I got a question about headlight

[speedwaypinoy]

I was wondering what is a good suggestion for a good headlight upgrade? I have the stock fogged up ones and I was wondering on everybodies opinion which one should replace the stock ones.

[mmzcee]

depos, $180 shipped off ebay.

or ZKWs from umnitzas if you have got the money.

[Yuen]

Yeah, everyone will say ellipsoids (Bosch, ZKW, Depo).

[bimmerboy328i]

Yeah, everyone will say ellipsoids (Bosch, ZKW, Depo).

Yup. Quality is a good thing to have. I love my ZKWs and noticed a big difference in them between the US ones.

[speedwaypinoy]

are they an easy install?

[BlackIce]

I hear depos are the cheapest.

They take about 20 minutes to unscrew and put new ones in, its 5 screws.

[mmzcee]

takes about an hour for average person. longer if you have no idea what you're doing.

nobody gets Boschs, they are too expensive, unless you find a good deal on a used pair or something, go ZKWs if you want the creme de la creme.

Get depos if you want to save a little money to invest into some other stuff, any way you go, you won't regret getting ellipsoids. If you do get ZKWs, keep your US Spec headlights, and swap them back in whenever you want to sell the car and resell the ZKWs..

I spent ultimately around $90 for my ellipsoids + bulbs, after reselling my US Specs on ebay and getting a return .

[speedwaypinoy]

thanks any links on where to find depos?

[heifetz17]

Where can I find the Bosch ones?

[mmzcee]

Bosch if you're lucky you can find on ebay.

Umnitza has them as well, or if you want to spend even more, go to the dealer.

you can find cheap sets of depos on ebay, looks like kensu raised the price now to $165 + shipping, I got mine for $145.

[doodle]

Go here www.umnitza.com for ZKWs (I recommend) or DEPOs (my friend has them, has given a few things we needed to tweak and some things that we can't fixed, such as faulty aiming on one side).

E-mail them if you need help, they will get to you VERY quickly and answer your questions.

[texasbimmer]

in the meantime, 10 minutes of work and you can clean your current headlights. This needs to be done anyway in my opinion. One for safety, and two, so you can sell them on ebay and get some of your money back

I used a metal polish from local auto store, McGuire's I think for $2.50. I simply applied the polish and wiped it off. It made my 12 year-old fogged headlights look young again. I did find them to have some minor scratches, but I can see the road now and I was able to spend headlight money on more important things - like brakes. Headlight will be later.

[speedwaypinoy]

questions: would headlights for a 2dr fit a 4dr?

[scooter086]

questions: would headlights for a 2dr fit a 4dr?

yes, they will. when ordering lights off of umnitza I didn't have to specify 2dr or 4dr, so i assume they're all the same.

[heifetz17]

yes, they will. when ordering lights off of umnitza I didn't have to specify 2dr or 4dr, so i assume they're all the same.

Corner lights won't fit, but I think headlights should.

[heifetz17]

The ellipsoids on umnitza come with left and right side, right? I just wanted to clear up what "1 pair headlights only" means.

[RJ 325is]

The install was easy for me, but it was a pain getting the lights aimed correctly. I remember when I first put them on they were shining high and everytime I was behind someone they would change lanes

[scooter086]

The ellipsoids on umnitza come with left and right side, right? I just wanted to clear up what "1 pair headlights only" means.

yes, the umnitza lights come right and left.

edit: oh yeah, forgot the corner lights are different on 4dr and 2dr, should have mentioned that.

[speedwaypinoy]

um...I'm not specifically talking about umnitza lights im talking about headlights in general umnitza or not

[speedwaypinoy]

in the meantime, 10 minutes of work and you can clean your current headlights. This needs to be done anyway in my opinion. One for safety, and two, so you can sell them on ebay and get some of your money back

I used a metal polish from local auto store, McGuire's I think for $2.50. I simply applied the polish and wiped it off. It made my 12 year-old fogged headlights look young again. I did find them to have some minor scratches, but I can see the road now and I was able to spend headlight money on more important things - like brakes. Headlight will be later.

what product did u use to clear it up?

[umnitza]

3 items of note.

All 3 series have the same lights no matter what. They all fit the same.

Cleaning your OEM plastic lenses is a great idea, if you want to sell them, it won't change how little light they put out.

Any other mod - Xenon, DDE, city lights, strobes, leveling, cannot be done to your lights, only Euros.

and finally - a 4th.

We have just about every configuration to fit your budget

[BimmerDude18]

Cleaning your OEM plastic lenses is a great idea, if you want to sell them, it won't change how little light they put out.

So your saying that the thin lense effect caused by fogged covers is meaningless. That the scattered light doesn't matter?

I know there won't be a 50% change in light output, but when people spend a lot of money for a 5% or a 10% change, I would suspect you would get at least that by having a clean uniteruption headlight lense.

Anyone else agree with me or am I just buying into physics?

-Tyler

[umnitza]

So your saying that the thin lense effect caused by fogged covers is meaningless. That the scattered light doesn't matter?

I know there won't be a 50% change in light output, but when people spend a lot of money for a 5% or a 10% change, I would suspect you would get at least that by having a clean uniteruption headlight lense.

Anyone else agree with me or am I just buying into physics?

-Tyler

Let me put FACTS in front of you so you understand more clearly:

1) Average 9006 output on US 55W Philips or Osram light bulbs are 800-1000 lumens.
2) Average H1 output is 1550 lumens at 55W same PHilisp of Osram. And yes, it's LINEAR.
3) A projector headlight will significantly improve the output pattern and intensity.
4) Cleaning your lense will only do so much - you don't speak from experience - I do. I did that to my own lenses and it kinda sorta made them look better but I still couldn't see.

[RenegadeBMW]

Bosch if you're lucky you can find on ebay.

Umnitza has them as well, or if you want to spend even more, go to the dealer.

you can find cheap sets of depos on ebay, looks like kensu raised the price now to $165 + shipping, I got mine for $145.

Ooo I love over paying for shit from the dealer! J/K

I have had my ZKWs for over a year now. Got em from Umnitza and couldn't be happier. May I also suggest the stonegaurd? Trust me you want to get it, even if you are trying to save some cash by going with DEPOs.

[bmrlvr5]

I have a 1994 US spec E34. I bought some Depo's from Ebay and the plugs did not match. It would seem that I needed a European spec plug, not the oval one's in my car. Other than a junkyard in Europe, does anyone have a source for plugs. I don't want to have to research through BMW part numbers.