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Improved Lighting / Brighter lights

fr45er
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Re: Improved Lighting / Brighter lights

Post by fr45er » Tue Jul 14, 2009 5:24 pm

RustyZ4 wrote:
fr45er wrote:
RustyZ4 wrote:Yep consumabulbs is the best place, dont forget to get your headlights adjusted to max legal height, as that really helps too :thumbsup:
Looks like a nice easy modification, is it easy to adjust the height of the headlights, even on max height on mine it is very low.

I have a 2008 Z4 2.0, would these be OK?

http://www.consumabulbs.com/files/bdet.php?id=715

Yep their the ones, but do you change one pair (Headlights) or both pairs (main beam as well) big desicion time :D
sounds like an excellent idea, can you recommend which ones to get for the main beam?

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RustyZ4
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Re: Improved Lighting / Brighter lights

Post by RustyZ4 » Tue Jul 14, 2009 5:33 pm

Exactly the same, both H7 :thumbsup:
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fr45er
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Re: Improved Lighting / Brighter lights

Post by fr45er » Tue Jul 14, 2009 5:52 pm

RustyZ4 wrote:Exactly the same, both H7 :thumbsup:
Great, so I just order twice as many (4 bulbs), thanks again

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RustyZ4
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Re: Improved Lighting / Brighter lights

Post by RustyZ4 » Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:02 pm

fr45er wrote:
RustyZ4 wrote:Exactly the same, both H7 :thumbsup:
Great, so I just order twice as many (4 bulbs), thanks again

Yep just order two sets :thumbsup:
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fr45er
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Re: Improved Lighting / Brighter lights

Post by fr45er » Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:32 pm

RustyZ4 wrote:
fr45er wrote:
RustyZ4 wrote:Exactly the same, both H7 :thumbsup:
Great, so I just order twice as many (4 bulbs), thanks again

Yep just order two sets :thumbsup:
Thanks, will order tonight, what could possibly go wrong!!!!

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Mr Whippy
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Re: Improved Lighting / Brighter lights

Post by Mr Whippy » Fri Aug 28, 2009 2:33 pm

fr45er wrote: Thanks, will order tonight, what could possibly go wrong!!!!
Just make sure it's nice and dry when you do them, and also make sure you get the back sealed up nicely on the light unit afterwards :)

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fr45er
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Re: Improved Lighting / Brighter lights

Post by fr45er » Fri Aug 28, 2009 2:43 pm

I had a quick go a couple of nights ago at swapping the bulbs out. I must admit, it seems more difficult than I thought it would be. Do I replace the LH bulb for the LHS of the car and the RH bulb for the RHS of the car? Is there any danger of electrocution if I do this with the key out of the ignition? It all felt a bit cramped and awkward, and I chickened out after I had removed the headlamp cover.

I freely admit that I am a total novice at anything car related.....

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cj10jeeper
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Re: Improved Lighting / Brighter lights

Post by cj10jeeper » Fri Aug 28, 2009 3:04 pm

If you got the rear covers off you did 99% of the job...

It's the outer bulb of each unit for the dipped.

Only danger is on Xenon (which of course you don't have if yuo're replacing bulbs with halogens) and if on it could be very dangerous and you should never work on them switched on. Normal halogens are safe but you shoudl not touch the bulb glass as fingerprints damage the glass.
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fr45er
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Re: Improved Lighting / Brighter lights

Post by fr45er » Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:03 pm

cj10jeeper wrote:If you got the rear covers off you did 99% of the job...

It's the outer bulb of each unit for the dipped.

Only danger is on Xenon (which of course you don't have if yuo're replacing bulbs with halogens) and if on it could be very dangerous and you should never work on them switched on. Normal halogens are safe but you shoudl not touch the bulb glass as fingerprints damage the glass.
Thanks, I will have another go if it ever stops raining......

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Re: Improved Lighting / Brighter lights

Post by z4alfie » Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:16 pm

a11y wrote:Yep, have a search on here for further info but it's basically by turning a white adjuster screw located behind each headlight, under the bonnet.

I might have to lower mine a bit as I get the (very) occasional flash by oncoming cars, but only when I'm going downhill or over the crest of a hill, i.e. when oncomers are below me...
Do I screw it clockwise or anti clockwise to raise the beam. I have been following this thread and have bought the Phillips bulbs which I'll fit tomorrow while the wheels are off to change the discs. I just cant work out which direction the screw needs to be turned to raise the beam
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Re: Improved Lighting / Brighter lights

Post by RustyZ4 » Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:40 pm

z4alfie wrote:
a11y wrote:Yep, have a search on here for further info but it's basically by turning a white adjuster screw located behind each headlight, under the bonnet.

I might have to lower mine a bit as I get the (very) occasional flash by oncoming cars, but only when I'm going downhill or over the crest of a hill, i.e. when oncomers are below me...
Do I screw it clockwise or anti clockwise to raise the beam. I have been following this thread and have bought the Phillips bulbs which I'll fit tomorrow while the wheels are off to change the discs. I just cant work out which direction the screw needs to be turned to raise the beam
If you turn it and the beam goes down, its the wrong way :D
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Re: Improved Lighting / Brighter lights

Post by z4alfie » Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:48 pm

RustyZ4 wrote:
z4alfie wrote:
a11y wrote:Yep, have a search on here for further info but it's basically by turning a white adjuster screw located behind each headlight, under the bonnet.

I might have to lower mine a bit as I get the (very) occasional flash by oncoming cars, but only when I'm going downhill or over the crest of a hill, i.e. when oncomers are below me...
Do I screw it clockwise or anti clockwise to raise the beam. I have been following this thread and have bought the Phillips bulbs which I'll fit tomorrow while the wheels are off to change the discs. I just cant work out which direction the screw needs to be turned to raise the beam
If you turn it and the beam goes down, its the wrong way :D

Why didnt I think of that?....... you could be a high ranking official in Gordon Brown's government
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Wondermike
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Re: Improved Lighting / Brighter lights

Post by Wondermike » Fri Aug 28, 2009 7:18 pm

RustyZ4 wrote:If you turn it and the beam goes down, its the wrong way :D
Image

Genius :thumbsup:

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Re: Improved Lighting / Brighter lights

Post by melbs » Sat Aug 29, 2009 4:47 am

just my honest opinion in lighting systems in our cars

Xenons over halogen all the time. If you try Xenons you will never want to get halogens again. Its really that much better.

The easiest and cheapest way to improve your lighting is to replace your stock halogen bulbs with a higher output halogen bulb. Down side is you have to trade off longevity of the bulb with these high output bulbs. I have tried these high output bulbs and they do not last more than 2 years (any brand, philips, piaa, even generic china made ones)

For Xenon upgrades you can do the following:

1. retrofit the OEM BMW Xenon HL (costly)
2. retrofit any OEM HL from other vehicles and modify it in the Z4 HL housing (costs half the price but you need a tested installer)

In the Philippines, a lot of people try to do option #2 to their old non BMW cars. An example would be the link:
http://s3.zetaboards.com/HCP/topic/7112509/1/

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Mr Whippy
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Re: Improved Lighting / Brighter lights

Post by Mr Whippy » Sat Aug 29, 2009 1:05 pm

Hmmm, these newer 80/90% bulbs are quite recently, but even with old 80W rally ones, or the old 75% Osram Silverstar (or whatever they were), were fine and still are fine, in the 4 years they were in my last car.

2 years seems really low time duration... guess it depends how often you drive with them turned on though :)

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