[esushi]

First off, hello everybody. New and first time BMW user.

I just recently leased a 2011 328xi and the car they had on the lot did not have the HID installed.

I had a question about installing an aftermarket HID kit into the OEM Halogen Housing. **Yes I understand it WILL create a ridiculous glare and blind oncoming traffic, but if aimed down it will not blind as much.**

I understand the Halogen bulbs use 55w, and standard HID's use 35w.

a) Would using a 55w HID kit help relieve this as it's sending the same wattage to the car's computer? or does wattage have absolutely nothing to do with this error? AFAIK, HIDs run somewhat cooler than standard Halogen 55w bulbs so hopefully it won't melt the housing??

b) If I were to receive the error message in general even with a digital ballast with error cancellers and all that, would putting in the original halogen bulbs remove the error message or would the vehicle need to go to the dealership?

c) Is this even worth the hassle? Or would looking into Hyper White Halogen bulbs be a better alternative option? Driving with HIDs for the past 5-6 years have made halogen look very dim for night driving.

Again, this is a leased vehicle and I do not feel the need to get the OEM Housing ($1000+) or Projector90s ($400+).

I've done some searching, but was unable to find a reliable answer.

Sorry for the long post, and would appreciate any help/advise or direct me into the right path.

Thanks