bulb upgrade

[torquey]

Hi all,opinions for the best bulbs to replace the candles that are on the car at the mo,cheers

[Cloggy Saint]

HIDS all the way, the best 30 quid you'll spend and simple to fit.

[jimbob88]

Hids in my depo angels with projectors,

[zaust]

The hids only work well with elipsoid headlights.

[jimbob88]

Yeah if they're the standard headlights they just scatter everywhere, the elipsiods give a nice crisp focused beam

[Brianmoooore]

Yeah if they're the standard headlights they just scatter everywhere

HIDs work perfectly well with the early lights from the driver's point of view. The problem is with oncoming other motorists, and possibly your MOT tester.

[zaust]

^^^ TRUE. And keep them white not blue to avoid a tug. So 4300 35w is ideal.

[Ninja_Penguin]

the police down here have clamped down on HID's

[Brianmoooore]

"Clamped down" in what way? A set of HIDs in properly adjusted E30 projector lamps doesn't contravene any road traffic laws.
The MOT tester who ticketed one of my cars back in August actually commented on the beam pattern being close to perfect.

[jimbob88]

Yeah if they're the standard headlights they just scatter everywhere

HIDs work perfectly well with the early lights from the driver's point of view. The problem is with oncoming other motorists, and possibly your MOT tester.

That is what i meant

[cypriot_boy_2k7]

HID are not legal in our headlights, unless tested by authoritys (motoring) and have a wash wipe system and self leveling adjusting or self leveling suspension. Also police are going to start clamping down on it due to mot test changes in 2012. Anyways now the law bits there, hids in the e30 are really good, much better output and beam pattern on epsloids is good, well worth the upgrade

[Brianmoooore]

HID are not legal in our headlights, unless tested by authoritys (motoring) and have a wash wipe system and self leveling adjusting or self leveling suspension.

Getting into grey legal areas, but this only applies to original equipment fitted by the manufacturer.

[cypriot_boy_2k7]

HID are not legal in our headlights, unless tested by authoritys (motoring) and have a wash wipe system and self leveling adjusting or self leveling suspension.

Getting into grey legal areas, but this only applies to original equipment fitted by the manufacturer.

I agree Brian very much a grey area. But our car headlights are OEM so I think it applies. It would be good to see what the zoners views are.

[groovylee]

well, having been involved in several of these discussions, on several different motoring forums, and chatting to a couple of BiB from traffic, i can tell you a couple of things (imho):

oh, and IANAL

IF, you read the law, to the letter, it is illegal to retrofit HIDs to non type approved housings, i.e. our E30 headlights.

if, you interpret it the way manufacturers have, then it is a very grey area for our E30s. by that, i mean that there are certain models out there, with OEM HIDs fitted, that do not have headlight washers and/or self levelling mechs. but are still 'legal'.....

the new MOT laws are alledgedly going to make retrofit HIDs illegal. but bearing in mind that you can buy 'HID effect' bulbs, and the MOT tester cannot remove any trim/fittings in the course of the MOT, how would he tell for certain they are HID (i know there are ways, but humour me) if the beam pattern is correct?

if you fit HID units to non projector headlights, you ARE a twunt. FACT.

i haven't met an MOT tester who would fail 4300K HIDs if adjusted and fitted properly. 6000K are mostly fine (only one i spoke to would have failed them, because he is a bit anal) but anything bluer than that is just asking for a pull from the BiB, and will make life worse for the people who just want to see better in the dark.

as i say, i am not a lawyer, nor BiB, nor an MOT tester. i have just spent a hell of a lot of time researching this to ensure i could get away with fitting them to my Alfa, and now my E30

[torquey]

Ok guys forget the hids, better bulbs perhaps but which ones

[jimbob88]

Blue xenon? They do look whiter but I found they dont cast light very well. Phillips ice white?

[baur320]

Ok guys forget the hids, better bulbs perhaps but which ones

I've just fitted a set of Osram Night Breakers in my E36. Very impressed with them and thinking about getting a set for the E30

[matt86]

What are hid's only 30 quid, if so I'm getting some asap.

Nothing worse than not being able to see properly at night.

[inlovewithRWD]

Ok guys forget the hids, better bulbs perhaps but which ones

I've just fitted a set of Osram Night Breakers in my E36. Very impressed with them and thinking about getting a set for the E30

I've got Nightbreakers in mine and they do give a nice bright light.

[jonny323i]

What are hid's only 30 quid, if so I'm getting some asap.

Nothing worse than not being able to see properly at night.

i bought these and they are fine nice and easy to fit and if you buy them from his own website its free postage

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-3-Series- ... 3a6c933ff8

[capri_rob]

Ok guys forget the hids, better bulbs perhaps but which ones

I've just fitted a set of Osram Night Breakers in my E36. Very impressed with them and thinking about getting a set for the E30

I've got Nightbreakers in mine and they do give a nice bright light.

I've been looking at these today - some good reviews for Nightbreakers

also been looking at these ( from Autoexpress website )
:

Seeing is believing when it comes to headlamp bulbs which can be the difference between having an accident and avoiding one. Every year makers claim ever more light on the road just where the driver wants it but which are the ones to lighten your darkeness. We powered up 30 in the light tunnel (here) to decide. Here are our winners.

Winner
Philips X-treme Power
Contact: 01293 776774 www.philips.com
Price: £27.95 a pair
Rivals may boast of putting more light on the road but in the light tunnel Philips plus 80 per cent bulb still ruled in out test of H7 bulbs. That extra light 75 metres up the road just where drivers need it is down to a super bright filament and clever engineering to ensure it is not achieved at the expense of lifetime. Simply brilliant.

Commended
Philips VisionPlus
Contact: 01293 776774 www.philips.com
Price: £24.95
Another win for the Dutch multi-national this time in the plus 50 per cent category proving that when it comes to producing H7 bulbs it shows rivals the way. Its beam rating put bulbs boasting considerably more light on the road in the shade. Top quality.

Ring Autobulbs
Contact: 0113 213 2000 www.ringautomotive.co.uk
Price: £13.98
There’s a hefty premium to pay for performance bulbs so if you can stretch to a pair of Philips finest these KX-made bulbs from Ring provide a good alternative among standard bulbs. Their beam rating puts them just shy of those promising plus 30 per cent more light and at a reasonable price.


Read more: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/p ... z1nhVQ2GGS

[magpie]

ice white or white xenons 55watt from ebay about £6.50 delivered

i have these 100w versions in the high beam and hid's in the dipped

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130549617727? ... 1497.l2649

candles are for Nuns.

[polsta]

^^ i put them "winner" philips x-treme bright white, in my old is, and was impressed with them, nice white light and much better than the "yellow" standard , yet not too overly bright like hids

hids , always seem too bright to me on the road when other users have them comming towards or behind

[TouringMatt]

Just to add, my passenger side HID went tonight (ballast unit gone) so had to do a journey with only one working headlight, most of it on unlit roads. It gave out more than enough light to see me safely home - annoyed about the ballast but impressed with the single light output.

[anothere21323i]

well, having been involved in several of these discussions, on several different motoring forums, and chatting to a couple of BiB from traffic, i can tell you a couple of things (imho):

oh, and IANAL

IF, you read the law, to the letter, it is illegal to retrofit HIDs to non type approved housings, i.e. our E30 headlights.

if, you interpret it the way manufacturers have, then it is a very grey area for our E30s. by that, i mean that there are certain models out there, with OEM HIDs fitted, that do not have headlight washers and/or self levelling mechs. but are still 'legal'.....

the new MOT laws are alledgedly going to make retrofit HIDs illegal. but bearing in mind that you can buy 'HID effect' bulbs, and the MOT tester cannot remove any trim/fittings in the course of the MOT, how would he tell for certain they are HID (i know there are ways, but humour me) if the beam pattern is correct?

if you fit HID units to non projector headlights, you ARE a twunt. FACT.

i haven't met an MOT tester who would fail 4300K HIDs if adjusted and fitted properly. 6000K are mostly fine (only one i spoke to would have failed them, because he is a bit anal) but anything bluer than that is just asking for a pull from the BiB, and will make life worse for the people who just want to see better in the dark.

as i say, i am not a lawyer, nor BiB, nor an MOT tester. i have just spent a hell of a lot of time researching this to ensure i could get away with fitting them to my Alfa, and now my E30

This is interesting and a useful post. I am a bit concerned now as I have recently bought a 4300k white bulb HID kit to fit to my touring as it is my daily driver and I use it for commuting, both day and night. As I live in the countryside, the current headlights just aren't up to the job as there aren't any street lights.

My 325i has fully working headlight wash wipe, as well as the manual adjusters which were standard on the 1989 E30s, so I suppose it kind of ticks some of the boxes required. But I don't want to do any illegal modifications on the car - its well maintained and everything works perfectly as it should and the last thing I need is an MOT fail or worse still being awarded points by the police after being pulled over?