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My Current and future modifications...

Discuss your latest mods or ideas, and anything to do with the BMW X5 (E53).
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jaynana
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Re: My Current and future modifications...

Post by jaynana » Mon Apr 23, 2012 7:56 pm

[quote=""sapphireblack""]On a black car, blacked out kidneys look great. On any other colour it can look just like two black holes from a distance, but i agree with your choice.

ImageImage[/quote]

gun-metal wheels? lovely
Current: BMW 640i Convertible (320PS)
             Audi A7 Sportback 3.0 T FSI quattro (300 PS) SE STronic  8)
Previous: BMW X5 E53 Facelift 3.0d

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kkodal78
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My Current and future modifications...

Post by kkodal78 » Mon Apr 23, 2012 8:32 pm

[quote=""storminmike""]HIDs

Never got round to asking. I fitted a HID Kit at 35w. I think someone found a 50w kit. Where on earth did you find a 75W HID kit!!!

That must be MAD bright surely?[/quote]
from states but never got around to install them. i have MOT on wednesday after that if i create some time to spend on the car i will fit them. it required a wiring harness which i got now
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storminmike
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Re: My Current and future modifications...

Post by storminmike » Mon Apr 23, 2012 9:08 pm

[quote=""kkodal78""][quote=""storminmike""]HIDs

Never got round to asking. I fitted a HID Kit at 35w. I think someone found a 50w kit. Where on earth did you find a 75W HID kit!!!

That must be MAD bright surely?[/quote]
from states but never got around to install them. i have MOT on wednesday after that if i create some time to spend on the car i will fit them. it required a wiring harness which i got now[/quote]

looking forward to the report 8-)

why a harness?...are they not plug and play or are your lights somehow different? Mines a facelift but then again I don't know any other E53 other than the one I own. What would you do for spares if they came from the states?..

any link to the seller site?

I expect the international space station will give you the thumbs up when they forst get power :D

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kkodal78
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My Current and future modifications...

Post by kkodal78 » Mon Apr 23, 2012 9:22 pm

i have to do some digging up to find tge source for the hids. i can get US parts for hassle free from customs as i am a US member stationed here with US postal adress so sourcing spares is not an issue. i have the factory HID fitted and the 75W kit requires a different pkug in than what i have. since i did not want to splice the wires i have, i got the harness to connect them plug and play. i too am looking forward to seeing the brightness of 75Ws. i also got them for the fogs as well.
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Re: My Current and future modifications...

Post by storminmike » Tue Apr 24, 2012 8:20 pm

[quote=""kkodal78""]i have to do some digging up to find tge source for the hids. i can get US parts for hassle free from customs as i am a US member stationed here with US postal adress so sourcing spares is not an issue. i have the factory HID fitted and the 75W kit requires a different pkug in than what i have. since i did not want to splice the wires i have, i got the harness to connect them plug and play. i too am looking forward to seeing the brightness of 75Ws. i also got them for the fogs as well.[/quote]


Ahhh now I get it. When you fire them up make sure you're not near the coast to distract the shipping :D

Be nice to see the kit if you come across it or if you have any heat issues

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kkodal78
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My Current and future modifications...

Post by kkodal78 » Wed Apr 25, 2012 5:39 pm

sailed thru the MOT. one thing i learned today was that if your vehicle is equipped with headlight washers and auto leveling they need to be in working ordee if not fitted than it is not a failure not to have it. in other words if you decide to install aftermarket hids than you wont fail the mot if you dont have headlight washers and auto leveling.
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My Current and future modifications...

Post by dirtymonkey29 » Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:01 pm

[quote=""kkodal78""] if you decide to install aftermarket hids than you wont fail the mot if you dont have headlight washers and auto leveling.[/quote]
at the moment. There's been a thread somewhere stating the changes to mot's coming up and that's part of it from what I remember

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Re: My Current and future modifications...

Post by storminmike » Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:42 pm


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My Current and future modifications...

Post by kkodal78 » Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:17 pm

[quote=""storminmike""]read this

http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s01000701.htm[/quote]
that confirms that you dont have to have the washers and auto levels with HIDs. it says if they are fitted they must work :)
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Re: My Current and future modifications...

Post by storminmike » Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:25 pm

[quote=""kkodal78""][quote=""storminmike""]read this

http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s01000701.htm[/quote]
that confirms that you dont have to have the washers and auto levels with HIDs. it says if they are fitted they must work :)[/quote]


Interesting use of the word MAY...not MUST....hmm...drop clanger maybe?

everyone thought it would be a must IIRC

dipped beam headlamps may be fitted with headlamp washers and a suspension or headlamp self levelling system. Where such systems are fitted, they must work


and this

Where HID or LED dipped beam headlamps are fitted, switch on the headlamps and check the operation of any headlamp levelling and cleaning devices fitted

Reason for Rejection

A headlamp levelling or cleaning device inoperative or otherwise obviously defective.

The only awkward one is
headlamp self levelling system....just what defines SELF

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kkodal78
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My Current and future modifications...

Post by kkodal78 » Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:30 pm

the person who did my mot said the wording is to make people believe that you must have it but it is not the case
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Re: My Current and future modifications...

Post by storminmike » Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:31 pm

[quote=""kkodal78""]the person who did my mot said the wording is to make people believe that you must have it but it is not the case[/quote]

rather defeats the objectionable (trumped up )point. The catch I suppose is the so called BEAM pattern that their anti HID press promotes. If it passes BEAM PATTERN then I guess that's another hurdle negotiated

what about self levelling?

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My Current and future modifications...

Post by kkodal78 » Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:18 pm

still if fitted needs to work if not you should have manual adjusting level motors which needs to be at zero at the time of testing
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Re: My Current and future modifications...

Post by storminmike » Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:23 pm

[quote=""kkodal78""]still if fitted needs to work if not you should have manual adjusting level motors which needs to be at zero at the time of testing[/quote]

so manual adjusting level motors which needs to be at zero counts then as my X5 only has air bags at the back?

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My Current and future modifications...

Post by kkodal78 » Wed May 02, 2012 12:08 pm

i miss my X5. been away from it for 3 days
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