GL Class (X164) 2007-2012: GL320CDI, GL420CDI, GL450, GL550

Are base halogen headlights good?

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Old Sep 24, 2008 | 11:32 PM
  #1  
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Are base halogen headlights good?

For those without the bi-xenons, what is your impression of the low and high beam halogens? I'm quite pleased with the halogens in my 2002 ML. They are bright enough with good illumination coverage and distance. Thanks.
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Old Sep 25, 2008 | 12:41 AM
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they are the sux. see three threads down, dude.
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Old Sep 25, 2008 | 02:57 PM
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I find them just fine and you couldn't give me HID lighting.

I've installed Osram Silverstars in low beams and Phillips X-Treme Power in high beams.
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Old Sep 25, 2008 | 03:47 PM
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Stock they are passable, with after market bulbs they are fine, but no as good as HID's.
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Old Sep 25, 2008 | 04:45 PM
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Pay the money upfront for the HID's, you will regret not having done it. Also, don't even think about retrofitting a HID kit into the stock halogen projectors.
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Old Sep 25, 2008 | 05:31 PM
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They are so bad, that I have Osram Silverstar H7's in there and I still can't see. I live so far north that I'm just starting to drive in the dark, and it is scary.

If I would have known how bad they were, I would have gone true-blue ricer xenon, $1700 or not.
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Old Sep 25, 2008 | 09:30 PM
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I love my Bi-Xenons...and they are lens focused unlike the Xenons on my previous 1997 S-420 or 2002 S-500. For my bucks this is a safety must.
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Old Sep 25, 2008 | 09:49 PM
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Originally Posted by Brocktoon
They are so bad, that I have Osram Silverstar H7's in there and I still can't see. I live so far north that I'm just starting to drive in the dark, and it is scary.

If I would have known how bad they were, I would have gone true-blue ricer xenon, $1700 or not.
I agree that the stock bulbs and adjustment are dangerous. When I drove my car home for the first time, I was shocked and a little pissed that the stock set-up was so bad. However, you will be very satisfied with the PIAA extreme white plus bulbs and headlight adjustment. I was going to do a true HID lens swap on mine but the PIAA's are really great.
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Old Sep 26, 2008 | 12:11 PM
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Originally Posted by BlownV8
I agree that the stock bulbs and adjustment are dangerous. When I drove my car home for the first time, I was shocked and a little pissed that the stock set-up was so bad. However, you will be very satisfied with the PIAA extreme white plus bulbs and headlight adjustment. I was going to do a true HID lens swap on mine but the PIAA's are really great.
I switched to PIAA Xtreme's as well and saw a significant improvement.
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Old Sep 30, 2008 | 06:18 PM
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I just added the Osram Sylvania Silver Star Ultras (H7) and they appear to be brighter and more in line with the pure whitish light. I have yet to use them in the dark as it is still light here, so I will let you guys know how they work or look.
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Old Oct 2, 2008 | 12:52 PM
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Originally Posted by kenfried
For those without the bi-xenons, what is your impression of the low and high beam halogens? I'm quite pleased with the halogens in my 2002 ML. They are bright enough with good illumination coverage and distance. Thanks.
I had an '07 GL320 with halogens. Positively awful. Dangerous in my opinion . My '08 GL320 has the bi-xenons and it is literally night and day. Plus you get the really cool swing-around the corner feature. Seem like all teh German cars are going to that - my wife's new BMW 335 convertible has the corner-turn thing too. Seem frivolous until you see it in action and then you wonder when the Feds will make it mandatory, like seat belts and ABS.
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Old Oct 2, 2008 | 06:37 PM
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many Japanse cars&SUV's have them standard, why not in $70K MB
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Old Oct 2, 2008 | 09:37 PM
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Originally Posted by dmfick
I had an '07 GL320 with halogens. Positively awful. Dangerous in my opinion .
Yep, exactly what I thought about my stock halogen set-up. The first time I drove my GL450 at night scared the mess out of me. I didn't think I would make it home safely. However, a quick bulb change and headlight adjustment makes them some of the best I've seen. They are as good as the HID's in my E55 and the HID's in my old CL600. The adjustment and the PIAA Extreme White plus bulbs made that much of a difference.
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Old Oct 2, 2008 | 09:57 PM
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Yep, I love the bi-xenon's with the cornering headlights too. As the nights get longer and I come home at night in rural areas the lighting of the upgrade is absolutely fabulous.

Seems like it should be a standard feature to me.
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Old Oct 2, 2008 | 10:19 PM
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Originally Posted by 4u4me
many Japanse cars&SUV's have them standard, why not in $70K MB
Because it's not a Japanese car & SUV. Why have a three generations old GPS head unit without integrated Bluetooth on a $70k car when the Japanese ones have it? Because it's not a Japanese car. It's a Mercedes, and MBUSA knows better than we do what we need.

(That last statement was said with a heaping dose of sarcasm, BTW.)

STP
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Old Oct 3, 2008 | 09:25 AM
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STP - did you forget to take your happy pill again?
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Old Oct 3, 2008 | 10:26 AM
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Originally Posted by JimBarnhart
STP - did you forget to take your happy pill again?
He is just showing his age
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Old Oct 3, 2008 | 10:34 AM
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Originally Posted by StevethePilot
MBUSA knows better than we do what we need.
Yes, indeed. MaBenz knows the best.
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Old Oct 3, 2008 | 12:45 PM
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Originally Posted by JimBarnhart
STP - did you forget to take your happy pill again?
Yes, now go away or I will taunt you another time!

Sorry, it was just a silly question. Why isn't a Mercedes the same as a Lexus? Just silly.

STP
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Old Oct 3, 2008 | 12:45 PM
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Originally Posted by oknish
He is just showing his age
If I can catch up to you, I will torment you. No running, my rhumetism's acting up.
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Old Oct 4, 2008 | 11:28 PM
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Originally Posted by evoviiiyou
I just added the Osram Sylvania Silver Star Ultras (H7) and they appear to be brighter and more in line with the pure whitish light. I have yet to use them in the dark as it is still light here, so I will let you guys know how they work or look.
So I had a chance to drive in the dark with my new GL450 and the Silver Star Ultras with fogs on and I thought that the light was adequate. They are not obviously as bright as the bi's but are satisfactory. I did notice that the stock halogens were the same color as the fogs and these Ultras are definitely a whiter light when compared to the same stock fogs. I say for $50 bucks its worth it, prolly a perfect middle ground in performance between the HID's and the stockers.
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Old Oct 5, 2008 | 01:41 AM
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I would never buy another car without HID / xenon.
I notice I favor those cars when I have to drive at night.
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Old Oct 15, 2008 | 06:49 AM
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Directions to re-aim the lights

Can anyone direct me to the directions to re-aim the headlights? I looked in the manual but I can only find how to change the bulbs?? I looked for the upper screws to raise the housings, but I don't know where they are.
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Old Feb 4, 2009 | 09:07 PM
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Originally Posted by philip12
Can anyone direct me to the directions to re-aim the headlights? I looked in the manual but I can only find how to change the bulbs?? I looked for the upper screws to raise the housings, but I don't know where they are.
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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 02:06 AM
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Originally Posted by philip12
Can anyone direct me to the directions to re-aim the headlights? I looked in the manual but I can only find how to change the bulbs?? I looked for the upper screws to raise the housings, but I don't know where they are.
just fyi, you should take it to the dealer and ask them to do it.

while you can manually adjust the headlamp via the 2 screws... in doing so you set yourself to lower the intensity of the output. and once you change it, its nearly impossible to get it back to factory specs.

dealers have a hella light output meter they can attach to the car. have them do it.
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