Spare bulbs

[sapphireblack]

Buy a BMW kit or assemble my own?

It seems 63212318123 is the kit suited to my car. But online sellers don't seem to detail what is in it. I suppose the 'xenon' bulb is the highest value item, and BMW assume that would be workshop work so isn't included?

Im trying to assemble a proper kit from the plethora of bulbs i have stored in food takeaway containers. Sods law says if i needed AB or C, I'd not have it to hand. I have learned not to trust online bulb sellers charts, anyone know where a proper list can be found, the cars handbook is most likely i suppose?

[X5Sport]

That, or use Realoem to check the front and rear and fog lights types. Most of them are standard.

[sapphireblack]

Bulb types are not listed in my handbook, thank you BMW. Instead they are noted within the text for replacement. I think i have it right

Screenshot_20251109_151747_Word.jpg

And as Osram seem to be the defualt bulb brand fitted in my car, i hope this is the correct Xenon bulb? If anyone can confirm I'd be grateful.

https://ebay.us/m/MQHxzM

[sapphireblack]

As a footnote Cotswold just quoted me in excess of £300 for a kit to include the Xenon bulb

[X5Sport]

All you need are Xenon D1S type. BMW prices are just mad. HID bulbs haven’t been that expensive for a decade. Osman Xenarc Night Breaker (what I fitted) are £80 each or £145/pair.

The D1S has a built in igniter circuit to start the arc.

[sapphireblack]

Agreed. I just bought a D1S for £30 from an Osram agent, so i assume its kosher.

Oh and Cotswold confirmed their quote via email, discounted, but including delivery £349

[Leslie]

One of my xenons went last year after 170k I think so you should be fine a while yet What a cracking bargain from bmw for a bulb ,you should get the pair !

[sapphireblack]

Courtesy of RM an extended delivery, but my spare D1S bulb arrived today. It wasn't £30 though, it was £28.95. I believe its what BMW fitted back in the day and i may hopefully never need it. But like a boy scout, i am prepared and have other bulbs inbound.

They may total £60-70 when done, a little less than BMW dealers wanted for the same things,

20251114_195909.jpg

[X5Sport]

That was the bulb type I took out of mine so you’ll be fine

[sapphireblack]

That was the bulb type I took out of mine so you’ll be fine

Why did you change yours, is the Nightbreaker version better, assume it must be?

[X5Sport]

I expected it to be significantly better, but although they are good, I don’t think they make a huge difference. If anything the colour temperature might be a little warmer (slightly more yellow).

I was trying to see if I could get closer to the LED lighting I had on my then in use 2-Series. Sadly, not as good as hoped. They’re not bad, but the difference (IMHO) isn’t shall we say, night and day. That would probably need a higher power lamp. Those might exist but I’m wary of buying ‘off label’ lamps as so many seem to have the arc in the wrong place giving bad beam formation.

The laser supported LEDs on the i4 are superb, but BMW have discontinued them in all new models. Something about the yellow Phosphorous infused glass block used by the laser unit being environmentally unfriendly. It’s a very small piece of glass!

Recent assessments by the NHTSA in the US (like MIRA here) has said the de-lasered light units are ‘poor’. An LED conversion for the E71 was around £6k OEM and needs significant wiring work. I’ll stick with the HIDS

[sapphireblack]

It all gets a bit too complex for me. I've only first hand experience of Xenon and Halogen and there is obviously a clear winner there.

I've talked a lot recently about BMW pricing and £6k to upgrade headlights is just silly.

That said most prices are silly now. I watched an exposè on the ex Amercan Embassy last night. Its now known as The Chancery Hotel. A regular room is £1700 a night. Suites start at £24k iirc.

I haven't made a booking just yet.

[sapphireblack]

I forgot to mention previously, there are apparently campaigns to 'deal with' very bright car lights, alleged to be contributing to accidents, as oncoming drivers are blinded. I've certainly had the experience of being briefly compromised on an A road, but didn't notice the make/model of vehicle. One step forward, with a half step back perhaps?

[IanP]

Surely any campaign about dazzling headlamps are too late now. Nearly all new cars have led lights which are super bright even on dip when your are under the cutoff level.
Its poor design on the manufacturers who have been allowed to go their own way without proper regulation.

[X5Sport]

I commute in the dark every day at present and generally have no problem with LED headlights. I do notice more glare when the following occurs:
Cars never designed for either HID or LED have had them added - it’s an MOT fail but they just take the bulbs out.
Fog lights on when not needed and fitted with inappropriate bulbs.
Badly misted light lenses - as in decaying plastic not damp - MOT fail at some point but a lot on the road.
Dirty lights that the drivers never bother cleaning.
Badly loaded vehicles - especially vans - so the beam pattern is too high.
The odd driver not noticing the little blue tell-tale in the dash!

I see maybe 20 vehicles each way every day with at least one mandatory light out. Changing bulbs isn’t simple on many cars so it gets left til later…

The headlight conversions frequently have el Cheapo bulbs from eastern territories shall we say that the filament or arc is in the wrong place so causes glare.

I’m religious about keeping my front and rear lights clean as they are bright, but the cut-off is where it should be and the only times I get flashed are when the beam-forming auto high beam is a bit slow to react. That’s very rare. The i4 has 4 laser supported LED projectors and can light 1/2 mile of road ahead. The brightness is all within spec.

I don’t think the issue is with manufacturers, it’s more likely to be any of the reasons above with drivers of those vehicles either not noticing or not caring.