Upgrade bulbs/hid on depo headlights

ramm_e90 · 04-16-2018, 12:25 PM

I bought a set of headlights off of car-id about a year ago and the bulbs they came with are pretty weak. I'm not sure what I would have to replace in order to brighten them up. Are they normal bulbs like my stock headlights or are they a totally different unit? The rings are fine, it's just the low beam lights. I don't know anything about headlights and all the lingo so any help is appreciated.

Link to the pair I bought: https://www.carid.com/2008-bmw-3-ser...parentsubmodel[]=MODEL|328i

Thyrd_I · 04-17-2018, 05:00 PM

first post, got my 335i last august.

but anyways i just finished retrofitting some spec-d lights for my 335i and that is the best bet for those headlights, they have like h3's i think in them that you can change but they're halogen projectors.

different retrofit websites sell brackets to fit in the ACME H1 projectors into the spec-d housing. Its pretty straight forward. they're good projectors (i upgraded to super's and i'm super satisfied lmao) and they aren't too expensive. You will need a heat gun or your oven but the glue isnt hard to get off of the lenses.

The hard part for me was making the set up work using the original shroud in the spec-d headlight, other than that, get shrouds and cut out the original casted shrouds and then paint or whatever and then you will have killer output for probably like 220 dollars and a day or two of downtime. and while you have the lenses off you can do DTM halo's or whatever else!

if you need pictures hit up my instagram @thryd_i , my car is currently at the dealership bc of the recall, but as soon as i get it back i will post output shots here!

Ali-E90 · 04-22-2018, 09:11 AM

Assuming it's still using the factory H7 halogen bulb type, just get an H7 HID or LED kit and you should be fine.

You may need to modify the boot/dust cap at the back of bulb to fit the heatsink or run wiring for the ballast.

Jeff@TopGearSolutions · 04-22-2018, 11:55 AM

Pull the bulb. On the back it will have a designation of the type of Bulb. (IE H7 H8 9006 ETC ETC)

Once you the bulb type then you can replace with a higher output LED or HID Kit.

04-16-2018, 12:25 PM	#1
ramm_e90 Enlisted Member 1 Rep 31 Posts Drives: 328i Sedan Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Chicagoland Area iTrader: (0)	Upgrade bulbs/hid on depo headlights I bought a set of headlights off of car-id about a year ago and the bulbs they came with are pretty weak. I'm not sure what I would have to replace in order to brighten them up. Are they normal bulbs like my stock headlights or are they a totally different unit? The rings are fine, it's just the low beam lights. I don't know anything about headlights and all the lingo so any help is appreciated. Link to the pair I bought: https://www.carid.com/2008-bmw-3-ser...parentsubmodel[]=MODEL\|328i
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04-17-2018, 05:00 PM	#2
Thyrd_I New Member 0 Rep 5 Posts Drives: 2009 White 335i n54 Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Alabama iTrader: (0)	first post, got my 335i last august. but anyways i just finished retrofitting some spec-d lights for my 335i and that is the best bet for those headlights, they have like h3's i think in them that you can change but they're halogen projectors. different retrofit websites sell brackets to fit in the ACME H1 projectors into the spec-d housing. Its pretty straight forward. they're good projectors (i upgraded to super's and i'm super satisfied lmao) and they aren't too expensive. You will need a heat gun or your oven but the glue isnt hard to get off of the lenses. The hard part for me was making the set up work using the original shroud in the spec-d headlight, other than that, get shrouds and cut out the original casted shrouds and then paint or whatever and then you will have killer output for probably like 220 dollars and a day or two of downtime. and while you have the lenses off you can do DTM halo's or whatever else! if you need pictures hit up my instagram @thryd_i , my car is currently at the dealership bc of the recall, but as soon as i get it back i will post output shots here!
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04-22-2018, 09:11 AM	#3
Ali-E90 Colonel 379 Rep 2,365 Posts Drives: 2007 E90 323i (Cdn) Join Date: May 2013 Location: Toronto, Canada iTrader: (3) Garage List 2008 BMW M3 [8.00] 2007 BMW 323i [8.50]	Assuming it's still using the factory H7 halogen bulb type, just get an H7 HID or LED kit and you should be fine. You may need to modify the boot/dust cap at the back of bulb to fit the heatsink or run wiring for the ballast. __________________ Check out my Mod Thread Here
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04-22-2018, 11:55 AM	#4
Jeff@TopGearSolutions 3441 Rep 79,211 Posts Drives: C6 Z06, 09 335i, 10 335xi Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: www.TopGearSolutions.com iTrader: (37)	Pull the bulb. On the back it will have a designation of the type of Bulb. (IE H7 H8 9006 ETC ETC) Once you the bulb type then you can replace with a higher output LED or HID Kit.
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