XSeries-forum

Hi there i have just bought my 04 plate x5 3.0d sport and im in love with it. It is grey,has all the toys and the heated seats are going to be really useful for the coming cold mornings!

My only gripe is with the lights which are a yellow colour(standard) ..is there any way of upgrading them to the xenon ones seen on other x5's?

Is it a matter of changing just the bulbs? I understand you can buy the white led rings from certain places..

PS. What is the best way to put up pics?

thanks

You can either get replacement bulbs that are whiter in colour or go with a HID kit.

As for posting pics, host them in something like photobucket and add the link to your post.

Bear in mind that in the UK, a change from conventional Halogen bulbs to full HID (Xenon) system will also require the fitting of the relevant electronics plus auto-levelling lamp units and headlight washers - both of which are mandatory when HID is used. That sounds expensive!!

You cheapest option is to go to the HID look-a-like bulbs if that's your fancy. Osram and Philips usually come out the best for those.

It is only mandatory for autolevelling and wash system when factory fitted from new. After market kits are not subject to this. Little loophole I guess.

[quote=""X5Sport""]Bear in mind that in the UK, a change from conventional Halogen bulbs to full HID (Xenon) system will also require the fitting of the relevant electronics plus auto-levelling lamp units and headlight washers - both of which are mandatory when HID is used. That sounds expensive!!

You cheapest option is to go to the HID look-a-like bulbs if that's your fancy. Osram and Philips usually come out the best for those.[/quote]

Hi

I tried all of these on my last X5, before finally giving up and fitting a HID kit - what a difference it makes!

Here's some pics - see if you can spot which on is the HID lamp!?







Would highly recommend doing it, but get the OEM temperature lights - 4,300 Kelvin - they're white as opposed blue tinge (>5,000K)

Cheers

Tony

PS And yes, I did the changeover at night and in the snow!!

[quote=""Raj""]It is only mandatory for autolevelling and wash system when factory fitted from new. After market kits are not subject to this. Little loophole I guess.[/quote]

No loophole. This is the current regulation as issued by the DfT in 2006. No revised or updated version has been issued and it clearly states the legal requirements to be met by any aftermarket HID system, including the use of auto-levelling and washer systems being required. Failure to comply is an MOT failure.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/hidheadlamps

I only knew about because of a discussion a friend of mine had with the Authorities after he converted his conventional light units on his Octavia to HID. He had to take them out again as the cost of adding the missing bits was prohibitive. They came as standard further up the model range but needed projector lamp units.

[quote=""Raj""]You can either get replacement bulbs that are whiter in colour or go with a HID kit.

Hi thanks for the replies! Any recommendations for quality HID kits or uprated bulbs? Dont want my X5 to look like a chavmobile with the xcessive blue lights!

Try somewhere like HIDS4U. I got a set of LEDs to replace the tungsten OEM Angel-Eye lighting and they seem to know what they're about. I have seen lots of systems offered on Fleabay, but just as many warnings about poor quality - but then some of the kits may be good.

That's weird - just did the HID conversion on my father-in-laws Merc. THEN took it to the MOT place to get them to align them, even told him they were set to 'Zero' on the leveling switch. No mention of the self-leveler or washers???

Told him I just did the conversion too.

hi, ebay kits installed on each and every one of my 4 cars with no problems what so ever!!! the kits are all the same regardless of what hids4u tell you!! they are coming ftom the same countries etc, are not made in house and have had 4 kits from 4 different sellers with no issues. here is item number i have just searched for you, copy and paste rhis number into ebay search bar and then when ordering, choose the 4800k or 5000k for truest oem look xenon colour! white with tinge of blue. you will never achieve the true xenon look with these kits due to the lense that is on your current halogen lights. true xenon lights, have very specialised lenses which difract the light output of the bulbs into each and every individual colour spectrum. hence when in a car with oem xenon, you see rainbow effects on sign posts etc. this is down to the lenses. however, light output from these bulbs fitted in your halogen housing is still superb, but not as focused or as "sharply cut off" as true xenon, more scattered etc. i purchased a set of depo lights with true xenon glass for my x5 which shows an incredible difference to the halogen lense, in terms of beam cut off and looking truly oem when you see the car approaching you and constantly see different colours as angle is changing!! as said before, this wont occur with your halogen lense, but i would still reccomend none the less!!! ebay item number:

370258289333




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[quote=""Sanj""]That's weird - just did the HID conversion on my father-in-laws Merc. THEN took it to the MOT place to get them to align them, even told him they were set to 'Zero' on the leveling switch. No mention of the self-leveler or washers???

Told him I just did the conversion too.[/quote]

So am I as I have been modding for many many years and I remember this very thing coming up a few years back ina thread on EvoTechnik. Was sure there was something about wash system and self-levelling only applying to factory kits.

I can supply and fit HID kits and done plenty in the past. No-one's I have done have ever had a problem.

Whilst I appeciate the sentiments of those who have retro fitted Xenon/HID the message from Dft is quite clear.

Regardless of the technical pro's & con's,( I accept there are both), I expect that retro fitted kits MAY be subject of later increased scrutiny.

I have factory xenons on the X5 but tbh I would avoid retro fitting purely for the above reasons............I cant be bothered with the hassles of being stopped, having a problematic MOT etc.

Incidentally my wife drove the Z3 the other evening she commented it would be nice to have better lights.

I am in the process of researching bulb upgrade options with safer & better visibility being my main priority and cosmetics the second.

In cosmetic terms want a bright white light as opposed to the current yellow look. I could simply replace the dipped beams but then there will be a mismatch in colour, thus I am looking at dip/main.front fog and bumber side lamp options form the Z3. I have just posted on zroadster.net to seek views of others who have gone down the whiter look bulb change route. Some folk in USA seemingly choose Hoen bulbs. In UK Philips come out well with autoexpress, (test spookily conducted at Philips premises), but Philips have lots of bulbs to choose from.

also worth noting, have never ever been stopped for these lights fitted to any of my cars as they look oem, unless you go silly and go above the 5000k limit!!! plus i too have even watched an auto express video which categorically stated the loop hole existing for hid lighting. with the x5, i have auto levrlling motors, plus wash lamps plus true xenon projector lenses with cut off plates fitted, eu stamped thus totally above board, aw8, live a little and get dipped 4800k set for the z3!!! u would be amazed!!!


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Likewise, I put my silver X5 through its MOT last February and there was no comments made. I even got the guy to double check the beam heights. No problem.

I think with the X5 having projectors lenses makes all the difference.

Also, just to confirm, 4300K is the true OEM temperature and gives the optimum white light. Anything greater than this temperature has a hint of blue upto about 12,000K which is very blue.

See the links below for more info and for HID kit that I bought.

http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/hid-conver ... p-279.html

http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/pages/faqs.html

I would also suggest buying the following H7 bulb holders so that you don't have to snip the cables to for the existing bulb holders.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2x-XENON-HID-BULB ... 1807wt_905

It is a quick and relatively easy job to do, the only real difficulty I had was mounting the ballast, but there is a threaded hole on each side of the bonnet that can be used.....see pic below







Hope this helps

Tony

[quote=""BL02WAS""].............aw8, live a little and get dipped 4800k set for the z3!!! u would be amazed!!! [/quote]

I have no doubt whatsoever that I would be impressed from retro HID fitment, however, for reasons outlined, (plus lack of self level & washers), I will abstain ...

Incidentally on my, (headlamp washer equipped), RX-8 with factory HID's the dazzle & beam compromise when lenses externally misted was very significant.