W219 CLS - LED H7 Headlights Installd (Novsight)

[Liam.Moran]

Makes no difference. If you drive outside the US they aren't legal. US lighting is very different to ours. Beam pattern is different, cut off is different (theirs is less sharp with more bleed).
I seriously doubt they'd go into your headlights without a fair bit of fettling.

There are also 2 sides to safety. Firstly (and most importantly) safety for other road users. Secondary to that is your safety - after all you can slow down if it feels unsafe.

I guess you didn't watch the video? the cutoff is very sharp, they make different models for both left and right hand drive traffic, and they are designed to be retrofitted into an existing housing, mounting to original mounting points.

 

[LostKiwi]

I guess you didn't watch the video? the cutoff is very sharp, they make different models for both left and right hand drive traffic, and they are designed to be retrofitted into an existing housing, mounting to original mounting points.

Yes I did watch it.
The issue with mounting them in an existing housing is that if there is a Fresnel lens on the front of the light they will scatter light in all directions.
The website you linked to also indicated the existing housings on some cars will need cutting. That can affect structural rigidity of the housing.
Irrespective how good they may be there is no escaping the simple fact they are illegal to use in this country and will invalidate your insurance. There is no escaping that simple fact.
They will also be an MOT fail if the tester spots them.

 

[Craiglxviii]

I never said it was questionable, but the stock "safety equipment" is crap, plus said equipment is homologated stateside.

So what? The US lags about ten years behind Europe in vehicle lighting standards. There are calls there to limit cars to headlamps of no more than 1200lm each to reduce dazzle to oncoming drivers- most HiD lamps will output >3000lm.

Saying that the OEM kit is crap rather ignores the huge amount of time & money put into the OEM having to prove to the vehicle inspection authorities that the car as built meets the standards required to drive legally. Your aftermarket people absolutely do not do this, they couldn’t afford to.

 

[Botus]

my dad had a w124 and has a w211 both came with std lights using halogen bulbs and the light unit reflector and "glass" are in as new condition. both vehicles should not be allowed on the road at night. the light output is less then 50% of what I would consider safe for night time use. and I ride motorbikes where you basically can't see anything at night or in the wet, so am quite used to coping with vehicles where vision is seriously reduced (and 40 years of driving later I'm still alive....)

the xenon's are barely adequate at faster speeds and because of single unit per side (due to the waste of space night vison fitted to my car) my 221 is unsafe on unlit roads at 70 and only barely adequate on main beam to 90

having gone through some 50 to 60 years of joke headlights... Mercedes went totally mad and now produce the most ridiculous LED lights fitted to any vehicle. they are utterly ridiculous, physically hurting and blinding the eyes of oncoming drivers by around 100% more than the worse of the other offenders (jag and audi). You can literally see when its a merc with LEDs from more than 2 miles away. If you catch the beam wrong as it turns across your path you can have an almost total loss of vison for up to 5 seconds and further impairment for the next half an hour. If I was transport minister I would have them taken off the road immediately

 

[Blobcat]

my dad had a w124 and has a w211 both came with std lights using halogen bulbs and the light unit reflector and "glass" are in as new condition. both vehicles should not be allowed on the road at night. the light output is less then 50% of what I would consider safe for night time use. and I ride motorbikes where you basically can't see anything at night or in the wet, so am quite used to coping with vehicles where vision is seriously reduced (and 40 years of driving later I'm still alive....)

the xenon's are barely adequate at faster speeds and because of single unit per side (due to the waste of space night vison fitted to my car) my 221 is unsafe on unlit roads at 70 and only barely adequate on main beam to 90

having gone through some 50 to 60 years of joke headlights... Mercedes went totally mad and now produce the most ridiculous LED lights fitted to any vehicle. they are utterly ridiculous, physically hurting and blinding the eyes of oncoming drivers by around 100% more than the worse of the other offenders (jag and audi). You can literally see when its a merc with LEDs from more than 2 miles away. If you catch the beam wrong as it turns across your path you can have an almost total loss of vison for up to 5 seconds and further impairment for the next half an hour. If I was transport minister I would have them taken off the road immediately

I’d recommend having your eyes tested, with age night vision can deteriorate significantly.

 

[Botus]

I’d recommend having your eyes tested, with age night vision can deteriorate significantly.

whilst that is generic good advice, especially as one ages, why do those with better than 20 20 vision of any age group (who are not brand blinded) have the exact same issue?

you can improve your night vison by taking supplements containing Meso-Zeaxanthin, like https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-lutigold-extra-capsules-20mg-60013175 it however doesn't fix the "what should be illegal" LEDs fitted to Mercedes cars

 

[LostKiwi]

I’d recommend having your eyes tested, with age night vision can deteriorate significantly.

Agreed. I'm perfectly happy to drive my halogen equipped 210 at legal speeds at night even on country lanes. The 129 isn't as good but it's older tech, but that said its still adequate.

 

[Craiglxviii]

whilst that is generic good advice, especially as one ages, why do those with better than 20 20 vision of any age group (who are not brand blinded) have the exact same issue?

you can improve your night vison by taking supplements containing Meso-Zeaxanthin, like https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-lutigold-extra-capsules-20mg-60013175 it however doesn't fix the "what should be illegal" LEDs fitted to Mercedes cars

The exact same lamp module in MB’s LED ILS is fitted to Audi & BMW models as well. Why don’t you complain about those specifically too?

 

[Richops]

So what’s the general consensus?
Is there a good headlight upgrade?
My GLA is using H15’s as drl and headlights do am I stuck with these or is there a viable and cheap way to upgrade them.

 

[Craiglxviii]

So what’s the general consensus?
Is there a good headlight upgrade?
My GLA is using H15’s as drl and headlights do am I stuck with these or is there a viable and cheap way to upgrade them.

There is no upgrade legally available beyond using brighter lamps of the same ECE marked form factor, or swapping to OEM alternative lighting sources homologated to the car.

There are alternative ECE marked H15 lamps with greater brightness available. However, remember that DRLs are limited to 600lm by Regs as they’re solely there to allow other road users to see you.

 

[Botus]

The exact same lamp module in MB’s LED ILS is fitted to Audi & BMW models as well. Why don’t you complain about those specifically too?

I mentioned audi in my post. They are poor but not dangerous. The BM ones when fitted to their light units can start to look distracting on a motorway as they initially look dazzling, but as they get close and you think here we go again "get the welding mask out quick..." only to find they are no issue at all, and again around town they are no problem whatsoever.

But the way Merc do LEDs they are blinding... and light leakage out the side as they turn across your path is outrageous

 

[LostKiwi]

I mentioned audi in my post. They are poor but not dangerous. The BM ones when fitted to their light units can start to look distracting on a motorway as they initially look dazzling, but as they get close and you think here we go again "get the welding mask out quick..." only to find they are no issue at all, and again around town they are no problem whatsoever.

But the way Merc do LEDs they are blinding... and light leakage out the side as they turn across your path is outrageous

You keep claiming this but I have never found an issue.

 

[Botus]

You keep claiming this but I have never found an issue.

don't worry it happen soon enough

 

[LostKiwi]

don't worry it happen soon enough

I would have thought given how long you've been saying this and the number of miles I've driven that if I'd been going to see it I would have done so by now.

 

[Craiglxviii]

I mentioned audi in my post. They are poor but not dangerous. The BM ones when fitted to their light units can start to look distracting on a motorway as they initially look dazzling, but as they get close and you think here we go again "get the welding mask out quick..." only to find they are no issue at all, and again around town they are no problem whatsoever.

But the way Merc do LEDs they are blinding... and light leakage out the side as they turn across your path is outrageous

It’s not that the LED ILS units are similar across BMW, MB, Audi (and a few others). The lighting engine used across those carlines are literally identical down to the part number. Osram Optoelectronics’ SMARTRIX array. The only difference is the shape of the box they package them in.

BMW also have laser high beam, which really IS dangerously bright out to 600m range.

I also fundamentally disagree with your statement about light bleed. That is not allowed under the lighting regs because it’s dangerous. The lamp components must be light tight to the lens. Do you mean that you see a predominantly blue, very bright dazzle?

 

[Capra]

I swear there are a few drivers out there that like the ultra bright look, not for seeing any further and clearer, but for when they are sat in super market car parks. It seems that there are also a few that feel they cannot drive at night unless the road in front has been flooded by light.
I just think it could be an age thing, and some panic at night.

 

[DSK]

Thing is as mentioned even by me, I have a lot of older cars 1995-2000) and all work absolutely fine, quite well to be honest on H7 Halogens. Even my BMWs 1989-2000 E30/E34/E36/E39 worked great. My ex lease 2013 Astra had projector halogens (HB3 I think not that the bulb fitment type should matter) and that was also surprisingly good. We don't need intense full beam light, but, rather for objects such as signs, kerb area, cats eyes and all that to be lit up.

The Merc CLS I got, was not even close to any of the above, genuinely was barely able to light up the bend cheveron signs when you were on top of them at 2am on picth black country lanes coming back from an airport run. Upgraded bulbs to Osram 4000K, Nighbreakers and Philips white vision made no improvement. How the hell this has been approved is beyond me. even the full beams are laughable. The most stressful night drive I have had on my own, on clear roads, at below the speed limits in 20 years.

Richops - outside of legailities and at ones own choice, I belive your only option is a HID kit. Depending on your lighting unit, you may see an acceptable improvement by trying something like Osram Nightbreakers, Philips Crystal Vision etc.

As for that projector retrofit, having to cut/modify the housing, no matter how accurate ones drilling skills are, that personally doesn't sit well with me as it genuinely alerts the placement of the bulb. Its also a hell of a lot of hassle. For me, its got to slot right into the original fixing at the right point.

 

[Botus]

It’s not that the LED ILS units are similar across BMW, MB, Audi (and a few others). The lighting engine used across those carlines are literally identical down to the part number.

I also fundamentally disagree with your statement about light bleed. That is not allowed under the lighting regs because it’s dangerous. The lamp components must be light tight to the lens. Do you mean that you see a predominantly blue, very bright dazzle?

it doesn't matter if you disagree about light bleed or indeed if the same unit is used on all cars with LED

On a Merc LED lighting is dangerous to others …

they bleed light (its happened to me and others in the car on numerous occasion in town if they turn across your path) - fact...
in general Merc ones dazzle a lot more than any other manufacturer - fact...

 

[LostKiwi]

it doesn't matter if you disagree about light bleed or indeed if the same unit is used on all cars with LED

On a Merc LED lighting is dangerous to others …

they bleed light (its happened to me and others in the car on numerous occasion in town if they turn across your path) - fact...
in general Merc ones dazzle a lot more than any other manufacturer - fact...

A fact is only a fact if it's supported by evidence that incontrovertible. You say they dazzle, I say they don't.

 

[Botus]

A fact is only a fact if it's supported by evidence that incontrovertible. You say they dazzle, I say they don't.

yes but I'm right and you're mistaken

I guess I didn't just read this on the autoexpress site

According to a new RAC survey, fifteen per cent of UK drivers say they have suffered a near miss after being dazzled by modern car headlights they believe to be too bright.

Of the 65 per cent of drivers that said they regularly get dazzled by oncoming car lights, the majority said it takes up to five seconds for them to see normally again. If travelling at 60mph, this can mean they are unable to see properly while traveling for up to 134 metres

RAC road safety spokesman Pete Williams said: “The intensity and brightness of some new car headlights is clearly causing difficulty for other road users. Headlight technology has advanced considerably in recent years, but while that may be better for the drivers of those particular vehicles, it is presenting an unwanted, new road safety risk for anyone driving towards them or even trying to pull out at a junction