Angel eyes - yes or no

[pDubs]

I personally think angel eyes on e36s look terrible

[jprottas]

A couple of photos illustrating your points of view and setups would be really helpful.

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[jprottas]

lol exactly. And then every other car had them. Retrofit some hids or get some depos with DRLs.

What are DRL's? Can you show me a photo?

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[jprottas]

And for those of you purists who dislike the angel eyes do you also prefer the original orange corners and side-markers, or do some of you run cleats or smoked?

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[CblockM3]

And for those of you purists who dislike the angel eyes do you also prefer the original orange corners and side-markers, or do some of you run cleats or smoked?

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I generally prefer ambers personally but clears are fine too; as long as everything is matching. I can't stand when people run amber corners with clear tailights, or clear corners with amber tails. DRL's are day time running lights which NA cars never came with. They are different than city lights as DRL's use the factory high beams with less power.

Here is a pic of city lights for reference:







Much better looking than angel eyes IMO.

[Billyp7718]

I generally prefer ambers personally but clears are fine too; as long as everything is matching. I can't stand when people run amber corners with clear tailights, or clear corners with amber tails. DRL's are day time running lights which NA cars never came with. They are different than city lights as DRL's use the factory high beams with less power.

Here is a pic of city lights for reference:







Much better looking than angel eyes IMO.

I like the angel eyes on my new bmw. On E36s it just looks out of place. ZKWs with city lights is what I did on my e36


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[jprottas]

I generally prefer ambers personally but clears are fine too; as long as everything is matching. I can't stand when people run amber corners with clear tailights, or clear corners with amber tails. DRL's are day time running lights which NA cars never came with. They are different than city lights as DRL's use the factory high beams with less power.

Here is a pic of city lights for reference:







Much better looking than angel eyes IMO.

Gorgeous setup - especially on the techno.

Sorry but I'm still confused:

"Retrofit some hids" is this the same as the FXR bi-xenon? Is HID the same as bi-xenon? Do the above photos have retrofitted bi-xenons?

" get some depos with DRLs" and what's the difference in appearance between city lights and DLR'S.

I'm feeling really thick

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[LockDots]

HID is a type of bulb (high intensity discharge) also known as xenons. A Bi-xenon Is a setup in which a single bulb is both a low and high beam by means of an actuated flap (cutoff).

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[jprottas]

HID is a type of bulb (high intensity discharge) also known as xenons. A Bi-xenon Is a setup in which a single bulb is both a low and high beam by means of an actuated flap (cutoff).

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I see you've done your own retrofits with bi- xenon and with LED. I'm not so handy. In fact I cant' even understand the menu options on umnitza's website:

Angel Eyes: optional. Either choose them or not

HID Canbus 35/45: is this required if I choose the fxr retrofit? Does this part make the fxr retrofit compatible with the old halogen system? Is this what eliminates error messages? Or is this simply an HID lighting system not quite the quality of the bi-xenon?

Does an fxr retrofit still allow for city lights or daylight running lights?

I'm just trying to understand my options: from simply buying a zkw headlight to the other HID and/or bi-xenon options.

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[LockDots]

I see you've done your own retrofits with bi- xenon and with LED. I'm not so handy. In fact I cant' even understand the menu options on umnitza's website:

Angel Eyes: optional. Either choose them or not

HID Canbus 35/45: is this required if I choose the fxr retrofit? Does this part make the fxr retrofit compatible with the old halogen system? Is this what eliminates error messages? Or is this simply an HID lighting system not quite the quality of the bi-xenon?

Does an fxr retrofit still allow for city lights or daylight running lights?

I'm just trying to understand my options: from simply buying a zkw headlight to the other HID and/or bi-xenon options.

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Angel eyes are optional.

Canbus harness is not necessary since our headlights don't operate on canbus data. (I recommend a relay harness but even that is subjective to a lot of people. I like the safety they add).

Retrofitting still allows the option of City lights, yes.

ZKW is a brand, like Bosch, Depo, DJ Auto, etc. If you don't plan on retrofitting, the ZKW or Bosch headlight assemblies will give you the best output for an H1 or H7 bulb.

If you want to retrofit a Bi-xenon Projector in the assembly you're better off going with something like Depo since the internals are going to be gutted anyway.

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[cmoody]

And for those of you purists who dislike the angel eyes do you also prefer the original orange corners and side-markers, or do some of you run clears or smoked?

I think the orange side-markers look best on hues like white and black, but the clears look much better on the colors. I wouldn't say I'm a purist; I just think that the AEs look gaudy. Not a huge fan of them on the E39s, either.

[iamane30m20nut]

Is canbus legal in all 50 states? I thought it was only legal in 9 plus DC.

Another vote against angel eyes.

I love my amber lenses against my BG paint.

Someone sell me the hellrot non-M.

[blckstrm]

Geez, all you guys hating on the angel eyes. I know someone who will take them off your hands!

[earthwormjim]

I generally prefer ambers personally but clears are fine too; as long as everything is matching. I can't stand when people run amber corners with clear tailights, or clear corners with amber tails. DRL's are day time running lights which NA cars never came with. They are different than city lights as DRL's use the factory high beams with less power.

Here is a pic of city lights for reference:







Much better looking than angel eyes IMO.

Pictures are a little deceptive. City lights are not as bright as they appear here, they're not even really visible in daylight with the naked eye.

[golgo13]

It's your car man, do what makes you happy.

I'm not a fan. The car didn't come with them from the factory, so when I see them it screams "ricer" but that's just, like, my opinion, man.

[MParallel]

AE’s were cool, for about a month, back in ‘07.

[jprottas]

Angel eyes are optional.

Canbus harness is not necessary since our headlights don't operate on canbus data. (I recommend a relay harness but even that is subjective to a lot of people. I like the safety they add).

Retrofitting still allows the option of City lights, yes.

ZKW is a brand, like Bosch, Depo, DJ Auto, etc. If you don't plan on retrofitting, the ZKW or Bosch headlight assemblies will give you the best output for an H1 or H7 bulb.

If you want to retrofit a Bi-xenon Projector in the assembly you're better off going with something like Depo since the internals are going to be gutted anyway.

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Are stock ZKW euro headlights the best lighting option without getting into outboard apparatus, aiming issues and error codes.

Or can the bi-xenon retrofit or LED approach be worryfree, give much better lighting and still look good?

I understand that a retrofit would best be done in a depo unit.

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[LockDots]

Are stock ZKW euro headlights the best lighting option without getting into outboard apparatus, aiming issues and error codes.

Or can the bi-xenon retrofit or LED approach be worryfree, give much better lighting and still look good?

I understand that a retrofit would best be done in a depo unit.

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Best out of the box halogen are going to be ZKW or Bosch.

Retrofits can be error free but you have to either modify your CCM, bypass the headlight check or alter a setting in the OBC but then you lose most if not all check functions.

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[Lukitas]

its your car do what you like the most. if everyone went by with what most people liked then every car would look the same and be boring.

[earthwormjim]

ZKW are really not much better than US headlights, provided the US lights have fresh bulbs and are polished (no oxidation). The US headlight hate, is from people not refreshing their headlights.

The absolute best output halogens are Bosch H7 reflectors, not any of the ellipsoid headlights.

I agree about doing a retrofit on a Depo unit. The Depo headlight housings are about the same quality as a ZKW, i.e. both are honesty not that great in quality. The plastics on both are quite brittle. ZKW's slight advantage is in the optics, which you would be throwing out with a retrofit.

If I were to do my retrofit over again, I currently have Morimoto FX-R 2.0 projectors in ZKWs, I would instead do the Morimoto LED projector in Depos. Much less clutter, the LED drivers can be mounted inside of the headlight housing with some modification. No bulky ballasts and extra wiring to deal with in the engine bay.

[Braymond141]

ZKW are really not much better than US headlights, provided the US lights have fresh bulbs and are polished (no oxidation). The US headlight hate, is from people not refreshing their headlights.

Yes, yes and yes. The US lights are very good

The absolute best output halogens are Bosch H7 reflectors, not any of the ellipsoid headlights.

Only for the same reason the light output of the US lights are good. Parabolic lights don't do well with focusing the light. Good for the driver does not mean good for oncoming traffic. Bosch H1 are very good, better than the other Euro projectors out there. They are the ideal choice when seeking a Euro set.

I agree about doing a retrofit on a Depo unit. The Depo headlight housings are about the same quality as a ZKW, i.e. both are honesty not that great in quality. The plastics on both are quite brittle. ZKW's slight advantage is in the optics, which you would be throwing out with a retrofit.

Depo are not built the same. ZKW are going to last longer, especially when it comes to the adjusters working. DEPO also fit like ass with OEM side markers.

If I were to do my retrofit over again, I currently have Morimoto FX-R 2.0 projectors in ZKWs, I would instead do the Morimoto LED projector in Depos. Much less clutter, the LED drivers can be mounted inside of the headlight housing with some modification. No bulky ballasts and extra wiring to deal with in the engine bay.

LED in Bosch is where it is at.

[MParallel]

...The absolute best output halogens are Bosch H7 reflectors, not any of the ellipsoid headlights...

Nice to see someone else but me saying this, as I've mentioned this in the past, but the heat I got. Laughable.

I've had ZKW H7's, ZKW H1's (current on the 328i) and Bosch H7 on the M3. The last one are easily the best out these 3. (stock for stock, no aftermarket modifications. I add this just in case, cause some read best as in best option regardless stock of aftermarket options.)

[earthwormjim]

Yes, yes and yes. The US lights are very good



Only for the same reason the light output of the US lights are good. Parabolic lights don't do well with focusing the light. Good for the driver does not mean good for oncoming traffic. Bosch H1 are very good, better than the other Euro projectors out there. They are the ideal choice when seeking a Euro set.



Depo are not built the same. ZKW are going to last longer, especially when it comes to the adjusters working. DEPO also fit like ass with OEM side markers.




LED in Bosch is where it is at.

Perhaps my batch of ZKWs have all been bad then? They had really fragile plastics. The clips holding the light together were easy to break. Depos I bought in the last 5 years fit OEM side markers fine.
I didn't notice adjuster issues too, but I also did projector retrofits in them, so I ensured they were working before closing the lights up.

The bottom mount holes on the Depos were larger, so there is more variation in how you can mount the lights. If you're not careful, you can mount them too far forward, which causes side marker fitment issues.

[cmoody]

ZKW are really not much better than US headlights, provided the US lights have fresh bulbs and are polished (no oxidation). The US headlight hate, is from people not refreshing their headlights.

+1 A little bit of polishing compound and some headlight sealant goes a long way.

[TostitoBandito]

Yeah I agree. I've never had a problem with the look of my stock headlights, but they're in good shape.