DIY Replacing headlight bulbs, adjusting beam and which bulb to choose
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 389
Likes: 2
From: Dix Hills, NY
2000 Mercedes S500
DIY Replacing headlight bulbs, adjusting beam and which bulb to choose
Hello for a while now I've had my right headlight bulb give e some grief as my driver side (xenon) would light up as always with a nice bluish hint but my passenger side would emit a very boring pale yellow color. I was actually approached by a kid last night who works at a dealership and said he had some bulbs that would do the job and would install it for a toal $50/bulb. After a little while the bulb would aim too high and wasn't even with the other. It looks like it's not even the same hue as the stock bulb since I all I see is bright white and no blue. I'm thinking of just replacing both bulbs with something different altogether. I was considering PIAA bulbs since I trust their name and this company I found on eBay which are 8000k bulbs:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/8000K...spagenameZWD1V
Does anyone have any advice as to how I can correct the aim of the headlight beam and what bulb I should consider if I'm looking for that beautiful blue?
Thanks!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/8000K...spagenameZWD1V
Does anyone have any advice as to how I can correct the aim of the headlight beam and what bulb I should consider if I'm looking for that beautiful blue?
Thanks!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Sugar Land, TX
BMW E39
I honestly don't know too much about Xenons, but if your car came factory equipped with Xenons, then you would probably have to take it to the dealer. Most of the stuff on ebay aren't real HIDs. A lot of them are HID look alikes, bulbs with blue coating.
Real HIDs cost MUCH more than $75 a bulb.
Real HIDs cost MUCH more than $75 a bulb.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Germany
'00 S320 W220, '98 A160 W168/ sold in 2005 '86 260 E W124 '90 260E W124
1st to adjust the beam you need the dealers Star Diag. to do it, at least for the Xenons.
2nd The bulbs shall always be swapped in pairs, due to the color change over time. The longer they burnt the more the blue color dominates, until the fail after so many hours. The bulbs with higher color temperature (like 8000K) appear more aggressive and blue but are not allowed in many countries due to the duzzle effect for the oncoming traffic. Normally the standard bulbs have color temperatures around 4000K to 5000K. The higher the number the duzzle increases, but night vision for you, the driver, decrease substantially. Another reason many countries don't allow those bulbs.
2nd The bulbs shall always be swapped in pairs, due to the color change over time. The longer they burnt the more the blue color dominates, until the fail after so many hours. The bulbs with higher color temperature (like 8000K) appear more aggressive and blue but are not allowed in many countries due to the duzzle effect for the oncoming traffic. Normally the standard bulbs have color temperatures around 4000K to 5000K. The higher the number the duzzle increases, but night vision for you, the driver, decrease substantially. Another reason many countries don't allow those bulbs.
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Joined: Jul 2005
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From: OC
AMG E55, Stage 1, Strait Pipe from Primary Cats
Originally Posted by kenstudios
Also know that your car came with 4500K bulbs. If you swap to bi-xenon set up most people go for at most 6000K bulbs (phillips prefered). As said above, change both sides for even color temp.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Athen...10717791QQrdZ1
Last edited by Vader55; Jul 26, 2006 at 02:32 PM.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 389
Likes: 2
From: Dix Hills, NY
2000 Mercedes S500
Wow that's a beautiful beam of light! I might have to just go ahead and tell him to put another bulb to match and adjust the both of them. He was telling me it'd be easier if he would've taken the entire headlight assembly out but I said no.
btw newton he claims they sell at mercedes for $150 each and it came in a benz box sealed with part # for his price of $50/each
bamberger and ken thanks for the info. man i love these forums!
btw newton he claims they sell at mercedes for $150 each and it came in a benz box sealed with part # for his price of $50/each
bamberger and ken thanks for the info. man i love these forums!
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MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: OC
AMG E55, Stage 1, Strait Pipe from Primary Cats
Originally Posted by ArMaNi S500
Wow that's a beautiful beam of light! I might have to just go ahead and tell him to put another bulb to match and adjust the both of them. He was telling me it'd be easier if he would've taken the entire headlight assembly out but I said no.
btw newton he claims they sell at mercedes for $150 each and it came in a benz box sealed with part # for his price of $50/each
bamberger and ken thanks for the info. man i love these forums!
btw newton he claims they sell at mercedes for $150 each and it came in a benz box sealed with part # for his price of $50/each
bamberger and ken thanks for the info. man i love these forums!
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Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 389
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From: Dix Hills, NY
2000 Mercedes S500
So now I called the kid up and he's telling me I have to pay approx $60 to have the STAR diagnostics adjust the bulbs since it's 1/2 hour labor. Altogether I will be paying atleast $140 for two new oem xenon headlight bulbs including the adjustment. Does anyone think this is reasonable or obsurd? Thanks
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,469
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From: Hong Kong
C55AMG W203; 330i E90
Not sure what is the color temperature of the HID (D2R for S-class) you are replacing? The best brand is Philips and it should be $145 each.
Philips 5000K Xenon Discharge D2R 12 volt 35 watt $145.00 D2R
Philips 4200K Xenon Discharge D2R 12 volt 35 watt $144.90 D2R
see others.
2000 MERCEDES-BENZ S-class (With HID (high intensity discharge) headlamps)
Low beam headlamp
HID-D2R
High beam headlamp
H7
H7ST Silverstar High Performance Lighting: The Whiter and Brighter Halogen
H7XV XtraVision Halogen Upgrade: Up to 20% Brighter
H7CB Cool Blue Halogen Upgrade: White Hot; Super Cool; 100% Street Legal
H7LL Long Life Halogen: Lasts two and a half times longer
Parking light
2825
Front turn signal
2357A
Rear turn signal
1156A
1156AST Silverstar Signal Lighting: Complete the Look: Crisp, Clean, Style
1156ALL Long Life Upgrade: Up to twice the life of the standard lamp
Tail light
5007
7225
Stop light
LED
High mount stop light
%COM
Fog/Driving light
H1-55W
H1ST Silverstar High Performance Lighting: The Whiter and Brighter Halogen
H1XV XtraVision Halogen Upgrade: Up to 20% Brighter
License plate
6418
Back up light
7506
7506LL Long Life Upgrade: Up to twice the life of the standard lamp
Front sidemarker
2825
Rear sidemarker
5007
Glove box
6418
Step/Courtesy light
6411
6418
Philips 5000K Xenon Discharge D2R 12 volt 35 watt $145.00 D2R
Philips 4200K Xenon Discharge D2R 12 volt 35 watt $144.90 D2R
see others.
2000 MERCEDES-BENZ S-class (With HID (high intensity discharge) headlamps)
Low beam headlamp
HID-D2R
High beam headlamp
H7
H7ST Silverstar High Performance Lighting: The Whiter and Brighter Halogen
H7XV XtraVision Halogen Upgrade: Up to 20% Brighter
H7CB Cool Blue Halogen Upgrade: White Hot; Super Cool; 100% Street Legal
H7LL Long Life Halogen: Lasts two and a half times longer
Parking light
2825
Front turn signal
2357A
Rear turn signal
1156A
1156AST Silverstar Signal Lighting: Complete the Look: Crisp, Clean, Style
1156ALL Long Life Upgrade: Up to twice the life of the standard lamp
Tail light
5007
7225
Stop light
LED
High mount stop light
%COM
Fog/Driving light
H1-55W
H1ST Silverstar High Performance Lighting: The Whiter and Brighter Halogen
H1XV XtraVision Halogen Upgrade: Up to 20% Brighter
License plate
6418
Back up light
7506
7506LL Long Life Upgrade: Up to twice the life of the standard lamp
Front sidemarker
2825
Rear sidemarker
5007
Glove box
6418
Step/Courtesy light
6411
6418
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 389
Likes: 2
From: Dix Hills, NY
2000 Mercedes S500
Thank you very much for the very informative reply..do you think I still need the bulbs adjusted through the star diagnostics and furthermore should I pay $60 just to have this done?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,469
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From: Hong Kong
C55AMG W203; 330i E90
pls advise if this can be used for city lamp on the C55 ?
PIAA SUPER TERA 5500K LED Wedge Bulb 194/168
http://www.car-gym.com/catalog/produ...03dc7a833ff126
PIAA SUPER TERA 5500K LED Wedge Bulb 194/168
http://www.car-gym.com/catalog/produ...03dc7a833ff126
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,319
Likes: 1
From: OC
AMG E55, Stage 1, Strait Pipe from Primary Cats
Originally Posted by cntlaw
pls advise if this can be used for city lamp on the C55 ?
PIAA SUPER TERA 5500K LED Wedge Bulb 194/168
http://www.car-gym.com/catalog/produ...03dc7a833ff126
PIAA SUPER TERA 5500K LED Wedge Bulb 194/168
http://www.car-gym.com/catalog/produ...03dc7a833ff126
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,469
Likes: 1
From: Hong Kong
C55AMG W203; 330i E90
Originally Posted by Shaun
Did you get an error message?
No error message , once i have installed the PIAA 6200K D2S , I will show some photos , as I suspect that will be perfect matching with the Tera.
t
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Orange County, CA
2004 S500 AMG Kit Keyless go Parktronics 7 speed
I want to replace the ugly yelllow parking light is the PIAA 6200K D2S a replacement for that? Anything better since this post is so old? Thanks 
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 342
Likes: 39
From: Covina,CA
2010 W204, 2014 W212, 2015 W222, 07 SAAB 9-3, 2016 AMG GTS
The " PIAA 6200K D2S" is for you headlights low beam HID bulb. if you want to replace your yellow parking lights, look for wedge bulb 194/168, LED bulb need add resistor if the LED doesn't have it built in. check out the ebay for PIAA LED, it cost about $80 for a pair of LED bulb.
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Orange County, CA
2004 S500 AMG Kit Keyless go Parktronics 7 speed
Ok thanks for the info... I was looking on ebay and found these LED's for my parking lights... can you please give me your opinion on them? Thanks! 
This is the link http://cgi.ebay.com/10pcs-194-168-T1...ayphotohosting
This is the link http://cgi.ebay.com/10pcs-194-168-T1...ayphotohosting
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 342
Likes: 39
From: Covina,CA
2010 W204, 2014 W212, 2015 W222, 07 SAAB 9-3, 2016 AMG GTS
Those LED bulb you found on ebay will NOT work on our car if you don't add the resistor !! Try to find the LED come with resistor or built in resistor with LED bulb, otherwise after you install bulb on your car, the LED bulb will keep blinking when you turn it on.
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
2004 S500
If you can get it for less than $120 a piece it's a good deal. I just had mine replaced. The bulb is $180/each from dealership, plus 1/2 hour labor each bulb.
Last edited by pwchen26; Oct 12, 2010 at 01:57 PM. Reason: clarification
Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
From: Redondo Beach, CA
'05 S430 4MATIC Sport, 2009 GT Zaskar MTB
Do not waste your $ on Piaa.. You will crap your pants when you see the all mighty ultinon
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Athen...10717791QQrdZ1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Athen...10717791QQrdZ1
I'd rather have bright than some cheesy blue color.
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Cl55
I have 2004 CL55 My low beam has been out for months. I just don't drive at night.
Shop wants $89. For the bulb n $50. Labor.
Dealer in Newport Beach wants $229. To install. New one
It's not easy to replace.
I'll wait until I've got the extra money.
I've learned that there is NO cheap way of fixing anything on an AMG!
Just have to realize the cost of having an AMG.
I love the fact that I have one of the fastest cars in any lot I park in. 😎
Shop wants $89. For the bulb n $50. Labor.
Dealer in Newport Beach wants $229. To install. New one
It's not easy to replace.
I'll wait until I've got the extra money.
I've learned that there is NO cheap way of fixing anything on an AMG!
Just have to realize the cost of having an AMG.
I love the fact that I have one of the fastest cars in any lot I park in. 😎
