E30 Zone

I want to change the headlight bulbs with better ones. I don't want to go HID's now. So what good affordable ones are out there?

Why don't you want HIDs?

A good set of bulbs will cost you nearly as much as a HID kit.

mattyb240 wrote:A good set of bulbs will cost you nearly as much as a HID kit.

And last about a third the time at best

aceraf wrote:Why don't you want HIDs?

I thought they would be hard to fit.

I am using 100 watt bulbs in the inner(main beam) on both cars with good effect. Would not risk them on the dipped,though,as they are just a bit naughty.

Although converting to HID is very close to the top of my list, I've been using 100 watt (Phillips) for dipped over the past 15 months without any problems or hassle to oncoming traffic. Brighter and better than normal and no hint of any overheating as opined by some folks. Must be properly set up though - blinding folks coming towards you can have a seriously negative effect on your car

i want some whiter bulbs for my dipped. i dont want to go hids as my car dont seem to like them (bulbs dont seem to burn right) so i have been doing some research...

osram nightbreaker bulbs offer more light and 10% white light.
maplins do some 50% whiter light bulbs (so they claim) and are under 20 quid
philips do a rival for the osram ones too, but they seem more expensive
thene there are the piaa bulbs...

DavieP wrote:Although converting to HID is very close to the top of my list, I've been using 100 watt (Phillips) for dipped over the past 15 months without any problems or hassle to oncoming traffic. Brighter and better than normal and no hint of any overheating as opined by some folks. Must be properly set up though - blinding folks coming towards you can have a seriously negative effect on your car

which philips bulbs are you using? are your whiter than normal?

I can't believe people still use halogen bulbs, even the 100W bulbs and think they have good lights.

Setup correctly HID's will produce about 6times more 'usable' light output whilst using alot less power.

The only modifications needed for installation are to cut a small hole in the rear of the light casing to allow the bulb through (about 5mins job, and is sealed once the bulbs are fitted so no water ingress). The other modification needed is to disconnect the resistors near the passengers side suspension turret if you find your lights are pulsing when put in the sidelight position.

Stop wasting money on halogen bulbs, and upgrade to HID. I've been using mine for 2-3 years now, and when i sold my old car i simply removed them from that car and fitted them to my current car.

Ive even put them on m Mondeo. They are spectacular! The light output is incredible!

My words are....BUTCH UP AND DO IT!

For the hole in the cap i bought a cheap and nasty hole-saw kit, one of those with the multiple blades. The smallest size was 25mm, absolutly perfect for the hid kit and it's only plastic so eaven the cheapo blades chop through it no problem.


And that really is the hardest part of fitting a HID kit

I won't go back to normal halogen bulbs for the dip's.

Can anyone recommend a good HID kit? looking into doing this soon

Euge wrote:Can anyone recommend a good HID kit? looking into doing this soon

Here's an example...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=005

Basically any H1 kit will work as most of them are made in the same factory, and it's just the sellers who vary their prices.

I've bought all my sets from Hong Kong, and never had a problem (although delivery will be around 2weeks for obvious reasons).

There are UK seller selling the same kit for double the price...you'll still end up with the same kit, so I personally bought from Hong Kong insead.

daimlerman wrote:I am using 100 watt bulbs in the inner(main beam) on both cars with good effect. Would not risk them on the dipped,though,as they are just a bit naughty.

RVLR '89 (road vehicle lighting regs) states that after '86 any main or dip lamp must be a minimum of 30watts and no limit to max wattage so nothing naughty there at all.

Nice one mate... cheers for heads up

can e30 wiring take 100w halogen bulbs ok then?

I did used to run 100w bulbs in other cars including Audis and VW. In fact they were 90/130w bulbs with no effect to wiring.
My E30 used to have them as well but I now run Phillips Vision and find them OK.

I would agree though that given the cost and the better output for a road car, HID is perhaps the way to go.

hennabm wrote:I did used to run 100w bulbs in other cars including Audis and VW. In fact they were 90/130w bulbs with no effect to wiring.
My E30 used to have them as well but I now run Phillips Vision and find them OK.

I would agree though that given the cost and the better output for a road car, HID is perhaps the way to go.

do these give a white light?

are they vision plus or blue vision?

aceraf wrote: Here's an example...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=005

Basically any H1 kit will work as most of them are made in the same factory, and it's just the sellers who vary their prices.

I've bought all my sets from Hong Kong, and never had a problem (although delivery will be around 2weeks for obvious reasons).

There are UK seller selling the same kit for double the price...you'll still end up with the same kit, so I personally bought from Hong Kong insead.

Wow... they are CHEAP! I've never seen any that cheap before (normally about £60-80 I thought). Have you bought from this seller at that price before?

If they're as good as they sound I can't see a reason not to get some for that price!!!

That's the same seller i bought mine from

My Phillips are Vision plus and are whiter than normal bulbs as my mate with a 323 runs std and they appear yellow. they are still not as white a light as Hid though

aceraf wrote:

Euge wrote:Can anyone recommend a good HID kit? looking into doing this soon

Here's an example...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=005

Basically any H1 kit will work as most of them are made in the same factory, and it's just the sellers who vary their prices.

I've bought all my sets from Hong Kong, and never had a problem (although delivery will be around 2weeks for obvious reasons).

There are UK seller selling the same kit for double the price...you'll still end up with the same kit, so I personally bought from Hong Kong insead.

2 questions.

Customs charges/issues?
Beam Pattern issues?

Cheers

2 answers

Nope (mine came marked as a gift)
None (perfect beam pattern but get the alignement checked)

Cheers

no2lurch wrote:i want some whiter bulbs for my dipped. i dont want to go hids as my car dont seem to like them (bulbs dont seem to burn right)

This has to be a contender for daftest post of the month!
If it doesn't "like them", then find out why!

mt1104 wrote:can e30 wiring take 100w halogen bulbs ok then?

Can take them with a fuse uprate to 15A, but ideally you need to uprate the wires from the fuses to the bulbs, and the earth returns to the stud behind the LH headlamp to 1.5mm2 or even 2.5mm2
It's an interesting experiment to measure the voltage across, and the current taken by 100W bulbs. Voltage X amps on some I've checked have been well short of 100!

Brianmoooore wrote:

no2lurch wrote:i want some whiter bulbs for my dipped. i dont want to go hids as my car dont seem to like them (bulbs dont seem to burn right)

This has to be a contender for daftest post of the month!
If it doesn't "like them", then find out why!

i've asked on here for advice, but no one has come up with anything...

no2lurch wrote:

Brianmoooore wrote:

no2lurch wrote:i want some whiter bulbs for my dipped. i dont want to go hids as my car dont seem to like them (bulbs dont seem to burn right)

This has to be a contender for daftest post of the month!
If it doesn't "like them", then find out why!

i've asked on here for advice, but no one has come up with anything...

Made any voltage measurements at the bulb holders?

hennabm wrote:

daimlerman wrote:I am using 100 watt bulbs in the inner(main beam) on both cars with good effect. Would not risk them on the dipped,though,as they are just a bit naughty.

RVLR '89 (road vehicle lighting regs) states that after '86 any main or dip lamp must be a minimum of 30watts and no limit to max wattage so nothing naughty there at all.

Always reckon to learn something new every day on the zone...

Brianmoooore wrote:

no2lurch wrote:

Brianmoooore wrote:This has to be a contender for daftest post of the month!
If it doesn't "like them", then find out why!

i've asked on here for advice, but no one has come up with anything...

Made any voltage measurements at the bulb holders?

you mean at where the wire plugs into the bulb? or at the plug that screws onto the light unit? or both?

Pop the cap off the back of the bulb but leave it connected, turn lights on, measure voltage on the exposed connectors behind the bulb with a multimeter, repeat for the other side and post them up for Brianmoooore to give his verdict.

stonesie wrote:2 answers

Nope (mine came marked as a gift)
None (perfect beam pattern but get the alignement checked)

Cheers

Ta.

So looks like I'll be getting HID's. Thanks

Rich_W wrote:

stonesie wrote:2 answers

Nope (mine came marked as a gift)
None (perfect beam pattern but get the alignement checked)

Cheers

Ta.

My bloody Interenet's been down for the 2nd night in a row

But basically as has been posted previously.

I can't remember who i personally used (been a while) but basically, as long as you don't order lots of sets at the same time, the seller will normally label them as 'gift' and put a value on the item of around $20(yes dollars), which means customs won't bother with it.

Beam patterns should be same as with normal bulbs, just more defined due to the extra light output. as long as you set them up correctly you shouldn't have any problems (I haven't).

cheers Brian, will look into the wiring diagram for the lights to see what would be involved renewing wires (would be pain if its part of a harness which I assume it would be). Does the zone have a stash of wiring diagrams?

HIDs are forbidden on road rallies so am stuck with halogens.