Wind Shield and LED lights on today

[Wraith.]

Blue: I'd have to pull it out of the garage to get those pics.. the weather is really crappy this week and my baby is way too pretty right now to get soaked. That and I leave for work before the sun comes up and it's down by the time I get home. I'll try to get some shots over the weekend.

Stig: I ordered on V-day last week when they had 24hr 15% off thing.. I thought I had entered the promo code but it didn't show up in the final tally. I wrote to them figuring it worth a shot to plead my case and to my surprise they honored it. I ended up paying $63+shipping. The did say that they were making an exception in my case but I told them I would spread the good word here so it's worth a shot. Current price is $75.99 (reg. $99).. bet they'd listen to group buy offers though.

Rfx: That guide on the website sucks but it really is plug and play. It took me about 20 to figure it all out on the first bulb but once i figured it out the 2nd one took me literally 3 minutes. Follow this and I bet you could do it in under 10 minutes.

1) Twist open the circular headlight cap above the light.

2) You'll see the back end of the bulb with the gray and white wire plug. Leave the wires attached, grab the bulb housing and twist the whole thing 45 degrees to the right (if starting with the left side, opposite direction if you start with the right).

3) Now detach the plug from the bulb housing by releasing the 2 side clips.

4) Open the new light box and pull the foam container out of the box itself and underneath you will find a thin clamp. You use the clamp to hold the new bulb close so it will fit through the opening that the original bulb came out of.

5) Now you want to do the reverse of how you took the orig. out. Two tricks here:
a.) line up the notches on the new bulb housing with that of the lamp bracket housing. I did this by taking the orig. bulb and lining it up the way it came out (45 degree) do the same with the new and clamp it closed.
b.) Using the clamp to keep it closed line it up and push it in. DO note that you'll want to clamp it as far back as you can so that it stays clamped as long as possible. If you have your notches lined up don't be afraid to use a little force and you will know it is in when the red ring of the bulb housing is flush in the hole. Then simply rotate (reverse the 45) until it locks in place.

6) take the cylinder plug that came with the new lights and plug that into the original wires and the other end to the new light bulb. Tuck the cylinder down in the well below and your done. Test it out and take some comparison picks.

NOTE: do not be afraid to use a little force, you won't break anything. That really slowed me down but once i realized you need to apply a little it was a breeze. Particularly when putting in the new light while it's clamped shut.

Rchaas: I have dropped mine on the cement twice, it will scuff but it is so light that I can't see it unless i take it out and hold it up to the light.

[rfx45]

Thanks for the guide/tips. I might just give it a shot.

[Wraith.]

Ok gents, I went home for lunch and snapped a few pics of the daytime running lights in the "Seattle Sun"

[Al Blue4.6l]

awesome, thanks

[Dr Stig 2]

OK.

Anyone live near the store who wants the hassle of organising a groupbuy?

Not much sense me doing it from Australia just to ship them back over there...

[Z4@Phuket]

Originally Posted by Dr Stig 2

How much discount? Can we drop your name and get the same?

I'd have to say I never worried much about the yellow angel eyes on the Z4 until I took delivery of the new X3. It has white angel eyes and it makes the Z4 angel eyes look old and faded.

I dont usually ever modify a car, but I am sorely tempted in this case.

Anyone have pics of the install process or does it come with a easy to follow guide?

You should go for Xenon HID H8 Kit as it is same or better brightness as oem LEDs
best LED (LUX) in the market can't even match
just came across my search 9w LED AE on ebay (mine is 6W LED)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-9W-H8-CANB...item3f13770dfc

[daninsyd]

not sure about its scratch resistance, wouldn't like to try...but the price is good if i had to get another in a few years it wouldn't kill me. Once its in position there's really no need to move it or get close to it. Went 140kms the other night and it felt perfectly stable, no noises or that feeling that it might fly off. :-)

[daninsyd]

Wraith, lovely!!

[erichui]

I'm interested in getting a set too... they look like the set which I've used before but broke when trying to take it off before taking my car to the dealer due to some other issues...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11297201/IMG...302_011101.jpg

Dr Stig 2, perhaps if you are interested we could work something out having it shipped to Australia together to save some money?

Looking at the x3 of my parents makes me hate the stock bulb look too....

[Wraith.]

This sounds like a "Hair Club for men" commercial but the dull looking amber color has been bothering me for many months and I finally decided to do something about it. Why does such an expensive vehicle get such dated looking lights?

[rfx45]

Amber as in the turn signals? I believe it has to be amber because of US laws. Changing it to white is actually illegal plus it's probably cheaper and easier to integrate?

If you meant the dull drl/halos, then I don't know.

But this car is full of mystery so who knows. I mean I haven't checked since I only got my car this year but from what I understand the inner projector in the headlights does nothing.

[Wraith.]

No sorry, I meant the dull headlights. Amber is the wrong descriptor.., old dusty lampshade would be more accurate.

I actually don't mind the orange (amber) turn signals, particularly since I removed the orange side reflectors. Why in the world do we need both?!

[rfx45]

Originally Posted by Wraith.

I actually don't mind the orange (amber) turn signals, particularly since I removed the orange side reflectors. Why in the world do we need both?!

In Cali, I believe reflectors in the front and back are needed for the car to be street legal, probably the same with most states in the US. Most cars tend to include it in the headlight so most doesn't even notice they have it so when it is placed outside of it, some wonders why it is there.

[army_men]

Originally Posted by Z4@Phuket

You should go for Xenon HID H8 Kit as it is same or better brightness as oem LEDs
best LED (LUX) in the market can't even match
just came across my search 9w LED AE on ebay (mine is 6W LED)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-9W-H8-CANB...item3f13770dfc

Good find, any comparison to the LUX? do you know if it works perfectly safe with the E89?

[Dr Stig 2]

Originally Posted by erichui

I'm interested in getting a set too... they look like the set which I've used before but broke when trying to take it off before taking my car to the dealer due to some other issues...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11297201/IMG...302_011101.jpg

Dr Stig 2, perhaps if you are interested we could work something out having it shipped to Australia together to save some money?

Looking at the x3 of my parents makes me hate the stock bulb look too....

Can do (if we cant convince any of our American friends to help out).
I shoudl chase up AlexT and see if he wants a set too.
He has been quiet for some time now.

[jparnes1]

This angel eye issue has been discussed at length and based on falcon flyers pix I'm getting the alpine hid's. They clearly are the brightest and distribute the light most evenly between the 2 angel eyes on each side. It seems like a hands-down winner. I'm curious as to why some of us are still choosing other brands. Is it strictly cost?

[Wraith.]

These? http://www.alpinemss.com/product_p/hidan.htm

[jparnes1]

Originally Posted by Wraith.

These? http://www.alpinemss.com/product_p/hidan.htm

Yes, those are the ones. In case you missed this topic, here's the link:
http://e89.zpost.com/forums/showthre...highlight=side

[Wraith.]

Well I'm not opposed to trying something else out but at 1/2 the price I'm pretty happy with the ones I have..

[Michael5155]

Okay, I'm not the brightest headlight in the parking lot, so I apologize for my upcoming naive, uneducated, silly questions. But here goes...

I love the look of the brighter and whiter lights you folks are putting in your Z4s. They truly look sweet! But it seems the more threads I read on this topic the more confused (not uncommon) I get. I understand that some people will like one brand over another... it's natural. But what I don't understand is why?

Is it the color?
The intensity?
The cost?
The even coverage?
All of these?

Also, what bulbs are actually being replaced? Please educate me. In the headlight area on just one side of the car, how many different lights are there?

turn signal
high beams
low beams
and angel eyes (whatever they are)

Am I missing any? Or is my list wrong?

And of all these lights, which are the ones most commonly replaced?

Sorry for all the dumb questions, but I want to make sure I get this right! You won't insult me if you talk to me like I'm a fifth grader. In fact, I'd appreciate it (no abbreviations) Thank you to the tenth power!

Michael

[erichui]

Originally Posted by jparnes1

This angel eye issue has been discussed at length and based on falcon flyers pix I'm getting the alpine hid's. They clearly are the brightest and distribute the light most evenly between the 2 angel eyes on each side. It seems like a hands-down winner. I'm curious as to why some of us are still choosing other brands. Is it strictly cost?

For me, it has nothing to do with cost. It's all because it is not plug and play and requires to cutting of parts which I want to avoid at all costs.

I looked at the installation process from FalconFlyer's post, and it looks easy enough, but I would just prefer not to do any cuttings at all, even the plastic covers.

[jparnes1]

Originally Posted by Michael5155

Okay, I'm not the brightest headlight in the parking lot, so I apologize for my upcoming naive, uneducated, silly questions. But here goes...

I love the look of the brighter and whiter lights you folks are putting in your Z4s. They truly look sweet! But it seems the more threads I read on this topic the more confused (not uncommon) I get. I understand that some people will like one brand over another... it's natural. But what I don't understand is why?

Is it the color?
The intensity?
The cost?
The even coverage?
All of these?


Also, what bulbs are actually being replaced? Please educate me. In the headlight area on just one side of the car, how many different lights are there?

turn signal
high beams
low beams
and angel eyes (whatever they are)

Am I missing any? Or is my list wrong?

And of all these lights, which are the ones most commonly replaced?

Sorry for all the dumb questions, but I want to make sure I get this right! You won't insult me if you talk to me like I'm a fifth grader. In fact, I'd appreciate it (no abbreviations) Thank you to the tenth power!

Michael

YOu can replace any bulb you want, but we're mostly talking about the angel eye bulbs. Those are the round halos (2 on each side) in the front. Not the high or low beam bulbs). Some have changed out the directionals and side markers for LED although I think they may run into a legal issue without yellow directional bulbs.
Members here have made choices based on cost, degree of difficulty in installation, and level of brightness of the bulbs. The most popular brands are MTEC, LUX LED, and Alpine HID (in order from dimmest to brightest). MTEC and LUX are plug -n-play whereas Alpine requires some fairly simple wiring. None throw any faults. The general consensus is that Alpine has a appearance closest to OEM (see pix in this thread http://e89.zpost.com/forums/showthre...highlight=side). Some members have had trouble with LUX bulbs (FLPNOUT comes to mind) while others have had trouble with Alpine, although that seems to have been resolved. I'm going with Alpine as they look the best by far, IMO.
Hope this helps