Xenon Headlights

[Ian Topping]

Hi,

Is it possible to improve the illumination of the headlights on my W208 CLK 55.
The full beam is fine, but when you go back to dip it is really quite dark!

Maybe I am just getting old and my eyesight is fading along with other senses!!

Any suggestions much appreciated

Thanks
Ian

 

[BlackC55]

Are they xenons fitted?

 

[Ian Topping]

To be honest I don't know other than when you turn them on you can see then brighten up and drop down a little finding there level, if this is characteristic of Xenon

 

[BlackC55]

I think you may have xenons.

I am suprised you find them poor.

 

[C240Sport97]

Ian, your CLK55 has OEM Xenons.

Have you tried cleaning the lens cover in this nasty weather

It also has extra bright bulbs on high beam (the light from in the inner round items)

 

[Ian Topping]

do I just wash nornally or do I have to clean the inside of the lese as well, or does this sound stupid??

 

[C240Sport97]

do I just wash nornally or do I have to clean the inside of the lese as well, or does this sound stupid??

just wash outside of lens normally ..

have you tried using the headlight washers?

 

[lynall]

It may be a character of the car as wifes 203 has xenons and they are fantastic in all conditions, my 210 also has xenons and they are in my opinion poor especially in half light conditions, total darknsss they are okay.



Lynall

 

[KDBCOM]

I had xenons on my first B (245) and they were very good but my latest B had normal H7 bulbs which are dim in comparison. I have found that the Philips Xtreme Power (supposedly 85% brighter) do make some improvement but still nowhere near as good as the xenons on the old car. I do rather doubt the 85% claim though.

 

[timskemp]

Clean the lenses, if they're cloudy they'll be diffusing lots of light and will need polishing (not for the faint-hearted). Also HID burners do get dimmer with age.

 

[Ian Topping]

When you say not for the faint-hearted - what do you mean?

Does this involve dismantling the headlight unit??

 

[timskemp]

Search for "headlamp polishing" and you'll see - involves lots of grades of abrasive paper and polishes and things!

 

[Will]

Hi,

Is it possible to improve the illumination of the headlights on my W208 CLK 55.
The full beam is fine, but when you go back to dip it is really quite dark!

Maybe I am just getting old and my eyesight is fading along with other senses!!

Any suggestions much appreciated

Thanks
Ian

Hi Ian,

For what it's worth, I have factory Xenons fitted on my 2001 CLK55 AMG also. They're okay, but I don't think they're anywhere near as good as modern ones. Perhaps because the lenses are a little aged, but in all honesty I find the standard halogen projector headlights in some new cars (VW/Audi etc) to be better! My car has about 70k miles on her and the lenses don't look all that faded (compared to really old/high mileage 208s/210s etc)

Not saying that they're awful, but I wouldn't say that they're particularly good either


If you're trying to work out if you've got the Xenon lights fitted or not, this should help:

Xenons:

Halogens (borrowed from member Wemorgan's album):

Will

 

[C240Sport97]

If you're trying to work out if you've got the Xenon lights fitted or not, this should help:

Ian's car had Xenons when I had it