I will be doing a retrofit soon, and it appears to be that the E46 projector is the among the most popular to use in the 4th gen headlight housing.

Are you guys using single or bi-xenon projectors?

Right now I am leaning towards single for cost purposes and I never really need the high-beam.

 

i used tsx in both my cars. go with E46 bi-x if you want high beams. otherwise TSX > E46 singles.

 

Bi-Xenon from a BMW 745

 

It depends on how much you use your highbeams like you said. To me highbeams didn't justify another $40-$50. Each setup has its pros and cons, but I would say go for the bi-xenons. Highbeams come in handy, if not for driving, for signalling, can't really signal with singles unless you want to see some red flashes from the bulbs and ballasts getting damaged. I have e55 singles but put in the second lens/driving lights so I can have some sort of high beam. e46 is a good projector but if you can, try to get some valeos, or even tsx if you decide to go single xenon. If you decide to go bi xenon try to get the e55 bixenons. Crazy color out of those things, those are some of the most impressive projectors to me other than tsx and s2000. I can always tell at night by the output and color that a 6th gen max is coming at me!!

 

E55s suck for output when compared to the rest of the projectors, but I agree, the color is pretty nice.

 

I dont see why you wouldn't go with bixenon

 

single I may be able to get for much cheaper, and would probably be much easier to wire up. besides i have been using an hid "kit" for the past year without high beams and have managed just fine.

 

Yeah, I rarely ever use my high beams, but when I do I sure am glad I have them.

 

1. Cost
2. Functionality
3. Vehicle inspections? (Do you have to get your car inspected? Are high beams manadatory?)

I currently have E55s but I couldn't get the selinoids to work + the wiring was an issue so, really, i'm running E55 singles. The output isn't as great as the others, I bent the shields and the color is rather nice. I'll upgrade to TSXs soon.

 

if you're not confident with wiring for bixenons, then go with a really good single xenon projector like tsx or s2000. Bixenons are a nice commodity to have, that is if you get the wiring correctly.

 

Don't the TSX/TL/S2k all use the same projector, or no? Also who is the manufacturer for this projector (valeo, bosch, hella, etc?).

 

this was my question as well

 

they are all different projectors, but all made by stanley which IMO makes better projectors than the german counterparts.

 

Inspections..
I think Cali and some northeastern states like NY, CT, etc. Cali maybe just emissions, I'm not sure on lights.

Stanley>all else..

 

Stanley is an American company, no?

http://www.stanleyworks.com/

wouldn't it be great if they sold projectors to the public?

 

not sure if the japanese stanley/koito company is the same as the american one that makes tools...the average joe schmoe have no use for a projector tho, probably can't tell one from a hole in the ground.

 

Now that I think about it, I wonder how hidplanet can offer projectors and package deals for e46 and valeos? It would be sweet but probably more expensive though to go that route instead of junkyard, salvages, etc for a set of Stanleys.