Xenon headlights

Does anyone know how hard is it to change out the factory headlights
for Xenons?
I have a 2001 325ci.
Thanks for any help.

> wrote in message
news:1102059476.4efhaRFtPsjb/xYmNpLRNA@ultrafeed...
> Does anyone know how hard is it to change out the factory headlights
> for Xenons?
> I have a 2001 325ci.
> Thanks for any help.
>
>

ISTR very expensive.

"TonyK" > wrote in message
...
>
> > wrote in message
> news:1102059476.4efhaRFtPsjb/xYmNpLRNA@ultrafeed...
> > Does anyone know how hard is it to change out the factory headlights
> > for Xenons?
> > I have a 2001 325ci.
> > Thanks for any help.
> >
> >
>
> ISTR very expensive.
>
>

In UK its about £500 and a bit of hassle - you can make significant
improvements with Osram silver star or Philips Vision plus for about £20 or £40
if you have four headlights.... Then power them through relays wired with
thick cable so full volts reach the filaments.

Nick

Nick

> wrote in message
news:1102059476.4efhaRFtPsjb/xYmNpLRNA@ultrafeed...
> Does anyone know how hard is it to change out the factory headlights
> for Xenons?
> I have a 2001 325ci.
> Thanks for any help.


I don't know how hard or how expensive, since I have only had them on new
cars, but they are an incredible driving and safety asset. Truly remarkable,
particularly for people who suffer any type or degree of night blindness,
but better for all in every way.

And on another note: while it seems to escape the attention of most people,
the active headlights are really remarkable. It is amazing what a few
degrees of directed illumination does on a dark road. I love 'em, I don't
know that I would ever consider another *new* car that wasn't fitted with
active zenons.

"nick smith" > wrote in message
...
>
> "TonyK" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > > wrote in message
> > news:1102059476.4efhaRFtPsjb/xYmNpLRNA@ultrafeed...
> > > Does anyone know how hard is it to change out the factory headlights
> > > for Xenons?
> > > I have a 2001 325ci.
> > > Thanks for any help.
> > >
> > >
> >
> > ISTR very expensive.
> >
> >
>
> In UK its about £500 and a bit of hassle - you can make significant
> improvements with Osram silver star or Philips Vision plus for about £20
or £40
> if you have four headlights.... Then power them through relays wired with
> thick cable so full volts reach the filaments.
>

I put SilverStars in my car, and I did not have to do anything to the
wiring. They are a direct replacement for the halogen lamps that came out.
They don't draw any more current, and certainly not enough more current to
stress the wires. I spent close to $100 (USD) for 4 lamps, and that was
tough to explain to the Mrs.; lights for my car are more than double the
cost of lights for her car.

"Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
...
>
> "nick smith" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "TonyK" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > >
> > > > wrote in message
> > > news:1102059476.4efhaRFtPsjb/xYmNpLRNA@ultrafeed...
> > > > Does anyone know how hard is it to change out the factory headlights
> > > > for Xenons?
> > > > I have a 2001 325ci.
> > > > Thanks for any help.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > ISTR very expensive.
> > >
> > >
> >
> > In UK its about £500 and a bit of hassle - you can make significant
> > improvements with Osram silver star or Philips Vision plus for about £20
> or £40
> > if you have four headlights.... Then power them through relays wired with
> > thick cable so full volts reach the filaments.
> >
>
> I put SilverStars in my car, and I did not have to do anything to the
> wiring. They are a direct replacement for the halogen lamps that came out.
> They don't draw any more current, and certainly not enough more current to
> stress the wires. I spent close to $100 (USD) for 4 lamps, and that was
> tough to explain to the Mrs.; lights for my car are more than double the
> cost of lights for her car.
>
>

Agreed - you don't HAVE to but typically there is a volt, sometimes more, of
drop in the wiring, switches etc built in as stock, which makes the bulbs not
as bright as they could be. A volt makes a LOT of difference in 12 ! The light
becomes brighter and whiter, all for no extra load !

Nick

"nick smith" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "nick smith" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > >
> > > "TonyK" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > >
> > > > > wrote in message
> > > > news:1102059476.4efhaRFtPsjb/xYmNpLRNA@ultrafeed...
> > > > > Does anyone know how hard is it to change out the factory
headlights
> > > > > for Xenons?
> > > > > I have a 2001 325ci.
> > > > > Thanks for any help.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > ISTR very expensive.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > In UK its about £500 and a bit of hassle - you can make significant
> > > improvements with Osram silver star or Philips Vision plus for about
£20
> > or £40
> > > if you have four headlights.... Then power them through relays wired
with
> > > thick cable so full volts reach the filaments.
> > >
> >
> > I put SilverStars in my car, and I did not have to do anything to the
> > wiring. They are a direct replacement for the halogen lamps that came
out.
> > They don't draw any more current, and certainly not enough more current
to
> > stress the wires. I spent close to $100 (USD) for 4 lamps, and that was
> > tough to explain to the Mrs.; lights for my car are more than double the
> > cost of lights for her car.
> >
> >
>
> Agreed - you don't HAVE to but typically there is a volt, sometimes more,
of
> drop in the wiring, switches etc built in as stock, which makes the bulbs
not
> as bright as they could be. A volt makes a LOT of difference in 12 ! The
light
> becomes brighter and whiter, all for no extra load !
>
> Nick
>
>
Are you suggesting that if I cut into the Low Beam wire and add a relay that
gets power directly from the battery using heavier wires, then my lights can
be even brighter?

Jeff Strickland wrote:
>
> "nick smith" > wrote in message
> > if you have four headlights.... Then power them through relays wired with
> > thick cable so full volts reach the filaments.
> >
>
> I put SilverStars in my car, and I did not have to do anything to the
> wiring. They are a direct replacement for the halogen lamps that came out.
> They don't draw any more current, and certainly not enough more current to
> stress the wires.

You are right that the SilverStars draw the same current as standard
bulbs. I think Nick meant to say that using relays is an additional
upgrade that can be done to improve lighting. I do not know how the
wiring is done on a 2001 325ci, but on many cars the entire current for
the headlights go through the headlights switch and meters of wire. The
result is a significant voltage drop before the current reaches the
light bulb. A 10% reduction in voltage results in about a 21% drop in
power at the bulb.

Adding relays to provide power directly from the battery (using the
factory switch to power the relay coils only) can increase the voltage
at the bulb. I did this upgrade to a German car from a somewhat less
prestigious maker, and the improvement was dramatic. Then again, perhaps
BMW already puts relays in the circuit.

"nick smith" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "nick smith" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >
>> > "TonyK" > wrote in message
>> > ...
>> > >
>> > > > wrote in message
>> > > news:1102059476.4efhaRFtPsjb/xYmNpLRNA@ultrafeed...
>> > > > Does anyone know how hard is it to change out the factory
>> > > > headlights
>> > > > for Xenons?
>> > > > I have a 2001 325ci.
>> > > > Thanks for any help.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > >
>> > > ISTR very expensive.
>> > >
This is true for upgrading to factory xenon lights. If the original owner
had purchased xenon lights as a factory option when he bought the car, the
xenon lights with the self-adjusting mechanism, it would have *only* cost
like $750, a relative bargain....

In a previous posting, "Jeff Strickland" >
had the audacity to say:

:Are you suggesting that if I cut into the Low Beam wire and add a relay that
:gets power directly from the battery using heavier wires, then my lights can
:be even brighter?

Yup.

Should be plenty of (correct, useful, informative) information
on this at www.danielsternlighting.com

--
E.R. aka SJG aka Ricardo
present location: vancouver bc canada
refugee from the european union's evil bureaucracy