Aftermarket Xenon Selection

X

X-S-Z

Member
 Baku, Azerbaijan
OK guys I've spent sometime reading over various posts on here about Xenon upgrades and with the darker nights coming I've decided its time to invest in some aftermarket Xenons. However my number one question is who to buy from? I've noticed there are a lot of companies out there selling them ranging from around £60 to £250 and they all claim to do the same thing which I find quite hard to believe. A few example sites I've been looking at:

www.hids4u.co.uk
www.convert2xenon.co.uk
www.bimmian.com
www.hids-direct.co.uk

I have been particularly looking at this kit: http://www.hids4u.co.uk/store/product.php?productid=64&cat=16&page=1

In particular its this comment "Unlike the cheaper kits that can be made to work with some of the newer cars, we strongly recommend this kit over such kits that rely on add-on solutions. The Ultimate ballasts do not rely on additional components such as resistors and capacitors, which get hot and can cause other problems and interference with the car after relatively short periods of time." that draws me to this kit the most. I am aware with other kits inparticular the kit supplied by convert2xenon.co.uk that you have to buy an add-on "HID Capacitor".

Can anyone shed any light? (no pun intended!) Also just to confirm its H7 50W bulbs? And 6000K seems the most popular choice from reading other posts?
 
Personally I'm not a great fan of the aftermarket HID kits and where I have done the conversion I have gone for complete OEM solution (replacing light units totally, suspension sensors, relays, etc. last done on my X5)

I suspect the paragraph you refer to is that some HID's require an aditional resitor/relay built into the circuit to prevent 'bulb out' warning lights coming on. This is because HID ballasts draw less current than conventional halogen and the lighting circuit spots this.

I'll not comment on the specific kits as I've never used them but ensure you are getting a HID set up not just xenon filled bulbs. I'd also want to understand where the ballast is mounted as on OEM it's built into the base of the headlight but on aftermarket it will be externally mounted somewhere, open to water damage and has to get the high voltage cable into the light casing (Just something to understand and consider).

I'd add just as a pointer in the UK if you fit HID's you are required to have the full automatic levelling devices fitted, usually involving movement sensors on the rear suspension (expensive and time consuming to retrofit) to keep the lights aligned with load and suspension movement. You also have to have headlight washers. Not that most people bother with either of these, but you can fail MOT and be pulled by the law.
 
cj10jeeper said:
Personally I'm not a great fan of the aftermarket HID kits and where I have done the conversion I have gone for complete OEM solution (replacing light units totally, suspension sensors, relays, etc. last done on my X5)

I suspect the paragraph you refer to is that some HID's require an aditional resitor/relay built into the circuit to prevent 'bulb out' warning lights coming on. This is because HID ballasts draw less current than conventional halogen and the lighting circuit spots this.

I'll not comment on the specific kits as I've never used them but ensure you are getting a HID set up not just xenon filled bulbs. I'd also want to understand where the ballast is mounted as on OEM it's built into the base of the headlight but on aftermarket it will be externally mounted somewhere, open to water damage and has to get the high voltage cable into the light casing (Just something to understand and consider).

I'd add just as a pointer in the UK if you fit HID's you are required to have the full automatic levelling devices fitted, usually involving movement sensors on the rear suspension (expensive and time consuming to retrofit) to keep the lights aligned with load and suspension movement. You also have to have headlight washers. Not that most people bother with either of these, but you can fail MOT and be pulled by the law.
Click to expand...

The OEM solution is obviously number one but by no means easy or affordable in my opinion so ruled out.

Yes I understand the concept of 'bulb out' warning but what is the advantage/disadvantage to digital control rather than analogue of this feature? i.e. chipset vs. resistor/capacitor?

All the HID setups I have looked at are HID kits and not just the bulbs, this I've made sure of. I presume its at the discretion of the fitter to where the ballasts go? With the optimum solution being as per OEM.

I am fully aware of UK Laws and it is my understanding that they are applicable to OEM only and not aftermarket solutions.... nevertheless I do have headlight washers so half the legal battle.

So in your honest opinion you wouldn't bother with fitting aftermarket xenons? If that is the case and the OEM solution aside, what would you recommend for improving the lighting situation on the Z4?
 
X-S-Z
Sounds like you already have a good handle on the issues of such a retrofit and have decided for good reason that retrofit kit is the way to go. As I said I cannot comment on the specific kits as I've not used them. I'm actually suprised some others have not picked up on the thread as some swear by them others have had water ingress and vibration related failures.

Yes I think the light output of xenon is the way to go and far better than halogen or just brighter/higher wattage.

IMHO I'd consider a set of second hand xenon off Ebay slot them in and have your LCM programmed to make then work. You'll get the correct bixenon feature with the electric/actuator shutter controlling the beam. I'd forget about the auto levelling and just set them manually, after all there are hundred of cars running around with aftermarket these days that don't have any auto adjustment.
 
Do be careful as HID kit is most likely illegal on your car. Read about a case last week where it invalidated the car insurance as well.
 
pvr said:
Do be careful as HID kit is most likely illegal on your car. Read about a case last week where it invalidated the car insurance as well.
Click to expand...

Do you have a link? As I mentioned above its my understanding that aftermarket HID kits are road legal....
 
Have a look here on the subject:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=10&t=569258&i=20
 
That's a good read pvr :thumbsup:

Backs up my decision to do the X5 with the full 9 yards job and general dim (pun?) view of aftermarket kits

Interestingly you might be able to get away on a Z4 without self levelling if you follow the logic of one poster about demonstraing the beam staying in tolerence on stiff suspension cars.

Real world I guess the guy in the 1990's Corsa/Fiesta with HID's and blue lights due to his 10,000k bulbs is the one that gets pulled, not the top end sports car on which they are expected.
 
pvr said:
Have a look here on the subject:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=10&t=569258&i=20
Click to expand...

I read through this forum posting and a lot of differing rants but I was yet to find the glaring evidence that says yay or nay to the legal aspects surrounding aftermarket HID kits. I've read the various department of transport postings etc and well it seems a bit of a 'grey' area from what I understand.

I know there are a few members on here with aftermarket HID kits, I would appreciate some comments from them???
 
i put in a 35W 6K bulb apexcone kit:
2703420092_f3196db36a_o.png

cutoff on the kit is very similar to OEM bi-xenons:
2702598525_00c2cb298b_o.png

Technically illegal, but the car is so low to start with that i haven't had anybody flash me in annoyance. I get flashed in my Lexus with OEM HID's occasionally.
 
It is not so much whether you get a fine or not (unlikely), just in the UK the insurance market is really, really nasty and they will use any opportunity to invalidate any claim.

I was amazed to read that an insurance company invalidated a claim because a BMW driver had fitted halo's (angel eyes) to his car which he had not notified his insurance company about.
 
If you're just looking for more light, why not get brighter bulbs from PIAA or Sylvania? They have some that are shifted more to the white/blue end of the spectrum. Silverstar is what Sylvania calls them, iirc.
 
Smokin said:
If you're just looking for more light, why not get brighter bulbs from PIAA or Sylvania? They have some that are shifted more to the white/blue end of the spectrum. Silverstar is what Sylvania calls them, iirc.
Click to expand...

Indeed I am, not bothered about the 'blue' I just want better visibility, what would you recommend? Does anyone know if they're available in the UK?
 
Google PIAA and Sylvania. PIAA calls theirs intense white, I think and Sylvania calls theirs silverstar, iirc.
 
Smokin said:
Google PIAA and Sylvania. PIAA calls theirs intense white, I think and Sylvania calls theirs silverstar, iirc.
Click to expand...

Just had a quick look at the PIAA website there are loads of varieties all claiming better light than a standard halogen bulb e.g. platinum white bulbs, xtreme white, xtreme white plus etc etc.... do you have any experience of them and which one to go for? They aren't cheap so wouldn't want to get the 'wrong' ones!
 
Haven't used them personally. I'm sure a dealer would have the cross-reference for the particular application. I don't think any of them are "wrong" if you get the correct bulb size/configuration so it fits correctly.The higher the number, the whiter the light. All of them are going to appear brighter than plain old halogen as all have higher color temps than halogen.


Looks like H7 is the size (plug in Z4) and the extreme white is the highest temp.

http://www.piaa.com/Bulbs/Bulbs-H7.html
 
Some prior discussions here

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=74325#p74325

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=42504#p42504

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=30664#p30664
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom