E53: Headlight Restoration

[JaySpec7]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

Caesar is definitely the man over there, real cool dude. Responds to my emails quick, I am due to visit him next month to finish up my wife's retrofit actually.

You inspired me to go for the Valeo HID fogs! What are you running for your halos? I understand the halos limit that amount of light due to it's construction.

[Ricky Bobby]

I have generic halos from ebay since I have an '03 and didn't have stock angel eyes, mine are entire ring assemblies.

Just get the generic $60 halo LED bulbs from ebay, they don't allow for additional brightness just better color. For your facelift you are lucky you can just add a set of bulbs and have the look, I have to find a set of lights to bake open lol!

Enjoy those Valeo fogs, a TON of light on the road isn't it?

[JaySpec7]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

I have generic halos from ebay since I have an '03 and didn't have stock angel eyes, mine are entire ring assemblies.

Just get the generic $60 halo LED bulbs from ebay, they don't allow for additional brightness just better color. For your facelift you are lucky you can just add a set of bulbs and have the look, I have to find a set of lights to bake open lol!

Enjoy those Valeo fogs, a TON of light on the road isn't it?

I dunno... baking the pre-face is much easier... plus you can get crazy bright LED halos...

Yea, saw your posts along w/ X5SNDs... saved me from going DEPOs

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by JaySpec7

I dunno... baking the pre-face is much easier... plus you can get crazy bright LED halos...

Yea, saw your posts along w/ X5SNDs... saved me from going DEPOs

....If you can find post 10/02 build headlights to bake, they are NOT easy to find.

[sunny5280]

Originally Posted by JaySpec7

Good to hear. Did you apply any coating after? Just worried that now the UV coat is gone that it'll have to be polished more frequently.

I would recommend a urethane sealant. For details see this thread:

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...s-re-do-1.html

For pics see this post:

http://www.xoutpost.com/955168-post42.html

The top picture is what the lens looked like when I bought the car. The second one is what the lens looked like after I completed the polishing. The third is the drivers lens after the sanding / polishing but before the application of the urethane sealant. The fourth is the lens after the application of the urethane sealant. In person it looks brand new. And it continues to look that way today...almost a year later.

[tmv]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

Tam you don't by chance happen to have your halogen lights from your old pre-facelift '01 do you? If so I may have a use for them for my retrofit project

Sold them not long after the replacement.

[JaySpec7]

Originally Posted by sunny5280

I would recommend a urethane sealant. For details see this thread:

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...s-re-do-1.html

For pics see this post:

http://www.xoutpost.com/955168-post42.html

The top picture is what the lens looked like when I bought the car. The second one is what the lens looked like after I completed the polishing. The third is the drivers lens after the sanding / polishing but before the application of the urethane sealant. The fourth is the lens after the application of the urethane sealant. In person it looks brand new. And it continues to look that way today...almost a year later.

WOW!! Can't believe how bad your lenses were! But thanks. Going to rebuff then seal.

[THE VEIN]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

Trust me even a fresh set of Philips 85122's will make a difference.

I'm not ashamed to post the website as he is legitamite, I got his info from HIDPlanet, as his father is a sponsor there. Basically the bulbs are the son's operation, the dad has aviation contracts with Philips and does business with them which gives the son access to Philips wholesale so he buys pallets of unboxed bulbs on trays weekly, and repacks/resells them at wholesale pricing. $74 shipped, unbeatable.

If you want a bit extra for deer dodging Riggo I highly recommend finding someone local to code your LCM so that your fog lights can be enabled with the high beams, as well as activate the 6-gun salute. Very useful on rural roads, if you were in my area I could do it for you, but shouldn't be hard to find someone down there who codes with NCS Expert.

Philips D2S (85122) - HIDbulbsRus

Activate the 6 gun salute? Low beams, high beams, and fogs?

[Ricky Bobby]

You got it!

[JaySpec7]

Originally Posted by sunny5280

I would recommend a urethane sealant. For details see this thread:

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...s-re-do-1.html

Thanks Sunny! Attempted on my Honda before I committed to do the UV on the X. Came out awesome!!

Paint brush didn't work out that well and redid it with cloth.