[Kakigori]

Hi,
I've posted once or twice already about headlights on my 2011 328xDrive with halogen lights. The more research I do here and on other forums, the more confused I get. I want to upgrade with quality products but my car is also still under warantee.
The halogen headlights, fog lights and angel eyes are yellowish and seemingly dim. I want to improve roadlighting at night, have a whiter light and more noticable angel eyes during the day as DRL. As a side note, I also have to figure in that my headlight covers are badly pitted from winter salt and sand and I will either replace the entires pods or pay for an expensive polish-out.

1) OEM BMW xenons might be the best alternative long-term. How do these compare to BMW OEM halogens, a really noticable whiter and better light-throwing upgrade, albit expensive?
2) ECS Tuning, ebay and others sell an entire headlight assembly with either halogen or xenon replacements pods. This would solve my sand-pitted covers, too but I still need to decide what bulbs to then use.
3) Polish out the headlight covers and upgrade the halogen bulbs and angel eyes to different ones, but which ones? Some say 5000k gives gives a whiter light but thrown might be less.

All very confusing. Can some weigh in on the "best" solution for brighter and whiter lights up front?
Thanks

[amullo]

I´ll try to offer some insight, as I have some experience of the same problem, but on my old E46 BMW (my current E91 has Xenons from the factory).

I had exactly the same dilemma and I decided to keep the Halogen headlights, but to replace the headlight covers. This was a DIY on the facelift E46 and pretty easily done. Not sure if that is possible on the E90. Made a HUGE diffrence on mine. If that isnt possible, you could possible try to recondition the plastic.
Two ways of doing that with some quick googling. Either using wetsanding (i Wouldnt try that) or by buffing them with a light abbressive like toothpaste.

When it come to bulbs, I swear by Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited bulbs myself. I had them in the E46 and I have them on my bike (Ducati MTS1200). They offer alot more light going down the road then the stock OEM bulbs. Phillips also have their X-treme Vision that are pretty good.

I havent the best idea on the halos or fogs. primarily because I dont spend time worrying about stuff like that. Its "all show" as Halos are concerned, I just changed my H8 bulbs over to some bargain basement blue ones and that is that. The fogs I havent touched, mostly because I dont use them. They just ad some light closest to the car, increasingt what is called "Self dazzling". IE: The light closest to the car becomes brighter, making your eyes adjust too much and you loose some nightvision at the extreme edge of your light throw.

If your serious about having more highbeam, you can go the route I decided on. http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1029961

[Kakigori]

Thanks for your input Amullo. Unfortunately the E90 headlight covers cannot be replaced. Either one buffs the pits and scratches out or replace the entire pod. The cost of buffing out both headlight assemblies plus new angel eyes and headlight bulbs would be about the same price as buying aftermarket pods.
I guess I still don't know which way to go for better daytime angel eyes and whiter, brighter nighttime visibility, all with reliability and not voiding the car's warrantee.
Perhaps a few other members will still weigh in with their thoughts.
Thanks

[paulm3251]

Originally Posted by Kakigori

Thanks for your input Amullo. Unfortunately the E90 headlight covers cannot be replaced. Either one buffs the pits and scratches out or replace the entire pod. The cost of buffing out both headlight assemblies plus new angel eyes and headlight bulbs would be about the same price as buying aftermarket pods.
I guess I still don't know which way to go for better daytime angel eyes and whiter, brighter nighttime visibility, all with reliability and not voiding the car's warrantee.
Perhaps a few other members will still weigh in with their thoughts.
Thanks

Try Phillips Diamond Visions for your headlights...Both my 2003 CLK55 AMG and 2007 328xi came with halogens and these bulbs look great. Look very close to Xenon's, quality product, and easy to swap.

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-Diamon...mond+vision+h7

Buy from Seller SpeedShop if you decide to go through with it...hope this helps.

[bmw325i]

I had prelci halogens and I upgraded to lci xenons. Before and after was a huge difference. Much easier to see at night and cosmetically they look much nicer.

[pyosh85]

Same boat here, and I just want to confirm before I make the purchases.

2011 328XI (which makes it a E90 LCI I guess) with Halogen lamps.

I'm considering making these purchases.
- Angel eyes (halogen ones obv)
- H7 Headlight bulbs (e.g. Osram Night Breaker or Phillips Diamond Vision)
- H11 Foglight bulbs

This is the right way to go about it? Thanks in advance.

[amullo]

If your want a SIDE BY SIDE comparison between the stock halogen bulb and the nightbreakers, check these out

[amullo]

If you guys want to HOLD OFF on the purchases, a very well known automobile magazine "ViBilägare" in Sweden is currently conducting tests on Halogen H7 bulbs in a photo and light lab. They will publish their findings by mid december latest.

The magazine has access to vey sophisticated equipment and do lowbeam and highbeam tests for every road test they do. Im a subscriber and I´ll ba happy to share the results when they come out!
Osram Nightbreaker unlimited aswell as Phillips xtreme vision aswell as some others like PIAA and MTEC will probably be put side by side.

[WOT Bimmer]

Here's something else you need to consider cosmetically - something that is often overlooked. If you purchase the bulbs, once you install them in the housings (which are highly reflective), the blue tint on the bulbs is going to be magnified by the reflective housing and your headlights (when off during daytime) are going to look blue-ish from a distance. I ran into this with fog lights when I put HID bulbs in. This may not be a big deal for some, but for others who like to maintain the euro look of their headlights it may be a drawback to have that blue tint flashed all over your housing while driving around with headlights off. Perhaps someone with the bulbs installed could post a picture?

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Originally Posted by WOT Bimmer

Here's something else you need to consider cosmetically - something that is often overlooked. If you purchase the bulbs, once you install them in the housings (which are highly reflective), the blue tint on the bulbs is going to be magnified by the reflective housing and your headlights (when off during daytime) are going to look blue-ish from a distance. I ran into this with fog lights when I put HID bulbs in. This may not be a big deal for some, but for others who like to maintain the euro look of their headlights it may be a drawback to have that blue tint flashed all over your housing while driving around with headlights off. Perhaps someone with the bulbs installed could post a picture?

This is actually very true. I had the same problem in my vette. It didn't really bother me too much until a friend noticed and he said "what's wrong with your high beams, they are blue when they are off".

I'm like ughh, so of course I had to change them after that. I ended up going with a more pure white Nokya halogen from HPB as I don't see the need for HID in high beams at this time. I use my high beams maybe twice a year at most.

[Z3ROWOLFHD]

I'm having the exam same problem, I'f I buy a headlight housing, such as this one,does it come with everything I need, or do I also need to get LUX Angel Eyes to make the DRL LED?

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Originally Posted by Z3ROWOLFHD

I'm having the exam same problem, I'f I buy a headlight housing, such as this one,does it come with everything I need, or do I also need to get LUX Angel Eyes to make the DRL LED?

Lux or any other angel eye kit likely wont work in those. They have their own light pre-installed.

[Z3ROWOLFHD]

Originally Posted by Jeff@TopGearSolutions

Lux or any other angel eye kit likely wont work in those. They have their own light pre-installed.

Ok so if I bought those to replace my LCI headlight housing, I wouldn't need anything else? Other than bulbs in the fog lights to match?

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Originally Posted by Z3ROWOLFHD

Ok so if I bought those to replace my LCI headlight housing, I wouldn't need anything else? Other than bulbs in the fog lights to match?

I'd recommend asking the company you're buying them from, I'm not sure since we don't sell the product but I'd assume they would include lights.

[Z3ROWOLFHD]

For anyone coming across my post on the interwebs, I went with MTEC 4350k's H7's in both of my head lamps, and the same bulb color but in H8 for the fog lights. Lux angel eyes and they match perfectly. Perfect setup and its all I needed.

You're welcome internet searcher

[E7J3F3]

Originally Posted by Z3ROWOLFHD

For anyone coming across my post on the interwebs, I went with MTEC 4350k's H7's in both of my head lamps, and the same bulb color but in H8 for the fog lights. Lux angel eyes and they match perfectly. Perfect setup and its all I needed.

You're welcome internet searcher

How was the install for the lux AE? I have heard they can be a pain.

[Z3ROWOLFHD]

Originally Posted by E7J3F3

How was the install for the lux AE? I have heard they can be a pain.

easy.