[L555BAT]

Recently bought an 2006 E90, realised after a week of ownership that it had aftermarket projector headlamps fitted.

The light output seems pretty dim and narrow compared to my old Astra. Also the bulb check makes the LED halo blink at startup and from time to time.

How does this beam pattern compare to your OEM items (normal or projector)?

I'm trying to figure out if it's worth trying better bulbs in them (H1), but if the pattern's bad I might as well skip straight to new headlamp units (H7).

My dip beam, the bar in front of the door is about 15 inches high. Notice the narrowness.:


My main beam:


My original thread is in the lighting forum with more detail if you're interested, I haven't had any responses there yet: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1091392

[woggledog]

This should tell you if it will get through it's MOT

http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_180.htm

Go through this, and you'll get your answer

[L555BAT]

Thanks. It looks ok against a wall, and it's recently passed an MOT although that was with the selling garage. The kick-up shape is consistent with the regulation, and the height drop (I measured at 25 feet) is 3-5cm.

Would anyone be able to tell based on the following photos if these are worse than OEM projectors / non-projectors in terms of beam shape?

Do yours throw more light onto the side of the road, or are they a narrow shape like mine? My full beam doesn't spread any wider than the dipped one.

Thanks

From driver side roof at 25ft:


25ft:


Parallel to wall:


On slight uphill gradient:


Full beam:

[JJ0063]

That looks relatively normal tbh.

If they are projectors just whack a set of HID's in!

[L555BAT]

I put in some Philips +130% in all the beams. There's more light now and it's bearable, and I've slowly become used to it.

I still notice how much better other cars on the road at night have a wider beam which isn't so much of a cone shape. Yet to see another E90 on a dark road.

Still interested if anyone has any photos of a OEM standard or OEM projector beam pattern.

[Sparky68]

retrofitted xenons?