UK - Clear Xenon Headlights
- Thread starter gwatson
- Start date
X-S-Z said:
You will need the LCM reprogramming to recognise the Xenon Vs halogen. Without they will not function correctly.
They will also not fit post facelift as they are a different wiring configuration, but there is little value in doing that as they are already clear, even if not xenon.
X-S-Z said:
Don't have a price but call your dealer (or local indy) and ask for the price to reprogramme your car to accept Xenon lights as a direct replacement for your halogen. They may or may not do the work depending if they are funny about retrofit without all the automatics we've talked about before. I know at least 1 forum member here did exactly this job at a local indy. Decide if you want to do the labour to fit them or add that to the quote. It will take you about 2 hours first time to remove the bumper cover, swap over the lights and refit.
They will of course need the beam aligning on completion
cj10jeeper said:
Cheers CJ10jeeper, I am just off the phone to my local BMW specialist and have a price for programming. Am I correct to assume the headlights are a direct swap with the ballast etc contained within them and the only additional item on-top of the headlights would be the programming of the car? So it'd just be a case of old lights off, new lights in, pop down to the BMW specialist, have the programming and alignment carried out and job done? It sounds too easy....
X-S-Z said:
You got it right, but I give no waranty.... The ballasts are mounted on the underside of the Xenon light unit and plug in throught heir base into the light unit. This way there is not a HT lead running around and the ballasts and no different wiring.
Once fitted there may be some real odd lights until programmed as the indicators are likely to stay on and main beam will not work.
gwatson said:Transform your Z4 by fitting these clear front headlights. Will fit pre-facelift car. Takes around 1 hour to fit both and is definitely a DIY job.
£600 plus shipping.
P.S. You must have xenon headlight at present.
Can I see another close up photo of the top light around the indicator level, it appears from the photo there are scratches or cracks on the lens?
Not that I can afford these but, is the conclusion that aslong as you get the electronics side reprogrammed, then these are a fairly easy replacement for the Halogens?
What happens to the switches on the dash? what do the controls for the Xenons have instead of the height adjustment?
What happens to the switches on the dash? what do the controls for the Xenons have instead of the height adjustment?
My car has xenons and the switch looks just the same as for halogens. When you switch on the xenons that are OEM, they give a little dip downward then upward to "normal". Takes a few seconds for the light to intensify as well. I'm assuming if you get the programming done and they will pass inspection, the light unit is what you replace.
What are the bulbs in the inner space? OEM xenons have a projector lens and NO bulb.
What are the bulbs in the inner space? OEM xenons have a projector lens and NO bulb.
Smokin said:
Smokin - you may be referring to the US and post facelift but the UK and prefacelift, which these lights are, is a little different.
To be correct in the UK the switch that sits on the front of the LCM would not have a manual beam adjuster as that is taken care of by the ride height sensors, so you have no height controls to fiddle with. The existing LCM can be reprogrammed without need for replacement . I know someone who purchased one only to find out later it's not needed. :thumbsdown:
The lights themselves halogen and Xenon both do the dip and cycle to set the beam as part of a self test cycle. If you open a unit you'll see they all have the actuator to do this. On all preface lift UK the inner light unit is a flash to pass halogen and also house a side or park light.
What's happening inside - well on halogen the electronics swith power to the second high filament of the bulb and cut off the dipped. On Xenon there is no filament, just a capsule. Main to dipped is controlled by the electronics moving a shield down and up to allow the beam to shine higher (actually lower as the lens inverts the beam, but you see it as removing the height cut off) Stand by a xenon equiped car and you can hear the distinct click as they function wheras a halogen is silent.
So Herminator the simple answer is that if you don't care about the self levelling then they are a straight plug in just requiring the LCM to be reprogrammed. We can thank BMW for being lazy and having just one common loom. I can be sure of all this as I have chopped up at least 6 lights, converted one set from halogen to Xenon and installed another set of xenon in a non xenon Z4. I've alos built my own X5 lights and converted them to Xenon inners.
Psost facelift into prefacelift - another story and don't even go there as with blank inner lights getting them working is a serious challenge.
Hope this helps.
How much of a pain is it to add the self leveling?
Herminator said:
Never fitted them on the Zed but I suspect it's a rear suspension mounted sensors to calculate body angle changes from a static norm, then you need thge asociated loom - big pain
No flash to pass in the US. Yo must be turning lights on an off that will kill them real quick :thumbsdown:
cj10jeeper, following my discussion with the seller he said this:
"You will still need balasts and ignitors I believe, but as has been said you can use an aftermarket kit for this."
with my response being:
"Its my understanding from other forum members that the Z4 OEM xenon headlights contain the ballast and ignitor within the headlight unit, have these therefore been removed from these headlights?"
"I think my mechanic had to swap the ballast and ignitor over each time. When you buy the headlights from BMW, £1200 for the two, it's just the unit itself."
Can you shed any light on this? I know these are indeed a fraction of the cost of buying from BMW however if I have to go out and buy an aftermarket unit anyway I don't see the justification in buying the headlights at this cost?
"You will still need balasts and ignitors I believe, but as has been said you can use an aftermarket kit for this."
with my response being:
"Its my understanding from other forum members that the Z4 OEM xenon headlights contain the ballast and ignitor within the headlight unit, have these therefore been removed from these headlights?"
"I think my mechanic had to swap the ballast and ignitor over each time. When you buy the headlights from BMW, £1200 for the two, it's just the unit itself."
Can you shed any light on this? I know these are indeed a fraction of the cost of buying from BMW however if I have to go out and buy an aftermarket unit anyway I don't see the justification in buying the headlights at this cost?
