Wvukidsdoc

So I have searched multiple forums looking for an answer to this question and have not found specific relevant answers, apologies if I missed one. I actually joined a GLC forum and am cross posting so if you follow there again apologies.

Wife has a 2018 (old body) GLE with the full intelligent lighting (not really sure what they called it that year, but the steering lights) which is absolutely awesome, one of the best features of the car. We live in a rather rural area with lots of deer, she is 53 years old and her night vision isn’t what it once was.

She wants to downsize a bit as I drive a three-quarter ton suburban and she doesn’t even need the size of the GLE. It happens to be a really good time in the US to do so as trade-in value on her vehicle is still quite artificially high from the pandemic but there are a lot of available 2022 GLC program and demo cars available at excellent prices due to the upcoming refresh. But there are FEW on the ground (less than 4 in a 200 mile radius of Boston in her desired white or silver) with the exterior lighting package/intelligent LEDs. Of those 2 are nearly 160 miles from us, the other 2 not equipped very well other than the exterior lighting, sort of oddballs. Now this hadn’t really concerned me until I looked at crash test results on the IIHS site and noticed that they gave the lowest “poor” rating, for the standard LEDs, and give the highest “good“ rating for the intelligent LEDs. Her GLE has the “good” rating as well. A few salesman have assured me that the regular LEDs “are simply incredible and that the IIHS must be crazy” but of course, I would expect a salesman who doesn’t have a vehicle with the intelligent system to tell me that. I do fully understand that the system is “crippled“ at present in the US with regards to the intelligent system, can be hacked if desired, but I was hoping for a real world opinion of how “bad” the regular are or how much better the US/NA intelligent system as it comes might be. I guess the ideal person to comment would be someone who has owned or extensively driven both, but I’ll take any opinions. The crux of this is it worth the effort to drive 160 miles, to a NYC area dealer, on a Saturday, all thoughts I loathe, to likely not get as good a deal or just settle for the regular lights.

TIA
John in NH

tarponbeach

My wife has a 2021 with the standard LED's. They are ok, but not great. Cornering is the biggest shortfall. The funniest thing is that the Headlight housing has "High Performance" etched into the plastic housing, which I do not believe they are.

Wvukidsdoc

Thanks exactly the opinions I’m looking for. I understand BTW this is all relative, I’m sure stock 2022 LEDs make the halogens on early GLCs look like flashlights. Most headlight forum posts relate to how bad those were or how much better the euro/ROW intelligent are compared to the NA intelligent but this comparison is what I’m wondering.

We briefly had a 2019 Ford Expedition Limited that inexplicably had only halogens and we dumped it at a profit (thanks chip shortage) with the lights being a major reason (well the 3” of water that repeatedly collected in the passenger footwell was annoying as well.) But I also drive a 76 VW camper occasionally with regular ole “sealed beam” halogens so everything is relative. She however is very accustomed to the lights on her GLE and I don’t want a big step back.

John in NH

W205C43PFL

Yup it was the same on pre-facelift, the top of the line one will simply say Intelligent Light System or something along those lines.

W205C43PFL

OP, as you mentioned and I do believe you should get the intelligent light system (ILS), I wonder if you could do a dealer trade instead if you don't want to drive down there? You don't need those extra Europe functions as long as you don't always encounter vehicles as you know it keeps the high beam on and then disable the parts where it would blind oncoming traffic and in front of traffic.

eddieo45

I bought my ML400 from a Nebraska dealer. Had the options I wanted (including adaptive lights) in my preferred colors with good service records. It’s a Mercedes for God’s sake, I knew it would be fine. And the price difference from Boston probably paid for the $600 shipping costs.

mikapen

@Wvukidsdoc don't even think about the non-premium headlights.
Even with the US limitations on headlights, they're a big improvement over standard ones. You Will be disappointed.
Light quality, cutoff, etc are improved.

Wvukidsdoc

Well shipping is VERY expensive now, had the vintage suburban shipped to me last fall and it was $2600 AZ to Boston, and was looking at a little electric FIAT that isn’t but 11-12’ long a few months ago for the kid and CA to Boston still $1700.

But the biggest issue is that it is just such a pain to try to search. Half the dealers don’t have the Ipacket listings or any other way to really see the full MSRP option listings. If anyone can find me a Cirrus silver or Polar white, with Silk beige interior, sunroof, heated steering wheel, and the intelligent/exterior lighting package, surround view, and ideally also with digital instrument cluster, I will honestly give you a finders fee.

Vaboy

I have a 2018 GLC300 in Polar white, equipped just as you described and love it. I agree you should not settle for anything less than the ILS. I would LOVE to unlock the European functions, but these lights are great just as they are. I don’t think you would be satisfied with the “High Performance” version of these.

W205C43PFL

Yes I would agree but I am also biased because I think the ILS looks better too.

Wvukidsdoc

So we were allowed to “borrow” a 2022 without the ILS overnight last night from Smith Motors in Haverhill MA. First a shout out to Randy there, who let us do so fully knowing we might not be interested in the sale depending on the results. For all of you folks with the regular LEDs, I don’t honestly know how you live with those low beams. On high beam the lighting is quite adequate, though not exceptional. I will say on high beam the cut off of the bottom of the pattern as you come over small rises is very abrupt in comparison to her 2018 GLE with ILS, and of course they don’t steer. The low beam lighting is frankly dismal. Honestly, I now fully understand the IIHS opinion rating of “poor.“ Worse than a 2015 Civic I think… There just really isn’t any way back once you have had the good lights. Fortunately, as it ends up, I have located a very nicely optioned unit in white about 45 miles away and a silver one about 120 miles away. The overnight test also revealed the incredible annoyance of CarPlay as implemented on the GLC with the crippled little screen factor, which now has the wife, wanting the multimedia/navigation, even though she will probably never use the maps from Mercedes, fortunately the white one has it, unfortunately it is $3k more and she prefers silver…. But it is her money so she can decide. Anyway thanks all for the opinions.

Vaboy

You’ve gone to quite a bit of trouble trying to figure out what lighting system you “had” to have in your new car, and I support your process 100%. By asking questions and REALLY thinking about it you won’t find yourself regretting settling for something less than what you really wanted.