Headlights

[RichMatt77]

Hi.

Having recently become a Z4 owner, whilst tinkering on it, we've noticed that the headlights are a bit crap.
The passenger side adjuster on the unit doesn't work, and the lens is very cloudy. The drivers side bulb, even though new, seems to be loose.
We've tried looking for replacements but the majority seem to be Xenon.
Are e85 headlights an issue?

 

[bigwinn]

Are e85 headlights an issue

I’ve had candles in old tin cans give better luminosity

So yes!

Halogen wise your options are get the lenses restored using market products like Holts/Meguiars/Autoglym. Upgrade the bulbs to osram nightbreakers will help but you’ll still only move it forward 5-10%

 

[TriggerFish]

Consider something like this, for an easy upgrade

BMW Z4 E85 E86 02-08 Bi-Xenon Licht Upgrade Kit für Halogenscheinwerfer

Scheinwerfer Upgrade Kit mit Bi-Xenon Projektoren für den BMW Z4 E85 E86 mit Halogenscheinwerfern. Garantiert verbesserte Lichtausbeute! Hochwertige Nachrüstteile

retrofitlab.com

You can get amazing results clearing through lenses with the 3M restoration kit and a drill.

 

[wiseguy]

The headlights and the roof hydraulic motor are by far the biggest and most frequently reoccurring problem on the e85. It’s a constant battle to keep water from condensating and pooling inside the headlights. The condensation burns out the bulb, and/or igniter (xenon) and its rinse and repeat. Pun intended. “German engineering” is a marketing ploy. Has been for decades. Enjoy the car, just be prepared with extra parts on hand.

 

[smorris_12]

Sand and lacquer (preferably a tin of 2k) the lens, it'll last a lot longer than any of the polishing kits: Did one of mine last week, see below. Then replace the halogens with H7 LEDs. The decent Chinese ones can be had for ~£30 which is a damn sight cheaper than retrofitting xenons or new headlights. I've got some 6500 lumen Bevinsee ones and they work a treat with the projector lenses which need big light to work properly. They're a good concept but require a lot of light to make them work properly. A standard H7 bulb is something like 1500 lumen. A D2S burner is about 3500 lumen.

It goes straight through MoTs, their about a million times better than halogen (how anyone ever allowed halogen projectors to be a thing, I'll never know, they're dangerous) and they've been in 3 years without a failure (and I do use mine at night.)