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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > Cosmetic and Lighting Modifications (exterior/interior) > Decision For Headlight



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      03-25-2021, 10:46 AM   #1
YnnoJ420
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Decision For Headlight

Hi everyone! The headlights on my 2007 335i has seen better days and the yellow haze gotta go. The headlights are in perfect working conditions but I'm at a impasse on how to go about the headlights. I have the pre-LCI xenon headlight w/ adaptive h'lamp and my options I'm thinking of is this;

1) Use some headlight restore kit or wet sand it down till the haze is gone. (Super cheap option)

2) New headlight lens. I'm leaning to this option a little more just cause ill be able to customize the headlight (New rings, LED Brow, Demon eye, ECT.) to however I wish once I crack it open for the new lens. Once open I plan on using bavgruppe design products to replace the OEM lighting. Only issue is that I have no idea what the part number is or where to buy just the headlight cover. (If anyone has any idea where to get them, please let me know! It would help me out greatly!) I searched eBay and contacted a seller who said its compatible with my pre-LCI headlights but wanted to get another's opinion. I'm always skeptical about eBay.. Here's the link to the seller.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/402567845225?ul_noapp=true

3) Save up and buy a custom headlight from a local bavgruppe design distributer called bayoptiks. They have retrofit pre-LCI headlights but at the price of your first born. I like the headlights but I feel I'm capable of putting together the headlights myself if I can find the cover to save some money. Heres's the link to the retro fit headlights from bayoptiks.

https://bayoptiks.com/collections/e9...13045159264309

4) Maybe 2nd cheapest option is to code the car and switch to halogen but I'm fairly new to coding and probably need to do some research. IMO I like xenon lights more then the halogen so rather stick with xenon lights.

Let me know your opinions and if theirs any other options I should look into! Thanks!
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      03-25-2021, 10:53 AM   #2
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If it's just haze without heavy pitting, it can easily be restored to like new. Pitting can, too, just takes more time/effort. I don't believe OEM lenses are available, so I'd be weary of any aftermarket replacements as far as fitment and possible leaks. As for customizing them, that's up to you and how much DIY effort you're willing to put in and/or pay for.
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      03-25-2021, 11:23 AM   #3
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Thanks Emilime for the heads up on the aftermarket headlight covers! Needed that confirmation. It would suck to spend 80$ on the covers just to have water pour into my perfectly good working headlights due to poor fitment and now I have to buy new xenon's.. Tons of red flags with some of these eBay dealers too.. Asked about the fitment for my car and instead got a 12% coupon for the covers and no reply..

Once the cover is clear again, probably buy the bavgruppe products over time instead of the 2,500$-4k$ lump sum. I enjoy doing DIY's and I like to hear other members opinion/experiences so I can get the best bang for my buck. Thanks for the feedback Emilime
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      03-25-2021, 12:23 PM   #4
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No worries. But, just for the record, I don't know if the aftermarket lenses are a good fit, or not. I'd just be weary of them and would rather clean up the originals because those I know will fit.
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      03-26-2021, 12:36 PM   #5
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Make sure you put some sort of ceramic coating or clear coat on the headlights after polishing. They have a UV resistant coating from the factory and once polished they get hazy/yellowed much quicker than they originally did.
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      03-27-2021, 10:19 PM   #6
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I built my headlights with bavgruppe hardware. Not too difficult of a job. For the lenses, you can get the china aftermarket lenses or you can get oem AL replacements from bimmerjakes. Bavgruppe carries the bimmerjakes lenses. If you have an e90, it will be a little more difficult to open the lights since they are permasealed v.ersus butyl sealed on my pre-lci e92/e93 headlights.

I would just take your time on the build and it will come out great. My list in my headlight build:

New AL Lenses
PPF
ZKW-R Clear lens swap
Cutoff flap removal
Full Carbon Fiber Housing
Carbon Fiber Eyebrow
Bavgruppe DTM Flat bottom rings
Profile Prism Demon eye + morimoto XBT controller
painted gloss black shrouds + turn signal housing
Osram CBB D1S
GP Thunder H3 Cornering Lens Bulb
LED turn signal with painted black housings
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      03-28-2021, 12:06 PM   #7
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Removing the lenses on an e90 is very difficult, well you have to cut around the housing to be able to stick some sort of knife to break the seal. I did mine with some eBay dtm led lights. I suggest just polishing the lenses and applying some sort of clear coat
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      03-29-2021, 01:33 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Renegadenick View Post
I built my headlights with bavgruppe hardware. Not too difficult of a job. For the lenses, you can get the china aftermarket lenses or you can get oem AL replacements from bimmerjakes. Bavgruppe carries the bimmerjakes lenses. If you have an e90, it will be a little more difficult to open the lights since they are permasealed v.ersus butyl sealed on my pre-lci e92/e93 headlights.

I would just take your time on the build and it will come out great. My list in my headlight build:

New AL Lenses
PPF
ZKW-R Clear lens swap
Cutoff flap removal
Full Carbon Fiber Housing
Carbon Fiber Eyebrow
Bavgruppe DTM Flat bottom rings
Profile Prism Demon eye + morimoto XBT controller
painted gloss black shrouds + turn signal housing
Osram CBB D1S
GP Thunder H3 Cornering Lens Bulb
LED turn signal with painted black housings
Thank you! I've been searching for so long for headlight covers! So you purchased this headlight covers (https://www.bimmerjakes.com/en/headl...eft_right-pair) and fitment was good? Also for my pre-lci e90 headlights, the permasealed glue just need to bake in the oven long enough to pry open the headlight correct?
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      03-29-2021, 01:35 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Renegadenick View Post
\

I would just take your time on the build and it will come out great. My list in my headlight build:

New AL Lenses
PPF
ZKW-R Clear lens swap
Cutoff flap removal
Full Carbon Fiber Housing
Carbon Fiber Eyebrow
Bavgruppe DTM Flat bottom rings
Profile Prism Demon eye + morimoto XBT controller
painted gloss black shrouds + turn signal housing
Osram CBB D1S
GP Thunder H3 Cornering Lens Bulb
LED turn signal with painted black housings
Oh and also is their any pictures of your headlights for inspiration before I begin tearing open my headlights??
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      03-29-2021, 03:00 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by YnnoJ420 View Post
Thank you! I've been searching for so long for headlight covers! So you purchased this headlight covers (https://www.bimmerjakes.com/en/headl...eft_right-pair) and fitment was good? Also for my pre-lci e90 headlights, the permasealed glue just need to bake in the oven long enough to pry open the headlight correct?
Well I purchased the one for e92/3 pre lci, but the ones you linked here should fit your car if it is pre lci e90 xenon.

For your permasealed headlights, it is a little harder. I have only opened one set of permasealed headlights but the process is somewhat similar. You can use an oven to heat up the seal but I prefer a heat gun so I can work on one section at a time. It takes a while to work on one section so by the time you finish one section, the other parts will be cooled so the oven is a waste in my opinion. You can purchase Morimoto Permatrator to soften the seal and make it easier to work with. After modding, use butyl to seal them back up.

The other option is to cut off your lens from the housing. Since you are planning on getting new lenses, this may not be a bad option either. I definitely recommend you get the lenses from bimmerjakes. You never know the quality of the China lenses and if their UV coat will fail in a few years.
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      03-29-2021, 03:01 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by YnnoJ420 View Post
Oh and also is their any pictures of your headlights for inspiration before I begin tearing open my headlights??
I can post some later tonight if I remember. If not, send me a PM.
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      04-22-2021, 01:24 PM   #12
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Renegadenick - I see you're using ZKW-R clear lenses. I have newer LCI adaptive projectors so I'm using STI-R from theretrofitsource.com

Q1) Do you mind if I ask how much spacing did you need to get a good sharp cutoff? I went with ~0.206"
Q2) Can you explain cut off flap removal please? not sure if you did surgery on your projector's cutoff or something else. I tried to cut on it not to change the profile but to remove the extra sheet metal and it really m$cked it up. I'll find a picture to show you one that isn't cut versus the one i cut. thanks
Picture is from left side projector loose on a bar stool with 12V battery feeding the ballast. My test lab in the driveway at 11 pm. About 25 feet to the garage door.
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Last edited by BB_cuda; 04-22-2021 at 01:41 PM..
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      04-23-2021, 12:07 AM   #13
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BB_cuda, for Q2, there's a tab of sorts on the shield, I believe I cut mine off mostly and used aluminum tape to cover the hole.
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      04-23-2021, 12:31 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vulcan50 View Post
BB_cuda, for Q2, there's a tab of sorts on the shield, I believe I cut mine off mostly and used aluminum tape to cover the hole.
Thanks, Vulcan50. Why did you cut off the tab? is there a benefit? I have 6 different E90 projectors (3 left and 3 right). I have another pair that went for a swim during a hurricane. I took off the cutoff shield from one of the bad ones and experimented. I trimmed off the extra metal on it and re-installed onto one of the good projectors. The cutoff was much more blury.

Can you explain why it is trimmed and perhaps what did i screw up in my trial? thanks
P.S. If you have a picture of what you mean by trimmed tab, this would be wonderful. I'm talking about the shield that goes across the projector beam and is painted black (sort of sheet metal material).

Last edited by BB_cuda; 04-23-2021 at 12:38 AM..
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      04-23-2021, 01:43 AM   #15
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So the picture here is just off google, and I believe is a VW, but the design is the same. The circled part is the "tab" that needs trimmed. It's not the main shield.
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      04-23-2021, 03:31 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BB_cuda View Post
Renegadenick - I see you're using ZKW-R clear lenses. I have newer LCI adaptive projectors so I'm using STI-R from theretrofitsource.com

Q1) Do you mind if I ask how much spacing did you need to get a good sharp cutoff? I went with ~0.206"
Q2) Can you explain cut off flap removal please? not sure if you did surgery on your projector's cutoff or something else. I tried to cut on it not to change the profile but to remove the extra sheet metal and it really m$cked it up. I'll find a picture to show you one that isn't cut versus the one i cut. thanks
Picture is from left side projector loose on a bar stool with 12V battery feeding the ballast. My test lab in the driveway at 11 pm. About 25 feet to the garage door.
I don't recall how much spacing I did exactly, I just used washer and had to keep test fitting. I removed the projector and ballast from the headlight and hooked up 12v to make it easy. Looks like you have a similar rig.

Attached is a photo I took from another thread. It shows the "RV" flap I cut off.
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      04-23-2021, 03:35 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BB_cuda View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vulcan50 View Post
BB_cuda, for Q2, there's a tab of sorts on the shield, I believe I cut mine off mostly and used aluminum tape to cover the hole.
Thanks, Vulcan50. Why did you cut off the tab? is there a benefit? I have 6 different E90 projectors (3 left and 3 right). I have another pair that went for a swim during a hurricane. I took off the cutoff shield from one of the bad ones and experimented. I trimmed off the extra metal on it and re-installed onto one of the good projectors. The cutoff was much more blury.

Can you explain why it is trimmed and perhaps what did i screw up in my trial? thanks
P.S. If you have a picture of what you mean by trimmed tab, this would be wonderful. I'm talking about the shield that goes across the projector beam and is painted black (sort of sheet metal material).
You may have different projectors in your LCI, mine are AL. The flap removal can give you a more blue color and sharper cut off that a lot of headlight retrofitters chase after. It looks like you have a hotspot in one of your pictures, you may have to adjust the focal length with spacers.
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      04-23-2021, 03:40 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by YnnoJ420 View Post
Oh and also is their any pictures of your headlights for inspiration before I begin tearing open my headlights??
Sorry for the late response. Here are some pictures if you still need it.
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      04-25-2021, 08:22 AM   #19
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I iterated 3x to find good focal length. I do have nice cutoff but would like to see a more even distribution and not a hot spot. You guys use the ZKR and it has different height so the spacing is different than what I need for STi-R. My OE lens and STi are real close in height. I was told this is what is important.
STI is smaller diameter so I designed an adapter that holds smaller lens and out spaces 5.47 mm ~0.216”. I put in little key ways as LCI lens holder has 3 holding fingers.
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      04-25-2021, 05:05 PM   #20
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I'm interested in something just a bit different. I do NOT want the round halo's with the flat bottom. I am seeking out the hex halos that you see on the more modern bimmers. If any of you guy know how to get that going, please chime in. Otherwise, I will just stick with my OEM's on my 09' E92.
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      04-25-2021, 06:23 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BB_cuda View Post
I iterated 3x to find good focal length. I do have nice cutoff but would like to see a more even distribution and not a hot spot. You guys use the ZKR and it has different height so the spacing is different than what I need for STi-R. My OE lens and STi are real close in height. I was told this is what is important.
STI is smaller diameter so I designed an adapter that holds smaller lens and out spaces 5.47 mm ~0.216". I put in little key ways as LCI lens holder has 3 holding fingers.
Have you tried a different bulb? Which ones are you using?
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      04-25-2021, 06:24 PM   #22
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Originally Posted by Aquastevae View Post
I'm interested in something just a bit different. I do NOT want the round halo's with the flat bottom. I am seeking out the hex halos that you see on the more modern bimmers. If any of you guy know how to get that going, please chime in. Otherwise, I will just stick with my OEM's on my 09' E92.
Bavgruppe has that style you want. They call it "vision."
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