Anybody else make this mistake?
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 417
Likes: 48
From: Virginia
'17 BMW X3, '18 GLC300 4Matic
In addition I’m not a huge car guy. I’m ok with not having 20 inch rims , amg package ect. So it’s not something I would pick up on personally unless driving at night. Although now I notice every led light I see on the road lol. If I was a salesperson I would show the two cars side by side lights on and it’s an easy upsell. I would of happily paid up for them. I chalk it up to a learning experience. I won’t make the same mistake again although I bet the next time I’m doing this led lights are standard here in the USA so it’ll be a non issue. Thanks!
I hope one one of the many options members have thrown out will help you. While maybe not ideal, they might make it a little easier to enjoy your new GLC. Good luck! And let us know if you wind up trying an aftermarket LED upgrade that helps.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 1,577
Likes: 264
From: Portland, OR
C450, GLC43
Personally I think the mistake is in opting for the $850 upcharge for lighting that could be matched for far less $$$ with aftermarket components. Like in the range of $775 savings. If you're not into basic wrenching on your car, I get it - it's a 'what's it worth to you' question, ultimately. For less than $100 I popped aftermarket LED elements into the high and low beam sockets and achieved the same result.
There's also someone in the Marketplace here IIRC who sells both HID and LED conversion kits for a fraction of the cost of checking that option box. To each their own. I do agree it's beyond pathetic that a car in this market category would have basic halogen bulbs as a standard, but knowing how inexpensively I could remedy that wasnt going to kill the deal for me.
There's also someone in the Marketplace here IIRC who sells both HID and LED conversion kits for a fraction of the cost of checking that option box. To each their own. I do agree it's beyond pathetic that a car in this market category would have basic halogen bulbs as a standard, but knowing how inexpensively I could remedy that wasnt going to kill the deal for me.
Nope. The drop in bulbs are not even close. I have used high quality drop ins to upgrade the fogs on previous vehicles. Without properly designed projector housings the light is very diffuse and lacks adequate throw (distance projection) for use at speed. The drop in LEDs work just fine for short range illumination like fogs and driving lights but they are inadequate for use as primary headlamps unless the entire headlamp assembly is upgraded.
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
2018 GLC300 4Matic
Nope. The drop in bulbs are not even close. I have used high quality drop ins to upgrade the fogs on previous vehicles. Without properly designed projector housings the light is very diffuse and lacks adequate throw (distance projection) for use at speed. The drop in LEDs work just fine for short range illumination like fogs and driving lights but they are inadequate for use as primary headlamps unless the entire headlamp assembly is upgraded.
Look, I just handed back a loaner GLC300 I used while I was traveling that had the ALS. I drove more nights than days and frankly, other than the adaptive & hi/low piece I didn't see much difference in throw, diffusion, clarity, hotspots (or not), and illumination overall than what I have in with my modified set at home. Point being nothing more than what I've done works for me, whatever you do is your business, it's your money - you want to pay and drive vs. plug and play, whatever man.
Little advice, don't make absolute claims unless you're absolutely certain of all the facts.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 1,577
Likes: 264
From: Portland, OR
C450, GLC43
So you're the one driving my car while I'm out of town eh? Glad you did, otherwise your claim wouldn't have any roots beyond your experience with fogs. So what have you dropped into your GLC to give an apples to apples? Don't think we can apply that here since, well, no fogs.
Look, I just handed back a loaner GLC300 I used while I was traveling that had the ALS. I drove more nights than days and frankly, other than the adaptive & hi/low piece I didn't see much difference in throw, diffusion, clarity, hotspots (or not), and illumination overall than what I have in with my modified set at home. Point being nothing more than what I've done works for me, whatever you do is your business, it's your money - you want to pay and drive vs. plug and play, whatever man.
Little advice, don't make absolute claims unless you're absolutely certain of all the facts.
Look, I just handed back a loaner GLC300 I used while I was traveling that had the ALS. I drove more nights than days and frankly, other than the adaptive & hi/low piece I didn't see much difference in throw, diffusion, clarity, hotspots (or not), and illumination overall than what I have in with my modified set at home. Point being nothing more than what I've done works for me, whatever you do is your business, it's your money - you want to pay and drive vs. plug and play, whatever man.
Little advice, don't make absolute claims unless you're absolutely certain of all the facts.
Claim whatever you want. It's still bogus.
There are no drop in LEDs that can be fitted into a halogen reflector housing that will offer performance on par with factory LEDs. Additionally, all the drop in bulbs out there are barely sufficient to replace stock halogens while many of them offer inferior performance to the halogens they would replace. Most LED drop ins are significantly outperformed by hi output halogens like Silverstars, Osram Nightbreakers, and such when both are used in the stock halogen reflector housings.
Placing a LED emitter in a halogen housing provides plenty of bright light (and glare for oncoming vehicles) at close distances while failing to provide sufficient throw for highway driving. This is not my opinion, it is fact. Look at the reflector/projector designs for purpose built led systems and compare them to what you see for halogens. They are engineered differently because the sources have different properties. Reflector and/or projector design are just as important as the light source.
Member
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 122
Likes: 17
2016 GLC 300
Mr J is correct.
I posted a similar comment on another thread. I retrofitted into a halogen Acura MDX and they were bright, but a giant orb of brightness to oncoming drivers...3 yrs of folks flashing me ensued.
I posted a similar comment on another thread. I retrofitted into a halogen Acura MDX and they were bright, but a giant orb of brightness to oncoming drivers...3 yrs of folks flashing me ensued.
