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      11-19-2016, 02:06 PM   #1
yatesfloyd
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Halogen to LED headlights?

Hello fellow 2ers. I, like many others, regret not getting the lighting package on my 2 series. After being quoted $9000+ for transitioning to projector LEDs and also being told it's impossible to retrofit the headlights, I pretty much gave up on it.
However, recently I was looking through bimmian.com and saw WeissLicht LED headlights. As you can see they're installed on a car with the reflective halogen housing.

I was wondering if anyone else knew about this or had it installed... The only thing I worry about is the light not being focused and shining all over the place, blinding oncoming traffic, etc.
Any knowledge on these would be appreciated.
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      11-23-2016, 12:18 PM   #2
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I had a similar question but couldn't get but one response.
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      11-23-2016, 01:54 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yatesfloyd View Post
Hello fellow 2ers. I, like many others, regret not getting the lighting package on my 2 series. After being quoted $9000+ for transitioning to projector LEDs and also being told it's impossible to retrofit the headlights, I pretty much gave up on it.
However, recently I was looking through bimmian.com and saw WeissLicht LED headlights. As you can see they're installed on a car with the reflective halogen housing.

I was wondering if anyone else knew about this or had it installed... The only thing I worry about is the light not being focused and shining all over the place, blinding oncoming traffic, etc.
Any knowledge on these would be appreciated.
I can't imagine that those are DOT certified. Not even close.

Intriguing product -- especially with a braided belt as a heat sink (?!?!) -- but man that's an expensive (not to mention potentially dangerous, both to your vision and to the vehicle's electrics) experiment.

EDIT: Hmmm. $130 per bulb for the Max (the one you're showing), $120 per bulb for the Flex (the one with the braids). Not too bad, actually. Still ...
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      11-23-2016, 03:03 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Viffermike View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by yatesfloyd View Post
Hello fellow 2ers. I, like many others, regret not getting the lighting package on my 2 series. After being quoted $9000+ for transitioning to projector LEDs and also being told it's impossible to retrofit the headlights, I pretty much gave up on it.
However, recently I was looking through bimmian.com and saw WeissLicht LED headlights. As you can see they're installed on a car with the reflective halogen housing.

I was wondering if anyone else knew about this or had it installed... The only thing I worry about is the light not being focused and shining all over the place, blinding oncoming traffic, etc.
Any knowledge on these would be appreciated.
I can't imagine that those are DOT certified. Not even close.

Intriguing product -- especially with a braided belt as a heat sink (?!?!) -- but man that's an expensive (not to mention potentially dangerous, both to your vision and to the vehicle's electrics) experiment.

EDIT: Hmmm. $130 per bulb for the Max (the one you're showing), $120 per bulb for the Flex (the one with the braids). Not too bad, actually. Still ...
I'm sorry but I'm really confused... is $130 not a fair price? I also though the cable heatsink was cool, but like you, I'm afraid you f the safety and quality of the product.
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      11-25-2016, 12:54 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yatesfloyd View Post
I'm sorry but I'm really confused... is $130 not a fair price? I also though the cable heatsink was cool, but like you, I'm afraid you f the safety and quality of the product.
The price is actually not bad. I'm pretty sure this is a fairly new product on Bimmian, so there won't be many who've tried the bulbs. (There are two reviews on Bimmian's site, but both are for Exx cars).

What you need to ask yourself is if you're willing to spend $250 to $300 on an experiment. Important to note:
- There are no brightness ratings stated for the bulbs. Ideally, you need a measure in lumens. Watts (which are also not given) is not a measure of brightness; it is a measure of current output, and watts are generally not comparable between incandescent bulbs and LED arrays. BAD, all around.
- The LED chips are made by Philips. GOOD (but not great).
- The LED chip array -- and most other chip arrays -- is monodirectional. Note the hash marks on the housing plate facing the chip array; that's so the user can rotate the array to work best with whatever reflector is being used because the chip array emits light best in one direction instead of all directions. BAD.
- Weisslicht doesn't list this particular product on its own website. In fact, it defers to and relies on its retailers (Bimmian is one of four) to do that for it. No offense to the companies, but this is REALLY, REALLY BAD.
- The 2 Series' headlights are already rated as subpar by the NHTSA. Do you really want to potentially make them worse? BAD.

It's up to you. I'm automatically skeptical of ANY aftermarket auto lighting product because it's arguably the most shady accessories niche in the automotive world. There is literally no oversight, product claims are frequently false and illegal, and many products are imported via the gray market. Invest at your own risk.
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      11-25-2016, 01:28 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Viffermike View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by yatesfloyd View Post
I'm sorry but I'm really confused... is $130 not a fair price? I also though the cable heatsink was cool, but like you, I'm afraid you f the safety and quality of the product.
The price is actually not bad. I'm pretty sure this is a fairly new product on Bimmian, so there won't be many who've tried the bulbs. (There are two reviews on Bimmian's site, but both are for Exx cars).

What you need to ask yourself is if you're willing to spend $250 to $300 on an experiment. Important to note:
- There are no brightness ratings stated for the bulbs. Ideally, you need a measure in lumens. Watts (which are also not given) is not a measure of brightness; it is a measure of current output, and watts are generally not comparable between incandescent bulbs and LED arrays. BAD, all around.
- The LED chips are made by Philips. GOOD (but not great).
- The LED chip array -- and most other chip arrays -- is monodirectional. Note the hash marks on the housing plate facing the chip array; that's so the user can rotate the array to work best with whatever reflector is being used because the chip array emits light best in one direction instead of all directions. BAD.
- Weisslicht doesn't list this particular product on its own website. In fact, it defers to and relies on its retailers (Bimmian is one of four) to do that for it. No offense to the companies, but this is REALLY, REALLY BAD.
- The 2 Series' headlights are already rated as subpar by the NHTSA. Do you really want to potentially make them worse? BAD.

It's up to you. I'm automatically skeptical of ANY aftermarket auto lighting product because it's arguably the most shady accessories niche in the automotive world. There is literally no oversight, product claims are frequently false and illegal, and many products are imported via the gray market. Invest at your own risk.
Nice write up. You made my decision to NOT but these easier.
The only reasons I'd buy these were
1) better visibility because I'd go as far to say that the base 2's headlights are unsafe.
2) cosmetics. I'm absolutely desperate to do something about these standard yellow hideous reflector headlights. I don't really feel like I am looking at a BMW without their signature halos and projectors. womp womp
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      11-25-2016, 08:57 PM   #7
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I am still thinking about these: https://www.carid.com/2016-bmw-2-ser....html#warranty
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      12-07-2016, 04:00 AM   #8
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I've been running OPT 7 LEDs instead of my halogens for the last few months, and they have been great. No electrical or blinding issues, and visibility has been much improved.

Granted they aren't angel eyes, but perform and look better than halogens. Install was pretty simple for someone who's never had to change a headlight before.

Here's a link but I got mine on Amazon when they were running a sale for $79: http://www.opt-7.com/fluxbeam-led-headlights/

Still trying to find a solution to replace my DRLs though.
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      12-10-2016, 01:29 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ballinisahabit View Post
I've been running OPT 7 LEDs instead of my halogens for the last few months, and they have been great. No electrical or blinding issues, and visibility has been much improved.

Granted they aren't angel eyes, but perform and look better than halogens. Install was pretty simple for someone who's never had to change a headlight before.

Here's a link but I got mine on Amazon when they were running a sale for $79: http://www.opt-7.com/fluxbeam-led-headlights/

Still trying to find a solution to replace my DRLs though.
How much brighter would you estimate they are? Is the beam focus the same? Thanks in advance.
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      12-10-2016, 04:20 PM   #10
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I had a set of their illustro flex LED replacement bulbs (with the braided heatsink) in my truck and while they are probably a little better than halogen, they were no where near as good as HID. I wasn't expecting HID like brightness but I also wasn't impressed with what they offered for the price...

My truck had HID's in a projector housing and I was looking for a decent alternative to the unreliable HID kit I had installed and decided to go this route. They were ok but too dim for me so I had to switch back to HID.

The max might be worth a shot though?
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      12-13-2016, 06:44 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fatumpsch View Post
How much brighter would you estimate they are? Is the beam focus the same? Thanks in advance.
Honestly the difference was huge...I was taken aback the first time I took her for a drive after the switch (in a good way). It felt weird for the first few days until I actually got used seeing at night lol, especially when raining.

I would say maybe 2x the visibility and 1.5X the distance.

They light up the road immediately in front of you pretty well, then dissipate as the beam goes further out. The only thing that sucks about them is there is no clear cutoff lines, and obviously they aren't angel eyes

I don't know how the other brands stack up, but I would highly!! recommend something like this as a safety upgrade. The halogens are downright dangerous.

As a bonus, they also make the car look much better. Here are some pics I posted on another thread: http://www.2addicts.com/forums/showt...1#post20278111
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      12-13-2016, 08:37 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ballinisahabit View Post
Honestly the difference was huge...I was taken aback the first time I took her for a drive after the switch (in a good way). It felt weird for the first few days until I actually got used seeing at night lol, especially when raining.

I would say maybe 2x the visibility and 1.5X the distance.

They light up the road immediately in front of you pretty well, then dissipate as the beam goes further out. The only thing that sucks about them is there is no clear cutoff lines, and obviously they aren't angel eyes

I don't know how the other brands stack up, but I would highly!! recommend something like this as a safety upgrade. The halogens are downright dangerous.

As a bonus, they also make the car look much better. Here are some pics I posted on another thread: http://www.2addicts.com/forums/showt...1#post20278111
Thanks. Just realized you went from halogen to LED. I've got Xenon. So I guess I'm part way between the two you compared and wouldn't get same gains as you. So, for me it may not be worth it since I'll lose angle eyes. Now I guess I got to look up halogen vs xenon posts to interpolate where I"m at between halogen and LED... Anyone know any other ways to boost low beams? Coding light angle or power? etc
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      12-13-2016, 10:40 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ballinisahabit View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by fatumpsch View Post
How much brighter would you estimate they are? Is the beam focus the same? Thanks in advance.
Honestly the difference was huge...I was taken aback the first time I took her for a drive after the switch (in a good way). It felt weird for the first few days until I actually got used seeing at night lol, especially when raining.

I would say maybe 2x the visibility and 1.5X the distance.

They light up the road immediately in front of you pretty well, then dissipate as the beam goes further out. The only thing that sucks about them is there is no clear cutoff lines, and obviously they aren't angel eyes

I don't know how the other brands stack up, but I would highly!! recommend something like this as a safety upgrade. The halogens are downright dangerous.

As a bonus, they also make the car look much better. Here are some pics I posted on another thread: http://www.2addicts.com/forums/showt...1#post20278111
How much trouble were they to install? Did you have to code them out? Anything that an average joe/dealer couldn't handle?
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      12-14-2016, 12:49 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yatesfloyd View Post
How much trouble were they to install? Did you have to code them out? Anything that an average joe/dealer couldn't handle?
It was my first time to ever change a headlight, and it was pretty straight forward. Literally plug and play.

I did need a friend to help me with the first bulb because I couldn't figure our how to re-attach the wire looking clip which holds the bulb into the housing. Second light took a minute to install.

I doubt a dealer would help because its an aftermarket part, but I'm sure a local shop would install for you.

As far as coding, the bulbs don't throw any errors, but I noticed sometimes they would flicker on startup. I eventually coded that out, but it wasn't a big deal.


Edit: I used this video as a guide. Pretty much identical process.

Last edited by simsimma777; 12-14-2016 at 12:55 PM..
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      12-14-2016, 12:53 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fatumpsch View Post
Thanks. Just realized you went from halogen to LED. I've got Xenon. So I guess I'm part way between the two you compared and wouldn't get same gains as you. So, for me it may not be worth it since I'll lose angle eyes. Now I guess I got to look up halogen vs xenon posts to interpolate where I"m at between halogen and LED... Anyone know any other ways to boost low beams? Coding light angle or power? etc
Xenon is definitely better than the kit I installed.

You aren't gonna get much better than the factory Xenons, unless you want to retro-fit the OEM LED headlights (which is not the same as what I installed). From what I've read though, the difference between them and the Xenons is mainly cosmetic rather than performance, so its not worth the cost for a retrofit.
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      12-15-2016, 05:23 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fatumpsch View Post
Thanks. Just realized you went from halogen to LED. I've got Xenon. So I guess I'm part way between the two you compared and wouldn't get same gains as you. So, for me it may not be worth it since I'll lose angle eyes. Now I guess I got to look up halogen vs xenon posts to interpolate where I"m at between halogen and LED... Anyone know any other ways to boost low beams? Coding light angle or power? etc
The xenons in the car are excellent, better than OEM led in my other cars. Chances are they are adjusted too low, you can adjust them up a few clicks on each side, this should make a world of difference.

LED are great for short distance, (fog lamps ext) but to get far distance and coverage, you need a serious array.
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      12-15-2016, 05:57 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pparana View Post
The xenons in the car are excellent, better than OEM led in my other cars. Chances are they are adjusted too low, you can adjust them up a few clicks on each side, this should make a world of difference.

LED are great for short distance, (fog lamps ext) but to get far distance and coverage, you need a serious array.
Thanks! Since the lights move around on start up, I sort of assumed that they did some automatic self leveling and the angle of lights was dictated by software. It didn't occurred to me that they could be manually adjusted. But you inspired me to find this: http://www.2addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1062377. Post 13 applies to xenon. I adjusted 1 1/2 turns counter clockwise, and will try out tonight. Probably that simple. Maybe I'll like my headlights yet! thanks again
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      11-16-2018, 08:17 AM   #18
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Can you clarify on this?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ballinisahabit View Post
I've been running OPT 7 LEDs instead of my halogens for the last few months, and they have been great. No electrical or blinding issues, and visibility has been much improved.

Granted they aren't angel eyes, but perform and look better than halogens. Install was pretty simple for someone who's never had to change a headlight before.

Here's a link but I got mine on Amazon when they were running a sale for $79: http://www.opt-7.com/fluxbeam-led-headlights/

Still trying to find a solution to replace my DRLs though.
So, I did go to the link on amazon that you provided and read through the product info. And I almost bought them. Then I found this

Other Details



IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION:

Fluxbeam H7 LED Kits will not fit a majority of European vehicles that utilize the H7 bulb for the low or high beams. Included Manufacturers: BMW, Mercedes, Audi, VW, Saab

Are you sure these are the correct bulbs? If theres a specific warning that these do not fit my car id be weary to purchase...
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      07-27-2019, 05:01 PM   #19
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I did a bunch of searches on this forum but I can't seem to find an answer, does anybody know if the OEM Xenon headlights will work on a non-lighting package 228i? I have halogens and I know the adaptive portion of it won't work and I need all those sensors but will I be able to at least get light out of them & DRLs?
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      08-19-2019, 09:24 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by no_hands View Post
I did a bunch of searches on this forum but I can't seem to find an answer, does anybody know if the OEM Xenon headlights will work on a non-lighting package 228i? I have halogens and I know the adaptive portion of it won't work and I need all those sensors but will I be able to at least get light out of them & DRLs?
My indy may tackle this for me, otherwise this is a nice solution for $2100

https://www.2addicts.com/forums/show....php?t=1597101

You can also do this as a DIY for $600 if you have the skills.
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      08-20-2019, 10:31 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by no_hands View Post
I did a bunch of searches on this forum but I can't seem to find an answer, does anybody know if the OEM Xenon headlights will work on a non-lighting package 228i? I have halogens and I know the adaptive portion of it won't work and I need all those sensors but will I be able to at least get light out of them & DRLs?
I talked to my Indy yesterday and he is confident that they can install the factory xenons for me. The only caveat is that they will need to code out the adaptive portion otherwise it would be extremely costly. They quoted me 3-5 hours in labor to do the retrofit.

Found a nice pair of Xenons on Ebay complete with ballasts, controller and LED modules for $1000 shipped. Snagged them up yesterday. Looking forward to getting rid of the yellow flashlights, will update when they are installed!
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      08-20-2019, 12:18 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fmzip View Post
I talked to my Indy yesterday and he is confident that they can install the factory xenons for me. The only caveat is that they will need to code out the adaptive portion otherwise it would be extremely costly. They quoted me 3-5 hours in labor to do the retrofit.

Found a nice pair of Xenons on Ebay complete with ballasts, controller and LED modules for $1000 shipped. Snagged them up yesterday. Looking forward to getting rid of the yellow flashlights, will update when they are installed!
Would love to hear more about this! Please keep us updated with everything they do!
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