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Nigel View Drop Down
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Joined: 09-November-2002
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    Posted: 04-February-2012 at 21:55
Rughty ho lads, anyone know of a cheapish fix to cloudy headlamp covers ?
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Nigel

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Andrew Rolland View Drop Down
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Go away rain

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Points: 6579 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Andrew Rolland Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-February-2012 at 18:36
Cloudy due to damp/water ingress or cloudy due to plastic deformation?
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Nigel View Drop Down
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Points: 6941 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nigel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-February-2012 at 22:56
errrr ........... both
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Nigel

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Nigel View Drop Down
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Are these type of lights any good ?
 
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Nigel

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Points: 4000 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dergside Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-February-2012 at 15:51

Nigel

I have a similar issue on mine at the moment, have had a look around but haven't yet done anything about it.  I did spot on Realoem that there is a part listed as "REPAIR KIT HEADLIGHT" - no. 19 on the link below.  If you look at what makes it up, they could be replacements seals or something?  Might be worth a conversation with your local friendly parts guy at BMW.
 
Now: BMW 523i SE '00, 318i SE - e91 '07, 325i Coupe '93.

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e46 328i SE Touring, 330Ci, 318Ci.
e39 523i SE.
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e30 325iSE 2dr, 320i Conv, 320i 2dr, 316i.
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Points: 4000 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dergside Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-February-2012 at 15:53
Don't know if the lights you have linked are any good, but personally I think they look dreadful.  The chrome and sparkly look doesn't do it for me at all!
Now: BMW 523i SE '00, 318i SE - e91 '07, 325i Coupe '93.

Prev:
e46 328i SE Touring, 330Ci, 318Ci.
e39 523i SE.
e36 325i Coupe *2, 323i SE, 316iSE.
e30 325iSE 2dr, 320i Conv, 320i 2dr, 316i.
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Nigel View Drop Down
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Points: 6941 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nigel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-February-2012 at 22:55
Cheers mate, I'll have a chat at the dealer.
.
It is becoming a tad of an issue on the mainland now, I got mine through the MOT last year, mine in done in June, so if I'm lucky they are dry.
 
There is a mechanic who has his workshop in the same building as my workshop, and he's had two E39's fail the mot so far this year, due to the moisture affecting the beam pattern, and they were both better than mine, under the latest rules that came into force this year.
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Nigel

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E39 525i Sport Individual

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Points: 15508 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kbannon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12-February-2012 at 11:36
Nigel bear in mind my last E39 failed our test because the reflector on my passenger side full beam was "worn" when in fact the lens doesn't let you even see it. No work done and the same tester passed it a fortnight later.
Testers can and do make mistakes!
Current: 2009 E60 520d "Sport" tractor
Previous: 1989 E30 320i SE
1997 E39 523i
2003 E39 525i Sport Individual
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Nigel View Drop Down
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Points: 6941 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nigel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-February-2012 at 01:03
I hear what you're saying K, but it is very obvious with mine, the plastic is going milky, and the inside of the plastic gets very wet.
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Nigel

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UweM3 View Drop Down
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I pulled the lights apart on my old E39, fitted new gaskets etc etc.
And.....(drum roll) they still steamed up :-(

DO NOT touch the reflectors, they scratch very easy.
E61 520d, slow and buzzy but my wallet likes the mpg.....
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Points: 5 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote steffano Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18-February-2012 at 16:37
hi mate, you can try this one too bmw hid lights, then you can decide which one is much better. good luck Smile
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Points: 5445 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UweM3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20-February-2012 at 13:59
Originally posted by steffano steffano wrote:

hi mate, you can try this one too bmw hid lights, then you can decide which one is much better. good luck Smile



he is not suffering from bad bulbs, he's got condensation in the lamp housing.

And stricly speaking, HID conversions are MOT failure if not carried out with all the relevant add-ons. Read the new MOT guide lines.
E61 520d, slow and buzzy but my wallet likes the mpg.....
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Nigel View Drop Down
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Points: 6941 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nigel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20-February-2012 at 20:37
Originally posted by UweM3 UweM3 wrote:

Originally posted by steffano steffano wrote:

hi mate, you can try this one too bmw hid lights, then you can decide which one is much better. good luck Smile



he is not suffering from bad bulbs, he's got condensation in the lamp housing.

And stricly speaking, HID conversions are MOT failure if not carried out with all the relevant add-ons. Read the new MOT guide lines.
 
You should have seen the discussion on that, on the PH forum.
 
Apparently, for it to be regarded as an mot faliure is what the ministry would like, but it isn't what they have.
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Nigel

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Points: 2 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Daymoon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-February-2012 at 10:02
My mate has same issue at the moment.

His lights were pitted and felt very rough to touch. 

He wet sanded both lights starting at 1000 grit and working all the way to 2000.

Then he used some paste I gave him. This paste is for blending in new paint - comes in a yellow tin and the paste it self is light brown in colour - I cant remember the name of it. Can look it up if any one is interested.

Anyway this paste made the lights really clear, however after about a week of them laying around in kitchen they went a bit cloudy inside. I hope it will clear up when he starts using the car .
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