xenon lights

[lowah]

hi guys

i want to change the low beam headlights for my ti, i just want it brighter and looks better

i can jus buy xenon bulbs and change the bulbs rite? because i'm not changing to euro lights or "angel eyes"


correct me if i'm wrong

[schussey]

a cheap alternative would be just to buy the bulbs. You won't get the full effect of a xenon system, but it's better than stock bulbs

[ddiorio1313]

I bought APC super white bulbs for my High beams, Low Beams and Fog Lights....They work real well...Plus they look nicer going down the road.... All 6 bulbs cost me $90.00 or a $100.00. Plus, it was so easy to change...the fogs can be a little tricky though....

[AlexBimz]

I also am going with the xenon upgrade rather than the HID upgrade (college student with little or no spare change =[ ) I've been planning on buying the bulbs from http://www.bimmerxenon.com/xenon.html , they seem to be a brilliant white color with slight blue hue - exctly what im going for. AND THEY'RE LEGAL! anyone have any opinions or comments o these bulbs from stories or experiences they've had??? should i go with these?

[BobbyDigital]

Xenons are HID, these that they call xenon are normal halogen with xenon gas added in the bulb. When i first got my depos, I bought silverstars...it was whiter, but not any brighter. I dont think they are worth the money. What was worth the money was the depos, and then I did the first HID group buy.

There is no comparison between silverstars and HIDs.

Also, the answer is yes you can put HIDs in your stock lowbeams, but its not legal, you will be blinding everyone...I'm sure there are a few threads about why that is on here.

[trickiekid]

Originally Posted by BobbyDigital

...Also, the answer is yes you can put HIDs in your stock lowbeams, but its not legal, you will be blinding everyone...I'm sure there are a few threads about why that is on here.

I have a set of 4300K Apexcone HIDs. And I do NOT blind everyone as I drive by them. They are the 35 watt set. The color is close to the stock HIDs used in the e46. There is a VERY slight tint of blue. Personally I can't stand the blue lights. As for legality, I am not sure, but unless you have a cop that knows for a fact that the e36 never came with HID's and you get something that is not obnoxiously bright you should be fine. I think that the light output is definatly better. Since you don't change the lens, the spread remains the same. Yeah, you will spend more on the HID's but they are definatly worth it.

[Mallard]

i also have HIDs in my eurolamps, and i havnt had any probs.

But , i will agree on the original hella compact lamp units do "spil" alot of light out compared to the focused beam of the euro lamps.

HID lamps use Xenon gas in the capsules, and are charged to give light

Xenon look bulbs are simply halogen bulbs with a painted tip. the light colour is a product of the filter/colour of the glass

the light output is lower with xenon look bulbs due to the paint on the bulb. this is counteracted by using higher wattage bulbs ( 80 w / 100 w) but these can be detremental to the lamphousing

[oakley]

Coloured bulbs are a waste of money.. I will admit they look better then standard but def not worth some of the prices u see advertised..I have HID's in stock lights, no shrouds or projectors and they are absolutly fine....It doesnt say where u are tho so u may have probs if u have plastic lenses as opposed to glass.....(?)

[BobbyDigital]

Originally Posted by trickiekid

I have a set of 4300K Apexcone HIDs. And I do NOT blind everyone as I drive by them. They are the 35 watt set. The color is close to the stock HIDs used in the e46. There is a VERY slight tint of blue. Personally I can't stand the blue lights. As for legality, I am not sure, but unless you have a cop that knows for a fact that the e36 never came with HID's and you get something that is not obnoxiously bright you should be fine. I think that the light output is definatly better. Since you don't change the lens, the spread remains the same. Yeah, you will spend more on the HID's but they are definatly worth it.

Theres no way you arent blinding people, I get people flashing their high beams and I have mine cutoff as low as it will go. Its not getting pulled over for having HIDs in a car that didnt originally come with them, its because you have them with no projector focusing the light and cutting it off at the top.

When properly installed in cars, HIDs are equipped with diffusers and cut-offs to prevent them from blinding other drivers. As far as I understand, installing one in a car without proper beam management systems may well be illegal (depends on where you are, but where I am, it most certainly IS illegal).

Also, I'm pretty sure they are all 35w, thats really a reference as to how much power they draw, rather than how bright they are. I mean, its obvious that the 35w is much brighter than a 55w halogen beam.

I mean, I drive around and see people everynow and then who I'm pretty sure have installed HIDs in their stock, nonprojector headlight; I can tell because the light is all over the place- blinding everyone.

[AlexBimz]

i appreciate all the responses. it seems that everyone loves the HID with projectors. Im a fan of them too, unfortunately i dont have that kind of money to upgrade to projector headlight buckets and a HID system. My only choice IS halogen bulbs that are filled with xenon gas or colored glass. My question was are the premium xenons that are sold on the site http://www.bimmerxenon.com/xenon.html any good??? they're rated at 5000K, STREET LEGAL(unlike some PIAA or HELLA bulbs) and are a brilliant white with blue hue color.

[BobbyDigital]

Do it dude, I mean, they look whiter, so they should be better than the stock yellow ones.

What I did was buy the Depos, and silverstars at that time. Then when I had the money, I got HIDs, which I see on eBay for less than $100 now.

FYI...That website said that theres are "brighter" than PIAAs, because they burn at 5000K and PIAA is at 4100K- Degrees Kelvin is not the brightness, because if you went to 30,000K you wouldnt have much usable light, theres are "whiter" or they have less yellow than 4100K. 6000K is really white, 8000K is white with some blue, and it gets bluer all the way up to 30,000K which is purple.

[trickiekid]

Originally Posted by BobbyDigital

Theres no way you arent blinding people, I get people flashing their high beams and I have mine cutoff as low as it will go. Its not getting pulled over for having HIDs in a car that didnt originally come with them, its because you have them with no projector focusing the light and cutting it off at the top.

When properly installed in cars, HIDs are equipped with diffusers and cut-offs to prevent them from blinding other drivers. As far as I understand, installing one in a car without proper beam management systems may well be illegal (depends on where you are, but where I am, it most certainly IS illegal).

Also, I'm pretty sure they are all 35w, thats really a reference as to how much power they draw, rather than how bright they are. I mean, its obvious that the 35w is much brighter than a 55w halogen beam.

I mean, I drive around and see people everynow and then who I'm pretty sure have installed HIDs in their stock, nonprojector headlight; I can tell because the light is all over the place- blinding everyone.

I have ensured that I wasn't going to be the jackass with the poorly adjusted lights that was blinding everysoul he passed by have my wife drive past me while I was in my other car. And yes I understand about diffusers and proper cut offs on OEM style HID's. No, not all HID's are 35w. There are companies that are marketing 55w kits as "Race" kits that are 100% illegal to drive on the road. And yes it is pretty obvious that a 35w out performs the 55w halogen. That is due to the fact light output is measured in Lumens, not watts. Watts is a power draw on your electrical system. And yeah, I have seen those guys too, the ones riding down the street bliding everyone as they pass them. That is why I am planing on installing the 55w high beam HID's in my stock headlights. If you are ever in my area you are more than welcome to see what a proper kit in a properly adjusted headlight bucket looks like.

[Mallard]

im not one to argue... but there is a very fundemental reason why OE supplied HID units are only offered in conjunction with elipsoid lensed headlamps.

!control!

you cannot control the cut-off AND have your beams correctly adjusted with hids, its just not possible.

ESPECIALLY if you are going to run the higher wattaged 50/55w units..

[BobbyDigital]

Originally Posted by trickiekid

I have ensured that I wasn't going to be the jackass with the poorly adjusted lights that was blinding everysoul he passed by have my wife drive past me while I was in my other car. And yes I understand about diffusers and proper cut offs on OEM style HID's. No, not all HID's are 35w. There are companies that are marketing 55w kits as "Race" kits that are 100% illegal to drive on the road. And yes it is pretty obvious that a 35w out performs the 55w halogen. That is due to the fact light output is measured in Lumens, not watts. Watts is a power draw on your electrical system. And yeah, I have seen those guys too, the ones riding down the street bliding everyone as they pass them. That is why I am planing on installing the 55w high beam HID's in my stock headlights. If you are ever in my area you are more than welcome to see what a proper kit in a properly adjusted headlight bucket looks like.

Ok, I believe you, i wasnt calling you a jackass. I didnt realize there are 55w HIDs out there, thats what I want now!
I'm in your area every now and then, maybe I'll hit you up sometime and you can really shut me up!

[trickiekid]

If you want the 55w let me know, i can get a really good deal. Yeah, if you head up this way pm me, I would like to check out your ride (and shut you up )