[rs14smith]

Okay, don't judge me, I know this is probably an obvious newbie question, and probably buried somewhere here on e90post.com in another thread (but I couldn't find it), but how would you determine if your current vehicle has Halogen or Xenon headlights? My headlights/angle eyes have that yellowish orange light which I'm assuming probably is a Halogen bulb emitting from behind?

Reason I ask, I plan to purchase some LED (white emitting) bulbs from http://www.bavauto.com/shop.asp and I need to verify the type of headlights I currently have.

[mike5809]

You can check by running your VIN through a decoder; http://www.bmwarchiv.de/vin/bmw-vin-decoder.html

I also believe it says "Xenon" on the headlight if you have them - but I may be mistaken as it might just only be for the adaptive headlights.

[White D]

Can you get a picture of a close up of your head lights turned off?
From the look of your profile photo, Im guessing you have halogen.

Xenon will have a lens that you can see from the out side that directs the light pattern.
Halogen just has the light reflect off a large multi-angled mirrored surface. The light is much more diffuse.

[Delta0311]

There is no way in hell you have halogen headlights if you have a 335. Even the base model came with xenon's. Post up a close pic and we will be able to tell.

[Borisimo]

Hologen look like this:

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...l/IMG_0993.jpg

Xenon look like this:

http://www.bmw.com/com/en/insights/t...eadlights.html

(I did a google image search and those came up)

[Antetokounmpo]

All 335i's have xenons, optional on 328i's. It very easy to tell, the xenons have projectors and the halogens just look like "normal" headlights.

[rs14smith]

Okay, I will try to remember to take a picture of my headlights tomorrow. I was about 80% sure I had halogen lights but I'm glad I asked here first before ordering anything.

[AS4EX]

This should answer your question.

Not trying to be jerk at all, but if you own a BMW or anything similar, this should be one of the first things you know how to tell apart.

[ezmaass]

Well, the simplest way to tell is by turning them on and looking at them! Newbie or not, there's no mistaking the bluish glow of a xenon from any halogen you've ever encountered. The xenon will also "warm up" and auto-level when you turn it on... so if the car is facing a wall, you'll see the lights start off more dim and quickly reach full brightness in about a second or two.

The angel eyes may be halogen, which will look yellowish like any normal halogen.

[rs14smith]

After looking at E90Ryan's post, and comparing my photos, I can see I have Xenon headlights. Thanks for the photo!

[rs14smith]

Originally Posted by ezmaass

The angel eyes may be halogen, which will look yellowish like any normal halogen.

Hmmm, well how would I know that for sure? As that's the part I'm trying to make look white instead of yellowish orange like they are now.

[AlpineSwift]

Turn your car on, turn the high beams on, stand in front of one headlight and stare straight into it for 10 seconds. If you are only partially blind, its a halogen. If you are completely blind, its xenon.

[kdbryce]

Now that we know you do have xenons, you should definitely look into lux before ordering your angel eyes. They're, in my opinion, the best out there for what you have. Besides a transplant. The ones you've mentioned seem a little pricey for a name I've never heard of.

I've been on here for a few years and I'd really say lux is the best.

[pjroberts]

I just moved from a 2011 328 with "white" xenons to an 09 335 with the yellow xenons, and maybe it's psychosis, but doesn't feel as bright and it def doesn't look right. And I can rhyme too.

Is this a basic swap (for the Lux or other white xenons) or does it require more pieces e2e? Also, is what is the inner lamp if the outer is high/low, and what lamp you swap there to achieve full bright white blinding light?

One more lighting question. Is it possible to code the system so it defaults to fog lamps on, or really, I want the to hold the fog lamp setting from last session, so I don't have to turn them back on. When I use them I like them to stay engaged until I don't need them, not when the cat assumes I don't. Damn presumptuous Germans.

[rs14smith]

Originally Posted by kdbryce

Now that we know you do have xenons, you should definitely look into lux before ordering your angel eyes. They're, in my opinion, the best out there for what you have. Besides a transplant. The ones you've mentioned seem a little pricey for a name I've never heard of.

I've been on here for a few years and I'd really say lux is the best.

I went to the Lux website, and I guess the only version they have available for my car is the LUX H8 V4 - Color Adjustable Angel Eyes, which are about $225.00.

Where did you see some cheaper LUX anagle eyes?

[kdbryce]

Originally Posted by rs14smith

I went to the Lux website, and I guess the only version they have available for my car is the LUX H8 V4 - Color Adjustable Angel Eyes, which are about $225.00.

Where did you see some cheaper LUX anagle eyes?

that's pretty much what they go for... I just meant that 150 for the ones you've listed might be too much for what they are. but I don't know.

I've just gone through a lot of angel eyes in the past and spent a lot of money looking for what I wanted and was never really happy. I always wished I got lux

luckily I have factory LEDs now so I don't have to worry about it anymore

[rs14smith]

Originally Posted by kdbryce

that's pretty much what they go for... I just meant that 150 for the ones you've listed might be too much for what they are. but I don't know.

I've just gone through a lot of angel eyes in the past and spent a lot of money looking for what I wanted and was never really happy. I always wished I got lux

luckily I have factory LEDs now so I don't have to worry about it anymore

Yeah I like the fact that the ones from LUX are adjustable! From the installation manual, it states that I can access the bulb replacement from under the hood. I haven't checked my personal car to confirm this, but I know from a couple of videos I saw (may have been the halogen version), you had to take the front wheels off and then take off the inside wheel cover (whatever that black part is called the protects internal components from road debris), and then you can access the bulb that has to be replaced.

I hope I have the easy version

[YGazis109]

Originally Posted by rs14smith

Yeah I like the fact that the ones from LUX are adjustable! From the installation manual, it states that I can access the bulb replacement from under the hood. I haven't checked my personal car to confirm this, but I know from a couple of videos I saw (may have been the halogen version), you had to take the front wheels off and then take off the inside wheel cover (whatever that black part is called the protects internal components from road debris), and then you can access the bulb that has to be replaced.

I hope I have the easy version

Those videos are for pre-lci e90s you have a lci e90...I believe for your car u can just do it from the engine like e92s but not 100% sure because I have pre-lci...however you should really search this forum before u ask most of your questions have been answered many many times here...

[Braumin]

Yes you can do it from under the hood. It's not "easy" but it's not impossible. Just be prepared to get a bit scraped up doing it. My car had a battery tender mounted in front of the passenger bulb so I had to remove that.

I got the LUX and am very happy with them. They are nice and bright, and you can pick the color, but if you pick a color on the lower end of the range (5200K to 6500K or so) the blue LEDs are noticeable because there are only a couple of them turned on at that time. I set mine to 5000K (Alpine White car - so anything other than white is kind of weird looking) and they look great.

[rs14smith]

Originally Posted by Braumin

Yes you can do it from under the hood. It's not "easy" but it's not impossible. Just be prepared to get a bit scraped up doing it. My car had a battery tender mounted in front of the passenger bulb so I had to remove that.

So you're saying the only way to get to it is from under the hood, or is it possible to do it the other route where you are taking the front wheels off? I'd probably still say doing it from under the hood sounds easier. I may pick up some gloves this afternoon

[Braumin]

No you can't do it by taking the wheels off. The covers for the angel eyes is on the back of the lights, under the hood.

The only difficulty I had was that it's difficult to actually turn the bulbs to lock them in place. I think Lux should include a tool for that. Their bulbs aren't the standard 90° bulb so you can't just push on one side to turn it.

[rs14smith]

Originally Posted by Braumin

No you can't do it by taking the wheels off. The covers for the angel eyes is on the back of the lights, under the hood.

The only difficulty I had was that it's difficult to actually turn the bulbs to lock them in place. I think Lux should include a tool for that. Their bulbs aren't the standard 90° bulb so you can't just push on one side to turn it.

Ohh okay. Thanks for the info.