc. etc. So two pictures equates to two thousand words, so.........

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah copy and paste 400 times

Nice speaking to you as always. Don't even mention rugby

Regards
John the plagiarism king
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 05:41 PM
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Does anyone have the exact model number for those.
Also, our fog lights are not blue, how would that look with the fog light on?
Might look odd, at least with yellow lights there is some color balance.
Bi henon, yello, and white fog lights.
What do you guys think?
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 05:53 PM
  #13  
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From: Torquay, England
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Originally Posted by avb777
Does anyone have the exact model number for those.
Also, our fog lights are not blue, how would that look with the fog light on?
Might look odd, at least with yellow lights there is some color balance.
Bi henon, yello, and white fog lights.
What do you guys think?

I'm sure if you do a search for PIAA side lights (PIAA H99 Platinum) you should be able to locate a source?

The side lights are meant to be white, it is the bi-xeon dipped lights that make them look a yellowish colour. These additions are purely cosmetic and will not effect visibilty penetration.

John
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 07:01 PM
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Those bulbs come in 4 colors, (obviously I dont want the yellow ones) so out of the remaining 3, which one is the correct color to order?

Super White?
Super Plasma?
Plasma Blue?

And arent those little oval lights beside the headlights properly called "parking lights"?

...and what a much nicer color they are then those OEM yellowish ones!

Last edited by Barry45RPM; Mar 15, 2006 at 07:04 PM.
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 09:54 PM
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Am I the only one that appreciates the classy contrast that these lights provide to the front of my car??? Anyone who owns the e with the xenon lights will be sure to tell you that these "running" lights are about as usefull as tiiiits on a boar anyway. Perhaps not so with the cars without xenon.
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 11:07 PM
  #16  
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Originally Posted by Barry45RPM
Those bulbs come in 4 colors, (obviously I dont want the yellow ones) so out of the remaining 3, which one is the correct color to order?

Super White?
Super Plasma?
Plasma Blue?

And arent those little oval lights beside the headlights properly called "parking lights"?

...and what a much nicer color they are then those OEM yellowish ones!

If your HID bulbs are the stock 4300Ks, then you should get the PIAA Platinum Super White to get the closest match. The part # is 19169 and you could get them here.
http://store.racinglab.com/piplatsupwhi.html


Informative write up on this thread https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...ght=piaa+19169
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Old Mar 16, 2006 | 12:03 AM
  #17  
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Originally Posted by HELL ONA HARLEY
Am I the only one that appreciates the classy contrast that these lights provide to the front of my car??? Anyone who owns the e with the xenon lights will be sure to tell you that these "running" lights are about as usefull as tiiiits on a boar anyway. Perhaps not so with the cars without xenon.
Yeah I like them too for some reason, although I changed my fogs to a white light as opposed to the useless yellow lights.
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Old Mar 16, 2006 | 01:46 AM
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Some more pics

Here are some older pics with the fogs changed too from the archive
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Old Mar 16, 2006 | 04:08 AM
  #19  
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Originally Posted by Fastbuck
Here are some older pics with the fogs changed too
Now if I had found that link it would have saved a lot of time.
Great pictures.

Originally Posted by Barry45
And arent those little oval lights beside the headlights properly called "parking lights"?
Those 'little' oval lights are actually the main beam headlights!!!!

On UK vehicles is it possible to switch on the inner lights without the bi-xeon outter ones?

John the curious
An overcast morning in Torquay
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 01:51 PM
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Last year I changed the W5W bulbs to a silvered blue/white bulb but they are so dim that they can't be seen in daylight. I recently saw a W211 in the daylight with city lights that were bright and white and decided to look for some brighter replacement bulbs. I have ordered a pair of silvered blue/white 921 bulbs from Autolumination. These are supposed to have the same base but be 18 watt versus 5 watt. When they arrive, I will see if they trigger a bulb out condition and let you know. I will also post a picture with them on and off.
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 04:30 PM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by JimPurdy
Last year I changed the W5W bulbs to a silvered blue/white bulb but they are so dim that they can't be seen in daylight. .
Hi Jim,
Nice to hear from you again, over here it is not good practice or the 'done thing' to drive on sidelights. We tend to either have our dipped lights on, or everything off. Side lights are used for parking in areas at night that do not have street lighting (there are a number of requirements) The new bulbs are purely cosmetic.

I hope all is well with you and your family?

Kind regards,
John
a cool evening in Torquay
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Old Mar 18, 2006 | 02:41 AM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by JimPurdy
... same base but be 18 watt versus 5 watt.

I wouldn't go there!
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Old Mar 18, 2006 | 05:22 PM
  #23  
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John,

Good to hear from you again. Yes, the family is doing fine. Younger daughter and husband have built a new house. Now 35 miles away from us instead of 25. Not that far but we only see them every couple of months since they are so busy and I am only home on the weekends. I hope you and your family are doing well.

I didn't mean to imply that it is ok to drive with only the city lights on. I had just seen a W211 in the daylight with the headlights on and the city lights were quite a bit brighter than mine. I like the look of my W210 where the city light have a 6 watt bulb with a different base. Autolumination has several different types of bulbs so if the 18 watt versions don't work out there are other options.

Jim
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Old Mar 18, 2006 | 05:44 PM
  #24  
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Originally Posted by JimPurdy
I like the look of my W210 where the city light have a 6 watt bulb with a different base. Autolumination has several different types of bulbs so if the 18 watt versions don't work out there are other options.

Jim
Glad to hear everything is okay and I do understand what you are talking about. Over here we have a maximum wattage for side lights but my memory is not what it was. 7 watts rings a bell, but it might be 5? Certainly not bright enough to dazzle the local rodents

Oh well off to bed.

Nice speaking to you,

Take care and regards to the family,
John
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 11:35 AM
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Thanks Glojo. Lights showed up Friday and I put them in with ease on Saturday morning. Looks much better.

Thanks again.
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