WANTED 1992 500E Headlight lens needed / Drivers side

[Roosters500]

Looking for help finding left side stock headlight for a 1992 500E. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
MB dealer said it is discontinued. Sorry the picture is not straight on, but if you zoom in you can see the crack.
Thank you!

 

[gerryvz]

I believe we have a couple of members who have spare stock headlights that they may be able to sell. Otherwise, eBay would likely be your best bet.

 

[CA500E]

Hi guys
I am new to the forum, own a 1991 500E I just started a 100% restoring of. I am quite experienced in Mercedes service, rebuilds, heavy modifications,
tuning, programming, R&D ( own and founded KLEEMANN ). The past few years we have done quite a few repairs/modifications on 190SL, Pagode, G wagons from old to newer for clients who simply went from shop to shop and got ripped off with no fix to their issues with classic cars.
Getting parts for my clients old classic cars is normally not an issue, so as I stripped my 124 as I have done a 1000 times in my youth, I have been quite
shocked the past days how hard some parts are to get, and how unseriously the things one find online is......
Lenses are easy to Google, you find fits 200-500 in the hundreds, but we all know it's not. is there anywhere to find the lens L+ R ?
I have some other parts in need as well.
Thanks for a great forum and I will be happy to chip in.

 

[TimL]

Hi guys
I am new to the forum, own a 1991 500E I just started a 100% restoring of. I am quite experienced in Mercedes service, rebuilds, heavy modifications,
tuning, programming, R&D ( own and founded KLEEMANN ). The past few years we have done quite a few repairs/modifications on 190SL, Pagode, G wagons from old to newer for clients who simply went from shop to shop and got ripped off with no fix to their issues with classic cars.
Getting parts for my clients old classic cars is normally not an issue, so as I stripped my 124 as I have done a 1000 times in my youth, I have been quite
shocked the past days how hard some parts are to get, and how unseriously the things one find online is......
Lenses are easy to Google, you find fits 200-500 in the hundreds, but we all know it's not. is there anywhere to find the lens L+ R ?
I have some other parts in need as well.
Thanks for a great forum and I will be happy to chip in.

KLEEMANN made some really cool power upgrades!!! Awesome that you have joined this forum!


A good place to look for lenses is ebay-kleinanzeigen.de where you can search for w124 500E or W124 NOS and sometimes see some very hard to find parts. There were lenses for sale a few months ago on that platform, but none right now I believe. It’s worth checking from time to time, if you are in no rush. Otherwise there might be some people on the forum willing to sell their hoarded parts, but that will likely carry an expensive price tag.

Best of luck with these and the restoration of the car

 

[Sam SL]

I just checked with my local MB dealer from whom I purchased a set in 2017. The prices have gone up 50 % but they are still available from Germany at $322 Cdn which works out to $239 US at today's exchange rate. I asked for both left and right sides.

 

[CA500E]

KLEEMANN made some really cool power upgrades!!! Awesome that you have joined this forum!

A good place to look for lenses is ebay-kleinanzeigen.de where you can search for w124 500E or W124 NOS and sometimes see some very hard to find parts. There were lenses for sale a few months ago on that platform, but none right now I believe. It’s worth checking from time to time, if you are in no rush. Otherwise there might be some people on the forum willing to sell their hoarded parts, but that will likely carry an expensive price tag.

Thanks already found some parts, and by the way we still do many great power upgrades........................

 

[CA500E]

I just checked with my local MB dealer from whom I purchased a set in 2017. The prices have gone up 50 % but they are still available from Germany at $322 Cdn which works out to $239 US at today's exchange rate. I asked for both left and right sides.

Hi and thanks, but I am in Denmark and need EU lenses "Hella", they seems not possible to get, price is not really the issue but the ones you refer to is US lense ?
We already asked the part number at US dealer and none in the US ( or ROW for the matter )

 

[gsxr]

Looking for help finding left side stock headlight for a 1992 500E. Any help would be greatly appreciated. MB dealer said it is discontinued. Sorry the picture is not straight on, but if you zoom in you can see the crack. Thank you!

Assuming you want the USA DOT glass lens over the main portion of the headlight (9004 bulb)... the lens assembly, and entire 500E USA headlights, are NLA. You have two choices: either buy a complete new 300E/400E headlamp and swap parts around to make one "new" 500E headlight, or source a used 300E/400E headlamp with good glass, and swap parts around. Either way, surgery will be required. Not difficult, just time consuming. The decision is to buy new for ~$300 delivered from a discount dealer ($450 MSRP), or find used for less. Yes, the glass section is the same on all USA DOT 124 headlights; it's the inboard section with H3 bulb and plastic lens that is different on the 036.

Hi and thanks, but I am in Denmark and need EU lenses "Hella", they seems not possible to get, price is not really the issue but the ones you refer to is US lense ? We already asked the part number at US dealer and none in the US ( or ROW for the matter )

This has been discussed in dozens of threads over the past few years, since the Euro headlights and lenses went NLA. At times new ones appear on eBay, sometimes at exorbitant cost. You can post your own "Wanted" thread, and also search the classifieds. Everybody wants these lenses but most people who have them apparently plan to keep them as spares.

 

[Jlaa]

Looking for help finding left side stock headlight for a 1992 500E. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
MB dealer said it is discontinued. Sorry the picture is not straight on, but if you zoom in you can see the crack.
Thank you!

Hi and thanks, but I am in Denmark and need EU lenses "Hella", they seems not possible to get, price is not really the issue but the ones you refer to is US lense ?
We already asked the part number at US dealer and none in the US ( or ROW for the matter )

I have a new spare set of these lenses. See below picture. I would be willing to trade these for equally rare parts. However, I would not be willing to exchange these lenses for money.

Would you have anything interesting to trade for them? Perhaps, Rial ARC M800, or something else that is interesting? I'd like to keep these parts within the "super-enthusiast" community ---- which sort of explains why I am not interested in money.

Thanks.

 

[TimL]

Thanks already found some parts, and by the way we still do many great power upgrades........................

I’m sure you do. I just stopped paying attention to the Mercedes model lineup and their associated tuning when the MB design turned generic and rather Lexus like. So it’s been a while

 

[alfagta]

Jlaa, I'm a super enthusiast with no cool MB parts who needs a pair of headlight lenses to make my '92 500E look even better than it does already. Please let me know if we can work out anything. I do have a set of Euro headlight assemblies for a w123...
Thanks much. Bill

 

[Jlaa]

Jlaa, I'm a super enthusiast with no cool MB parts who needs a pair of headlight lenses to make my '92 500E look even better than it does already. Please let me know if we can work out anything. I do have a set of Euro headlight assemblies for a w123...
Thanks much. Bill

Thanks Bill. I would say -- if you have any cool w124 parts come into your possession, please do not hesitate to private message me. Unfortunately I really would not accept money, but I wish you the best of luck with your search.

 

[alfagta]

OK, thanks. Anyone else out there able to assist? Bill

 

[richard28]

I have some old w124 headlight assemblies, I'll check and get back to you later today.

 

[alfagta]

OK, turns out I need the glass headlight (driver's side) rather than the headlight doors (?correct terminology). Mine has a crack.
May be exposing my gross ignorance, but it looks like Jlaa's has a different setup from mine. Mine has an opening for the glass headlight where Jlaa's has a cover over where the headlight lens would sit. What am I missing?
Went to the dealer today. Said there was one set of the doors in US, $465 for the pair. The driver's side headlight itself is about $290 but NLA.
Ebay has a Bosch-labeled headlight made in Czech Republic for about $95. MBZ parts has the "genuine Mercedes" part #003-826-2290 driver side for $285. (003-826-2390 is for passenger side and was a little less according to dealer.)
Anyone have experience comparing these two headlights?
And, while I'm imposing on the collective knowledge, if I get one new headlight will it look sufficiently different from the other side due to age that I should get both sides?
Thanks. Any leads and advice appreciated.

 

[Sam SL]

Ebay has a Bosch-labeled headlight made in Czech Republic for about $95. MBZ parts has the "genuine Mercedes" part #003-826-2290 driver side for $285. (003-826-2390 is for passenger side and was a little less according to dealer.)
Anyone have experience comparing these two headlights?
And, while I'm imposing on the collective knowledge, if I get one new headlight will it look sufficiently different from the other side due to age that I should get both sides?

Bill, the left Bosch labeled headlight for $95 is okay to have. I replaced both my headlights 3 years ago, the left one being the Bosch - labeled Czech made unit while paying full price for the right side at more than 3 times the price. They are both on the car now. Unless your right lens is relatively new it will look out of place once the new left one is installed, same applies to your plastic headlight doors.

 

[gsxr]

OK, turns out I need the glass headlight (driver's side) rather than the headlight doors (?correct terminology). Mine has a crack. May be exposing my gross ignorance, but it looks like Jlaa's has a different setup from mine. Mine has an opening for the glass headlight where Jlaa's has a cover over where the headlight lens would sit. What am I missing?

You have USA DOT headlights. Jlaa has Euro lights. Completely different designs.

Went to the dealer today. Said there was one set of the doors in US, $465 for the pair. The driver's side headlight itself is about $290 but NLA. Ebay has a Bosch-labeled headlight made in Czech Republic for about $95....

See post #8 above, you'll need to swap parts around, no matter what you buy. If the $95 USA light is genuine Bosch / AL (seems awfully cheap - have a link?), yes it should work fine for your USA lights. Sam SL's post above is also correct, one side may look slightly off with new glass. New vs old plastic 'doors' looks far worse though!

 

[gerryvz]

I would recommend replacing BOTH headlights at the same time -- not doing one. It will look MUCH better.

 

[TimL]

I would recommend replacing BOTH headlights at the same time -- not doing one. It will look MUCH better.

I’d second that. See this picture of my car when just one side had a new door and lens installed (taken shortly before the other side got replaced with new units). You’ll want to do both sides.

This shows both sides done with new doors and lenses

 

[Sam SL]

Also check your amber corners and even the grille insert while you're at it.