H7 bulb upgrades - What you got?

[DaveP]

My early E85 tricked me into thinking it had xenons fitted when I bought it, but then after my first winter I realised that all early 3.0i cars came with headlamp washers irrespective of headlight type. Doh!

I tried to drop in some H7 fitment LED bulbs (well, I asked enuff_zed to try), but the heatsinks wouldn't fit in the headlight housing.

As winter draws in again, I'm back to looking at upgraded bulbs.

Should I just bite the bullet and get the obvious choice of Osram Nightbreaker (or equivalent)?

Has anyone found any LED-type solutions that will drop into the stock housing without modification?

Keen for your thoughts.

 

[caius]

Having been through different options on mine over the last few years, my opinion on the different options from crap to good is:

- Halogen bulbs (Nightbreaker, Phillips)
- LED bulbs (you'll likely need bulb holders too)
- H7 HID retrofit kit, "just" fits and you can stuff everything inside headlight. Easier if you can take headlight off car.
- D2S HID Retrofitlab kit with upgraded EvoX-R 2.0 projectors, not too difficult to fit. Needs headlight off car to make it "easy".

Unsurprisingly they get more expensive the better they get as well.

Having now fitted the upgraded D2S projectors I think that is by far the best option, it _massively_ increases the light output/quality and I'm quite happy to drive at the speed limit at night without street lights now. Also don't lose sight of the road in front as someone comes the other way in an SUV with LED headlights blinding you.

If that's not an option, I'd suggest the H7 HID kits, I fitted this one off ebay for the 2.5i earlier this year and the 3.0si had a different kit fitted when I bought it as well. They are much brighter than the LED or H7 Halogen bulbs and as we already have projector lenses (and you have headlight washers) you're not /strictly/ breaking the law fitting them. Mine have always sailed through an MOT at least (except for when one of the headlights was full of water—different issue.)

I've got a pair of Nighteye/NOVSIGHT 50W LED bulbs that were in the 2.5i with the correct brackets which are likely going to end up in the bin, happy to post them to you if you'd like. Direct replacement for the H7 bulbs you'll have in currently.

 

[Vindaloo]

That DS2 kit looks very interesting, and not prohibitively expensive if it's truly a simple fit and forget solution.

I'll likely first take the Phillips route as a starting improvement while I put money into other more important aspects (ensuring mechanicals are all sound, getting my well-worn seat sorted, refurbing my shabby wheels). The DS2 kit will go on on the future improvements list.

 

[BenM]

I fitted some Osram LEDriving bulbs last year - they fit inside the housings OK with the appropriate bulb holders. A decent improvement compared to stock, and for relatively little money - but doesn't match up to any modern headlight, I suspect you'd need to go HID or projector replacement as caius has suggested.

 

[van man]

Having been through different options on mine over the last few years, my opinion on the different options from crap to good is:

- Halogen bulbs (Nightbreaker, Phillips)
- LED bulbs (you'll likely need bulb holders too)
- H7 HID retrofit kit, "just" fits and you can stuff everything inside headlight. Easier if you can take headlight off car.
- D2S HID Retrofitlab kit with upgraded EvoX-R 2.0 projectors, not too difficult to fit. Needs headlight off car to make it "easy".

Unsurprisingly they get more expensive the better they get as well.

Having now fitted the upgraded D2S projectors I think that is by far the best option, it _massively_ increases the light output/quality and I'm quite happy to drive at the speed limit at night without street lights now. Also don't lose sight of the road in front as someone comes the other way in an SUV with LED headlights blinding you.

If that's not an option, I'd suggest the H7 HID kits, I fitted this one off ebay for the 2.5i earlier this year and the 3.0si had a different kit fitted when I bought it as well. They are much brighter than the LED or H7 Halogen bulbs and as we already have projector lenses (and you have headlight washers) you're not /strictly/ breaking the law fitting them. Mine have always sailed through an MOT at least (except for when one of the headlights was full of water—different issue.)

I've got a pair of Nighteye/NOVSIGHT 50W LED bulbs that were in the 2.5i with the correct brackets which are likely going to end up in the bin, happy to post them to you if you'd like. Direct replacement for the H7 bulbs you'll have in currently.

yes it’s that time of year again, I just today changed a H7 that had blown but the ideal is the retrofitlab kit but to be honest the thought of pulling headlights off in the street and attempting it with having no clue what I’m doing is really off putting…do you have to buy additional projectors as well as the kit?

 

[DaveP]

I fitted some Osram LEDriving bulbs last year - they fit inside the housings OK with the appropriate bulb holders. A decent improvement compared to stock, and for relatively little money - but doesn't match up to any modern headlight, I suspect you'd need to go HID or projector replacement as caius has suggested.

And these were H7s, in the standard housings?

 

[caius]

… the ideal is the retrofitlab kit but to be honest the thought of pulling headlights off in the street and attempting it with having no clue what I’m doing is really off putting…do you have to buy additional projectors as well as the kit?

Pretty sure that kit contains everything required, I managed to buy some projectors cheap on ebay so had to buy the rest of the kit from them individually which led to me ordering the wrong ballasts All sorted out easily with their support thankfully, they shipped me the correct ballasts and I posted back the wrong ones in the same box. They even covered the return postage for me. https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2056413 was the thread that pushed me into upgrading, seems x-driver did it without taking the bumper/lights off - fair play.

You can do it in the street, the two hard bits I'd say are getting the bumper to release from the side brackets (the bumper pulls outwards, but has tabs on the top to stop it coming loose. Inserting a plastic spudger helps, as does more force than you feel comfortable with), and on the second car I did the four Torx bolts holding the headlight were pretty well rusted into place. Managed to get seven out with release agent, snapped the eighth. Had a spare in my bolts box thankfully.

 

[van man]

… the ideal is the retrofitlab kit but to be honest the thought of pulling headlights off in the street and attempting it with having no clue what I’m doing is really off putting…do you have to buy additional projectors as well as the kit?

Pretty sure that kit contains everything required, I managed to buy some projectors cheap on ebay so had to buy the rest of the kit from them individually which led to me ordering the wrong ballasts All sorted out easily with their support thankfully, they shipped me the correct ballasts and I posted back the wrong ones in the same box. They even covered the return postage for me. https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2056413 was the thread that pushed me into upgrading, seems x-driver did it without taking the bumper/lights off - fair play.

You can do it in the street, the two hard bits I'd say are getting the bumper to release from the side brackets (the bumper pulls outwards, but has tabs on the top to stop it coming loose. Inserting a plastic spudger helps, as does more force than you feel comfortable with), and on the second car I did the four Torx bolts holding the headlight were pretty well rusted into place. Managed to get seven out with release agent, snapped the eighth. Had a spare in my bolts box thankfully.

cheers buddy, unexpectedly I am now venturing down a different avenue touchwood…things have hopefully changed with the car

 

[Wildfire]

I'm going to try the Phillips Ultinon Access LED's that have the same profile as a normal bulb, so shouldn't need bulb holders. Pricey, but a lot less hassle. I may need resistors or to code it out. Currently I need resistors on the side lights, rear lights and then on the headlights, so that is about the price of a Carly.

 

[Rockhopper]

Its in theory possible for a non xenon car to have headlight washers but its very rare from what I've seen (on an early 3.0 E85). A better indication would be the headlight levelling control by the switch and also the warning stickers on the slam panel trim under the bonnet.

 

[DaveP]

Its in theory possible for a non xenon car to have headlight washers but its very rare from what I've seen (on an early 3.0 E85). A better indication would be the headlight levelling control by the switch and also the warning stickers on the slam panel trim under the bonnet.

Mine is a 2003 3.0i, one of those rare cars that got washers but no xenons. I saw the washers when viewing the car and didn't even think to check further.

 

[DaveP]

I'm going to try the Phillips Ultinon Access LED's that have the same profile as a normal bulb, so shouldn't need bulb holders. Pricey, but a lot less hassle. I may need resistors or to code it out. Currently I need resistors on the side lights, rear lights and then on the headlights, so that is about the price of a Carly.

This might be a way forward.

I wonder if anyone can confirm whether they needed coding/resistors?

 

[Vindaloo]

Its in theory possible for a non xenon car to have headlight washers but its very rare from what I've seen (on an early 3.0 E85). A better indication would be the headlight levelling control by the switch and also the warning stickers on the slam panel trim under the bonnet.

Mine is a 2003 3.0i, one of those rare cars that got washers but no xenons. I saw the washers when viewing the car and didn't even think to check further.

Me too - 2003 3.0i: halogen but equipped with washers and automatic levelling (the beams 'scroll' to position on start-up) though there's also a level wheel on the console.

 

[Rockhopper]

I suspect some of these cars must have had replacement bumpers/headlights at some point in their lives.

Can either of you run your VIN through one of those checkers?

 

[DaveP]

I suspect some of these cars must have had replacement bumpers/headlights at some point in their lives.

Can either of you run your VIN through one of those checkers?

I have done already.

My VIN decoder includes "S502- Headlight cleaning system", but no mention of "S522" for xenons.

It was a 2003 3.0i thing.

 

[Wildfire]

This might be a way forward.

I wonder if anyone can confirm whether they needed coding/resistors?

From what I read online with other cars you do. I have them in my H4 classic car and they are very good.

 

[lucasxdiniz]

H7 LEDs with a substancial fan and CANBUS attachment fit my E85 just fine.

The exact kit I bought is long gone from my eBay history, but it looked similar to this, expect it had an extra 'CANBUS error free' box attached to it.

 

[caius]

My 2006 3.0si also has halogens with headlight washers, same as DaveP it has S502 listed for washers but not S522 for Xenons. Also caught me out when I bought the car, although it had H7 HIDs fitted so looked like Xenons when turned on too. I wasn't that bothered to be honest, given the age the factory Xenons would be now I'd likely have replaced the projectors anyway.

 

[Rockhopper]

Interesting - thanks everyone!

 

[Special Kay]

Having been through different options on mine over the last few years, my opinion on the different options from crap to good is:

- Halogen bulbs (Nightbreaker, Phillips)
- LED bulbs (you'll likely need bulb holders too)
- H7 HID retrofit kit, "just" fits and you can stuff everything inside headlight. Easier if you can take headlight off car.
- D2S HID Retrofitlab kit with upgraded EvoX-R 2.0 projectors, not too difficult to fit. Needs headlight off car to make it "easy".

Unsurprisingly they get more expensive the better they get as well.

Having now fitted the upgraded D2S projectors I think that is by far the best option, it _massively_ increases the light output/quality and I'm quite happy to drive at the speed limit at night without street lights now. Also don't lose sight of the road in front as someone comes the other way in an SUV with LED headlights blinding you.

If that's not an option, I'd suggest the H7 HID kits, I fitted this one off ebay for the 2.5i earlier this year and the 3.0si had a different kit fitted when I bought it as well. They are much brighter than the LED or H7 Halogen bulbs and as we already have projector lenses (and you have headlight washers) you're not /strictly/ breaking the law fitting them. Mine have always sailed through an MOT at least (except for when one of the headlights was full of water—different issue.)

I've got a pair of Nighteye/NOVSIGHT 50W LED bulbs that were in the 2.5i with the correct brackets which are likely going to end up in the bin, happy to post them to you if you'd like. Direct replacement for the H7 bulbs you'll have in currently.

Wow, they say everyday is a school day. I learnt a lot from this post. I was on the assumption that halogen headlights were restricted to Nightbreakers and led bulbs. This has been a real eye opener. Thank you