3onDubs

Just picked up a Black on Black GLK 350 (base) this past weekend. I've been reading through HID retrofit threads and had a couple questions:


1. Is the light cut-off with the HID H7's the same as it was with the halogen H7 bulbs? I'm not sure if the projector housing is the same for xenon equipped models and I don't want to be blinding on-coming traffic.

2. Has anyone experienced any error messages with the various HID kits? Is there a list of tried/proven kit brands that don't throw errors?

3. Anybody know of any installers in the socal (preferably OC) area?


Thanks in advance...

3onDubs

Also...not related to thread topic, but has anyone debadged their GLK? Any pics?

JT01

Congrats on the purchase!... GLKs sure look sharp in black don't they.

Why debadge? What what you do with the front grill? I just don't get it...

I haven't seen any pics on here of a debadged GLK... but i'm pretty sure it will look exactly the same... but without badges...

cyberglk350

I had a white GLK that had the Halogens. I traded that car for a Black loaded GLK which has the Bi-Xenon package. I can tell you the cut-off looks about same to me. The projectors may be different due to the ILS system on the Bi-Xenon package.

The Xenons really are something special. They put out so much more light than the Halogens its no comparison.

I think the difference inside the Projector itslef is a different cutoff plate shape because light is emitted differently from a Halogen bulb as opposed to a Xenon bulb. I remember reading about his online years ago. If you do a google search you'll probably come across some writeups that discuss this.

If I were you I would NOT debadge because you risk scratching the paint when trying to remove the sticky 3M tape underneath the Letters. That sticky residue requiresd ALOT of rubbing with chemicals such as "Goo Gone" or "Goof Off". Anytime you start rubbing on your paint with ANYTHING you are risking scratching it up.

If the badging really bothers you, take it to a detail shop who will do it correctly. I'm not sure there is a "Correct" way. But I wouldn't risk it just because of the badging.

This is all JMO by the way.

EDIT.... I just re-read and saw you have BLACK. NO WAY SHOULD YOU DEBADGE. I have Black and just looking at it seems to scratch it. I'm serious. DON'T TOUCH THOSE BADGES!


Also... Talk to NYCGLK, he did the Xenon upgrade without errors and is really happy with the result. He is around here somewhere.

3onDubs

Very sharp...I'm happy I went with the black (was originally debating between this and white).

I was just thinking about cleaning up the look of the rear (the lettering). It doesn't bother me, but would definitely look "cleaner". Not a big deal I guess.

Retrofitting is always messy. I guess I won't risk it unless I decide to replace the entire housing. It's just annoying coming from a xenon equipped car.


I've had 2 black cars previously and have experience with debadging. I know how to do it without scratching it, but was just curious if anyone has done this since the search came up with no results.

Technostorm

I really don't under the benefit of debadging... unless yours say's "GLK280" or something. I guess alot of mercedes owner who bought grey market cars debadge so others don't know the exact models they drive so to speak.. But any good enthusiast will easily identified the model and whether or not its a grey market or not.

Here is SoCal, you see a lot of debadging and its just funny....

Example: Oh! I just bought a nice $500 pair of Feragamo and I want people to think they are Payless shoes so I debadge it..

Example 2: Oh I paid $6k for these brand new sofa so I better leave the plastics on so they stay cleaned..

LOL I sometimes don't get what people are thinking..

3onDubs

It's not a matter of hiding the model, like you said, everyone will know the model anyway.


It's a matter of personal taste. Some people, like myself, tend to think that less is more. Anything that interrupts the paint, tends to take away from the clean look....others may have the opposite taste and decorate their cars with chrome. It's about personal preference and not about hiding what you have.

NYCGLK

^^^what he said

1) debadge because you like cleaner look or

2) if you want a sleeper car (it's C63 but ppl think it's reg C-class without badges)

Debadging C300 so people don't know you have the cheapest model is silly.

Technostorm

LOL..

Ok, then I guess its ok for some since its more of a personal taste thing.. Also, I didn't mean it in no disrespect. Just how I felt about seeing a bunch of C-class owner debadging.. One even went so far as to swap a C350 on his 300... lmao..

3onDubs

Changing the emblems is pretty lame...i come from the bmw world where it's common for people to debadge M3's for just a general cleaner look.

Benzo 003

try looking at xenithxenons.com 3G version

high quality kit without any errors.....I have no affiliation, just very happy with my kit.

To each his own on the badges, some should be off, some remain. It's what makes it yours and not the same as that one or that one blah blah blah....make it yours and enjoy.

rmeier1

I've had my 2014 GLK 250 for about a month now. Love the car but have
a question for others about the adaptive lights. I adjusted the lights to a
lower angle as many oncoming cars were flashing me. Now the light
pattern is fine and not blinding oncoming cars. My question is about the high beams.
They won't engage when driving on roads with street lights.
I went to some really dark country roads and they come on but shut down
when the only light ahead is a post light at the end of someones driveway.
The sensor seems overly sensitive. I hope my dealer's able to adjust this.
Anybody else have this problem?

Bob338

Yeah.

Happens only on Auto. You can change it back to manual in your settings and eliminate the problem.

rmeier1

While that's true Bob, I'm not pleased that a $1300 option has to be disabled
because it doesn't work right. I was wondering if others have had this problem
and if the MB shop can correct it.

Bob338

You paid for ALL the lights and a different type of lighting, not $1300 for just the auto sensing feature, so it's not THAT bad!

Not sure that the sensing feature is programmable but a shop can tell you that with a call. I'd be curious too and I may just call to check. If I learn something I'll post it. To me it's not the end of the world and certainly not a big issue for me though it was enough of an interest to cause me to read the manual to check. Agree that it should work right but then my perception and use is only around inhabited areas where stray lights can certainly affect the feature. It may work better in open uninhabited areas.

rmeier1

I contacted my salesman and asked him to check if the shop can adjust the sensitivity.
I'll let you know what they say. My Subaru had an auto dim mirror that had a similar
problem. When driving alongside lots of oncoming traffic the stupid sensor thought it
was daytime and undimmed the mirror. A piece of tape over the sensor took care of it.
Seems that there's a lot of nanny features available to make us "safer" drivers. If we
could only optimize the processor between drivers ears to pay more attention. Sigh.

Bob338

LOL! I also contacted mine, as you. We'll see what is said and who's first. I have no real hopes as I've not been impressed with the shop at my dealer. I go elsewhere for service.

rmeier1

The dealership adjusted the lights a few days ago. They reset the
headlights, ( I'd adjusted the left side down a bit ), and then adjusted the
camera pick up behind the mirror. The high beam dimmer is better than it
was before. Sensitivity to incidental lighting is reduced, though a street light
still dips the beams. The shop supervisor told me not to expect the auto-dip
feature to work as described in the advertising. He told me that some
cars would dip the hi beams just off the reflection from road signs. Guess I'll
live with it, I don't expect my big mac to look like the one on the menu
board now do I. ( I'll also reset the static position lower on the drivers side.)
I was checking the rear "fog" light function. It only lights on one side though
there seem to be two LED clusters. Wish I'd noticed that earlier.

bop11

It would be nice if the marketing guys who think up this nutty stuff ever used it. Cadillac had an auto dimmer system back in the 50's and it had the same kind of problems. Maybe those guys are so interested in texting their next bright idea that they forget to dim their lights to oncoming traffic. I bet if you leave the Xenon's on high, every driver comming at you is going to let you know. I'm still pissed that they took the dimmer off the floor and put it on that stupid stalk so it is hard to dim going around corners. The first Beemer ('67 1600 ti) I had had the dimming stalk on the right side. That was really bad.
In many states, it is now mandatory to turn on your lights when the wipers are on. So why don't they connect the two? Many times during the day your auto wipers come on but you need to take the lights off auto to make your car visible.
Just a few things to 'rag' about.

balticgreen

They're not connected? I have never needed to manually turn on my headlights due to rain. They turn on automatically.