2010+ clear/smoke sidemarker... Thoughts?
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From: USA
W140 Mercedes S350, W221 S550 sport
2010+ clear/smoke sidemarker... Thoughts?
Which would look best on a white S550... There are quite a few choices... Standard amber below.
1) White LED, clear lens, (outer trim looks grey/chrome?)
2) White LED, smoke lens, (outer trim looks black)
3) Amber LED, clear lens (outer trim looks grey/chrome?)
3) Amber LED, smoke lens (outer trim looks black)
5) non led, clear
6) non led, smoke
2007-2009 style
Led on e class, but has more leds than S version.
1) White LED, clear lens, (outer trim looks grey/chrome?)
2) White LED, smoke lens, (outer trim looks black)
3) Amber LED, clear lens (outer trim looks grey/chrome?)
3) Amber LED, smoke lens (outer trim looks black)
5) non led, clear
6) non led, smoke
2007-2009 style
Led on e class, but has more leds than S version.
Last edited by Jason B; Apr 27, 2014 at 11:42 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 427
Likes: 57
13 GL350, 14 SL550
I have only owned Black S classes, never a white one. So I may not be the right guy to answer this, but though I'd give it a shot.
Whenever I see a white car with any black or smoke lighting, it sticks out like a sore thumb to me. A black taillight looks like a missing taillight or hole on a white car. Just doesn't look right.
Those smoke or black lights will look like dark spots, black stickers, or holes in your bumper which takes away from the nice look of your car.
With a white car, go with clear lenses (not smoked), and chrome or silver (not black) housings.
Clear or amber lights is up to you. I'm leaning towards amber because it looks pretty nice and when you start to go to clear (in my opinion) you look like those guys with Civics that have put on the fart pipe mufflers and clear lenses all around. I think the amber looks great and it's easy for people to see.
Whenever I see a white car with any black or smoke lighting, it sticks out like a sore thumb to me. A black taillight looks like a missing taillight or hole on a white car. Just doesn't look right.
Those smoke or black lights will look like dark spots, black stickers, or holes in your bumper which takes away from the nice look of your car.
With a white car, go with clear lenses (not smoked), and chrome or silver (not black) housings.
Clear or amber lights is up to you. I'm leaning towards amber because it looks pretty nice and when you start to go to clear (in my opinion) you look like those guys with Civics that have put on the fart pipe mufflers and clear lenses all around. I think the amber looks great and it's easy for people to see.
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 33
Likes: 1
2012 S350 Bluetec
Going through this exact same debate myself...On the clear/amber ones all the pics on eBay make the outer trim look grey, which I think on my black car it would look like the plastic faded.
On the other hand the lit up pics of the smoked/amber unit make it look pretty dark and I'd like to make sure whatever I choose is as bright as stock. Whatever choice you make please post pics of the results.
On the other hand the lit up pics of the smoked/amber unit make it look pretty dark and I'd like to make sure whatever I choose is as bright as stock. Whatever choice you make please post pics of the results.
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Joined: Jun 2011
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From: Pennsylvania
s550 4matic Key To The Cure Edition, Can-Am Spyder RSS
I'd recommend non LED clear with a chrome coated amber bulb. Smoke only looks right if you smoke the headlamps to match. LED would clash with the led headlamp & LED fogs.. They'll likely not be the same brightness & or color, which will be cheapen the look IMO.
Last edited by ramos226; Apr 28, 2014 at 09:04 PM.
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2016 C300
My philosophy is that the car would look best if they weren't even there in the first place, so I'd want to avoid anything that would bring more attention to them (like using really flashy LED ones), and try to find a color that blends with the surrounding paint. By that standard I'd go with #5, clear with a standard diffusing lense.
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 427
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13 GL350, 14 SL550
Ooooh... that whiteout one looks nice!
I have a black car and am trying to decide too. Have decided I don't like the LED ones with the bent "shape".. they look too much like fog lamps on the newer MB's and look out of place to me.. I like the 'regular' style side markers.
I might just replace my amber sidemarker with an amber LED bulb to get the brightness of an LED.
I have a black car and am trying to decide too. Have decided I don't like the LED ones with the bent "shape".. they look too much like fog lamps on the newer MB's and look out of place to me.. I like the 'regular' style side markers.
I might just replace my amber sidemarker with an amber LED bulb to get the brightness of an LED.
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