LED Headlight Bulbs

[wanderer]

Was quoted €315 for headlight bulbs from the local BMW dealer. I am assuming this is for a pair.
Even so, it's a touch on the ridiculous side. I've paid a bit more for entire headlamps in the past.

I have been looking online here and elsewhere and the Novsights seem to be the ones to go for.
What's the most recent thoughts?

I've ordered the N30's.

Anyone have any other recommendations?

[mcbutler]

My experience of LED headlamp bulbs has always been less than underwhelming.
They rarely give the correct beam pattern and the light output is less than pathetic, wattage is compatible but the temperature of the light just gives no real visibility.
Be interested to see how you find these.
Oh, and another thing I found is that because the run very cool they dont trigger PIR activated traffic lights very well so you sit there forever......

[B21]

I thought all E89s ran a pair of HID headlamps?

How do you fit LEDs?

[flybobbie]

Headlamps are HID, i would recommend Philips xenon extreme vision gen2 D1s.

Funny i bought some Novsight for a Berlingo, nearly sent them back, they wouldn't work right, but worked fine fitted to motorbike.

If you mean the halos, look for led that has the led on the end as well as sides.
There is a small mirror to reflect the light down the light guide.

[B21]

Headlamps are HID, i would recommend Philips xenon extreme vision gen2 D1s.

Funny i bought some Novsight for a Berlingo, nearly sent them back, they wouldn't work right, but worked fine fitted to motorbike.

If you mean the halos, look for led that has the led on the end as well as sides.
There is a small mirror to reflect the light down the light guide.

I went with these Osrams..

https://www.osram.com/ecat/XENARC%20NIG ... P_4058323/

As an aside they seem to outscore the other guys..

https://www.carbuyer.co.uk/tips-and-adv ... o-buy-2020

Since I don’t drive the Zed in the dark it’s academic…

[flybobbie]

I went by a US youtube site that test quite a few about 4 odd years ago. I was happy with Philips, something put me off the nightbreaker.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0XGzDyMg_c
If you live in the countryside better with a yellower bulb in foggy conditions.
The Philips can make almost impossible to see ahead in fog.

[flybobbie]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254662607702 ... SwpV9fFlDi

These might be complete rubbish but reason i would try these is the led at the end as well as sides.
The inside of the the bulb holder has a parabolic lens focusing light onto a mirror which projects the the light down the halo light guide.
Mirror is end of arrow.

lamp.jpg (108.7 KiB) Viewed 491 times

[Rockhopper]

In theory it should fail the MOT if you fit LED headlamp bulbs.

[flybobbie]

Not head lamp, it's the DRL's halo.

Fitted LED to motorbike and that passed.
Previous mot'er suggested i fit led as i had hid (which were really good on the bike).

[flybobbie]

You could actually take headlamp apart and knock out the inner blanking lens.
Then have inner lamps.

I'm posting on the wrong thread, should be the one about the side lamps.

[wanderer]

So, here's an update.
There was a mixup in terminology and understanding of the different bulbs/types installed on the car.

The parts guy at BMW quoted me for Bi-Zenon / HID's which are the main headlamp lights.

The ones that failed were the H8 Halo / Angel Eye bulb. Cheap enough.
These can be replaced with H8 LED's. One on each lamp.
£48 for Novsight N30's. They come as a pair.

Job done. Took me 5mins. Accessed from the top. Easiest bulb change ever.

The main headlamp bulbs however are the expensive Zenon/HID's.
They are accessed via the wheel arch.

These can be replaced with the Osram or Philips Zenon DS1 options mentioned by other posters above (@B21 and @flybobbie). Currently around £115 for a pair on Amazon.

Thanks for all the helpful comments.

[DevonPaul]

Oh, and another thing I found is that because the run very cool they dont trigger PIR activated traffic lights very well so you sit there forever......

Gosh, I wonder how cars without their headlights on managed for years to trigger them in the daytime?

Paul (retired Traffic Signal Engineer)

[B21]

Oh, and another thing I found is that because the run very cool they dont trigger PIR activated traffic lights very well so you sit there forever......

Gosh, I wonder how cars without their headlights on managed for years to trigger them in the daytime?

Paul (retired Traffic Signal Engineer)

Interesting article here about traffic light signalling…

https://www.automatesystems.co.uk/how-t ... sors-work/

Not much reference to headlights apart from taxi drivers vainly flashing their headlights…

[flybobbie]

I was in traffic light business, i laughed when a chap said he flashed his car lights to make the lights change.
He didn't realise the loop triggered the lights, they normally rest at red till car approaches, just a council requirement to slow traffic approaching at the junction in question.

[DevonPaul]

We thought about selling a microwave detector with a LED that came on when the MVD picked you up. We could claim it gave you the same priority that emergency vehicles got at red lights and the LED showed it was working.