A Must Read for anyone who has even considered HID "kits"

[bimmerphile]

Jordan- maybe it would be worth while to contac the site admin to see if you could mirror these couple threads here.

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1003

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3505

What Hella has to say about HID "kits"

http://www.hella-press.de/search_detail.php?text_id=189&language=e&newdir=eng

More HID kit FAQs

http://faqlight.carpassion.info/hl-hid-kits.htm

And an Important note for everyone:

Many sellers nowadays offers several brands with different price tag. Typically, HID bulbs desgined and manufactured in simple facilities will have lower quality. Most of these bulbs are made Asia. Typical signs of lower quality is non existing data sheets. The marked also has many copycats: Packaging and bulb labled Philips or Osram exists on the marked. Be sceptical if a brand name bulb is too cheap to be true. Consumers reports life to be short (less than 600 hours) and dim output.
Here is a list of bulbs in this category:
Vestec
bulbs in kits sold by Misterjung.com
bulbs in kits sold under "Bohmen"

Long story short, with brand-new projectors, ECE or DOT spec, you will get "OK" results with an HID kit. I speak from experience. I have performed the swap on both US spec and ECE spec ellipsoids. While the lumination is good, several hotspots exist which create a distraction while driving. Let alone the glare, which is very prevalent in both projectors, regardless of the cutoff point. It may not matter to you what other drivers think about the glare, but when you're whipping around a corner and slap 3200 lumens into the oncoming driver's eyes, they might just end up in your lane. Yes, the headlights were aimed properly. Anyone on this forum that has been around knows that I wouldn't do a half-ass job with an install. The HIDs were uninstalled until a retrofit can be completed the right way.

If you want to do it, then do it right. You will need to pick up a set of E46/A6 projectors (the bixenon ones are nice, and are easy to wire into your highbeam switch) and transplant the element into your current housing. There are now flat, clear, uncut glass lenses for sale on ebay to fit the headlights, as you will not need the current lens to direct the beam - the projector designed for HIDs will do that for you.

Let alone the countless hazards associated with an aftermarket "kit".

Good luck with your retrofits. Do it the right way for phenominal results, or do it the wrong way for mediocrity.

For more information see these links:

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/index.php

http://faqlight.carpassion.info/

[BavarianBimmer]

I agree

But I've my Hella kit for 2years now without any problem
no glare or something, sharp alligned

IMO our DE lenses are not so much different as the E46 lenses

I think it's insane to put an HID in normal (H4, etc.) housings

[bmwm3n528]

I agree

But I've my Hella kit for 2years now without any problem
no glare or something, sharp alligned

IMO our DE lenses are not so much different as the E46 lenses

I think it's insane to put an HID in normal (H4, etc.) housings

So, is the ellipsoid any different in the smileys that the ellipsoid inside the US-spec ellipsoid lamps?

[Ryan Stewart]

I have yet to see them in the US ellips but I dont have hotspots in my however mine is a retrofit kit instead of "sawing a hole."

The light pattern of my european ellipsoids on the ground is nearly identical to the E46 except for the elevated cutoff on the right, which has yet to get any complaints from motorists or cops. :?

However I HAVE seen what happens when they are installed in parabolic lenses not desinged for them (anything that isnt an ellipsoid-type, most cars in the us, projector) and there is nothing controlling the light.

[T.Dot E30]

I have a rebased kit, currently they are aimed pretty low. Glare is not any more of an issue that that of a newer bimmer, I sat outside and I had a friend drive down a long street first with mine and then with his 330ci.

Projection infront is pretty good, my only gripe is that they do not spread the light wide enough like new cars with HIDs projectors. But HIDs fogs may fix that :D
or I try to retrofit some hid projectors.

And for those who still dont know the difference between us spec ellips and euros.

my us ellips w/hids. *note the sharp cut off



euros normal halogen. * note the angle upwards to the right

[MikeK]

T.Dot, which kit is that?

also just a guess but is that 5000k?

[T.Dot E30]

T.Dot, which kit is that?

also just a guess but is that 5000k?

McCulloch 6000k.

[MikeK]

oh i c, how do u like them?


i just ordered a X-Tec 5000k (there was a groupbuy sort of thing on bimmerforums)

[M42Technik]

http://www.esatclear.ie/~bpurcell/318ishid.html

Very good writeup of what to do.

Anyway, you need to source a few things for the job:

1. The HID electronics. I bought mine on eBay. They came from a crashed BMW and were made by Hella. From the homework I did, the best type to buy are the one box types - older types had two seperate modules per side and are more prone to faults.
2. The bulbs - D2S for the E30 reflector type headlight.
3. A short piece of loom that connects the module to the existing wiring loom (because there is a special water proof fitting on the module end. I have a vague memory of someone telling me that this piece of wire can be purchased from BMW - the E32 model fed the sidelights with it (drop me a line if anyone can confirm this).
4. A bulb mounting adaptor to replace the H1 fitting on the rear of the headlights reflector.
More often than not, the eBay sellers combine 1, 2 and 3 together for you. Getting 4 is the hard part though - and it is quite important as the D2S bulb is longer than a H1 and needs to be placed accurately (fore and aft) within the headlight.

[T.Dot E30]

oh i c, how do u like them?


i just ordered a X-Tec 5000k (there was a groupbuy sort of thing on bimmerforums)

Great so far. I do wish the projectors projected the light wider like newer cars. I'm going to either get Hids for the fogs, or retrofit some projectors.

[BavarianBimmer]

For parabolic reflectors you gotta use D2R bulbs :idea:

[demlotcrew]

I have a rebased kit, currently they are aimed pretty low. Glare is not any more of an issue that that of a newer bimmer, I sat outside and I had a friend drive down a long street first with mine and then with his 330ci.

Projection infront is pretty good, my only gripe is that they do not spread the light wide enough like new cars with HIDs projectors. But HIDs fogs may fix that :D
or I try to retrofit some hid projectors.

Well you need to do what i did.



Andrew

[GaryE30]

I have a rebased kit, currently they are aimed pretty low. Glare is not any more of an issue that that of a newer bimmer, I sat outside and I had a friend drive down a long street first with mine and then with his 330ci.

Projection infront is pretty good, my only gripe is that they do not spread the light wide enough like new cars with HIDs projectors. But HIDs fogs may fix that :D
or I try to retrofit some hid projectors.

Well you need to do what i did.



Andrew

And what is that?