Best Headlights Recommendations? - BMW Forum

Dathaeus · 10-31-2008, 02:15 PM

Hey all... my 328i came with some super nice HID's when
I first got it, but it was not installed properly by the previous
owner's guy, and it burned through part of the casing, so
either i spent another $400+ on new HID's or I went with
regular whites, and thats what I did, too expensive.

For the past few times, I have just ordered some cheapy white
bulbs off ebay for like $10-$15 each, but they seem to be
blowing out every two years or so, and that seems a bit too
frequent... so any suggestions on any bright whites/blues
that may not be quite HID's but maybe closer to Xenons
for reasonable prices, and where I can order from?

Thanks!

SHAHAB323IS · 10-31-2008, 02:42 PM

hid's and xenons are the same thing, the best halogen bulb is probably the european osram silverstars, not the sylvania ones sold at autozone and pepboys

good luck

PhatCat · 10-31-2008, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SHAHAB323IS

hid's and xenons are the same thing, the best halogen bulb is probably the european osram silverstars, not the sylvania ones sold at autozone and pepboys

good luck

I heard that you often get less than 100 hours burn time out of those Sylvania's anyways. Osram are supposed to be pretty stellar though.

Dathaeus · 10-31-2008, 03:02 PM

Where would be the best place to purchase... is ebay ok as long as i get that brand?

And now i hear they make HID kits from $45???????? Cmon, anyone really gonna buy that? I find it hard to believe using an HID kit for that price when I was quoted like $400 back several years ago. Did I miss out on some new tech?

PhatCat · 10-31-2008, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dathaeus

Where would be the best place to purchase... is ebay ok as long as i get that brand?

And now i hear they make HID kits from $45???????? Cmon, anyone really gonna buy that? I find it hard to believe using an HID kit for that price when I was quoted like $400 back several years ago. Did I miss out on some new tech?

Check out these guys, they have it all...I ordered some lenses and bulbs from them and had them shipped here(to Calgary) and it was way less expensive than for me to get them in town. Hella Lighting Products - Headlamps, Fog Lamps, Driving Lamps, Worklamps, Electrical Hardware, Horns, Emergency Lighting.

Teh Prof · 10-31-2008, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dathaeus

Where would be the best place to purchase... is ebay ok as long as i get that brand?

And now i hear they make HID kits from $45???????? Cmon, anyone really gonna buy that? I find it hard to believe using an HID kit for that price when I was quoted like $400 back several years ago. Did I miss out on some new tech?

HID kits are pretty cheap these days--manufacturing volume has increased, as has manufacturing technology. The expensive part really is buying the projectors, which can top $400 for the good ones.

SHAHAB323IS · 10-31-2008, 10:05 PM

try understeer.com if you want to do it right and get projectors and hid's

Dathaeus · 11-02-2008, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teh Prof

HID kits are pretty cheap these days--manufacturing volume has increased, as has manufacturing technology. The expensive part really is buying the projectors, which can top $400 for the good ones.

Sorry but what are projectors? When I look at these kits on bavtoys and ddmtuning.com, I dont see any projector parts included....

Dathaeus · 11-02-2008, 02:20 AM

Ok, I was looking at the Apexcone 35W/55W Full Size Ballast HID Kit on ddmtuning.com for $50 u get everything needed to run HID's? Some people talk about "projectors".... what r those and do they need to be purchased separately? And can I still use the old high beam bulbs?

Is 55W for high beam only?

And there are all these choices.. as far as color, is this correct?

3000K (Golden Yellow)
5000K (OEM White)
6000K (Diamond White)
8000K (Iceberg blue) [I assume this is just off-white?]
10000K (Brilliant Blue) [I assume this is "more blue" than 8000K]
12000K (Exotic Violet)
30000K (Pink Violet) [Who gets this????]

So for the best lighting without looking cheesy, is 8000K the most "natural light?" Or is it the 6000K?

Also, all these "H" bulb types, why so many? I just want the brightest low beams that will light up the road and anything in front of me the best way possible... is there such a thing? Geez I didnt know lights also contained a huge can of worms for crying out loud....

Many also suggest bavtoys.com, so is the $120+ kit like the UDD Slim Hid/Xenon D2S Kit there somehow better than the Apexcone?

Teh Prof · 11-02-2008, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dathaeus

Sorry but what are projectors? When I look at these kits on bavtoys and ddmtuning.com, I dont see any projector parts included....

Projectors are new housings for headlamp bulbs that have a magnifying lens in front that more efficiently directs the light towards the road. You cannot put HID bulbs in the headlight enclosure that came with your car; it will throw light everywhere and be a hazard to oncoming traffic.

Dathaeus · 11-02-2008, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teh Prof

Projectors are new housings for headlamp bulbs that have a magnifying lens in front that more efficiently directs the light towards the road. You cannot put HID bulbs in the headlight enclosure that came with your car; it will throw light everywhere and be a hazard to oncoming traffic.

So I have to purchase those separately, of kits that DO have it will state it in their list?

Are HID's without projectors illegal? Because I am sure I have seen HID lights out there on vehicles where it seems just as you described, lighting up every space in front of them, including my retina.

drz · 11-02-2008, 03:08 PM

Do you have pictures of your headlights? It may be that the previous owner already installed projectors

Dathaeus · 11-02-2008, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drz

Do you have pictures of your headlights? It may be that the previous owner already installed projectors

Its dark now so it wont photo too well, and my hard drives crashed so i dont have my old photos, ya, so i'll try to post tomorrow... can u just tell from a shot of the front of the car?

I would assume the previous owner did install the projector for the HID that was there then, but then again, whenever I drove at night and passed 18 wheelers, almost EVERY single one would high beam me as i passed so.... maybe i didnt have it or had my angle wrong....

SHAHAB323IS · 11-02-2008, 07:12 PM

sorry to lazy to explain

Lights & Lighting Research Guide Compare Best

basically standard reflector lights work like a flash light, bulb in the middle and reflect light from it towards the front of the vehicle, projectors have ellipsoid lenses that concentrate and directly aim the light down towards the road

Dathaeus · 11-03-2008, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teh Prof

HID kits are pretty cheap these days--manufacturing volume has increased, as has manufacturing technology. The expensive part really is buying the projectors, which can top $400 for the good ones.

DDR was selling some kits WITH projectors for less than $150... why are some proj's SO expensive, do they magnify more light or something? Even so is it worth the extra $200???

And are "ellipsoids" just a common type of projector used for E36's?