Mod Time!
 

Since I can't leave well enough alone, even on a brand new car, my E90 got another mod. (The first ones were tint, OEM Blackline taillights, and OEM trunk spoiler - all done pre-delivery. :tsk: )

We all know how cool Angel Eyes are and some of us have paid some big dough for them on pre-'04 X5's. Then there is the whole deal with changing the color of them. I have always thought they look way cool but couldn't bear the cost of retrofitting them on the X5 so I bought an E90 to get them. :rofl:

There are several ways to change the color of the Angels on the E90. PIAA makes a supposedly plug-and-play kit at $200. There is a product from Japan called Brex White Rings and those too are about $200 as well if you can even get them in NA; not impossible but difficult. An ingenious guy on E90Post who has a highly modded E90 325i developed what he has dubbed "PMB's", or "Poor Man's Brex". It changes the color of the Angels from the stock yellowish halogen to one of several colors. The cost is $30. For that, I took a chance. I ordered a set of white. (They might be what he calls "hyperwhite" but I'm not sure.) The consensus seems to be that the PMB's aren't quite as bright as the Brex's but it's not a big enough disparity to justify the extra cash.

As an officially insane person, I took on this mod today despite +105 degree heat. I also washed the 330 before. Can't work on a dirty car you know. ;) The mod requires the front wheel well liners to be removed in order to access the back of the headlights. From there, you remove the light source and take out the original lense for the Angel Eyes. There's really not much to it. All it is is a piece of glass. You can see in the photo below what holds the lense and the original lense can be seen in the photo. The original one is clear and the PMB one is blue tinted glass. That's it.

BEFORE

http://www.myfantasyfriday.com/PMB/01%20(Medium).JPG
http://www.myfantasyfriday.com/PMB/02%20(Medium).JPG
http://www.myfantasyfriday.com/PMB/03%20(Medium).JPG

THE LENSE

http://www.myfantasyfriday.com/PMB/04%20(Medium).JPG
http://www.myfantasyfriday.com/PMB/05%20(Medium).JPG

AFTER: Driver's side has PMB; passenger side is the original

http://www.myfantasyfriday.com/PMB/06%20(Medium).JPG
http://www.myfantasyfriday.com/PMB/07%20(Medium).JPG
http://www.myfantasyfriday.com/PMB/08%20(Medium).JPG

AFTER: Both sides have PMB's installed

http://www.myfantasyfriday.com/PMB/09%20(Medium).JPG
http://www.myfantasyfriday.com/PMB/10%20(Medium).JPG

COMPARISON (I know it's a day and night photo but you get the idea. The day went like this: Wash, dinner, cigar, PMB installation. :smokin: )

http://www.myfantasyfriday.com/PMB/compare.JPG

What do you think? Useless mod? :D I know that Juan has an E90 and there are few here who plan on getting one. This one's for you guys.

Nice mod Kev. Looks great.

Very nice, Kevin. The sedan is looking very nice and getting the PNG flava. :thumbup:

Waiting for your front plate or all you going "stealthy" on us?

Thanks!

No front plate for this guy. I haven't had one... ever. I've only been pulled over once for it. No ticket either . ;) I expressly told the dealer to not drill holes in the front bumper for the license plate mount. Despite CA law that requires dealers to sell car with a front license plate mount, my dealer is cool and conveniently "forgets".

Looks awesome Kev - so much ...crisper and sharper and no surrounding glow. :thumbup:

I like it a lot Kev. Best $30 mod since the X5's guage rings :thumbup: :thumbup:

I think it looks great Kev - especially for $30.... How difficult was it to remove the wheel well liners?

Looks very nice, I'll have to keep this in mind when my e92 comes in.

It wasn't too bad. The instructions that I was sent weren't totally accurate so I had to figure out some stuff as I went along. Luckily there was enough room to work around the front tire. I just cranked the wheel over. Also, the liner is held in with screws so reinstallation was easy. I say this because I had to change a wheel well liner in my ex-Boxster and that used one time use push rivet type fasteners. PITA!

Kevin,

I want them... :)

But... This post is worthless without a link! :D

thanks for sharing,

Juan