Xenon bulb upgrade

[TRD]

I thought I'd like a bit more light output from my 2004 C-class estate. Looking through previous threads, PIAA bulbs seem like a good bet, but then I started looking at HID conversion kits, which seem to be 'plug and play' and give Xenon performance (at a price). Does anyone have any experince of the HID conversion kits? or should I just stick to changing the bulbs in my standard units? Do I have to change the dipped and the mainbeam bulbs?

 

[Paul Grainger]

A guy who I work with has just bought a pair of 'plug and play' HID conversions for his FTO. He paid £245 from e-bay (buy-it-now), he is delighted with the results. There are two small boxes (ballast and igniter) that have to be mounted near each headlight, but it is a very easy installation.

I am thinking about this one myself.

Paul G

 

[sym]

Very interesting ..... I assume they're safe / legal - I mean without any auto-levelling etc. ?

S.

 

[Steve_Perry]

I've read alot about the plug and play Xenon conversion kits and whilst they may provide alot of white or blue light the beam pattern that they produce can be quite poor as they are not designed for the standard reflector geometry. They can also be dangerous as they produce 'hotspots' of light that can dazzle/blind on coming drivers.

The best solution is to buy the OEM Xenon housings/capsules/ballasts but of course this is an exbenzive route to take.

There's been alot of discussion in the past on this subject between the W202 owners.

S.

 

[marcos]

I seem to remember reading that to be legal you have a cleaning system and auto leveling system installed for use with xenons.
As Steve said it will dazzle oncoming drivers and the reflectors will probably give the wrong spread pattern.

 

[Alps]

ok lets clear this one up for you all as im currently doing a conversion on mine!

for the 202, you will need, the whole light assemblies and the ballast units, the reflector is a totally different shape in the xenon light assembly, and inside the light assmbly you will also find there is an ignitor unit. ALSO you need self leveling by law, this is fairly easy, as the xenon light units come with a motorised self levelling unit, and the normal 202 one is a vacume unit. the vacume unit can easily be pulled out and out into the xenon unit. next thing is the wash wipe, i alrewady have the wipe so should be ok there.

any questions fire away as im still in the process of getting bits for this converstion and so far forked out alot of dosh!

 

[sym]

To be perfectly clear Alps ... sounds like you are doing the OEM conversion - as Koolvin has done - right ?

This needs a detailed HOWTO


S.

 

[Alps]

no probs sym, it will have once i get the parts!

regarding other HID kits be aware of the following, the xenon bulb and ballast cannot be just retrofitted into the normal headlights as you will light up the sky as well as the road! (even i thought abt this until someone showed me the results!)

the HID kit in this thread is an additional Dome light fitted the bulb and ballast, this is viable, but would look silly in a 202 imho!

so i think the only way is oem!, i`ll have part numbers and so on in a few weeks with a how to!

To be perfectly clear Alps ... sounds like you are doing the OEM conversion - as Koolvin has done - right ?

This needs a detailed HOWTO


S.

 

[Steve_Perry]

Alps,

What will you have the vacuum levelling unit connected to? I thought when MBenzNL converted his R129 SL and W202 C-Class he was talking about sensors linked to the front and rear suspension? Or are you just hooking the levelling unit upto the thumbwheel adjuster on the dash? On the W202, one way of spotting a Xenon equipped car (apart from the curved reflectors on the headlight assembly) is the lack of a headlight level adjustment thumbwheel next to the light switch on the dash.

S.

 

[Alps]

Steve,

I already have the thumbwheel and internal manual leveling on my car already, so v.easy to hook up!

 

[Shude]

In case anyone is wondering, you can buy the oem mercedes w202 HID headlamps in a kit from Bosch (who make it for MB). Part number is 0301 082972, list price is £715 (but good discounts are available from bosch retailers if you ask nicely). The kit contains a pair of headlamp housings, lenses, bulbs, ballasts and even a pair of indicators! MB wanted £600 each for just the housings! *shudder*

This IS on my list of upgrades, but right now £715 is more money than I see in a year so I won't be buying soon!

 

[Alps]

thats a good price still cos ballast units alone cost £300 each, and the bulbs £100 each, so in fact you get the rest for free!

2nd hand are like golddust and near impossible to find ! (ive been trying!)

 

[Shude]

thats a good price still cos ballast units alone cost £300 each, and the bulbs £100 each, so in fact you get the rest for free!

Exactly, I think I got a price of about £650 all-in, which is a bargain if you think about it! If you already have the colourless indicator corners you can sell the new ones you get in the kit for probably £50 too

 

[Pietre]

PIAA Xtreme White's Rule

Got my PIAA Xtreme White bulbs from Jimmy, and got around to fitting them yesterday (what muppet stuck the airbox in the way of the bulb cover). Left for work at 5:55am and played on the country roads to work, well what a burry marvel..... it was brilliant (pun not intended). I would reccomend this as an essential upgrade, The extra light was amazing. I would like to be able to retro fit Bi-Xenon, but this is well worth the expense for 4 bulbs. Many thanks to Jimmy for prompt supply and a great club price. :bannana: :bannana:

 

[GregE240]

Jimmy, have you got Extreme White in an H7 fitting? I've got Philips Vision Plus in dipped but might move them over to main and have Extreme as dipped.

Cheers, Greg

 

[frog1520]

Got my PIAA Xtreme White bulbs from Jimmy, and got around to fitting them yesterday (what muppet stuck the airbox in the way of the bulb cover). Left for work at 5:55am and played on the country roads to work, well what a burry marvel..... it was brilliant (pun not intended). I would reccomend this as an essential upgrade,

I agree! I put them in mine recently (side, dipped + main) and the are excellent! I've not tried any other fancy bulbs, but I'm impressed with these!

 

[splang]

yes,

I've fitted extreme white's to my car - looks brilliant.

I dont use main beam any more on country roads as I can see so much further....

Really easy to swap the bulbs over ..

Recommended to all.
Thanks to this forum =- else i wouldn't have known to try it !

Cheers - have a 'nana forum! :bannana:

Steve

 

[C240Sport97]

I have installed the PIAA bulbs from Jimmy too .. dipped beam Extreme, and main beam PIAA white, plus side lights too. The biggest difference is when you drive on streets with no street lights.

They look great. So much so that my mate didn't recognise the car as it blinded him.

Much easier to fit that I expected. What you need is a mirror so you can see how to release the clips.

On a W202 the fog light bulbs are the same as main beam (H1) so I of course managed to change the fog lights to PIAA first. Then moved them to their separate compartment for main beam.

 

[pammy]

Put my PIAA Platinum White's in for side beam on Saturday :bannana: courtesy of Jimmy for the supply - and Brian for the instructioin. It really is one of the easiest mods going - and realitvely cheap too - to deliver such brilliant(oun intended) results.