*** The Official E46 Lighting Guide ***

Originally Posted by omni01_k

Besides their sheer hideousness, what are some other reasons not to purchase these lights, quality, output, error codes?

Bad fitment, cheap quality parts, most likely error codes for the led lights, bad light output diffusion.

Originally Posted by Reddirtranch

Thanks for a great informative post, what about just upgrading the HighBeam H7 bulbs with 100w and leaving everything else stock ? Will the additional current draw cause errors or fry something ?

Thanks

Too much wattage, the housing will start to melt.

Thanks, that is alot of heat. I'll get projectors, silver stars for now.

Good stuff

Great thread

Updated.

Do you have information on which full replacement headlights are good quality? I have oem halogens and would like to upgrade to HID+angel eyes. Would I be better off with the retrofit you describe, or new lights?

Retrofit in the Morimoto Minis. Get the Morimoto ballasts, wire harness and XB35 bulbs.

Originally Posted by halo0

Do you have information on which full replacement headlights are good quality? I have oem halogens and would like to upgrade to HID+angel eyes. Would I be better off with the retrofit you describe, or new lights?

We recommend full headlights with new projectors.
In most cases, the inner plastics are pretty crappy at this point.

However, we have the morimoto style units in our hands as well, the H1s are really great and $89.99 are very inexpensive.

believe me i have read and read and read on headlights. i want good ones not the cheap ebay crap. but when i look them up i just get lost. i need the full set up. my driver side head light fixture is broke anyway so i want a full upgrade. what i dont get is there are ones that are plug and play and others they say they should be installed by a pro. do these plug and play have everything i need? ballasts and all etc. i have factory halogens right now and they are the worst at night and i work nights thats the man reason i want to upgrade. someone direct me to some sites please? here is what ive looked at...

http://www.umnitza.com/projector46-t...ing-p-208.html all the options i dont understand.

http://www.stealthauto.com/Products/...LK-1-PRNT.aspx

Originally Posted by mightymouse777

believe me i have read and read and read on headlights. i want good ones not the cheap ebay crap. but when i look them up i just get lost. i need the full set up. my driver side head light fixture is broke anyway so i want a full upgrade. what i dont get is there are ones that are plug and play and others they say they should be installed by a pro. do these plug and play have everything i need? ballasts and all etc. i have factory halogens right now and they are the worst at night and i work nights thats the man reason i want to upgrade. someone direct me to some sites please? here is what ive looked at...

http://www.umnitza.com/projector46-t...ing-p-208.html all the options i dont understand.

We build all our own lights, to the specs of our customers mostly but always build in house. You aren't getting something "just off the shelf".

We offer you Canbus non-error ballasts, something many other companies don't do. We also offer retrofitted projectors - FXR and MINI H1, just like the "other guys" minus the fancy shmancy naming trademark (not patent or design).

Great info! Surely will help noobs.

Thanks for the write up!
I changed my bixenon bulbs to 6000k...love the color but notice the light output difference
I want brighter fog lights...I was just going to put matching 6000k ddm hid kit in them..but that's a no go I guess
Do I buy projector fogs? I just think they look kinda ugly but then again, don't wanna blind anyone
Plzzz help!

any info on wiring everything up?
for a bmw with halogen headlights i understand H.I.D kits are plug and play what about wiring harness

wiring up is no big deal, we actually provide adapter cables.

I have factory option Xenons (since new) on a black pre-facelift 330Ci. Is there a good way to change it all to a good quality conventional halogen setup and also not get headlight error?

Originally Posted by DavidHarsay

I have factory option Xenons (since new) on a black pre-facelift 330Ci. Is there a good way to change it all to a good quality conventional halogen setup and also not get headlight error?

Am I reading this correctly?

If so, why are you wanting to downgrade your headlights?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Bimmer App

It's getting troublesome (especially if the car has sat for a week) and expensive to repair.

Trying to figure out what I need to order, and how to handle the electronics end of it.

From the OP:

...For ZKW lights the only thing you can do is replace your lights with halogen headlights with the Morimoto retrofit...

Get thread, subbed for later use!

Originally Posted by Press22

Great info! Surely will help noobs.

Is it possible for a 325i 2005 sedan to have a similar build fOr your rear?

I'm trying to get a complete retrofit kit for a '00 sedan. What would be the best place to buy a kit?