Just for correctness on OCUK forums, you can now get HID bulbs that are legal retro fit on reflector lamps. They are specifically designed to match the beam pattern of a halogen bulb so require no washers or self levelling.
They do, which is why you see them stepping down on cars coming towards you over hills.
Just for correctness on OCUK forums, you can now get HID bulbs that are legal retro fit on reflector lamps. They are specifically designed to match the beam pattern of a halogen bulb so require no washers or self levelling.
Can you recommend any? How easy are these to retrofit?
Not what they are for tho, the self levelling is to adjust the beam angle for load.
[TW]Fox;15564201 said:No they dont and what you are seeing isnt self levelling. As mentioned its there to compensate vehicle loading. The motors cannot react quick enough for anything else.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/adaptive-headlight1.htm said:Most adaptive headlights systems also include a self-leveling system. Self-leveling headlights have an additional level sensor that determines if the car is tilted forward or back. For example, if a car is driving over a large bump, when the front of the car hits the bump, it lifts up. Standard headlights would briefly point up into the sky until the rear of the car moved over the bump and the car returned to a level position. You may have noticed this if a car driving behind you at night passed over a bump, such as a railroad crossing. The other car's headlights would flash briefly, as if the driver had blinked his or her high beams at you. This is actually the car's headlights temporarily pointing up and into your eyes instead of down at the road. With a self-leveling system, electric servomotors react to the level sensor and keep the headlights aimed down at the road, no matter the position of the car.
Self-leveling headlights are already required on new cars in Europe, and they're required on all U.S. cars equipped with bi-xenon headlights. Bi-xenon lights are so bright that they would blind other drivers if they didn't level themselves.
The halogen e46/e39 do this, but the Xenons self level while you are driving along.
As above, the ones in non-xenon cars do that, xenon cars adjust the beam as you are driving along.
[TW]Fox;15564615 said:Halogen E46 and E39 do not self level.
Don't buy a set of BMW E90 Xenon lamps off ebay they are not plug and play at all! There is a massive amount of work. Like I said just visit E90Post and everything you want to know is already answered there.
I'm sure they do to adjust for load, which was my earlier point - why else would they move up and down when you start the car?
That because Andy does the work for youHave you asked him how much they are? Your looking at £1k plus. So like I said if you buy some off ebay they will not be plug and play.
You can buy the lights off ebay and put in an after market ballast designed to trick the bulb warning to run the xenon bulb and if you take a cable from the high beam bulb to the shutter for the Bi-Xenon and that will give you a full set of bi-xenons. This looks like the method Andy is using and adding a healthy mark up.
it's so that only the ones with optional xenons get angel eyes[TW]Fox;15567645 said:Replacing the headlights is by far the best way to go. Projector headlights look better, its a good visual mod, the light output is better, etc etc.
No idea why BMW keep cheaping out by using completely different headlight housings on Xenon and non Xenon models, they didnt do this for the E39![]()
it's so that only the ones with optional xenons get angel eyes
oh, well that's just stupid then[TW]Fox;15567711 said:No it isn't because cars like the LCI E90 have no Projectors but do have Angel Eyes.