[Peter_Griffin_Gaming]

Since it's about to be summertime, I was planning to do some work on my never-ending project '07 328i. Something that's really been bothering me for years at this point is a replacement (passenger side) headlight I installed that just won't stop taking in water, no matter what I try (new covers, sealing up the mount area). So, my idea was to try replacing the lens on my original headlight (which I cracked, hence the replacement), and probably doing the driver's side as well to keep things nice and even.
I realize that replacing these lenses isn't exactly easy, which is why I want to buy quality replacements so that I don't have to do the job again. This leads me to my question--does anybody have suggestions as to were I could get quality lens replacements for the pre-LCI xenon headlights? I'm willing to pay a premium to avoid using sketchy eBay junk.
Someone on this board (https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1924254) mentioned a seller called 'bimmerjakes' (also 'MJakes'?), though looking at their eBay feedback indicates that their quality may have slipped a bit.

Any insight is appreciated! If nothing else, I guess I could take the lens off of my current passenger headlight and swap it with the damaged one, but if I'm going to the trouble of doing this job, it'd be nice to have some brand-new lenses.

[Peter Morrin]

Bavgruupe Designs (www.bavgruupedesign.com) advertise replacement lenses. They also have a good FAQ on techniques to remove the existing lenses (including a homemade solvent), and replacement permaseal material to glue the new lenses to the light assembly.

As you have read, it is not an easy job. No affiliation with Bavgruupe, but they have been mentioned before. You might want to consider a projector replacement if you are going to the effort and buying new lenses.

Let us know how it goes. I am looking at the same process.

[Peter_Griffin_Gaming]

Originally Posted by Peter Morrin

Bavgruupe Designs (www.bavgruupedesign.com) advertise replacement lenses. They also have a good FAQ on techniques to remove the existing lenses (including a homemade solvent), and replacement permaseal material to glue the new lenses to the light assembly.

As you have read, it is not an easy job. No affiliation with Bavgruupe, but they have been mentioned before. You might want to consider a projector replacement if you are going to the effort and buying new lenses.

Let us know how it goes. I am looking at the same process.

Thank you for this -- I'll consider it; I also plan on contacting bimmerjakes to ask where they currently make their lenses for the E90.

As for the projector replacement, what would this entail? Would I be able to convert to bi-xenons, or at least a halogen projector for the flashers?
Planning on putting together some sort of write-up and/or video if I go through with this. Since the headlight I intend on using is already broken, I have a bit of room for experimentation without losing too much.

[Peter Morrin]

Replacing the Bi-xenon projectors will take you down a rabbit hole, but here is a brief over-view:
1. Removal and subsequent replacement of the lense must be done to access the projectors. Projects burn-out/tarnish over time particularly if the lights have been leaking. This is a reason to consider replacing them when you have the lights opened up.

2. The halo rings need to be disconnected at the bulb location if you are going to reuse them. You could also consider LED Halo rings.

3. You can choose new Bi-xenon HID projectors or new Bi-LED projectors. Lots of discussion between the two on The Retrofit Source (TRS) and Lightwerkz.

4. You need to determin if you have active lights (AFS) which turn side-to-side with your wheels or simply self-leveling headlights which go up and down depending on the amount of weight in the trunk. AFS lights also self-level.

5. You need to buy brackets for the type of projector you have to mount the new projectors into your old headlights. Brackets for AFS lights are gimbaled in both vertical and horizontal axes. These are the most common and are available from Lightwerkz. Non-AFS brackets are less common. Lightwerkz are supposed to be adding this bracket to their web site in a couple weeks. It may be possible to replace the projectors without brackets, but I have not seen any write-up of this. GTA retrofits (Toronto, Canada) also make brackets, but I am waiting to hear from them.

6. Once you have the brackets you need to mount them into your headlight, connecting them to the self-leveling arm and AFS motor. There are very limited details on how this is done. The best is a write-up on HID Planet where Murano projectors were mounted in a 335.

7. You will likely need to do some coding if you use LED projectors or replacement bulbs.

8. Mount, aim and test your headlights before sealing them up. If your car is lowered, it is likely that the projectors are not aimed correctly. There are manual adjusters on the tops of the lights. The best write-up on headlight aiming is by Daniel Stern, and there is an older post in this forum.

I hope this helps. Doing your own research is worthwhile to understand what you are getting into and what is involved if you hired out those services.

[Peter_Griffin_Gaming]

Originally Posted by Peter Morrin

Replacing the Bi-xenon projectors will take you down a rabbit hole, but here is a brief over-view:
1. Removal and subsequent replacement of the lense must be done to access the projectors. Projects burn-out/tarnish over time particularly if the lights have been leaking. This is a reason to consider replacing them when you have the lights opened up.

2. The halo rings need to be disconnected at the bulb location if you are going to reuse them. You could also consider LED Halo rings.

3. You can choose new Bi-xenon HID projectors or new Bi-LED projectors. Lots of discussion between the two on The Retrofit Source (TRS) and Lightwerkz.

4. You need to determin if you have active lights (AFS) which turn side-to-side with your wheels or simply self-leveling headlights which go up and down depending on the amount of weight in the trunk. AFS lights also self-level.

5. You need to buy brackets for the type of projector you have to mount the new projectors into your old headlights. Brackets for AFS lights are gimbaled in both vertical and horizontal axes. These are the most common and are available from Lightwerkz. Non-AFS brackets are less common. Lightwerkz are supposed to be adding this bracket to their web site in a couple weeks. It may be possible to replace the projectors without brackets, but I have not seen any write-up of this. GTA retrofits (Toronto, Canada) also make brackets, but I am waiting to hear from them.

6. Once you have the brackets you need to mount them into your headlight, connecting them to the self-leveling arm and AFS motor. There are very limited details on how this is done. The best is a write-up on HID Planet where Murano projectors were mounted in a 335.

7. You will likely need to do some coding if you use LED projectors or replacement bulbs.

8. Mount, aim and test your headlights before sealing them up. If your car is lowered, it is likely that the projectors are not aimed correctly. There are manual adjusters on the tops of the lights. The best write-up on headlight aiming is by Daniel Stern, and there is an older post in this forum.

I hope this helps. Doing your own research is worthwhile to understand what you are getting into and what is involved if you hired out those services.

Hmm, got it. That all seems a bit deeper in (and more expensive) than I was planning to go, but as you suggested I'll look further into it. My main reason for doing this is just so I can revert to the headlight that came with my car; other than AFS errors caused by my "new" passenger headlight I don't really have a problem with what's there now. Though, I do like the idea of replacing the reflector high beams with a projector housing.
I don't plan on outsourcing any of this, not at all worth it on a car in the condition mine is. Thanks for all of the info!