[lowrydr310]

I have a failed bulb that turned pink/purple and needs to be replaced, going to replace the pair since they're both original from 2007.

Looking at a few options and the price is all over the place. Obviously the best choice now is a set of the Osram Xenarc Night Breaker Lasers however they're $150+ from any legit stores.

I'm also considering a set from Morimoto as they seem to be good quality for $90.

The other two options I'm considering are very likely counterfeit Osram 66144CBI 5500K for $40 (for the pair) or the $30 Amazon brands (Torchbeam, Nilight, etc.) I'd normally steer clear of the counterfeit ones but I inadvertently got a set of counterfeit Philips bulbs on my E90 and they've been perfect so far, four years without issue.

[Cayman031]

Go with Osram classic it's 97% as performant as Night breakers

[Wolf 335]

rockauto.com

[The Nightman]

Some more data and test results here, but they don't cover longevity

https://www.bulbfacts.com/hid-oe/chart/

[Nando_e90]

The osrams Cool Blue Boost have pretty good reviews on Amazon.

I got the Night Breaker Lasers when I replaced the projectors but I honestly didn’t see much of a difference compared to the Osram Original I had previously.

[StradaRedlands]

I think the cool blues look best, and you can get angel eye bulbs that match the color nicely.

[sowbmw]

I went with Philips OE replacement from rockauto. It is a yellow hue to it, but it works well, especially in rain.

[Groganrocket]

I’ve used the led d1s from Amazon and they are way brighter and work great. $60

[zero2sixtyZ]

$40 CBIs are a hundred percent counterfeit. Check theretrofitsource.com for legitimate Osram and Philips bulbs. On my second set of CBIs, first set lasted about 6-7 years. Highly recommend.

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by Wolf 335

rockauto.com

I ended up ordering Hella D1S 5000K for $45 each, about the same price as the Morimoto D1S bulbs. I have no idea who makes them, apparently Hella doesn't manufacture bulbs but just uses their name.

I wanted to upgrade my projectors and replace my plastic outer headlight lenses too but I burned through my play budget this month.

[lnxguy]

Bargain bin at Lightwerkz Global is the best deal you'll find anywhere for genuine Philips/Osram bulbs at good prices. I've bought 2/3 pairs and zero issues.

[Nando_e90]

Originally Posted by lowrydr310

I ended up ordering Hella D1S 5000K for $45 each, about the same price as the Morimoto D1S bulbs. I have no idea who makes them, apparently Hella doesn't manufacture bulbs but just uses their name.

I wanted to upgrade my projectors and replace my plastic outer headlight lenses too but I burned through my play budget this month.

Projectors upgrade is one of the best thing I’ve spent my money on.

[Wolf 335]

Originally Posted by sowbmw

I went with Philips OE replacement from rockauto. It is a yellow hue to it, but it works well, especially in rain.

Is the hue/color comparable to OE bulbs that came with the car?

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by Nando_e90

Projectors upgrade is one of the best thing I’ve spent my money on.

I plan on it once my motorcycle project is finished and I sell my old bike, no time for too many projects in prime outdoor sports season.

Here are the bulbs I got, installing them soon:





Packaging wasn't as fancy as what Osram uses but it's good enough.

I tried to get a set of those Philips bulbs from the Lightwerks bargain bin but they're showing out of stock. Only thing they have left is DDM junk.

[sowbmw]

This is how the bulb looked after I had installed it. It is now a lighter blue with a hint of yellow. I think it suits the car nicely and its very bright.

[Wolf 335]

Originally Posted by lowrydr310

I plan on it once my motorcycle project is finished and I sell my old bike, no time for too many projects in prime outdoor sports season.

Here are the bulbs I got, installing them soon:





Packaging wasn't as fancy as what Osram uses but it's good enough.

I tried to get a set of those Philips bulbs from the Lightwerks bargain bin but they're showing out of stock. Only thing they have left is DDM junk.

Could you share how these turned out in terms of light output and color?

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by Wolf 335

Could you share how these turned out in terms of light output and color?

They're great. Excellent value, I wouldn't hesitate to buy them again. They're significantly whiter than the 17 year old original bulbs (one of which had turned pink, the reason I replaced them) and they're just slightly whiter than the relatively new OEM 4300k Philips bulbs on my E90 sedan.

It's not a significant difference in color vs new 4300K bulbs but that's a good thing. Too blue isn't good for visibility. I'll try to get a photo of the two cars side by side to see, but it's difficult to get good night lighting photos.

[Wolf 335]

Originally Posted by lowrydr310

They're great. Excellent value, I wouldn't hesitate to buy them again. They're significantly whiter than the 17 year old original bulbs (one of which had turned pink, the reason I replaced them) and they're just slightly whiter than the relatively new OEM 4300k Philips bulbs on my E90 sedan.

It's not a significant difference in color vs new 4300K bulbs but that's a good thing. Too blue isn't good for visibility. I'll try to get a photo of the two cars side by side to see, but it's difficult to get good night lighting photos.

Thank you lowrydr310.

Mine are still original, now just over 17 years old. Althought they are color consistent, the light output is bad.

These Hella's seem like a good solution in terms of being a touch whiter than stock with a better light output, at a reasonable price point.