DameMD

Hey guys quick question. When I was purchasing my on the lot GLC43 (3 months ago), I was told by my dealer at the time that in order to get the full active LED headlamps that I would had to have ordered Premium Package 3, or source a vehicle that had the P3 package. The full LEDs weren't a deal breaker for me as I was more interested the designo interior, heads up display and other stuff vs. all of the pre-safe stuff including distronic in P3 that I would barely use living in the inner city.

Fast forward to now, I stopped by a local MB dealer with a friend to show him a c43 and to my surprise, they had two GLC43 with Premium 2 packages and full active LED (Opt 640). I didn't bother to ask the sales guys how did they get them but I found that kind of strange these trucks didn't have P3 and still had active LEDs. I then went on Autotrader to check surrounding dealer inventory and found quite a few GLC43s without P3 and had Active LEDs. Not sure how that is possible when my dealer said I wouldnt find one like that and even the MBUSA build your own vehicle site states you have to get P3 in order to get Active LED, so what gives?

For the guys who have done dealer orders, can the Active LEDs be a separate option outside of the Premium Packages? I am pretty pissed at my dealer about this...

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...de1=MBGLC43AMG

VET11B

I was under the impression that it only became a standalone option for 18s. Now, I wasn't able to order a 17, so, I can't speak to that but my second decade build should here this weekend (actually, I have two coming on the same boat). So, maybe first decade build 18s are already on lots?

/////Tbro

I've never seen that before. I had to do a double take and go to the dealer site to confirm... and sure enough after squinting with a magnifying glass, P02 with Active LED Headlamps... hmmm. My only experience with the MY17 is based off the MBUSA website so I guess I can't comment really other than to express my surprise since with my 2018 I'm getting the lighting package that has these included. Weird..

/////Tbro

The sticker on the car is a 2017 based on the images on the dealers website.

VET11B

Something doesn't jive as $800 is less than normal LED option price

VET11B

Yup. I should have clicked the link.

dieseldoc

Very interesting. I could be wrong but I believe these are not the ILS system. The car in the picture was built in feb 17.

/////Tbro

what threw me off and what I found interesting were two things. If you go to the actual dealers website there is an image of the window sticker, and it actually says active led lights. And the image of the lights themselves look like the dual lenses of the active led lamps versus the static led's that have the single lens of the led's and a more traditional looking high beam

dieseldoc

I agree with you. Image and sticker do not jive well. I missed it also that build date says 2/16 not 2/17. Very odd. I need to look up the 640 build code. I have active/ILS on my GLC.

/////Tbro

I am all sorts of confused and intrigued by this. I don't see where you are seeing the 02/2016 build date but that would be very... odd to say the slightest. I had to dig around a little bit (I didn't start searching the GLC until a couple months ago before ordering the 2018 so I was not too familiar with the early 2017 options) but I cam across the 2017 DOG, albeit the June 2016 rendition of the DOG (attached, with some images). We can go ahead and confirm 640 is the Active LED option, but as we know, is listed only as available with the P03 package and not as a stand alone option, this only lists the 632 (static LED) as the stand alone LED option. The DOG does state the 632 as having limited availability, is it possible MB for a short period of time included the 640 in place of the 632? I'm just throwing random thoughts out there, it's also very odd that the price on the window sticker of this vehicle is $800 for the 640 option where the static 632 option is $850, so as mentioned earlier the pricing doesn't really add up, either. Is this an anomaly?! Is it possible MB made a change in 2017.5 for the lighting options based on availability? I have no clue, like I said I didn't search these cars in detail until just a couple months ago, but this is really interesting to me.

dieseldoc

Build date is on the B pillar picture. The price is cheap. I paid a lot more for the lighting package on my 16 GLC 300. I paid 1390.00. The headlights lack code 608 on this advertised car for adaptive high beam assist.

DameMD

Man you guys don't know how frustrated I am about this. I was under the assumption that in order to get the Active LEDs that I would need to be looking for GLCs closer to the $73,000 mark fully loaded including the designo interior. My on the lot truck sticker price was already $71,000 not including P3. I would have went elsewhere or sourced another truck from different dealer if I knew in advance about this. I probably should have done more research first 😡

stealth.pilot

it's not unusual for dealers to be not truthful to move on-the-lot inventory. I encounter this often, and usually when I correct them then they downplay the value of the option.

Personally I think active LEDs are a must-have option. The last car I had without them was a Jaguar F-Type R and every time I drove that car at night I was always struck by how weak the headlights were compared with my BMW M5 and my C300 which both have Active LEDs. I sold that car within a year.

/////Tbro

I don't disagree that dealers will often do that, and it's frustrating that I oftentimes, not occasionally, but often will find that I have a better understanding of a vehicle than the person selling it to me. In the OP's case I honestly don't know if it's a situation of the dealer lying to get a sale versus the dealer simply not knowing... I mean 100% of everyone who has responded was confused at this listing and seeing active LEDs added as a standalone. MB's site doesn't allow them without the P3 for 2017 and we may not know how this came to fruition being we can't bring up the MY17 ordering system.

In any case, I also agree that active headlamps are (for me) a must. I was appalled that the GLC43 didn't come standard with, at the very least HID lamps and came with halogens. And the option (according to MBUSA) for LEDs as a standalone were the static LEDs, and one of the main reasons I didn't go for a 2017, I prefer to not have the active assistance options that come with the P3 and was happy to see the lighting packages built out separately for 2018, hence why I opted for the '18.

Mr. J

ILS were not a stand-alone option for 2017. The static LEDs were a stand alone option for the 2017 model year.

/////Tbro

That's why we are all confused.. if you click the link in the original post or go to the actual dealers website to view the car, the active LED's (code 640) are listed in the window sticker separately. The vehicle does not have P3 which is what MBUSA shows and what all of us understand to be the only way to get the active LEDs.. and that's why we're talking in circles because the vehicle clearly has active LEDs and also clearly does not have P3

/////Tbro

The photo isn't the clearest but you can see that the vehicle has 640 ACTIVE LED's and only P02. The photo of the exterior also clearly shows the headlamps which are the ILS headlamps, not the static. This clearly doesn't answer it but, still intriguing.

DameMD

I just realized I posted in the wrong thread... Thank you iphone.... Here was my response that I accidentally posted in the G01 thread i created.

Yeah I am over it now. I do have the LED headlamps I just don't have the active headlights. I had the ILS on my previous Mercedes and last 5 infinitis. The LED headlamps I do have are still much brighter than the Bi-xenons with ILS on my 2013 c350. My lease was coming to an end and I didn't have the luxury to wait for a special order or dealer order, I had to choose between what options that were available at surrounding dealerships in a 500 mile radius. My main concern was to have Designo interior and even that option was like finding a needle in a hay stack. I still got a pretty good deal since my GLC has every selectable option save for the P3 package.

When my lease is over in 3 years I will be looking at either a GLC63 or X3M so it doesn't matter.

/////Tbro

Haha I read that reply but I don't think I even realized it was in the wrong thread. In any case you may be over it but I'm still very curious about it.

Mikeamg43

During my test drive. I noticed the ILS is the ones for me..
They make a Night and Day difference.

ajmtbm

i have ILD and once had a loaner without. The ILS is agreed a significant important over the standard LED, but the standard LED are pretty good compared to other vehicles.
While the price is high - about $1,000 more for the ILS versus the standard - if you're spending in the $50k+range for a car it really makes sense to get it as it does make night driving so much better

Mikeamg43

I concur 100%.... spending anything over 40 Grand,, at least you should have HIDs or LEDs for the most effective lighting system possible. My true belief is, all cars should come with the best lighting system there is.
Especially!! To help against eye fatigue at night.