Xenon headlights

W

wayne

Member
I am thinking of changing my headlamps on my Alpina Roadster S to the clear type. The ones I have on my car currently are the type with the orange indicator and are Xenon. Would a non-xenon headlamp be a direct replacement? I’m assuming I would just need to transfer the bulbs from one to another, would that be correct. The other point is, would I also be right in assuming I could fit lamps from a LHD car and simply adjust them to provide the correct beam pattern.

Thanks

Wayne
 
Why do you want to change from xenon headlights to halogen headlights (for clear indicators only)? Halogen headlights on Z4 have poor illumination. You need to fit manual headlights levelling switch in your car with halogen headlights too.
 
Think he means he wants to butcher the lights to get rid of the orange lenses.

Yeah, I think you can use any headlight, just swap the parts over :thumbsup:
 
Yes thats exactly what i mean, I'm hoping to use the gubbings out of my own and use the shell of the halogen lights to provide me with clear indicators.
 
CJ10Jeeper is your man, no doubt he will be along later to assist, I know he butchered to set to fit angel eyes, but it may just be a straight componet swap of your xenon bits into the newer lenses.
 
Wayne - I guess you need to be a bit clearer on what you plan to do.

Headlights can't be split due to the type of bonding (although a company in the US may have achieved it)
Left hand lights are not compatible as they do not have the beam cut off shutters suitable for the UK
All lights fit the car, but xenon are not interchangeable with halogen without other components and LCM programming. pre a post facelift are not interchangeable.

Internal;s can be swappped around but it's a tricky job requiring changing the internal loom, reflector and adding the ballast, etc..

I've done a few sets now of amber to clear, so if you post exactly whet you are considering I'll give more detailed advice.
 
I appreciate your comments, what I was hoping to do is basically obtain a set of clear indicator type headlamp units to replace my existing amber indicator type. Those fitted to my 54 plate car are xenon. I was considering searching e bay for a set. Having had a brief look at e bay, I noticed that clear ones are available in xenon or halogen, whether they be from a LHD or RHD car. With this in mind I assumed (rightly or wrongly) that if I obtained a set of xenon lights, lets say from a LHD car it would be a simple matter of fitting them and having the beam set up correctly to suit driving on the left. However, I thought that if I was only able to obtain a set of halogen lamps then it would be a matter of taking the bits off my own and fitting them to the replacements, therefore utilising just the shell. Have I underestimated what’s involved? Naturally, I’m trying to pick a cheap option rather than pay in the region of £1000 as seems to be the case.

Thanks again

Wayne
 
OK - clear indicator on a like for like basis will be a straight swap so on your pre-facelift a set from a 2005 would be perfect.

A LHD set has the beam set for Europe and cannot be adjusted to the UK with our specific assymetric beam pattern. Also be aware that LHD US units are internally different and do not use a European beam pattern, some have 3 indicator bulbs too and they don't come with UK sidelights in the main beam housing (although you can drill the blankl out)

You could take the rear projector cones off your existing UK lights and fit them into the back of the new units, but I cannot be certain the inner loom is correct. You would just need to align the cone on its 4 support bolts, but woudl overcome any erors when the units were refitted and beams adjusted.

No sale was planned in this reply but I actually have a pair of clear indicator xenon pre-facelift that I might sell. What are they worth to you??
 
How much would u be willing to sell them for?,as i would be interested,and where did they come from,as i see u have these on your own car?
I have a pre facelift 2005 3.0i se,with the xenon lts and want to change them to clear indicators/makes it look fresher.
ps,is your the z4 with the m twin exhst mod,etc? saw that once then couldnt find it again/v nice(if so)
 
pps,just saw on your reply,its the same 1/grey,custom 108s,qaud exhst. Where did u get the 108s refurbed,and where/how much for the alutec strutbrace,as am looking for a strutbrace for mine,cheers :thumbsup:
 
craig3.0 said:
How much would u be willing to sell them for?,as i would be interested,and where did they come from,as i see u have these on your own car?
I have a pre facelift 2005 3.0i se,with the xenon lts and want to change them to clear indicators/makes it look fresher.
ps,is your the z4 with the m twin exhst mod,etc? saw that once then couldnt find it again/v nice(if so)
Click to expand...

Craig - well I guess Wayne would be first in play as it's his thread, so that's only fair.
Yes - my car is the modded one with clear indicator xenon in the front and inbuilt angel eyes and the quad conversion, rear diffuser. Thanks for the compliment.

Here's what I did with some Z4 lights:
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2953&p=42625&hilit=angel+eyes#p42625

and here's the exhaust you mentioned, but could not find:
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=10723&p=158128&hilit=quad+exhaust#p158128
 
108's I refurbished myself and just had a local guy smoke chrome the inner stars for me. Think it was £35 per wheel.
Alutec strut brace is no longer made but picked this one up from a guy selling his Zed in Canada and had it shipped in.
 
Thanks for that/let me know re lts you are selling,if u dont sell them,thanks
Also,i asked this on another post,tho not much respone as yet/what strutbrace would u reccomend,other than the alutec u have,and the strongstrut(as not tookeen on the look of the strongstrut,personally). have looke into an oem bmw one from mstyle(oem arrcoding to them?). do u have any other reccomendations,that are under 300quid(mstyle one is 218 aprox)??
 
Cj

I attempted to send you a PM but I think I made a muck of it so i've sent you an e mail. Please let me know if you don't receive it.

Thanks

Wayne
 
I think wayne just ruled himself out of lights, so feel free to pm me.

In terms of the strut brace I think there are a few threads of examples so perhaps a search on the subject. IMHO it's not s lot of use but hell I love the look when I open the bonnet... :rofl:

If you can't find anything open a new thread and I'm sure some good ideas will be posted up
 
hello. many thanks to cj10jeeper for his post on clear/AE conversion, and anyone else adding helpful tidbits. i still cant believe it was done, it is amazing. I am even more impressed that members and esp. cj10jeeper take the time to respond to questions on a post years old. I think the original how to is 9 pages now.

after reading cj10jeeper enthusatic coaching to others that is is possible, i am going to take the plunge. it is killing me to pay 1500+ for vanity for 2 little pieces of clear hockey stick blade shaped plastic. all comments on supply parts are true, the pieces are like gold now. even broken headlights are going for 200+ for xenon. salvage yards are even worse here in USA. they are trying to sell used for more than one can get for oem online and wont budge.

my question is whether 2003 xenon factory equiped z4 can be upgraded to clear indictors by getting halogen housings and swapping my parts from factory xenons to them without breaking open cases. i can get new online for 700+. if doable i think i can stomach price given fact i am having trouble getting donor shells reasonably priced. (ie 700 vs 400 for damaged). the original post was about this and there was some comments from cj10jeeper that could be done but need internal harness change, etc. If can't, i will attempt cj10jeeper's split approach and add ae as the shell will be open anyway.

any advice will be greatly appreciated. even how to find tab broken donor lights in USA. thanks again and great job on posts and diy. I love you but i am certain my boss would spit in your eye if he knew the result of it was on his profits....
 
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