XSeries-forum

I'm after some but keep reading different views on which are bright, which not so bright, problems with overheating with some and damaging light units and others failing early.

Anyway, has anyone got any views/experience of these? They look like a quality item and use Cree LEDs. The PIAA ones are silly money and these are twice the price of most ebay ones/HIDdirect ones.

http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/bmw-led-ma ... p-463.html

I've got HIDS4U ones in the E53.

http://www.hids4u.co.uk/bmw-oem-angel-e ... 66-87.html

They're not bad. They do flash a few times when the car is first started while the computer does its cold lamp check.

I have the HIDS4U ones fitted and they look fine,they do flash on start up but only for a few secs,i bought mine of ebay for £32

Same here, HIDS4U - ordered them direct nearly 2 years ago and they are still working. No errors, overheating or loss of a bulb.

They do flash on startup (check) but no problem to me. The biggest is the brightness - during the day, they look almost as if they were off. Dusk or dawn type of light and they get bright and sharp in their look.

It was reading the thread on here about them for the X6 and E70 that got me thinking twice before ordering the ones you mention. The Lux ones from the US seem to be recommneded for them but they don't seem to be available for the E53 and also seem very expensive. Someone mentioned the XTEC ones from HID Direct (sorry I meant HIDS4U earlier) but they are also for the E70 but they sell the MTEC ones above. The only others (apart from expensive PIAA ones) I've seen are Weisslicht but again they're expensive and I don't know if they're any better. The MTECs using Cree LEDs seems good (though it depends which ones) but I just wondered if they are any brighter and hence worth the extra. Maybe I should be the first to try.

I'm just running Philips Xtreme bulbs for the headlights as I decided I don't want to risk MOT issues and they seem pretty good. Should I change the side lights to something else too?

The main benefit of changing the side marker is the colour. The standards as you know are an orange glow whereas the HID's are bright white. IMO the car looks better for the matched lighting colour.

This can be achieve by breaking open the holder (PITA) and changing to a "ice white" bulb, some are available at a slightly higher output.
Or swap out quick and easy for the LED's, from HID Direct as an example.

If you are looking for anything other than a colour change on the E53 you will be disappointed.