are xenons standard?

K

kevineaton77

Member
hi guys - hope you are well.

im lloking at buying a z4 but the seller doesnt know if it has xenons and i dont want to travel there to find out - are they standard or were they an option?

cheers
kev
 
Option. You should have a very thick projection lens, but the best way to tell is turn them on.
 
the only car ive had with xenons was my honda...im not sure i will be able to tell the difference (during the da)!

the honda's made a humming noise when you first turn them on...same for the BMW?

he said that they "move up and down" when you turn them on - does that mean anything???

cheers
kev
 
No idea what it's like in other parts of the world. But they have to be self leveling here and also have to have washer jets to clean them.
 
Not standard.

I think you can tell xenons when the lights are on. They have a brighter and sharper ring which looks better.
 
Smokin said:
Option. You should have a very thick projection lens, but the best way to tell is turn them on.
Click to expand...

That's not true. Both the halogen and the xenon use exactly the same lens to project the beam. The difference is the mounting behind the lens that is specific to a halogen or xenon bulb so you cannot tell by looking into the headlamp.

There are many ways to tell xenon and have been covered on the board if you do a search. Look for a combination of:
Slight flicker on illumination
Clear white light
yellow warning stickers under bonnet
headlamp washer (mandatory on UK xenon) but some halogen have them
No beam adjuster by lightswitch

That should do
 
xenons will self level and therefore therte is no need for manual adjustment. Having had them now I dont think I could go bac to standards on my next car!
 
The halogens self level too when first switched on. The only way to tell is the absence of a manual adjustment switch and the 'high voltage' warning sticker under the bonnet.
 
lazerium said:
The halogens self level too when first switched on. The only way to tell is the absence of a manual adjustment switch and the 'high voltage' warning sticker under the bonnet.
Click to expand...

Could be terminology, but the halogens don't really self level, they go through a start up cycle to self adjust to the position they were last set to. Xenons as paddy commented, use sensors to detect changes in static load and body roll/dip while driving to continuously keep them level.
 
My 325 didn't use projection lenses for the halogens :oops:


I keep forgetting that on your side of the pond, you have that headlight adjustment thingie (dang good thing we don't have that here, stupid drivers would never get it right).

In the US, the headlight washer is optional. What's the reasoning behind having headlight washers on the xenons be mandatory?
 
Smokin said:
My 325 didn't use projection lenses for the halogens :oops:


I keep forgetting that on your side of the pond, you have that headlight adjustment thingie (dang good thing we don't have that here, stupid drivers would never get it right).

In the US, the headlight washer is optional. What's the reasoning behind having headlight washers on the xenons be mandatory?
Click to expand...

I can only assume the washer is to ensure that the amount of dirt is kept to a minimum and thus any reducing diffusing of the much brighter than standard beam, so reducing dazzle and glare. Not disimilar to having auto levelling so that the beam never gets too high.
 
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