Apologies for digging up what may be an old topic. I looked thru the FAQs and saw plenty of HID options, but not LED.
Have any of you chaps found a reliable kit/source to replace only the headlamps with LEDs?
Please provide any recommendations/links.
I'm not seeking to go LED all the way 'round...my markers/blinkers are fine, i just want to throw a clearer, brighter set of beams.
Cheers,
Brad
I used the LED bulbs listed below. Just plug and play. They work great and give a white light. You do need to make sure your lights are aimed correctly because they are much brighter than stock and could upset on coming drivers. I have had mine in for 4 years now and have only had one person blink their lights at me and that was on a curve where my lights were pointed into their lane.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
2002 M Roadster, Steel Gray Metailic, Gray Nappa Leather, Black Soft Top, Steel Gray Metailic Hard Top, TC Kline Double Adj Shocks with H&R Springs, Stromung Exhaust, SSR Type C Wheels. Looking for a new home.
2022 Z4 M40i, Misano Blue Metallic, Prem Pkg, Driver Assistance Pkg
2023 X5 M50, Phytonic Blue, Black Extended Merion Leather, Driving Asst Pro Pkg, Park Asst Pkg, Exec Pkg, Climate Comfort Pkg.
Last edited by Watch Carefully; 05-12-2019 at 05:19 PM.
I was a bit concerned with the reviews on Amazon too when I got mine, but these bulbs were recommended on the forum, so I though I would give them a try. I have come to believe that you can't always take the reviews at face value. Also, you don't know what their applications are.
2002 M Roadster, Steel Gray Metailic, Gray Nappa Leather, Black Soft Top, Steel Gray Metailic Hard Top, TC Kline Double Adj Shocks with H&R Springs, Stromung Exhaust, SSR Type C Wheels. Looking for a new home.
2022 Z4 M40i, Misano Blue Metallic, Prem Pkg, Driver Assistance Pkg
2023 X5 M50, Phytonic Blue, Black Extended Merion Leather, Driving Asst Pro Pkg, Park Asst Pkg, Exec Pkg, Climate Comfort Pkg.
I have seen a lot of review where the person was complaining about something not doing something it was not designed (or advertised) to do. It IS interesting how some people think.
2002 M Roadster, Steel Gray Metailic, Gray Nappa Leather, Black Soft Top, Steel Gray Metailic Hard Top, TC Kline Double Adj Shocks with H&R Springs, Stromung Exhaust, SSR Type C Wheels. Looking for a new home.
2022 Z4 M40i, Misano Blue Metallic, Prem Pkg, Driver Assistance Pkg
2023 X5 M50, Phytonic Blue, Black Extended Merion Leather, Driving Asst Pro Pkg, Park Asst Pkg, Exec Pkg, Climate Comfort Pkg.
Brad, if you've got the coin do it right. There's a shop up in NNJ that can customize your lights for you, IE install projectors, LED, Xenon, etc. I used them to repair the dynamic Xenons in my X5. At some point I plan on doing this for my Z3.
https://www.lightwerkz.net/photo/makemodel/bmw/bmw-z3/
2001 Z3 3.0i -Oxford Green/Sandbeige
2016 428xi -Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 430iC- Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 330it - Melbourne Red/Venetian Beige/Black
Frankly, I'm not sure I have the budget for a full conversion...I should probably direct those funds toward a much-needed soft-top replacement.
A couple hundred for the bulbs mentioned above seems more likely at this stage. Thanks for the recommendation, though. Much appreciated!
2002 M Roadster, Steel Gray Metailic, Gray Nappa Leather, Black Soft Top, Steel Gray Metailic Hard Top, TC Kline Double Adj Shocks with H&R Springs, Stromung Exhaust, SSR Type C Wheels. Looking for a new home.
2022 Z4 M40i, Misano Blue Metallic, Prem Pkg, Driver Assistance Pkg
2023 X5 M50, Phytonic Blue, Black Extended Merion Leather, Driving Asst Pro Pkg, Park Asst Pkg, Exec Pkg, Climate Comfort Pkg.
Tossed in some Led bulbs yesterday. I was pleasantly surprised with the difference. In person they look way brighter than I can capture in a photo.
Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk
Last edited by s8ilver; 05-16-2019 at 10:39 AM.
Nathan in Denver
1999 M Roadster, VFE V3 S/C, Randy Forbes Reinforced, Hardtop, H&R/Bilstein, Apex PS-7, Supersprint
1999 Z3 2.8 Coupe, Headers, 3.46, Manual Swap, H&R/Koni, M Geometry/Brakes, M54B30 Manifold, Style 42
Nathan in Denver
1999 M Roadster, VFE V3 S/C, Randy Forbes Reinforced, Hardtop, H&R/Bilstein, Apex PS-7, Supersprint
1999 Z3 2.8 Coupe, Headers, 3.46, Manual Swap, H&R/Koni, M Geometry/Brakes, M54B30 Manifold, Style 42
Very much an upgrade over stock lights. You do need to make sure they are aimed correctly to keep from upsetting oncoming drivers.
2002 M Roadster, Steel Gray Metailic, Gray Nappa Leather, Black Soft Top, Steel Gray Metailic Hard Top, TC Kline Double Adj Shocks with H&R Springs, Stromung Exhaust, SSR Type C Wheels. Looking for a new home.
2022 Z4 M40i, Misano Blue Metallic, Prem Pkg, Driver Assistance Pkg
2023 X5 M50, Phytonic Blue, Black Extended Merion Leather, Driving Asst Pro Pkg, Park Asst Pkg, Exec Pkg, Climate Comfort Pkg.
Nathan in Denver
1999 M Roadster, VFE V3 S/C, Randy Forbes Reinforced, Hardtop, H&R/Bilstein, Apex PS-7, Supersprint
1999 Z3 2.8 Coupe, Headers, 3.46, Manual Swap, H&R/Koni, M Geometry/Brakes, M54B30 Manifold, Style 42
I would guess this is what he installed:
https://www.amazon.com/Headlight-SEA...ull-spons&th=1
The seller stated this in response to an Amazon user query:
- For S2 series, it's around 3800 lumens and 25W for each bulb(low beam/high beam)
UPDATE: I contacted the seller who confirmed that the set linked above is indeed intended for Z3 use.
The ones khammack listed farther above are 3,500Lms per bulb...comparable, I guess.
Last edited by Watch Carefully; 05-17-2019 at 08:53 AM.
2002 M Roadster, Steel Gray Metailic, Gray Nappa Leather, Black Soft Top, Steel Gray Metailic Hard Top, TC Kline Double Adj Shocks with H&R Springs, Stromung Exhaust, SSR Type C Wheels. Looking for a new home.
2022 Z4 M40i, Misano Blue Metallic, Prem Pkg, Driver Assistance Pkg
2023 X5 M50, Phytonic Blue, Black Extended Merion Leather, Driving Asst Pro Pkg, Park Asst Pkg, Exec Pkg, Climate Comfort Pkg.
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...ht-Bulbs/page2
Any changes or advancement from the last discussion on the topic?
Reporting back. LEDs blow my old HIR bulbs away. I'd say light output is very close to the HIDs in my Roadster, only real difference being the beam cutoff. If you're on the fence, you won't regret.
Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk
Nathan in Denver
1999 M Roadster, VFE V3 S/C, Randy Forbes Reinforced, Hardtop, H&R/Bilstein, Apex PS-7, Supersprint
1999 Z3 2.8 Coupe, Headers, 3.46, Manual Swap, H&R/Koni, M Geometry/Brakes, M54B30 Manifold, Style 42
Nathan in Denver
1999 M Roadster, VFE V3 S/C, Randy Forbes Reinforced, Hardtop, H&R/Bilstein, Apex PS-7, Supersprint
1999 Z3 2.8 Coupe, Headers, 3.46, Manual Swap, H&R/Koni, M Geometry/Brakes, M54B30 Manifold, Style 42
I’m a noob, and definitely don’t know too much about lamps. Can you just pop these in any headlight? Or do you need some type of adapter or something? HID are the ones that actually need a kit or something right?
Maybe I'm looking at the picture wrong, but to me it appears that most of the increased output is right in front of the car, and not much of it is very far down the road. Anyone who has dealt with this type of issue before will tell you that a bright road right in front of you will make it more difficult to see something at a distance. You want the light down the road, not right in front of you where it will cause your eyes to adjust to the near brightness.
So just to ask the question, can you see reflectors farther down the road than before?
Marty
6% down grade... I see plenty far.
Plug and play.
Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk
Nathan in Denver
1999 M Roadster, VFE V3 S/C, Randy Forbes Reinforced, Hardtop, H&R/Bilstein, Apex PS-7, Supersprint
1999 Z3 2.8 Coupe, Headers, 3.46, Manual Swap, H&R/Koni, M Geometry/Brakes, M54B30 Manifold, Style 42
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