Trying to decide whether to choose Premium package # 1 or #2. I really don't care about directional turning foglamps or headlamp washer, but can't make up my mind on the xenons. I have a BMW with Xenons, which indeed are BRIGHT & white, but they seem to only iluminate the area closer to the ground. Is this the norm with Xenons, or just a BMW thing?
David

 

Get them. They are a great feature and I would probably get them on any new car I plan to buy in the future given the option.

 

The Bi Xenons are the best headlights I have EVER driven with. Get them. They're THAT good.

 

Another option is (IF) you dont find the car WITH the Xenons ...One can add them after...Steve @MBENZNL.com installed a set of Euro Active Xenons in the Wifes W211....They are the way to go!

 

I simply cannot fathom how MB continues to get away with not making HID lights standard. How they can sell a 50-60-75K+ car with xenons OPTIONAL is beyond me.

 

Just drive a car with them once and see....

 

Get Premium Package 2. The turning foglamps are surprisingly effective when making a sharp turn into a dark driveway, the Xenons on high beam on a dark 2 lane road are amazing, and you will also get the very cool Keyless Go.

 

They spend more money on safety and other junk and for some reason they think another $800 on the base price of the car will turn off buyers...

 

Some folks like me think they suck.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...dvantages.html

Read all the posts here and other place like this and you'll find most people are more interested in how their car looks to others than how it performs. Gotta have blue!

 

i chuckle at the willingness to dummy down an HID system and to give up 1/3 of
the available light output....for want of blue.

 

I'm a first time BIX owner myself. All I can say is I love them. Now if I could only remember to leave the key in the pocket, because of keyless go.

 

I can see both sides to the arguement for / against Xenons. My 2003 has Xenon low beams, and halogen (?) high beams. The high beams, though more yellow to my eyes, do indeed seem to illuminate a wide area that fades gradually at the edges of the beam, as opposed to the sharp cutoff between very bright and dark when on low beams. I've not driven bi-xenons, but have read more praise than negative reports about them. As I have aged, my periphial night vision has degenerated. I seem to find it more difficult to see the outer extremities of the lighted area in both my BMW's lights and my truck's conventional beams.

BTW, I just came home from officially ordering my new ride. Granite Gray e550 with black interior, Package II. I decided against "Sport", as I'm not that keen on very low profile rubber. I like the look of the 5 spokes, and they sure will be easier to keep clean

 

Plus, the black wood gets lost in the black interior... to me it looks like Formica when its in a black car. I guess that's why as of Nov 1st, you can order W90 (Brown Wood) with the sports package if you want the wood to show up on the black interior.

As for the staggered wheel low profile rubber set up on the Sports Pkg, I'll let you know how they feel... and wear. I was disuaded from getting 18's when I ordered my '04 because the rep said I'd be bending rims on any small NY/L.I. road holes/uneven pavement... this time, I decided the get them anyway. (Different Dealer... He said "go for it").

When I chatted here about it, people said they liked theirs, so I ordered them. I've got a Granite/Ash on order to replace my '04.

 

The dark gray/black wood was not at all appealing to me. I didn't know you could even get the brown wood with the sport. MB's "build your own" online configurator, and my salesman, led me to beleive I could not get brown with sport.

David

 

The order code is W90. (Designo something or other) You CAN get the brown wood with the Sport Pkg as of Nov 1st. He is wrong.

 

Go here to see what Amercans miss as regards Designo:

http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/cont...o.html#mainnav

Click the paint and upholstery links on the left, for example.

 

lkchris,

Thanks for the link. Very interesting to see all the available options available overseas.

David

 

And that is only the UK. Just imagine if you had money burning a hole in your pocket.

 

The W90 code is not a true designo edition... it only the code to change the black wood to brown in the sports Pkg. Thats all.