Derek M5 wrote: Hope not, please post up some before & after pics!

I'd be interested also to see the difference!! The idea of doing the conversion was planted in my head the other night........also interested in which ones people have fitted/recomend??

Jon,

I fitted one of the hids4u kits to my M3 just over a year ago.  Fantastic is all I can say.  Lovely crisp light, and the standard lamp units focus the beam perfectly.  The cut off is brilliant, and they don't dazzle others on the road.

My car has the later "smiley" lights, which seem to do a better job of the directing of the light. Not sure which lights you have, but if the older ones don't do the job so well you could perhaps look for a pair of the newer type from a breakers?

I thoroughly recommend the change though, you certainly won't look back!

Jon,

I think mine were 600K's, but I need to check on the original packaging.  Either way, they are very "white" and not MaxP in their look.  Any brighter would be offensive to others I reckon...

One other by product is that they take about 5 secs to warm up to the correct light, which is then totally constant.  With the halogens, if you sat at tick over with say the fan and rear windo heater on as well as the lights, they would surge and go a bit dim with rising and falling engine revs.  made the car feel a bit like a banger.  The HIDs are rock solid.  They only consume 35 watt too, instead of the 55 watt H1 bulbs.

Mine are definitely 600K - just checked the box.

V Good.

I lied....

No, only kidding.  They are just like a brighter, crisper version of the elipsoidal lights as per OEM. 

I saw the controversy about the Auto Express article on the Z forum, and wasn't best pleased.  This country eh? What a mailto:sh@te - sh@te place it is getting to live in!

Quote:

------------------FACT SHEET--------------
December 2006

Aftermarket HID headlamps

 
In the Department's view it is not legal to sell or use after market HID lighting kits, for converting conventional Halogen headlamps to HID Xenon. If a customer wants to convert his vehicle to Xenon HID he must purchase completely new Xenon HID headlamps. The reason for this is that the existing lens and reflector are designed around a Halogen filament bulb, working to very precise tolerances. If one places a HID "burner" (bulb) in the headlamp, the beam pattern will not be correct, there will be glare in some places and not enough light in other places within the beam pattern.
 
The following is the legal rationale:

The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 regulate the situation in the UK.
Under these Regulations, HID/Gas Discharge/Xenon headlamps are not mentioned and therefore they are not permitted according to the strict letter of the law.
 
However new vehicles have HID headlamps. This is because they comply to European type approval Regulations. The UK cannot refuse to register a vehicle with a European type approval. These are to ECE Regulation 98 (for the HID headlamps which are tested on a rig in a laboratory) and ECE Regulation 48 (Lighting Installation on the vehicle).
 
For the after market, a used vehicle cannot obtain type approval because it is only applicable for new vehicles. However we feel that saying "HID is banned in the after market" would not be reasonable. Instead we should make analogies with new vehicles. It would be reasonable to require HID in the after market to meet the same safety standards as on new vehicles. The same level of safety should apply.
 
Therefore a HID headlamp unit sold in the after market should:

1.    be type approved to ECE Regulation 98 as a component.

2.    when fitted to the vehicle should enable ECE Regulation 48 to be complied with (although no government inspection will take place).

3.    Comply with RVLR as far as "use" is concerned.
 In practice this means:

1.    The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory.

2.    Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam.

3.    The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly like any other headlamp.
 
Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.
 
In summary it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs.  The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules stated above.


If you require any further information regarding the regulations covered by this fact sheet, please contact the DfT at the address below:

        Transport Technology and Standards 6
        Department for Transport
        Zone 2/04
        Great Minster House
        76 Marsham Street              Telephone: 020 7944 2078
        London                  Fax:   &n bsp;      020 7944 2196
    SW1P 4DR         &nb sp;         &nb sp;         &nb sp;         &nb sp;    Email: mailto:TTS.enquiries@dft.gsi.gov.uk - TTS.enquiries@dft.gsi.gov.uk

I'm quite tempted by doing this. After spending every night driving down unlit back lanes from work. I'm pretty much blind on low beams. Then after 10mins the clean lenses get covering in caked on grime!

SF3HL which kit did you get from hid4u? I take it it's your comment on their reviews, about the grime not drying on the lens? Never thought of that, and it's a nicer option than those spindle wipers which i'm guessing do nothing!

Is it worth fitting the main beams as well? Higher K numbers?

I can't see how the standard reflectors would direct the light any differently than the standard bulbs? Light travels in straight lines??

Cheers

Mike

I see, i presumed the ones for replacing standard bulbs would be the same size as the bulbs they are replacing. Nope never seen one?

Some pics of your set-ups in the dark, chaps, would be very useful.

Well worth the upgrade! Been running mine now for 18 months, and will never go back to halogen again. I went for one of the off the shelf conversion kits, the bulb is the same fitment as the standard H1 bulb, so no modifying the headlight (except for a hole in the rear cover for the wiring) the bulb is a bit longer as Uwe says.

Some pics of mine, bear in mind the car is quite close to the garage wall...

And with mainbeam on to show difference between HID and halogen.

Mine are the 6000K bulbs.

Mike,

I got their "Pilot" kit, with 6000K units for H1 fitment.  The guys there were very helpful indeed, and if you email their enquiries, they give us a bulk sort of discount, by mailing you a link to a different part of the site.  Last kit I bought (for my Z1, but identical to that on the M3) was £189.  As per Simon, no modifcation required to the light, just a hole drilling in the twist-on cap that fits on the back of it.  Piece of cake.

It was my comment re the grime on the lights.  Having lived with the car for 2 winters now with the HIDs I'd say that was possibly the best feature.  Yes, they're much brighter, but they are also much more consistent than halogens, because the ens satys cleaner for much, much longer.

You won't look back - should be a standard mod I reckon.....

Hey Jon - I knew you wouln't regret it!

Well done mate.  Now you can appreciate the dark again.

Anyone tried these kits? Or equivelent?:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Xenon-Light-HID-Conversion-Kit-H1-H4-H7-9005-9006-9007_W0QQitemZ160078537561QQihZ006QQcategoryZ72235QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Xenon-Light-HID-Conversion-Kit-H1-H4-H 7-9005-9006-9007_W0QQitemZ160078537561QQihZ006QQcategoryZ722 35QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

There seems to be many on ebay like it. I've seen favourable reviews on e30zone for a similar kit from an US ebayer, but he appears to be out of stock at the mo.

Quite tempting at that price!

Mike 90 M3 wrote: Quite tempting at that price!

Very tempting............ but where's the catch?........ normally is one in these situations.

jon90 wrote: The Kit that I bought are very similar,were sold as Bosch HID cost £80.   May not last as long as the higher priced conversions,but who is to say that they are any better. I am well pleased with them,I have spent more on bulbs in the past. Jon

From your pictures seemed to make a huge difference...

Do you know the cost of replacement bulbs?

They are genuine Bosch HID : http://www.bosch-hid.com/ - http://www.bosch-hid.com/

Got to love the Chinese!

You get yours off ebay Jon? Which seller?

jon90 wrote: Replacement bulbs I believe can be had for under £20. Jon

Ok... at that money can't really go wrong.

jon90 wrote: Mike. Saw that web site Got mine from JDM.Got to admire their service though,3 days from halfway around the world.Have waited longer for things from around the corner. Jon

Got a link?

Jon,

If you could copy and paste the PM to me as well, I'd be grateful.

Thanks,

Dave 

Mike 90 M3 wrote: Me 3, or just post it here!

Me 4, though unless you're in someway connected with the seller I don't see why you can't post the link here. 

Me 5.

If your not connected you may want to get connected.

Evening all,

I joined the party an bought a set of the "Bosch HIDs", fitted them over the weekend. The light is much improved and cut off is fine. Unfortunatly I am definantly getting interference from them on the radio, bad enough to make it frustrating to listen to. Anyone else got this?

Does the ignitor box need to be earthed, at the moment its mounted to the plastic covers behind the lights? Can't think of much else i could have done wrong? Bloody electrics!

Mine are mounted to metal.  I would say that though they don' require to be earthed in order to work, you'd ge a build up of static on he cases if hey weren't earthed.  You don't need to remount them if you don' want to - just try an earth strap from the igniter holder screw to the body of the car.

Good though, aren't they?

Yes, they do hum.  It seems to be loudest as a hum/whistle when first switched on, but then after 5 secs or so it recedes into just a background.  Certainly can't hear it above the motor (!).

Flourescent strip lights make the same noise - it's perfectly normal.

I may also invest in those HID bulbs as they'll bring up the angels a treat and bring up the lights as well

Paul

Dannyboy wrote: am I right in thinking that if you simply increase the wattage of the bulbs this will increase the current being drawn along the wires and over time fry the wires. also it will increase the heat within the reflector and cook that over time?

Yes  Power=current x volts!

HIDs draw less currrent!

P.S. How can I fix my radio interference?

China is the counterfeit capital of the world.

[No offence intended or implied to anyone in any way shape or form]