Any aftermarket headlights that will actually look okay?
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,120
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From: Tampa Bay, FL
05 E55, 98 CLK320
Any aftermarket headlights that will actually look okay?
Mine are a bit faded, thinking about replacing both of them (can't clean em up, cracks let moisture build up under the cover)
Question 1: E63 lights should be an exact fit, no?
Question 2: Has anybody done aftermarket lights that will look decent without it being too ricy?
Question 1: E63 lights should be an exact fit, no?
Question 2: Has anybody done aftermarket lights that will look decent without it being too ricy?
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 599
Likes: 120
2004 E55
Mine are a bit faded, thinking about replacing both of them (can't clean em up, cracks let moisture build up under the cover)
Question 1: E63 lights should be an exact fit, no?
Question 2: Has anybody done aftermarket lights that will look decent without it being too ricy?
Question 1: E63 lights should be an exact fit, no?
Question 2: Has anybody done aftermarket lights that will look decent without it being too ricy?
I think they are around $50-75 on Fleeebay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Benz-W21...tY3hZz&vxp=mtr
These are from China gut I think I had some saved that were shipping from LA... search a little if you are interested
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Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Alexandria, VA
07 E63 AMG, 10 C63 AMG, 07 E63 Designo, 07 E350, 09 C300, 07 C230
Provided that these lenses are good quality, I would split my existing lenses open with a heat gun, and wedges, and just replace them. As this is the cheapest route. But quality is hard to come by with anything product coming out in China.
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Joined: Oct 2015
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From: SC
2005 E55 AMG
Pull the lights. Which involves pulling the bumper. Remove the plastic/rubber ring covers that go around the lens.
If you are having moisture getting in the lens get this to seal around where the lens and housing are put together.
http://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-u...3193984&rt=rud
Talk to a body shop about re-clearing them. Tell them to sand the headlight lens with 600 dry on a palm sander removing the damaged layer until it looks like an even finish (no discoloration of the exsisting finish). Then sand with 800 dry with the palm sander. Mask the black housing because there is no need to clear that part. Clean the lens with wax and grease remover and clear the lens with a good automotive clear coat.
Give them a good day to dry and reinstall your fresh lights!
Care is needed with sanding them, someone that has good common sense. Not some dumb a s s in a hurry wanting to make money off of you.
Oh if you're thinking of sanding and polishing them to make them look better. It will make them look better but will be messy and won't last on a daily driven car.
I hope this helps out!
If you are having moisture getting in the lens get this to seal around where the lens and housing are put together.
http://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-u...3193984&rt=rud
Talk to a body shop about re-clearing them. Tell them to sand the headlight lens with 600 dry on a palm sander removing the damaged layer until it looks like an even finish (no discoloration of the exsisting finish). Then sand with 800 dry with the palm sander. Mask the black housing because there is no need to clear that part. Clean the lens with wax and grease remover and clear the lens with a good automotive clear coat.
Give them a good day to dry and reinstall your fresh lights!
Care is needed with sanding them, someone that has good common sense. Not some dumb a s s in a hurry wanting to make money off of you.
Oh if you're thinking of sanding and polishing them to make them look better. It will make them look better but will be messy and won't last on a daily driven car.
I hope this helps out!
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,120
Likes: 80
From: Tampa Bay, FL
05 E55, 98 CLK320
You are pretty budget minded like myself from what I have read.... why not just put new lenses on your existing housings?
I think they are around $50-75 on Fleeebay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Benz-W21...tY3hZz&vxp=mtr
These are from China gut I think I had some saved that were shipping from LA... search a little if you are interested
I think they are around $50-75 on Fleeebay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Benz-W21...tY3hZz&vxp=mtr
These are from China gut I think I had some saved that were shipping from LA... search a little if you are interested
Pull the lights. Which involves pulling the bumper. Remove the plastic/rubber ring covers that go around the lens.
If you are having moisture getting in the lens get this to seal around where the lens and housing are put together.
http://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-u...3193984&rt=rud
Talk to a body shop about re-clearing them. Tell them to sand the headlight lens with 600 dry on a palm sander removing the damaged layer until it looks like an even finish (no discoloration of the exsisting finish). Then sand with 800 dry with the palm sander. Mask the black housing because there is no need to clear that part. Clean the lens with wax and grease remover and clear the lens with a good automotive clear coat.
Give them a good day to dry and reinstall your fresh lights!
Care is needed with sanding them, someone that has good common sense. Not some dumb a s s in a hurry wanting to make money off of you.
Oh if you're thinking of sanding and polishing them to make them look better. It will make them look better but will be messy and won't last on a daily driven car.
I hope this helps out!
If you are having moisture getting in the lens get this to seal around where the lens and housing are put together.
http://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-u...3193984&rt=rud
Talk to a body shop about re-clearing them. Tell them to sand the headlight lens with 600 dry on a palm sander removing the damaged layer until it looks like an even finish (no discoloration of the exsisting finish). Then sand with 800 dry with the palm sander. Mask the black housing because there is no need to clear that part. Clean the lens with wax and grease remover and clear the lens with a good automotive clear coat.
Give them a good day to dry and reinstall your fresh lights!
Care is needed with sanding them, someone that has good common sense. Not some dumb a s s in a hurry wanting to make money off of you.
Oh if you're thinking of sanding and polishing them to make them look better. It will make them look better but will be messy and won't last on a daily driven car.
I hope this helps out!
Part of the problem is that my driver side is cracked not only the cover but also the housing frame, the nice people at Sam's club pressed on it a bit too hard and I had to ghetto rig it with a nut and washers for it to stay up. I'll post a picture later on. So the whole headlight is... ****ty really, and I want to do things right so I gotta get a completely new unit and hope that the mounting holes around it are in good shape. I do seem to have uh... HID bulbs? They look pretty cool when they're on, blue glow. I hope no complications will arise when I swap for new lights. Only downside is having to remove the bumper... I'm a little scared honestly.
Noted, I see them on ebay.
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Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,120
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From: Tampa Bay, FL
05 E55, 98 CLK320
Yeah it would appear so... I'm dabbling with the idea of just applying a light tint because I think they look good if they were a bit darker, is this a douchy thing to do? Because it will, for the time being (until I replace them), mask the fog a little bit...
I want to swap out the lights and install a heat exchanger while the bumper is off when I do decide to do it. Gotta pace myself with the spending on this car, currently I'm dealing with my airmatic sagging
I want to swap out the lights and install a heat exchanger while the bumper is off when I do decide to do it. Gotta pace myself with the spending on this car, currently I'm dealing with my airmatic sagging
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,249
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From: Richmond, CA
2001 E320 Wagon, 2006 LBZ Silverado, 2007 E63 (sold), 2001 E55 (sold)
Lamin-X makes a tinted film for the front lights. I have it on my E63 (clear headlights, yellow fogs) and it's good stuff. Nice and thick plus it's easy to install.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,120
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From: Tampa Bay, FL
05 E55, 98 CLK320
EDIT: Oh I see these are exact fit
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,249
Likes: 257
From: Richmond, CA
2001 E320 Wagon, 2006 LBZ Silverado, 2007 E63 (sold), 2001 E55 (sold)
I know Don, he did some work to my old E55 years ago. Hopefully going to have him do a clear wrap on the front of my E63 the next time he's up in my area.
I think I have the yellow Lamin-X pieces for the headlights (not the city lights) just sitting in my garage. I could send them to you if you want to check it out what the stuff is like. I'll check when I get home from work.
I think I have the yellow Lamin-X pieces for the headlights (not the city lights) just sitting in my garage. I could send them to you if you want to check it out what the stuff is like. I'll check when I get home from work.
Last edited by Strigoi; May 24, 2017 at 01:35 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 6,020
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From: Alexandria, VA
07 E63 AMG, 10 C63 AMG, 07 E63 Designo, 07 E350, 09 C300, 07 C230
I think tinting your headlights is probably the best course of action right now, until you can buy those expensive headlight buckets. As for your sagging airmatic issue, take it to a indy shop and have them put it on Star Diagnostic, they will definitely determine where your issue lies. I hope that it's not a bad AirStrut or AirSpring, as these parts aren't cheap.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,120
Likes: 80
From: Tampa Bay, FL
05 E55, 98 CLK320
I think tinting your headlights is probably the best course of action right now, until you can buy those expensive headlight buckets. As for your sagging airmatic issue, take it to a indy shop and have them put it on Star Diagnostic, they will definitely determine where your issue lies. I hope that it's not a bad AirStrut or AirSpring, as these parts aren't cheap.
Front lower and upper control arms need replacing to nobody's surprise, rear shocks are leaking (bags are fine) and front left strutt is leaking apparently. The air compressor is new. The car does ride but I'm putting that compressor into overdrive.
The weird part is that the car has 95k, and arnott all around already, and still I'm having leaks... while I can replace the air strutts myself (there is tons of info out there), I'm a bit disinterested in doing so because for the price of 2 strutts I can get a full blown coilover kit and get it all done that way.
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Joined: Jan 2010
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From: Richmond, CA
2001 E320 Wagon, 2006 LBZ Silverado, 2007 E63 (sold), 2001 E55 (sold)
I'd go with coilovers and just be done with it. That's what I'll be doing as soon as any of my Airmatic parts crap out.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,120
Likes: 80
From: Tampa Bay, FL
05 E55, 98 CLK320
I know Don, he did some work to my old E55 years ago. Hopefully going to have him do a clear wrap on the front of my E63 the next time he's up in my area.
I think I have the yellow Lamin-X pieces for the headlights (not the city lights) just sitting in my garage. I could send them to you if you want to check it out what the stuff is like. I'll check when I get home from work.
I think I have the yellow Lamin-X pieces for the headlights (not the city lights) just sitting in my garage. I could send them to you if you want to check it out what the stuff is like. I'll check when I get home from work.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,120
Likes: 80
From: Tampa Bay, FL
05 E55, 98 CLK320
1) Ride is fantastic, really smooth
2) Better for my already repaired cracked CLS55 wheels
really worried about the rims with coilovers honestly. I live in FL so theres not many deep potholes here but still.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,249
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From: Richmond, CA
2001 E320 Wagon, 2006 LBZ Silverado, 2007 E63 (sold), 2001 E55 (sold)
edit: You can see the color of the yellow film on my fogs in this pic. I also had it on the city lights for awhile which is why I only have the 2 headlight pieces left.
Last edited by Strigoi; May 24, 2017 at 02:36 PM.
