Facelift Style Headlights

[andym3]

Just wondering but can you buy facelift style headlights for the pre-facelift E53?
I like to keep my cars standard but wouldn't mind making the front end look a bit fresher! 

[X5Sport]

They don't fit so you can't retro them.  There are different types of headlight units around, usually from the US, but they don't look like the Facelifted version.

[Jackstrath]

these are the closest to the facelift ones i can find that will fit facelifts


angeleyes_scheinwerfer_bmw_x5_fk_fkfsbm053 by Jack Strathdee, on Flickr

[Sanj]

These not what they call 'Depos'?

[andym3]

[quote="Jackstrath"]
these are the closest to the facelift ones i can find that will fit facelifts


angeleyes_scheinwerfer_bmw_x5_fk_fkfsbm053 by Jack Strathdee, on Flickr
[/quote]
I like these where did you find them? 

[JohnnyRob]

Depo is a manufacturer.

I like the look one of the members created where he blacked out the orange of the indicator lens' and fitted angel eyes to the OEM units.  They looked really fresh and is something I'll be looking at replicating on my e53 especially as it has factory hids.

[dpbayly]

Thanks JohnnyRob

That was me, factory Xenons with SMD rings and de oranged indicator:

[JohnnyRob]

dpbayly - indeed is you.  Great job on the headlights; they look so fresh and now worries about ill fitment with the OEM lamps. 

What spec & size are the SMD rings mate and where did you source them from?

I'll be replicating your design on ours, for sure.

[andym3]

Don't suppose you can give us some step by step instructions for removing the orange from the headlights?
Think that alone will bring it more up to date! 

[dpbayly]

[quote="JohnnyRob"]
dpbayly - indeed is you.  Great job on the headlights; they look so fresh and now worries about ill fitment with the OEM lamps. 

What spec & size are the SMD rings mate and where did you source them from?

I'll be replicating your design on ours, for sure.
[/quote]

They came from a chap in China as I couldn't find any suppliers of the SMD rings in the UK and because I had to get them from China I bought 2 sets seeing as they were so cheap and thought it a good idea to have spare rings for the future just in case I ever need any and can no longer source them.

The chap I picked them up from doesn't seem to have any listed at the min but these are the same ones from another seller in China seems to have great feedback so worth a shot at just £30 odd quid delivered, mine took just 11 days to arrive.

Here's the link:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4pcs-Ultra-br ... e#shpCntId

[JohnnyRob]

Thanks £31.81 all in sounds too good to miss.

[NIFTY5058]

Fitted upgraded lights to my E53 and changes look of car completely. Got these from DM Autoteile in Germany off fleabay for £249. Retro fitted straight on took me probably an hour for both sides. I have ballast too and fitted no probs.

[Raj]

I do really like the Depo headlights tbh. If you can source a set of OE xenons then retrofitting them and AE's is a good call, but for the money the fit, finish and look of the Depo's is spot on, plus probably cheaper.

[dpbayly]

[quote="andym3"]
Don't suppose you can give us some step by step instructions for removing the orange from the headlights?
Think that alone will bring it more up to date! 
[/quote]

Sorry I missed your post last night.

Here's a bit of a write up I did when I carried out the mod, look down through this thread:

http://xdrivers.co.uk/forum/https://xdr ... 9#msg86269

[jongd1i]

[quote="dpbayly"]
[quote="andym3"]
Don't suppose you can give us some step by step instructions for removing the orange from the headlights?
Think that alone will bring it more up to date! 
[/quote]

Sorry I missed your post last night.

Here's a bit of a write up I did when I carried out the mod, look down through this thread:

http://xdrivers.co.uk/forum/https://xdr ... 9#msg86269
[/quote]

I have just done this myself eventually. Took me a fair while but I am fairly happy with the results. The angel eyes look fantastic and de-oranged indicators are really nice. Wish I had a little more time to do a slightly better job, missed a tiny bit of orange off when spraying them black (not noticeable from more than a metre or so away). Also I followed the other guide on restoring the lenses, I have got rid of the horrible creamy sort of colour they went and are a nice shinny look but close up they are still scratched.

Never done any type of restoration work like this was hoping to find a thread on it but couldn't wasn't sure how long to spend doing each part of the process.

Overall though I am still pretty happy, I will post some pictures up shortly of them, look unbelievably bright and seem to have been sealed up pretty well as no condensation on them at all. I did go pretty made with the silicon.