TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Here's a quick run down of my current situation:
I bought 5.5 lights, I received them with a cracked lens, and a cracked housing. I have a feeling they are going to get shipped back, not sure yet though, for now I need to expand my options.
Also, the 5.5 lights are too big for the 5th gen bumper IMO, I would prefer a headlight that is the SAME size as the OEM 5th gen headlight. I'm not changing my bumper so don't bother suggesting it

I've read what I could find on here, and I'm starting to delve into the HIDplanet.com universe. Lots of reading to do there still.

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I want a couple links to live threads for 5th gen Retrofits (into stock housings) if anyone has them, this is info I couldn't find. I have PM'd a couple members that I know have them though, so I should recieve info on them soon.
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Biggest Question I have:

- Are there any VERIFIED Ebay projector lights that are moulded based on the 2000/2001 ONLY? None of the sellers seem to be able to tell me for sure, I think they are all middle men/retailers.
I won't buy ebay lights if they're the same size as the 5.5 lights (too big, bulgy for the 5th gen bumper IMO).

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Now the opinion portion:


I have 5 options with estimated costs as I see it:
1. 5.5 Headlights, stock, possibly with angel eyes (est. $450-700)
2. 5th Gen AE headlights, stock (current set-up) ($0)
3. 5.5 Headlights - Retrofitted, possibly with angel eyes ($750-1150)
4. 5th Gen AE headlights - Retrofitted ($250-500)
5. Ebay Headlights - Retrofitted, possibly with angel eyes ($600-1000)


I factored very rough prices based on around $250-500 for retrofitting necessities (bulbs/ballasts included in this price).



Let me know if my prices are way off, but keep in mind I'm in Canada, pricing will be a bit higher due to harder to find parts, and shipping fees.


Any Thoughts/assistance in this desicion would be appreciated.

Waxima

iTrader: (3)

Wait, so are you trying to set up a retrofitting service for 5th genners? Or are you gauging prices for retrofitting different headlight options yourself? I'm not sure what you're asking here.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Sorry I tried to make the OP make sense, I really did.

I am just looking at options for myself, and some help finding info on 5th gen housing Retros

Stormzusmc

iTrader: (17)

send ur lights to craig@maxpowercustoms.com

i would do the retro of the ae lights

ChrisMan287

iTrader: (34)

Retro your AE's. With the right projectors, bulbs, ballasts and wiring harness you might be looking at a price of $500 which isn't bad.

Sneaky Green

how much for the retro

Stormzusmc

iTrader: (17)

depends what you want

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

You and your Meridian Falcon can :matt93se: with this whoring of my thread. You can PM Storm or contact the individual he linked regarding the retro.

Rocky Hill

I have never seen an LED headlight, however High intensity discharge headlights have a different beam pattern so therefore reach out a little further and out to the side than regular halogen headlights. They are super expensive and, unless the car came with them, really aren't worth the trouble.

Stormzusmc

iTrader: (17)

stfu spam

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Jesus H, am I going to have to get a mod to strip this thread?! Ridiculous!


Anyone done a dual retro in the 5th gen housing? My conflict with retroing my stock lights is that I don't normally like single retros in a reflector housing. Still looking for pics/info.....

Shift_Max

iTrader: (18)

I think the 5.5 gen lights look great with the 5th gen bumper. Plus by the looks of it, dont you already have a 5.5 gen grill as well?

Rochester

iTrader: (3)

I recommend Option #2. AE headlights are already unique, as is your front end, what with the skirts and 5.5 grille. Of course it's your money, but since you're asking for thoughts, mine is that this is money and energy better spent elsewhere.

Second recommendation... 5.5 gen headlights, baked open and painted to match your painted grille, with no angel eyes, because angel eyes fail, and are subsequently difficult to fix. And they looked cool on BMW's for maybe two or three years... now they just look dumb and tacky, like those Audi LED strips.

phatboislim

iTrader: (27)

i'm with Rochester...i'd just stay w/ the AE headlights...i like your front end, no homo, as it is lol. I dont like the retrofit in single housed headlights as large as ours is on the 5th gen. if an option like the 4th gen was open (r34 headlights w/ a retrofit) i'd be game for that, but other than taht...stick with what you have and find money to spend elsewhere.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

I want HID's. I have the HID fogs already. This is my dilemma. I don't want to be a douchebag and install a HID kit in my H4 reflector housings. Other than not being HID, I am happy with the appearance of the front.

I installed the 5.5 lights, not very happy with the fitment on the 5th gen bumper though.

I have to agree about those dumb LED strips, they look ridiculous. I still like the look of quality angel eyes on OEM 5.5 lights, but I don't think they look very good on the ebay lights. It's a tough call for me on them, I am waiting until my friend puts them on first to see what they're like in person. (guinea pig lol)

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Yeah that's my conflict with single retro in the 5th gen housing, I wish there was an offering like the R33 lights they have for 4th gen's too.

I found one pic, no one seems to have a shot of them straight on?

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Ever seen them in person??? They look great in properly angled photos, and if you don't look close, but they just don't fit properly. No one seems to want to admit it but me, there is little to no literature stating this on the .ORG, if there was, I never would have bought them.
And yes I have a 5.5 grill in my 5th gen bumper

Rochester

iTrader: (3)

Looks like some kind of Borg implant. Not a fan. Not even a little bit.

I'll stop with the contrary opinions, though. You seem pretty determined.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

^Don't, I agree so far, I need more pictures though, so far I'm basing that opinion on Nexus67's sig, and the pic I posted.

I wish I could see the Ebay lights in person too, I don't want cheap looking junk on my car, but I've heard some of them are actually pretty nice.

I'm just determined to get HID's, like I said, I don't have any con's to the appearance of the front currently, it looks great with the AE lights. I actually like it better than the 5.5 lights (comparison with all lights off in daylight). Except the side angle, I'm a sucker for the pod style OEM lights, they look amazing, just don't fit properly.

phatboislim

iTrader: (27)

I personally HATE the eaby headlights, even IF they are retrofitted.. i do believe they will make your car look cheap. the pic you posted ACTUALLY isnt all that bad, thats a nice retrofit. but having a nice retrofit, as we already mentioned, in a 5th gen headlight is few and far between.

Rochester

iTrader: (3)

Maxus is a good opportunity to review mods like this... are the pictures still up?

It was Maxus 2010 that gave me the opportunity to assess front and rear lips, b-pillar appliques, headlight eye-lids, drops, window tints and the rear-window spoiler. You might observe at this point that I've not done any of these things, nor will I.

I did see some really interesting wheels, though. And some impressive power mods. The racing was fun to watch, too. For a while.

My point is, too many visual mods will cause the camel to tip over into tacky. So be careful.

Rochester

iTrader: (3)

BTW, this is OT, but I saw a 5.0 Gen Maxima on the way to work today. It was pearl white (like yours), but a GLE with those solid red tails. Anyway, the all-red tails looked really, really good against the white. More so than the 5.0 gen black SE tails do against white.

IMO, of course.

phatboislim

iTrader: (27)

i had the all reds...but i heart the SE tails better...it depends on whose white car it is..because i have seen all reds as well, and i must say..it was sexy on their car. maybe if i debadged the car i'd go back all red

maxima 21

iTrader: (2)

[quote=TunerMaxima3000;7953884
I'm just determined to get HID's, like I said, I don't have any con's to the appearance of the front currently, it looks great with the AE lights. I actually like it better than the 5.5 lights (comparison with all lights off in daylight). Except the side angle, I'm a sucker for the pod style OEM lights, they look amazing, just don't fit properly.[/quote]

One of my good freinds owns a shop here in maryville tn called Radioactive. He gets HID's at a good price with lifetime warrenty on bulbs and ballasts. PM me for his number and we can ship them to you. Just LMK.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

^That's great, but I don't have anything to put the HID's in..... That's the whole purpose of this thread.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

I would love to look through the Maxus photos, great idea. Where can I find them though?
I've been diggin' through the 'great picture threads' and such looking for photos of everything, seen a couple ebay lights, not liking it so far.

As for the OT, all reds, I dunno, I would never buy them to try it, but I can see how it may look good. If I had someone who wanted to swap for a bit I'd try it out.

phatboislim

iTrader: (27)

you could always just do the HIDs in teh halogen housing, although some people shun it...but how i look at it..I can see, sorry about the oncoming traffic if it blinds you, but i look out for me and mines, its how the worlds is now anyway

ChrisMan287

iTrader: (34)

Quads in stock housings could possibly work but it depends on the size of the projectors that you're using. Maybe you can squeeze a low beam projector and a fog projector for the high beam? Believe me though it's tough in stock housings. I tried it on my 4th gen and failed misserably with full size high and low beam projectors. There just wasn't enough room and the more I cut, the more I realized it just wasn't gonna work. Thank god for R34's

Now, HIDs in stock housings. I've seen some in person that have blinded the **** out of me and I've seen others that haven't. It all depends on how you aim them, how low or high your car sits and what color temperature you're gonna go with. Warmer colors close to 4300K are easier on the eyes so if you go with that temp. in stock housings and aim them a little lower, you should be good

phatboislim

iTrader: (27)

i use 6k top and 3k bottom...i'm about to throw some purple (i think thats 10k) top and bottom in mine, see how i like it *crosses fingers*

thats another thing...how do you aim your headlights?! *scratches head*

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Hmmm sounds like it may not be worth going after. I remember most people had similar results with the 4th gen housings.

This has me wondering too, I've noticed lately it seems to be a more 'accepted' mod, and I've also noticed a lot of cars locally that don't really glare with them. I figured it was due to different/updated aftermarket bulb design.
Initially I was thinking this route, I just don't want that dam glare, I always curse all the idiots that have them in their cars and it's just blinding, I really don't approve of joining that club. If it's true that newer bulbs and a proper headlight allignment will eliminate the glare... then maybe it's something to consider again.
As far as colour, 5000k would be the target, as I'd want to match my HIDextra fogs. P.S> WTF is up with their CS? I got 2 D2R bulbs that burnt out immediately, it's been almost 3 days and 3 emails with no response? I got immediate responses when I was inquiring about purchase! And that was on the bloody weekend! New Customers> Old customers???

phatboislim

iTrader: (27)

go with 5Ks...i sincerely dont see why everyone makes a big hype about 'must have projectors in order to have HIDs' thing. think about it...the I35 doesnt have projectors, but has factory HIDs.......i'm jus sayin

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

^those are the same set up as the 5.5 lights. The difference is, the reflectors are MADE for HID, our stock 5th gen are not.

luvlexus101

iTrader: (6)

I'd go with the single retro, it might look a little funny but the output will be simply breathtaking if done right...

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Visual appearance > Light output in this case.

My stock light output is phenominal for Halogens, the lenses are like brand new.
I cannot find more pics of 5th gens with retros, are there that few out there? I tried to find Dr.Roy but no luck with that user name or anything close to it, I guess he's gone? OR i suck at searching, one of the two, everyone throws his name out in these threads when questions get raised, but I can't find a single post by him anywhere.

P.S. this is the example of 5.5 style Ebay light, and the poor fitment on the 5th gen. This is what I don't want:

luvlexus101

iTrader: (6)

Another option could be retro the originals, and get dummy projectors to make it look like a quad setup, been done before.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Hmm^ That idea interests me, you say it's been done? Any chance you know where to look for a pic/info of that?

phatboislim

iTrader: (27)

well i'll just remain glued in to see what you decide to do

tcaughey

iTrader: (6)

Don't be hate'n on my "Borg" setup. Haha, it's alright. Everyone has their own opinion. But just ask Moncef, pictures do not do my car justice. They look so much better in person, and better yet, the functionality is AWESOME.



Take a look at my unfinished album. There are old pictures of my original shroud setup with the same projectors (the E55's looked TERRIBLE..)..and pictures with my current setup.

http://s281.photobucket.com/albums/k...axima%20Retro/

tcaughey

iTrader: (6)

Moar pics. They were taken with the projectors on, and sorry, I don't have any other pics at the moment without the lights on .





The one projector retro isn't terrible, and I agree, a dual projector and/or a projector/reflector like the 4th gens have would be great. Here are two different shroud setups:

phatboislim

iTrader: (27)

i think i'm liking the one on teh left a little better...

but i still wouldnt do those...maybe a retrofit in the 5.5 headlights...