[B39 B58]

I'm thinking of upgrading my OEM angel eyes but hesitating because I don't want to damage the headlights or increase the risk of failure in a year or two. Between the OEM xenon projectors, auto-leveling and cornering motors, and the separate cornering lights, there are a lot of expensive and probably fragile parts waiting to fail.

From reading other threads here, it seems like going with Lux 160s or some similar plug and play option does create some additional risk of problems down the road, right? Does it compromise the headlight seal or do the new components put strain on the OEM parts? Or are those problems all from bad installs?

Would an OSS retrofit be safer, or is that just asking for different problems because the headlights are being taken apart and put back together?

I know there are other big differences between the two approaches, but if avoiding expensive headlight repairs is the priority, what do you guys suggest? Lux160s, OSS retrofit, or avoid both?

Thanks!

[Game]

If you take your time with the DIY, you won't have any problems. The most difficult part is getting the nerve to actually open up your headlights.

[B39 B58]

Originally Posted by Game

If you take your time with the DIY, you won't have any problems. The most difficult part is getting the nerve to actually open up your headlights.

You mean DIY for a Lux upgrade? So that requires opening up the headlights and resealing them somehow? I'm probably going to find someone to do it for me in any case, so I'm just wondering about long-term problems with the headlights themselves.

I'm asking partly because of threads like this:
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=684122
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=657945

[Game]

Originally Posted by SF Space Grey

You mean DIY for a Lux upgrade? So that requires opening up the headlights and resealing them somehow? I'm probably going to find someone to do it for me in any case, so I'm just wondering about long-term problems with the headlights themselves.

I'm asking partly because of threads like this:
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=684122
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=657945

No, the lux upgrade is switching out a bulb. I was referring to the OSS type retrofit.


edit - sorry, saw you were E90. I'll let someone else chime in.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Having dealt with opening up the headlights several times, I don't recommend it to amatuers.

Installing a plug and play type bulb like Lux 160W, HPB 160W, XPH 160W, or other popular offerings is a lot less intrusive.

All of our customers who've installed the HPB 160W have had no problems. They don't use any more power then the stock bulbs.

[LuxAngelEyes]

Originally Posted by SF Space Grey

You mean DIY for a Lux upgrade? So that requires opening up the headlights and resealing them somehow? I'm probably going to find someone to do it for me in any case, so I'm just wondering about long-term problems with the headlights themselves.

I'm asking partly because of threads like this:
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=684122
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=657945

No not at all. our LUX Bulbs and other plug and play replacements only require changing the bulb and can take as little as 10 minutes to do so. It will not interfere with your headlights at all, no warnings, no errors, no chance of overheating or damage. We have been designing LED Angel eyes for 9+ years so i can assure you there is no long-term issues to worry about with these.

The aftermarket ring assemblies are a different story and do require you to open the headlights, change the internals and install a aftermarket ring. This is a much more costly and much longer process. Sometimes you need to send the lights out so you will be without headlights for a period of time.

Please send me a message if you have any questions i can help with directly also

[B39 B58]

Originally Posted by LuxAngelEyes

No not at all. our LUX Bulbs and other plug and play replacements only require changing the bulb and can take as little as 10 minutes to do so. It will not interfere with your headlights at all, no warnings, no errors, no chance of overheating or damage. We have been designing LED Angel eyes for 9+ years so i can assure you there is no long-term issues to worry about with these.

The aftermarket ring assemblies are a different story and do require you to open the headlights, change the internals and install a aftermarket ring. This is a much more costly and much longer process. Sometimes you need to send the lights out so you will be without headlights for a period of time.

Please send me a message if you have any questions i can help with directly also

Appreciate the response! I'm certainly not criticizing your product--you guys have a great rep and I'm sure it's deserved. But from reading threads on this forum it sounds like people have had problems with their adaptive headlight motors when the ballast from replacement bulbs ended up in the wrong place. Just trying to figure out how common those problems are and whether a full retrofit (not DIY) is risky in other ways.

[1QuikWS6]

Originally Posted by SF Space Grey

Appreciate the response! I'm certainly not criticizing your product--you guys have a great rep and I'm sure it's deserved. But from reading threads on this forum it sounds like people have had problems with their adaptive headlight motors when the ballast from replacement bulbs ended up in the wrong place. Just trying to figure out how common those problems are and whether a full retrofit (not DIY) is risky in other ways.

I'd love to see those posts and who posted them - never heard of such BS, and I've been on this forum for quite some time...

I've been using aftermarket led ae's since I 1st bought my car in 09' from either LUX or DTech, never had a problem, nor would I expect to, all you're doing is replacing a bulb, and the ballast can't go anywhere other than the small cavity around the bulb.

And yes, I have adaptive zenons


Having someone break the seal and remove the headlight lens, then glue it back together for mod such as OSS could cause way more problems if they don't know what they are doing

[B39 B58]

Originally Posted by 1QuikWS6

I'd love to see those posts and who posted them - never heard of such BS, and I've been on this forum for quite some time...

I linked the posts above--take a look if you want.

Glad to hear you haven't had any problems with yours. Maybe the issues people had were all due to bad installations. Started the thread just to get opinions from people who knew more about this stuff than I do (i.e., everyone).

[TruBloodTransAm]

Originally Posted by 1QuikWS6

I'd love to see those posts and who posted them - never heard of such BS, and I've been on this forum for quite some time...

Sup man, nice to see a fellow LS1 guy here! You over on LS1Tech too? Just picked up my first bimmer recently. I'm already finding it a bitch to work on compared to my LS1 T/A.

[1QuikWS6]

Yeah, I'm on LS1Tech and LS1.com, haven't visited there in quite a while as I quit modding the TA, and moved on to the BMW

I met a few other TA owners on here, what car do you have?

I have a Lingenfelter 427 with Nitrous in my TA, and you're right, that car is still easier to mod, the BMW has way more integrated electronics, and so much involved in adding options that the car didn't come with, but hey, it's a challenge

[TruBloodTransAm]

Originally Posted by 1QuikWS6

Yeah, I'm on LS1Tech and LS1.com, haven't visited there in quite a while as I quit modding the TA, and moved on to the BMW

I met a few other TA owners on here, what car do you have?

I have a Lingenfelter 427 with Nitrous in my TA, and you're right, that car is still easier to mod, the BMW has way more integrated electronics, and so much involved in adding options that the car didn't come with, but hey, it's a challenge

My T/A hasn't left the garage in a few months, I need to stop being lazy and get my koni shock fixed. I've got a 2000 T/A, red with ebony interior. It's got full exhaust, basic boltons, UMI/strano/koni suspension, and Fikse FM/10s.

Just picked up a black on black 2010 bmw 335I coupe.

[LuxAngelEyes]

Originally Posted by SF Space Grey

Appreciate the response! I'm certainly not criticizing your product--you guys have a great rep and I'm sure it's deserved. But from reading threads on this forum it sounds like people have had problems with their adaptive headlight motors when the ballast from replacement bulbs ended up in the wrong place. Just trying to figure out how common those problems are and whether a full retrofit (not DIY) is risky in other ways.

There have been some thread in the 1-series post about this since those headlights are extremely small and difficult to work with. We have never had heard of anyone with a 3-series run into these types of problems.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Originally Posted by SF Space Grey

Appreciate the response! I'm certainly not criticizing your product--you guys have a great rep and I'm sure it's deserved. But from reading threads on this forum it sounds like people have had problems with their adaptive headlight motors when the ballast from replacement bulbs ended up in the wrong place. Just trying to figure out how common those problems are and whether a full retrofit (not DIY) is risky in other ways.

That seems more related to user install error and frankly that can go a lot worse if those same individuals tried a DIY on a set of custom rings. Having dabbled with several removals of headlights and opening them up, it is not for the faint at heart. However, for an avid DIY'r who is familiar with the process and mechanically inclined, it's really not that bad.

I recall one or 2 people now that you mention it but as I said, that's user install error.

When installing these it's of course important to keep wiring and such out of the way of moving parts.

[mike@x-ph.com]

If done correctly and if user followed the installation guide, you will have no problem installing the angel eye bulb ( whether its lux or another brand) even if this is your first time. If you are looking to do custom LED headlights (OSS or our kit), i strongly recommend that you send it to a pro.This is one of the main reasons why we do not sell our Angel eye rings separate

[DrRobert]

On an E90 the AE bulb is in a separate enclosure from the xenon headlamp, I don't see how you could damage it. But if you do this be really careful with the little plastic tabs that hold the bulb in the socket. They are really easy to break (I found out the hard way) and BMW does not sell replacement sockets - you have to buy a whole new headlight assembly if you want to replace the cheap little bulb socket! (thanks BMW) No way I'm doing that so now my AE connectors are held in with electrical tape. Also be careful when inserting the LED bulb into the AE enclosure - I also found out the hard way that it is easy to break the little glass dome over the LED, which ruins the whole thing. Had to get a replacement and do it over but happy with the end result after all that!