Depo smileys quality?

[sennasixty8]

Just installed two sets this weekend, my father in law went crazy on ebay and bought us both a pair.

Quality is adequate, but the adjusters are a PITA, and it took me 30 mins per side to get things just right. The included wires don't match up to anything USDM, either projectors or sealed beam e30's. Be very careful when installing the adjusters (pictured above with a white rotary knob). The plastic at that corner is very brittle.

Beam pattern is similar to usdm projectors, maybe a tiny bit better or perhaps more scattered. I'll try to do a direct comparison one nite next week, since I still have another E30 w/ the exact same HID setup, just 9006's... stay tuned.

[Quailane]

Just installed two sets this weekend, my father in law went crazy on ebay and bought us both a pair.

Quality is adequate, but the adjusters are a PITA, and it took me 30 mins per side to get things just right. The included wires don't match up to anything USDM, either projectors or sealed beam e30's. Be very careful when installing the adjusters (pictured above with a white rotary knob). The plastic at that corner is very brittle.

Beam pattern is similar to usdm projectors, maybe a tiny bit better or perhaps more scattered. I'll try to do a direct comparison one nite next week, since I still have another E30 w/ the exact same HID setup, just 9006's... stay tuned.

I'm staying tuned and very curious.

[Rocla]

I've had Depos on my e34 for a year now, they do their job as driving lights ok.

They look like cheap toy compared to original ones.

I drive like 2 miles on gravelroad daily, there seems to be some very fine sand in the passenger side light.

[OverpaidSlacker]

I bought a set of these years ago... and just got around to installing them this weekend. Build quality is good. Solid, but not OEM or "wow, these guys are serious" good.

I bought the pigtails from BMW and they had a box full of plugs, so I was able to source the proper connections without too much ado.

Get to the important stuff, right?... They're not as bright as I'd hoped (more on that in a minute) the euro "hockey-stick" light pattern is not very distinctive, and they are a PITA to adjust. Frankly, it's difficult to get any of the lights to move "in".

I'm using Um-Nitza's 100W in both low and high. They assured me that was OK wattage, and I believe Um-Nitza is a (if not the) Depo distributor in the US.

So, build quality -- solid; reflector quality -- can't tell yet b/c I don't know if it's the bulbs I'm disappointed in or the headlights' ability to throw the light. My OEM (with expensive bulbs) low beams were about the same (and I'd hoped to get a big improvement here) but the OEM high beams were actually better than these...

Any suggestions for other bulbs? Um-Nitza has a Xenon HID kit for the e30, but I'd rather not spend that $ (1) if I can get acceptable performance from normal bulbs; and (2) if the headlights themselves just don't throw light properly/sufficiently .... b/c then it'd be a real waste.

JP

[///M42 sport]

where do you buy depo's?

[pporcaro]

A buddy of mine and I put them in my 86 325e two weeks ago and ive been through two rounds of snow.

the problem with connecting them is that you have to hack up the wiring harness they give you and use a test light to figure out which power wire on the low beam is connected to the high beam relay and ground it or the high beams will ride on all the time LOL. It's awesome having projectors, they have those nice clear cut lines in the light and limited scatter. MAD BRIGHT. I never connected the city lights because i have the kamei eye lids, so you wouldnt have seen them anyway.

i posted in the body and paint section under the title "front bumper swap" if you wanna check it out.

[diegom6]

where do you buy depo's?

www.ebaymotors.com

[Martin C.]

Any more updates on this thread, fellas? I am very interested as I would like ot do a full upgrade on mine...

[Beastolizer]

+1 on an update.

[Aptyp]

Bought a set. Quality isn't best if you're looking at the lights in the box, but they are absolutely GORGEOUS when installed.

[bmw325csi]

Pictures PLeez!

[Beastolizer]

Would people recommend buying a set of these, or going for a good/decent pair of used US ellipses?

[Cobra Jet]

post some installed pics....

For those of you who have bought & installed - how have they been long term? I mean, this thread is kinda old, so just wondering if any of the original posters have used these Depo Smileys long term and if so, what condition they are in now, any water/moisture leak through past the lenses, etc, etc....

[CDBE30]

I can update this...kind of. I've had Depo angel eye projectors since Christmas and haven't had any water leakage yet. They're definitely better at throwing light than the sealed beams I had before, and they don't look all that bad when looking at them with all lights off.

That being said, the angel eyes are shit quality (4 bulbs, uneven light distribution), I don't like the look of them at all (not to mention that AEs just look weird on an E30). As such, I've purchased a set of euro smileys, and will test the light output of each before I upgrade to HID.

[blueapplesoda]

buy these... and change the seals. Everyone complains cause shit gets in and whatnot. otherwise they look fuckin fantastic for the money. Even cheap chinese reflectors are hard to beat when compared to 20 yr old euro crap. Unless of course you could buy "new" 20 yr old euro lights, than obviously you wouldn't even consider depos.

The reflectors in my euro non smileys are slightly faded with no chance of recovery, except a rechrome, which cost about $150 for two reflectors. Compared to my buddy with depo smileys, his light output is 10x better.

We also put the 55w HIDs in the depos...I see no melting. I have seen my stock us ellips with osrams halogens melt, where the plastic starts to sag right above the lightbulb...