So I went ahead and ordered a set of SMD rings from Hong Kong and happy days they arrived this morning so switched them out when I got home here's some picks:
My spare set of CCFL's along side the new SMD rings:

first set fitted along side the old CCFL's:

50 meters away in bright daylight the SMD show up just like OEM rings in the new X5's

Both fitted:

from a distance:

Chuffed with the look of the SMD rings and now I can hook my PDC back up woohoo....