Depo install

[ryszardsh]

Got in a set of depo headlights off Fleabay and installed in my 98 this weekend. Wow, what an improvement in lights from stock 55w halogen H7 bulbs! I just did not realize how dim the old plastic lenses were - these things are a terrific improvement. First lights I have had in a car that could compete with the 4 5 3/4 inch Hellas I put in a Renault 30 years ago- these lenses are really terrific, great definition of light and dark, wow. I wish I had done this 13 years ago! A few bad things in the process:

1. No (and I do mean No) useful install instructions. if you just get the box of lights be prepared to use a multi meter to figure out how to make up the connections - b/c the pins on the rear of the new units do not have any marks at all.

2. Bigger problem. The front parking lights mount to the car via a little plastic wing that slips across a tab on the side of the headlight unit. The tabs (at least on my set of Depos) were brittle and snapped as I installed the parking lights. After the first tab snapped I was very gentle with the second and it still snapped. There are some comments on forums that suggest using a heat gun to warm the tabs of the body of the lights and that helps. In retrospect I wish I had seen that before snapping the tabs on both units. No tabs, units are useless b/c there is no way to retain the parking lights on the car. Fortunately I have a supply of appropriate plastic and a supply of JB weld so glued up some new tabs, waited 24 hours and works quite well. I may have to sell my cure to Depo! Seriously, if you look at the old lights when you remove them the mounting tab for the parking lights is much more substantial than what comes on the Depo. My glue up replicated that original retainer tab.

3. My car has a factory alarm with a horn about the size of a can of coke mounted in front of the windshield washer resevoir and behind the headlights. No way, no how was there enough space for that horn to stay there and the headlight unit to go in. The outside (low beam) projector light fixture on the Depo is a good bit deeper (maybe 2-3 inches) than the OEM units. If/when I have to change the bulbs in the outer units it will be a challenge, for now no alarm horn. I can fit a smaller alarm horn further inboard and have one on order. BTW, BMW engineering never ceases to amaze me, the amount of engineering effort that went into the alarm horn mount is truly impressive.

4. Believe anyone who says you have to work to get the units in place. That extra depth (see #3 above) means the unit does not just slip in. Much easier after I took out the mounting lugs which enable me to tilt the unit sideways a bit and slip it in.

Took about two hours of actual work to do the install and get in some basic aiming, including all the futzing around with the multi-meter. One other little trick, there are 2 - 1 on each side, bolts flanking the radiator that hold the bottom, in board corner of the light units in place. You have to have a long socket extension, 10 inches or so, to reach those 2 bolts. To put them back in requires either a socket that retains the bolt with a clip or use of some tape to stick the bolt to then socket during install. No way I could see to get a hand down the hole, w/o removing the radiator, to get those 2 bolts into place otherwise.

With these untis in I really do not see any need for any HID bulbs. I may drop a 70 watt bulb in the passenger side high beam socket just to give me a bit more umph when I have the high beams on but man, literally night and day as is. Whatever damn fool thought that those crappy plastic lense lights were appropriate should be horsewhipped.

RAS

[tiFreak]

the tabs breaking is a common problem, happened on one of mine too and I was trying to be really careful

I had the same problem with my alarm siren, I was able to just bolt it up to some of the sheet metal behind and below the lights with some minor bending to the bracket, to anyone who does that, make sure the open end is facing downward, otherwise it fills with water when it rains. found that out the hard way

[J!m]

I have the stock lights still but installed 100W high beam bulbs.

If you up the wattage, you will need to up-rate the fuses as well, or they will blow. There are four fuses, one for each bulb, so you can up-rate only the ones (one in your case) needed.

If you go with a 70W bulb, you need a 6A (5.8 actual amperage) fuse. If that blows, try a 6.5A. The in-rush from first starting them may kill a 6A fuse.

Stock is 55W and most likely a 5A fuse. (I don't remember but that calculates out well)

[zoner]

Originally Posted by tiFreak

the tabs breaking is a common problem, happened on one of mine too and I was trying to be really careful

+1 welcome to the club, ryszardsh! (JB Plastic Weld is your friend!)

Although, I'm told that newer generations of the Depo headlights addressed this problem. I have a set of DJ Auto (Hella knock-offs) headlights in the box, waiting to be installed. The one thing I like about both is the Euro beam pattern cutoff- waay better than DOT, in my opinion.