Hb1 said:
What projectors did you end up getting?
Was that with a LED upgrade too?
I now have Thoughts™ on headlights :lol: from driving 2.5i with halogen headlights for a few years now and trying to upgrade them on the cheap. Finally bit the bullet and spent ~£240 upgrading the 3.0si halogens with projectors and good Xenon kit. Well worth it, should've done it when I first got the 2.5i. Oh well
Osram Nightbreakers are about the best halogen output I could get stock. Then fitted NOVSIGHT 50W 10000LM LED bulbs (which needed LED bulb holders buying too) which were a slight improvement again. The best "cheap" improvement on the 2.5i was restoring the lenses with Turtle Wax 53692 Headlight Restorer Kit (other kits I've tried don't last as long - that does two winters.)
I was still annoyed by the light output - one memorable drive back from Wales in the dark I had more light on the road ahead from the full moon than dip beam.
The 3.0si has come with a H7 HID upgrade kit fitted, with HID bulbs, ballast, ignitor(?) fitted inside the headlight unit but with the unit otherwise untouched. The bulbs were slightly burnt/milky, but the light output was still better than the LEDs fitted to the 2.5i. (Doesn't look like pre/post facelift have any difference in the projectors, so in theory are equal.)
I've now fitted Aharon EvoX-R 2.0 LHT Projectors into the 3.0si using Aharon Xenon HID Ballasts - 35W Speedstart Slim Canbus AMP, H7 high beam splitter, H7 to D2S adapter cable and D2S 35W Xenon HID Bulbs 4300K. Projectors I found on ebay and imported from Norway, everything else ordered from https://retrofitlab.com who were prompt and sending things out and really helpful when I (twice) ordered the wrong ballasts initially.
The difference is quite remarkable. I can't find the thread now but someone who did similar upgrade posted a before and after picture and it's not quite as obvious on camera if anything. Things ahead now light up in enough time to drive towards them at a sensible speed.
The other benefit from changing the projectors is you get Xenon main beam as well as dip beam, due to them having a motorised flap that moves. Still need the H7 high beams in for "flash to pass" when dip beam is off though. My mate who is borrowing the 2.5i wants the H7 Xenon upgrade fitting to that for the winter now.