[Augster]

I'm contemplating an E90 (sedan) LCI trunk lid retrofit and was wondering if the rear lights are really LED.

From general comments I've seen here and there, they sound like they are, but when I look up the lights on RealOEM it shows that they actually use regular filament bulbs (2 in the side panel housings and two in the trunk lid housings).

An online shop apparently offers a complete OEM LCI LED upgrade rear light set "from Germany." So does this mean that North American (US) spec LCI E90's use regular filament bulbs while European (German) spec LCI E90's use LED bulbs?

They list individual part numbers but they are the same PN's that RealOEM shows that list regular filament bulbs so I'm a bit confused here.

[glachhman2]

I believe the signal lights and bars are led and the brake lamps are incandescent.

[VTECaddict]

Originally Posted by glachhman2

I believe the signal lights and bars are led and the brake lamps are incandescent.

Yep, they are not full LED. Brake, rear fog and reverse lamps are incandescent. Turn signals and tail lights (light bars) are LED.

[Augster]

Originally Posted by VTECaddict

Yep, they are not full LED. Brake, rear fog and reverse lamps are incandescent. Turn signals and tail lights (light bars) are LED.

Huh Well that's a half-arse way to do things, and just doesn't make sense: why didn't BMW go all LED instead of this "mixed" solution?

I did find an aftermarket company that makes a full and complete LCI rear light set that uses the F-series pattern, but so far, I could only find them in fully smoked lenses (prefer red against Alpine White) and only from Europe.

[jwong77]

Have you seen these?

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...hlight=f10+led

[Augster]

Originally Posted by jwong77

Have you seen these?

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...hlight=f10+led

Yea, but those are for pre-LCI models. The only LCI-specific aftermarket, fully LED lights that I just mentioned appear to come in only smoked and must be shipped from Europe.

I prefer the notched look of the LCI trunk lid lights; they look cleaner with the slightly smaller lights. And simply going with pre-LCI aftermarket that tint the entire lenses on the trunk lid actually make them look too large, IMO.

[VTECaddict]

Originally Posted by Augster

Huh Well that's a half-arse way to do things, and just doesn't make sense: why didn't BMW go all LED instead of this "mixed" solution?

I did find an aftermarket company that makes a full and complete LCI rear light set that uses the F-series pattern, but so far, I could only find them in fully smoked lenses (prefer red against Alpine White) and only from Europe.

You can always just put LED bulbs in the OEM lights. I have these in my pre-LCI Blacklines and they're pretty much just as bright as the incandescent brake bulbs:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I think the E90 LCI uses the same 1156 bulb for the brake lights.

[amullo]

Originally Posted by Augster

Huh Well that's a half-arse way to do things, and just doesn't make sense: why didn't BMW go all LED instead of this "mixed" solution?

Thats actually a funny story.
Turns out that some research that came back in 2008-2009 showed that motorists responded better to the "slow" turn on time for lightbulbs compred to LED´s going from halfpower to full.

From what I understood, the slower light up time drew the focus from something else to the taillight and drivers behind actually reacted more quickly then with LED lights. Even if the LED light actually lights up alot quicker. It came back to how our mind and eyes are wired for hunting and spotting movement, not instant changes.

[PDX-335i]

Originally Posted by Augster

An online shop apparently offers a complete OEM LCI LED upgrade rear light set "from Germany."

Anyone have a link to these?

[NocturnalEVO]

Originally Posted by amullo

Thats actually a funny story.
Turns out that some research that came back in 2008-2009 showed that motorists responded better to the "slow" turn on time for lightbulbs compred to LED´s going from halfpower to full.

From what I understood, the slower light up time drew the focus from something else to the taillight and drivers behind actually reacted more quickly then with LED lights. Even if the LED light actually lights up alot quicker. It came back to how our mind and eyes are wired for hunting and spotting movement, not instant changes.

Very interesting! I had a feeling it may be something like that.

[Nitrousbird]

Originally Posted by Augster

Huh Well that's a half-arse way to do things, and just doesn't make sense: why didn't BMW go all LED instead of this "mixed" solution?

Back when the LCI taillights were developed, LED technology wasn't where it is today and was more expensive. I'm sure that is at least part of the reason.

[jwong77]

Originally Posted by Nitrousbird

Back when the LCI taillights were developed, LED technology wasn't where it is today and was more expensive. I'm sure that is at least part of the reason.

Not sure if thats really the reason or else the E92 LCI would have not have had led turn signals too. It may have more to do with packaging or some other engineering constraint.

[VTECaddict]

Its most likely a cost issue. The E90 is a much much higher volume car than the E92, so a full LED rear light set would either have to increase the price of the car or cut into BMWs profits. And being their bread and butter car they can't make it too expensive and cutting profits is never a good idea, so they half-assed it and did partial LED.

[Nitrousbird]

Originally Posted by jwong77

Not sure if thats really the reason or else the E92 LCI would have not have had led turn signals too. It may have more to do with packaging or some other engineering constraint.

E92 LCI came out 2 years later than the E90.

E92 is also a lower volume car, so cost per unit isn't as impactful as an E90.

[Augster]

Originally Posted by PDX-335i

Anyone have a link to these?

I tried linking in my original post, but it was "censored."

Search Google for LCI Tail Lights Mod Bargains...

But after the conversations in thread, I'm not sure if what they are offering are full LED sets, though the description suggests otherwise: "Upgrade the back of your 3-Series with these Authentic OEM BMW E9X LCI LED Tail Lights."

You can't "upgrade" a pre-LCI to LCI tail lights unless you also change the trunk lid, so this ad suggests you can "upgrade" your OEM LCI mixed LED/Halogen tail lights to full "OEM" LED tail lights.

[Wilt]

Originally Posted by VTECaddict

Yep, they are not full LED. Brake, rear fog and reverse lamps are incandescent. Turn signals and tail lights (light bars) are LED.

In 2011 sedan

1 Brake lamp, bulb
2 Roadside parking lamp/tail lamp, LED
3 Turn signal, LED
4 Backup lamp, bulb
5 Tail lamp, LED
6 Brake lamp, bulb

[Wilt]

Originally Posted by Augster

But after the conversations in thread, I'm not sure if what they are offering are full LED sets, though the description suggests otherwise: "Upgrade the back of your 3-Series with these Authentic OEM BMW E9X LCI LED Tail Lights."

"Update the look and rear end appearance of your 3 Series with these OEM BMW E9X LCI LED Tail Lights. These lights are the real Authentic BMW Tail Lights from Germany and are the same tail lights from an LCI 3-Series. They are 100% plug and play and install in under an hour with a guaranteed perfect fitment." Pretty conclusive, mix of LED and bulbs, like factory stock.

[amullo]

Originally Posted by Wilt

"Update the look and rear end appearance of your 3 Series with these OEM BMW E9X LCI LED Tail Lights. These lights are the real Authentic BMW Tail Lights from Germany and are the same tail lights from an LCI 3-Series. They are 100% plug and play and install in under an hour with a guaranteed perfect fitment." Pretty conclusive, mix of LED and bulbs, like factory stock.

If its OEM, then yeah, should be a mix of LED and bulbs.