Hey everyone...i have kinda a dilemma...i can get h.i.d's for 400 installed...but what i cant decide is wheather to get h.i.d's in my stock lights or get the e36 lights, then get h.i.d.s....thanks everyone

 

e36's.... then HID's

 

you're just going to get a blob of light, not the nice cut-off line, if you use your stock housing.

 

...yeah what he said or go for the Cefiro's

Brian

 

well not just E36's but for the best performance with HIDs get Projector BMW lights.

 

a couple things...reasons i have...

stock lights:
1.9004 size...if i remember correct the 4th gen use these also..so if i upgrade i can still use my h.i.d."s
2.the light would fill out more and look nicer
3.no customizing, even though i dont mind too much...i like doing the job myself
4. no high beem
e36's:
1.Angel eyes and projecters
2.cusomizing
3. high beem
4. 200 more dollars

these are the things i am thinking about....thanks guys

 

any more opionions??

 

HIDS belong to projectors, anything else doesn't look right IMO.get these and charge them with hids. I have them but these but I havn't installed hids yet.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...category=33710

 

anyone have any pics of h.i.d.s in our stock housing??

 

they look like USDM ones hence plastic casing, if they are glass they dont have the lines. from what i hear the euro glass ones fill the space better and handle the heat better.

 

i thought usdm didnt have projecters...but i could be wrong (most likely am), i also heard that the euro ones are alot harder to put in.?

 

Be like me and find Cefiro's. I still have to wait like 2 weeks for shipping from Japan though.

 

Euro ones are not that much harder to put in. The stock headlights are too restrictive to fully enough HIDs. And they look like crap.

 

Are these a direct bolt-on or is there some frabrication involved?

 

Cefiros involve a whole new bracket fabrictaion i believe.

 

Spipedong90 had HIDs in the stock housings before he wrecked his car. If you look in the stickies under "JDM install" he has posts there where you can link to his homepage. I think he still has pics of the HIDs, but you might have to do some digging.

His were MUCH better than stock, but IIRC, he had to aim them down pretty far to keep from blinding oncoming traffic. And, as you already know, you lose the high beams.

If I were going to do HID, I would definitely spend the extra money on some E36 housings so I could have high beams and a better cut off, but if you can get a screaming deal on some that will work in your stock housings, I say do it.

 

If you get BiXenon HID's then you keep the high beams. But it costs a little more.

 

when i had my 8600k kit in my stock lights (its really an off blue color, my camera fk-ed up the color in the pic) i blew a bulb so i put back my piaa hyperwhites for now until i get un-lazy and put in my e36 projectors



better pic of the color

 

maximan190, why did you blow a bulb? because of the stock houseing? and how was the beem pattern when you put them in...and also did you blind anyone..thanks guys for all the advice...keep it coming

 

i guess age, i doubt it has to do with how i used it because it is a 9004 kit

light output was better than the stock bulbs but the beam pattern was not THAT great. I aimed the lights down a little, no blinding problems

basically the comparison is like this..
stock housing with halogen < stock housing with hid < e36 with hid << e36 projector with hid

 

Putting HIDs in your stock housing will always give you better light output! Period! But you will also generate additional glare to oncoming drivers. Projectors are always the best way to go but not always the cheapest. You'll get a sharper cutt off and little to no glare at all. Go with the best that your $$ can afford.

 

i'm just very torn and dont know what to do...keep the advice coming guys..thanks alot

 

My advice is dont half way do it. If you dont have the money now then save up.


If you are going to do HIDs do it right. Get BMW projectors and HIDs. The wait will be worth it.

I mean how much longer do you have to wait for an extra $150-200. You have gone this long without why not a little longer.

IF you are still not satisfied then do the 9004-9007 conversion and enjoy better lighting until you get your projectors. That is exactly what I did and am thankful every night I drive that I did.

 

thx awsm66,what bulb do the projecters use? its not that i cant afford it, i'm just thinking of the future mostly...like (knock on wood) my tranny dies or something...and i decide to buy a 4th gen...i cant use the h.i.d.'s i have...u know what i mean? keep the advice coming please...i've heard alot of good things!!!

 

what size bulb does the e36 projecter's use???

 

I honestly dont know. I think H1 or something. You should be able to use Google to find out or maybe one of the guys that has them will answer.

As far as bulbs go though...Projectors in the stock 4th gen housing are no better than the ones in the 3rd gen housing.

BUT if you wanted to buy a 4th gen later then you can always just buy new bulbs (if you got BMW lights and HIDs now).

I just wouldnt put HIDs in stock housings IMO...not when its not a whole lot more to upgrade to projectors. Now if you were totally against putting BMW lights in (dont like the look, too much trouble etc.) then by all means put HIDs in your stock housing. I just dont think I would (just my opinion)...I would rather have the full benifit instead of only a partial benifit (although better than stock). Plus I dont want to loose my high beam since I do mostly country driving with no street lights and such. I need to be able to reach way out and see if there are any deer on the side of the road.

Seriously though if you want better lighting for now then just put some 9007s in there and wire the plugs to fit. I am happy with mine although I look forward to the day when I can buy some projectors and HIDs. That is way down on my list right now though. They are not perfect by any means and have some hot spots but on the road its not noticeable or at least not to me.

 

i hear what your saying, but i'm having trouble finding projecters with angle eyes on ebay for around 200...more work i guess...i like the way e36 lights look...i guess i'll just have to wait for e36's lol..thanks alot guys...anymore advice let me know...thanks again

 

what about the ones therealgoon9 posted earlier. Those are projectors with halos. They are only $155 but it looks strange that they have plastic covers. They look just like the regular ones with glass covers on the inside though.

 

that guys a little questionable...i'm trying to e-mail him now...all the other ones are like 300 atleast

 

You'll use D2S bulbs. Here are both sides to the projector issue.
If you decide to get projectors and retro them into your car, if you car dies then you could still take the projectors out and retro them into your new car but it will cost you time money and work, but the light out put is unmatched in sharpness, and output. You'll have a very sharp cutt-off with little to no glare. If you decide to go plug an play, you will get WAY more light output than stock now, but you'll also increase glare. Your cutt of will never be as sharp as projectors an you will scatter some of the useable light. Plug an play HIDs will be very easy to transfer from car to car in the event your current car dies. Even if your new car uses a different bulb, all you have to do is just get that bulb type to fit in your new socket. Anyway you do it, it's your call.

 

Look in the classifieds section, $250 + shipping and you can buy my brand new OE replica BMW e36 projectors!

 

WEll if you wanted to use my pic the least you can do is say its my maxima w/ the kit you bought off me. The Kit worked fine. I think that you didnt use them properly, ie maintained. I remember when i let you drive y max when i had them and you was using highbeam and making the ballast turn off and on repeatly. which will mess up any hid system.

I just hope you followed some guild lines.
1-When you are driving with a single fillament hid system your highbeams are gone. To tell you the turth i never needed to use them, even during the black out over here in nyc, or the darkess part of long island.
The surge of power to the ballast will kill the starter and the bulb.
2-When you are starting a car at night, make certain that you have the car on, then turn the HIDs on.
When you are done driving for the night or need the turn off the HIDs then just flip the hights off, then turn off the car. I had the kit for like 3-4 months, never one problem.

all of a sudden months later your bulb failed? Joe, seriously i told from the get go to be carefull with them. Question. AFter i took the hids off, did you ever tie the ballast down, and wrap electrical tape around the connectors to keep them dry and stop them from moving around.?

I was gonna get them back from you, and pay you what you payed me for them, but now since you blew the bulb i much rather get a new kit w/ e36 angle eyes.

 

GoldenGlory aka Will 4th gen left 8600k right

Before when i had rims and hids

 

Heres a real stupid question (I know there's no such thing as a stupid question...only stupid people.... ...seriously people I'm here all night) what is the difference between a regular fixture (say the E36) and the projector ficture??????

 

I want HID badly, but not at the price it's at right now.

MY 100wtt H7's will have to do for now.

 

having hid's in your stock headlights aren't that bad, you would have to adjust to having no high beam, i am not a fan of hid's because once the balest goes on one of your lights your screwed.

 

Get a new one or go with a reputable company. One thing I know is not to go cheap with my car's major accessories. Especially the headlights.

 

can you not see your license plate in that pic clearly enough?

Thanks "HID Doctor", but I have been using them properly; despite some things I may and have done in the past that you never let go and forget about and constantly nag me about... we all live and learn, youre not perfect either.

And why did you "waste" money on new oem headlights when you say your buying E36s? And especially since you may be facing engine replacement soon


Back on topic, the projectors use a magnifying lens to "project" the light beam while the free form (4th gen) and parabolic (3rd gen) housings simply reflect the light beam. HIDs in 9004 are definitely better than halogens in the 9004, but projectors are the ultimate way to go any day of the week.

 

OK no HIDS for me.

 

mark...TRUST me...it's that bad.