Headlights upgrade

[Tom2207]

The halogen E85/E86 BMW Z4s use an H7 halogen bulb in a 'E55 Hella' projector. Technically, both the halogen H7 and xenon D2S projectors are different. In some projectors, if you put an HID kit inside a halogen projector you get a terrible beam pattern, tons of glare, fuzzy cut off and overall you're in worst shape than where you started.

HOWEVER & LUCKILY, the E55 Hella H7 halogen projector can take HID kits pretty decently. Search on HIDplanet if you want more info (amongst a lot of arguments) but the E55 Hella projector can give a decent beam pattern, cut off, distance vision and more light to the sides without resorting to using your fog lights all the time. Keep in mind, there will be some glare since you are stuffing an HID kit where it doesn't belong but it isn't world-ending amounts of glare like some people online would have you believe. Just aim your headlights correctly or take it to a specialist that can aim them for you. It won't match an HID bulb inside a proper HID projector though. Still, the gains are very good and it's exactly what you're looking for.

Get an H7 HID CANBUS slim kit, with the color temperature in the 4300K-5000K range and you'll get a nice crisp white light. People who want a more cold white color (think like a modern LED white color) go for 6000K. However, you see less at night due to the colder color temp and it gets worse the higher you go. Although 6000K can be a sexy look, when it's pouring rain at night you'll probably not be much of a fan since the colder white light will be absorbed by the dark wet pavement and you'll have a slightly harder time seeing--although you can use your foglights to mitigate that issue lol.

Make sure to buy an H7 HID bulb that has the return wire (long wire that runs across the bulb) facing on the bottom of the projector. If you can't find one, you can dremel out a notch that matches on the opposite side of the bulb.

The entire HID kit can be fitted and stuffed inside the headlight housing so you wouldn't have to drill anything, so your water seal wouldn't be compromised.

Good luck!

Thats the best answer Ive ever seen to the hid swap out question , I have an hid swap on one of my bikes and its great , but I also have a halogen bulb swap on another for blue ish bulbs and for the work involved and messing about the blue bulb swap is well worth the low cost and low effort for the relatively big gain.

[DFR]

I agree dude! I was too tired when I replied but should have given Motionblurrr more praise. Then man is a gold mine and his answer made me truly consider the HID conversion as I almost gave up on the idea.

[Tom2207]

I agree dude! I was too tired when I replied but should have given Motionblurrr more praise. Then man is a gold mine and his answer made me truly consider the HID conversion as I almost gave up on the idea.

[Motionblurrr]

I agree dude! I was too tired when I replied but should have given Motionblurrr more praise. Then man is a gold mine and his answer made me truly consider the HID conversion as I almost gave up on the idea.

Thanks guys! I just ended up being a headlight nerd from so much troubleshooting and wanting to get the best lighting out of this car since it was one of it's weaknesses IMO when I came from a previous car with HID.

If you do do the HID conversion, make sure to aim your headlight properly! Massive difference in how well you see.

[HGoward]

The halogen E85/E86 BMW Z4s use an H7 halogen bulb in a 'E55 Hella' projector. Technically, both the halogen H7 and xenon D2S projectors are different. In some projectors, if you put an HID kit inside a halogen projector you get a terrible beam pattern, tons of glare, fuzzy cut off and overall you're in worst shape than where you started.

HOWEVER & LUCKILY, the E55 Hella H7 halogen projector can take HID kits pretty decently. Search on HIDplanet if you want more info (amongst a lot of arguments) but the E55 Hella projector can give a decent beam pattern, cut off, distance vision and more light to the sides without resorting to using your fog lights all the time. Keep in mind, there will be some glare since you are stuffing an HID kit where it doesn't belong but it isn't world-ending amounts of glare like some people online would have you believe. Just aim your headlights correctly or take it to a specialist that can aim them for you. It won't match an HID bulb inside a proper HID projector though. Still, the gains are very good and it's exactly what you're looking for.

Get an H7 HID CANBUS slim kit, with the color temperature in the 4300K-5000K range and you'll get a nice crisp white light. People who want a more cold white color (think like a modern LED white color) go for 6000K. However, you see less at night due to the colder color temp and it gets worse the higher you go. Although 6000K can be a sexy look, when it's pouring rain at night you'll probably not be much of a fan since the colder white light will be absorbed by the dark wet pavement and you'll have a slightly harder time seeing--although you can use your foglights to mitigate that issue lol.

Make sure to buy an H7 HID bulb that has the return wire (long wire that runs across the bulb) facing on the bottom of the projector. If you can't find one, you can dremel out a notch that matches on the opposite side of the bulb.

The entire HID kit can be fitted and stuffed inside the headlight housing so you wouldn't have to drill anything, so your water seal wouldn't be compromised.

Good luck!

I know your talking about HID Kits, but do you have any experience with LED conversions which don't need a ballast like HID kits do. Such as this kit https://www.ledperf.co.uk/product_info. ... 3686fb4e36} as well as others such as Phillips LED kits. The LED kits just seem a bit easier to do than the HID ones.

[Penelope]

Put these in mine. Transformed them https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253843680331

[HGoward]

Put these in mine. Transformed them https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253843680331

Did you just stuff those wires to the side of the light fixing in the waterproof casing?

[Motionblurrr]

I know your talking about HID Kits, but do you have any experience with LED conversions which don't need a ballast like HID kits do. Such as this kit https://www.ledperf.co.uk/product_info. ... 3686fb4e36} as well as others such as Phillips LED kits. The LED kits just seem a bit easier to do than the HID ones.

They're easier to do but they don't pack the same punch as HID kits. Their throw of light isn't as far either and a lot of the time the beam pattern is much different than the halogen and the HID. Not to mention, the intensity of the light drops when in use so it would be shining at ~80% intensity due to the heat build up. When they cool off they go back to normal.

[HGoward]

Ok thank you for your help. Guess HID Kit is the way to go then, just need to find a MOT tester that will pass it.

[Penelope]

Put these in mine. Transformed them https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253843680331

Did you just stuff those wires to the side of the light fixing in the waterproof casing?

There's room in there to stuff everything behind the watertight sealed cover yes

[DFR]

Ok thank you for your help. Guess HID Kit is the way to go then, just need to find a MOT tester that will pass it.

This is my worry as well. I think MOT guidance is plain stupid when it says if modifications to headlights are noted, it's a fail.
They should look into the technicality of it, set guidance for beam pattern and intensity of beam.
It's plain stupid that loads of cars run HID and that's ok because it's from factory but if you add them aftermarket is not ok even if they are safe for incoming traffic.
Someone might argue for the MOTs position, but I can't see it.

[Motionblurrr]

I see you guys are across the pond where it’s super strict. They’ve very relaxed here in the States about that stuff.

Thankfully, with HID kits, you can quickly take them out, drop in your stock H7 halogen bulbs, go to the MOT and get it passed and put everything back in.

Oh, I forgot to mention. You’re going to have to cut a slit on your OEM metal H7 retainer clip so you can pass the HID bulb wires through. That’s about the extent of modifications done and it won’t affect the clip negatively if you put in your halogen bulbs for whatever reason. I just used a dremel with a small sandpaper disk.

[DFR]

I see you guys are across the pond where it’s super strict. They’ve very relaxed here in the States about that stuff.

Thankfully, with HID kits, you can quickly take them out, drop in your stock H7 halogen bulbs, go to the MOT and get it passed and put everything back in.

I wouldn't call them strict, just lazy to write the proper guidance.
Re swap before the MOT, a bit more tricky if i get the HID with the projector as well, but my thoughts exactly.

[Simiewimie]

Put these in mine. Transformed them https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253843680331

Did you just stuff those wires to the side of the light fixing in the waterproof casing?

There's room in there to stuff everything behind the watertight sealed cover yes

Hi, Penelope.
I hope you don’t mind me reviving this post. Just wondering how you are still getting on with the HID’s you fitted? Have you had to take them out to pass the MOT?

[B21]

The E89 has HIDs..but my 2015 Volvo XC70 had piss poor halogen headlghts..

Used these babies..about the only ones that preserves the correct road legal dim cut off line etc

Night n day..not quite as good as a factory Xenon but so so much better than the halogens..

Street legal in some countries..not so in UK but given the crisp no glare beam and better than OE cutoff can't see any issues..

https://www.philips.co.uk/c-e/au/car-li ... 0-led.html

Got them in H11 on the main beams...bunnies are losing their eyesight with these too..

You will have to get the FRM to code out the bulb warning though. or the CANBUS add ons..