Can you retrofit Xenon headlights on an Eclass Estate?

[highfell]

All

I am an occasional lurker and even rarer poster but would like some help if you don't mind.

Last year a bought an Eclass 320 Estate with a 55 plate but only 38K miles and she runs like a dream.

Having had a 220 beforehand. I love the six cylinder engine but its funny how you miss certain extras like the automatic boot opening and heated seats! I will know what to have on my must have list next time.

However my real problem is the headlights. On my previous Eclass estate I had the Xenons which were excellent. On my current car, I have ordinary lights and on dipped beam the lights are absolutely dreadful. The worst I have ever had on any car. It seems to me this must have been a design error because you can't see far enough ahead , but on Xenons you clearly could.

When I asked at my MB dealer they said I couldn't retrofit Xenons. I fitted more powerful bulbs at their suggestion but they make no real difference.

My two questions therefore are:

1. Are poor lights for non -Xenon bulbs a known "issue" for E class owners

2. More importantly, is there anything I can so legally to improve the situation and get some Xenon kit fitted by a non MB main dealer. Does anyone have experience of doing this.

Many thanks for any assistance.

Nigel

 

[davidsw]

Osram nightbreakers seem to be quite good.The cost of fitting xenons would be very very expensive .

 

[renault12ts]

As above (for most people) the cost of getting the proper Xenon kit fitted is prohibitive. This is because you would require complete headlamp units, and the self leveling for the lamps, and washers if not already fitted.

Osram Nightbreaker Plus are halogen and the best solution to avoid putting big money into the car at the age (and value) it is.

 

[highfell]

Thank you for your replies. I would like to consider Xenons for safety reasons. Cost is less of an issue. If its a £1,000 cost say then that only £250 a year. Less than the depreciation on the car itself even now when it's already second hand.

The car does have light washers already by the way.

So it seems it is possible. Good. Who does them? Can you get off the shelf kit? And is it legal? And what is the cost ?

Thanks

Nigel

 

[bob6600]

I dont think there is a 'shelf' kit. Either you would need to buy all the parts new from dealer which would definitely be uneconomical. Best is a breakers or have a look on forums (post a request), breakers or auction sites.

Another option are 'HID's which promise xenon levels of light for around £50+. Not looking into these properly but I know that they are not suited for plastic lens and need clear lens for them to work properly (not blind oncoming traffic)

 

[A-AvantGarde]

Thank you for your replies. I would like to consider Xenons for safety reasons. Cost is less of an issue. If its a £1,000 cost say then that only £250 a year. Less than the depreciation on the car itself even now when it's already second hand.

The car does have light washers already by the way.

So it seems it is possible. Good. Who does them? Can you get off the shelf kit? And is it legal? And what is the cost ?

Thanks

Nigel

Whilst there are loads of 'aftermarket' kits non of these are really suitable or indeed road legal. Now I've said that this thread may well spark off the debate again (there have been a few threads on Xenons here).

The correct way would be to source genuine Xenon headlamps (possibly from ebay) and have them fitted. Having headlight wash helps, however you'd probably need to get the automatic levelling fitted. A member on here had this done on his W203 using an independent specialist. Your car would also need coding to enable the Xenon headlights.

Just had a quick look on ebay and found these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MERCEDES-...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a7e456a58

 

[renault12ts]

I dont think there is a 'shelf' kit. Either you would need to buy all the parts new from dealer which would definitely be uneconomical. Best is a breakers or have a look on forums (post a request), breakers or auction sites.

Another option are 'HID's which promise xenon levels of light for around £50+. Not looking into these properly but I know that they are not suited for plastic lens and need clear lens for them to work properly (not blind oncoming traffic)

HID (high ignition discharge) are Xenons. Most people call them Xenon, but more properly they are HID...Xenon is the gas inside the lamp.

I think there are some halogen bulbs out there which try to mimic the Xenon (HID) look...but come no where close, except to provide a blue tinge...and consequently less light.

 

[verytalldave]

To make the installation legal, as has been said you need to have automatic self levelling suspension fitted. That's before to get to the headlight themselves.
Your "estimate" of £1000 is very wide of the mark. It would cost much more than that.
Get a proper quote and see.
I would guess (and it is vary much a guess) over £3-4K - most of that going in suspension costs and circa £1K on the headlights themselves. Could even be more than that.
Cheaper to buy a new car/estate with them already fitted.

Or swap bulbs as has been suggested.

 

[whitenemesis]

I thought all E class estates came with SLS as standard?

 

[verytalldave]

I thought all E class estates came with SLS as standard?

If that is true, then it just be the cost of the replacement headlamp units.
With an E class, you have 2 separate headlamp units. The dipped beam and the high beam.
You can swap just the high beam or both depending on what you want and can afford.

 

[A-AvantGarde]

Just a thought - don't all 211 estates have self-levelling suspension?

Would that be sufficient to meet the requirements for the lights? - I suspect not, as I would imagine that the lights also independently need to be able to adjust.

So we all had the same thought re SLS!

 

[Troon]

Yes, all S211 have rear self-levelling air suspension. This is fairly slow, though: not sufficient for the lights. The OEM xenons adjust independently and quickly.

This is a big job: as already said, it'd be easier, cheaper and less hassle to sell your car and buy one with the equipment you want already fitted. You're talking headlamps, ballast, looms, new switch (no levelling wheel), front and rear attitude sensors, quite probably modules etc etc.

 

[bob6600]

HID (high ignition discharge) are Xenons. Most people call them Xenon, but more properly they are HID...Xenon is the gas inside the lamp.

I think there are some halogen bulbs out there which try to mimic the Xenon (HID) look...but come no where close, except to provide a blue tinge...and consequently less light.

Yes that was what I meant..sorry.

I was trying to refer to the HID kits available that fit into your existing headlamp as apposed to buying the complete headlamp (original) unit,#

With regards to legality, I believe headlamp washers are required on all new vehicles that have xenon lights fitted but not if it is retro fitted (I know yours has washers fitted).

 

[renault12ts]

STOP.

All E estates have self leveling suspension...but that's not what we are talking about...we are talking about self leveling for the lamps...that is somewhat different. My car, an estate, has both.

 

[whitenemesis]

From the MoT tester's handbook..

"Vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) or LED dipped beam headlamps may be fitted with headlamp washers and a suspension or headlamp self levelling system."

So it would seem SLS is sufficient to comply?

 

[Ali_H]

In answer to the OPs questions-

1 Yes E Class Halogens are poor to the level of being dangerous!

2 After discovering the above with my 2004 E320 CDi Estate I retro-fitted genuine MB xenon's which I bought from E-bay for approx £300 the pair. Fitting is straightforward and if you swap the "motors" the dash leveling switch still works. The car will need coding for xenons but my MB dealer did it FOC whilst in for a service. Leveling and washers are not a requirement for the MOT but having them should help keep the "xenon police" happy!

 

[JohnDeere8530]

Two options, leave as it is and dont go out in the dark or alternatively sell the car and buy another with Xenons. These are you cheapest route.

Mate who has more money than sense put Xenons in an Audi and parts off the shelf cost nearly £5k

 

[bob6600]

In answer to the OPs questions-

1 Yes E Class Halogens are poor to the level of being dangerous!

2 After discovering the above with my 2004 E320 CDi Estate I retro-fitted genuine MB xenon's which I bought from E-bay for approx £300 the pair. Fitting is straightforward and if you swap the "motors" the dash leveling switch still works. The car will need coding for xenons but my MB dealer did it FOC whilst in for a service. Leveling and washers are not a requirement for the MOT but having them should help keep the "xenon police" happy!

So providing you have the lamps and ballasts, it will work after being coded to the car via STAR? I guess they can be manually set up and adjusted then without the need of self levelling?

 

[Ali_H]

Yes. The ballasts are attached directly under the headlight casing, even the halogens have the mountings for them. just make sure that you get the correct lights as post face-lift lights have led side lights and I'm not sure that these can be coded on a pre face-lift car without bulb faults.

 

[highfell]

Thanks all, especially to A-Avantgarde for doing the Ebay search. The bulbs haven't been sold yet.

It's obviously a topic that hasn't got a clear answer.

I contacted an Independent MB specialist who is looking into the practicalities of doing a retro-fit. He also confirmed that the halogen MB bulbs & there lack of light was a known issue on pre-facelift cars. More to follow on their quote. I am not prepared to pay for new Self levelling system etc.

I also contacted a local auto-electrician who contacted a HID specialist who supplies 'kits'.He said that he could the parts including fitting (and including something to fool the computer that there isn't a fault with the lights) for £300.
He advised all legal & would pass MOT but didn't mention the need for a clear lens- but maybe it's part of the kit.

Nigel