91' e30 with sealed beams?

[Rouvld]

I just noticed on a 91' e30 that I'm thinking about picking up has sealed beams. I thought all car 89 and up came with ellipsoids? Or was it an option? Also are ellipsoid headlights plug and play on sealed beam cars? My current 89 has ellipsoids so I was a little curious as to why this 91 didn't have them.

[audiquattrot]

I've owned two 1990 ones, and both came w/ sealed beams.

No they aren't plug and play. You would need the pigtails for the projectors.

[Rouvld]

I've owned two 1990 ones, and both came w/ sealed beams.

No they aren't plug and play. You would need the pigtails for the projectors.

Damn, was hoping they'd be plug and play. I guess if I buy the car I could always use the set up out of my 89 that has ellipsoids.

[Stanley Rockafella]

BMW cheaped out on the 89+ e30's with sealed beams to save $$ as the ellips setup was too costly.

[rcsoundn1]

my 89 has elips? what models got sealed v elips?

[ELVA164]

All pre-'88 cars (this all applies to the U.S. of course) came stock with sealed beams. All cars in '88 (and I believe '89?) had stock ellipsoids. '90+ had stock sealed beams. '89 may have been a transition year, though.

[nando]

by now most or the original lenses would be pitted and / or cracked, the reflectors oxidized and basically not that great anymore. There are plenty of better lighting options these days than a worn out set of lights from 1988, it's not a big deal..

[Das Delfin]

Ellips are not plug and play on sealed beam cars but Hella H4 conversions are and are a major improvement from the standard sealed beams. If you were going to go with ellips I would buy an HID retrofit kit with new projectors from one of the guys on the forum. just depends how much money you want to spend. H4's are way cheap compared to a proper HID setup

[Rouvld]

Ellips are not plug and play on sealed beam cars but Hella H4 conversions are and are a major improvement from the standard sealed beams. If you were going to go with ellips I would buy an HID retrofit kit with new projectors from one of the guys on the forum. just depends how much money you want to spend. H4's are way cheap compared to a proper HID setup

Yeah that's my plan is to go ellip's with and HID kit. I actually ordered and just got new oem ellipsoids for my car (an 89) but I'm thinking of buying an newer e30. So if I buy the 91 I'll be doing an HID kit on the brand new OEM ellipsoids and retrofitting them to the 91.

[reelizmpro]

Early half 88's had sealed beams so there is a start date sometime in 87 and ended sometime in 89. So late model year 88 upto 90.

Per Real OEM...

01 TWIN HEADLIGHT LEFT 1 09/1987 - 06/1989 63121385797 $442.71
01 TWIN HEADLIGHT RIGHT 1 09/1987 - 06/1989 63121385798 $442.71

So here's the definitive answer based on production date.

[ELVA164]

^ Good call checking that site.

[Savagefurai]

Hmm...
I have an 88 seta that came to me with sealed beams. My thought is that they were replaced at some point but I've since changed them out for elips.
My 87 has stock sealed beams as well.

Sent from my SM-G530T using Tapatalk

[ELVA164]

Hmm...
I have an 88 seta that came to me with sealed beams. My thought is that they were replaced at some point but I've since changed them out for elips.
My 87 has stock sealed beams as well.

Sent from my SM-G530T using Tapatalk

The wiring harness would really tell you which type were originally installed.

[Red46]

The wiring harness would really tell you which type were originally installed.

Definitely.
The sealed beam "low beam" is dual filament so there would be three wires (ground, low, high) going to the low beam. When the high beams are turned on the low beam illuminates the high beam filament in the low beam bulb.
Ellipsoid low beams are single filament so they only have two wires (ground, low). They just stay on when the high beam is activated.

[Kevinl]

by now most or the original lenses would be pitted and / or cracked, the reflectors oxidized and basically not that great anymore. There are plenty of better lighting options these days than a worn out set of lights from 1988, it's not a big deal..

Like what?

All i know of is elips, smiley & smoked hellas