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I am thinking to upgrade to Illuminated Star or Illuminated running board.
I am confused which one to go for. Illuminated Star at dealership is costing around $675 and Illuminated running board around $750 at dealership.
I don't want to spend for both of these. This year one of these and next year may be the other or some other upgrade.
I am not sure if I would like the illuminated star after install or not. Looking at pictures I think I like it but I am not able to decide. Will illuminated star look too flashy or people may think that I am showing off Mercedes.
Will the illuminated running board lights come only when doors are unlocked or I can choose for when it should be on and off.
I actually have both, and I would say go with the illuminated running board. the running board light will turn on when you unlock the car. Also, the illuminated star can be a DIY project in the future if you ever want to get it. However, adding light to the running board in the future is pretty much impossible without replacing the whole kit.
I think illuminated running boards are a nice thing to have, and they are actually useful at night, especially for young kids who actually use the running boards. I find the illuminated star tacky, so I would not go for it, even if it was for 50 $. But to each his own. keep us updated!
Illuminated star is just bad, ugly, and like the previous said, tachy. If you already have the boards, get the lights. If not save your money and don't get the boards.
I actually have both, and I would say go with the illuminated running board. the running board light will turn on when you unlock the car. Also, the illuminated star can be a DIY project in the future if you ever want to get it. However, adding light to the running board in the future is pretty much impossible without replacing the whole kit.
Thanks Leo17 for the suggestion.
Could you please clarify, why the upgrade to illuminated running board may be not possible in future. Will Mercedes stop selling illuminated running boards later as they make new models or any other reason. Please advise.
The lights are made into the boards. So you either have no boards, just boards, or lights with boards. Like someone said earlier, adding the lights later in some aftermarket product will be very difficult and expensive. Also MB doesn't sale just a simple add on kit to add the lights to the boards without extensive work.
Last edited by BACnMercedes; 02-19-2017 at 08:19 AM.
I have the illuminated star and the illuminated boards. Get the boards esp if you have kids or elderly people riding with you. The star is uselss. It came on the GLS I have, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten it.
I have the illuminated star and the illuminated boards. Get the boards esp if you have kids or elderly people riding with you. The star is uselss. It came on the GLS I have, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten it.
The GLE has running boards from factory. If I want to have illuminated running boards from dealership. Will I have to buy just the lighting kit or a new running board itself.
The GLE has running boards from factory. If I want to have illuminated running boards from dealership. Will I have to buy just the lighting kit or a new running board itself.
Just called dealership. They are asking around $1000 labor (to remove factory running board, drill holes put lights and put the running boards back on. 7 to 8 hours of work) and $840 for lighting kit. Total around $2k with taxes. Is this how much you guys paid, if you did non factory dealership install.
Is it worth for me to put 2k. I was expecting around $750 for some reason. I got confused i guess.
Any suggestions. Does the upgrade to running boards still make sense.
Just called dealership. They are asking around $1000 labor (to remove factory running board, drill holes put lights and put the running boards back on. 7 to 8 hours of work) and $840 for lighting kit. Total around $2k with taxes. Is this how much you guys paid, if you did non factory dealership install.
Is it worth for me to put 2k. I was expecting around $750 for some reason. I got confused i guess.
Any suggestions. Does the upgrade to running boards still make sense.
Not worth it! I would not spend That kind of money just to add lights to existing running boards. I think the illuminated running boards are less than $1000 if factory installed.
That price for installation is definitely exorbitant. Factory installed illuminated running boards for the GLE43 Coupe are $670. For the GLE350 you have to buy the factory installed running boards ($670) and lighting kit ($650) separately.
Last edited by GLE43_Sube; 02-17-2017 at 06:51 PM.
On the new GLE's (2016/17's) the illumination for the running boards is different than lighted running boards on older models/ GL's. I purchased mine with running boards & tried to add LED lighting kit part #166-906-18-01-28 (List $625 for part). The dealer came back & quoted me 13 hours on the install at $150/hour which I thought was crazy so I passed on lighting. If you can get this done cheaper as others have said forget the star (or do it later). The running board lights are a good safety feature! Moral of the story.... order/locate the car exactly the way you want it!
On the new GLE's (2016/17's) the illumination for the running boards is different than lighted running boards on older models/ GL's. I purchased mine with running boards & tried to add LED lighting kit part #166-906-18-01-28 (List $625 for part). The dealer came back & quoted me 13 hours on the install at $150/hour which I thought was crazy so I passed on lighting. If you can get this done cheaper as others have said forget the star (or do it later). The running board lights are a good safety feature! Moral of the story.... order/locate the car exactly the way you want it!
Can some one please share few pictures of their illuminated running boards at night time, factory installed or dealer installed only please.
Can some one please share few pictures of their illuminated running boards at night time, factory installed or dealer installed only please.
These are factory installed. This was with ambient light to accentuate the effect. This is hand held with a 1/10 second shutter speed. I couldn't do full nighttime without a tripod. In total darkness it looks awesome!!! Hope this helps.
Last edited by GLE43_Sube; 02-18-2017 at 08:35 PM.
Its cheaper if u get the illuminated running board if u get it as a factory install. also the illuminating board is different if u have the coupe version or the suv version.
I actually have both, and I would say go with the illuminated running board. the running board light will turn on when you unlock the car. Also, the illuminated star can be a DIY project in the future if you ever want to get it. However, adding light to the running board in the future is pretty much impossible without replacing the whole kit.
I have the illuminated star and running boards and like them both. To answer the original question, get the running boards. I'll try to remember to take a pic when I get home tonight. There's 2 different lighting kits it seems. My GLE has the one where there's 5 round lights on each side. They're functional and actually cast a good amount of light. A few weeks ago we had a '17 GLS450 loaner and the lighted boards on that was like an LED strip built into them. They cast almost no light and didn't stay on as long as mine does.
These are factory installed. This was with ambient light to accentuate the effect. This is hand held with a 1/10 second shutter speed. I couldn't do full nighttime without a tripod. In total darkness it looks awesome!!! Hope this helps.
Your puddle lights are different. When did those change?
Finally getting back around to posting pics. It was daylight when I had the GLS450 loaner. The running board lights were an LED strip built into the sill. Looking at the vehicle, you can't tell they're there unless you get down on the ground. At night, they're dim and go immediately off when the car is locked.
In my GLE, they're like 5 puck lights on either side and they stay on after locking the car. They also fade to off. Mine light up the ground next to the vehicle. On the GLS, it only lit the board itself.
02-16-2017, 09:41 PM
