Headlight upgrade: Xenon or LED?
 

So I'm in a LITTLE bit of an odd spot:

Picked up a "new to me" x5 recently (2001). Car had been in a low-speed front-end collision, bumper, grill and headlights (xenon) were replaced with halogens from a doner X5. All working perfectly fine, but I'd like to upgrade. I DO have the passenger-size Xenon sitting in the garage, so I have two choices:

Buy driver's side Xenon, or replace both sides with LED bulbs in the current halogen housings.

Thoughts? I've upgraded headlights on one of my other (non BMW) cars to LED and was quite happy, but those were sealed units, not just swapping bulbs. Priorities are a) not blinding other drivers b) good, white output. Not overly concerned with angel eyes or anything else. I've driven an x5 with Xenons and was happy with the light output, but I know I potentially could do this easier and cheaper with LED's. Thoughts?

LED in halogen is a recipe for blinding unless it's shaded like hid.

I was very happy with my 2001 hid and replaced them with aftermarket to get halo and replace the horrible lenses.

The aftermarket hid needed the motor from the original do you still have the motor from the crashed assembly?

It was under $240 for both sides.

No, afraid I've got the right (passenger) full assembly, but nothing for the driver's side. Looks like I can get Xenon on eBay for around $150-200 shipped, just trying to decide if that makes the most sense, or... but your comment about LED's and blinding is good to know. I HATE it when oncoming traffic has super-bright lights, so don't want to ever be "that guy" myself.

LED factory lights are great. If you can get a full housing for the missing one including motor and yoi still have t ballast, HID is the way to go. With self leveling so they point straight while you hit bumps and dips or when brake/accel.

Oh: aim them properly. Best way is to park parallel to a brick wall and set the brightness shade on the driver side to be just below horizontal.

Most cars will have it set way too low (the passenger side level or even down) this will cut your visible range 50-70%!

Realizing I may be confused. Were there 2 options, or 3 for the Pre-LCI e53's? I've always thought there were just halogen and Xenon, but you're mentioning factory LED's has me wondering if I missed something.

If I go for something OTHER than the Xenon, I can always toss my existing passenger side one on eBay to offset it, just trying to figure out what makes the most sense and is best bang for the buck.

No factory led for < 2007. So, no good drop in LED option I'm aware of.

For the sake of everyone else on the road please do not drop in LEDs into a halogen housing. No matter what people say, there is excessive glare and it's both annoying and dangerous to others.


Either stick with factory Xenon (I have the Xenon system in my 2003 and it's fine) or get a good halogen upgrade bulb. They have high performing halogens such as Philips NightGuide Platinum that do a really nice job, IMO. They certainly have way more output than the 9006 capsules I grew up driving around at night.

Ahhh... got you. When you started mentioning factory LED and HID, thought I'd missed an option somewhere. Wondering about quality of something like the LED offerings on Turner's website (https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-2...black-housing/). They don't give a clear indication if it has everything needed, but price isn't bad, around the same thing it would cost me to replace the driver's side Xenon.

Thanks for that, Masospaghetti. Sounds like LED bulb swap is out, since that's one of my own biggest pet peeves. I'll take a look at the NightGuide bulbs, may try that and then look for a 2nd Xenon if I'm still not satisfied.

Wow! Would they be plug and play for an '06? I would consider replacing the Xenon with a black set. I have a back up xenon set to clean up and install though. :dunno:

Those are exactly like the ones I bought that were HID. They also had xenon version.

In my experience (not to be a downer...sorry) aftermarket parts like this usually are of poor quality compared to the OE stuff and will deteriorate / fade / crack in short order.


I'd get a replacement OE assembly and call it a day personally. It's also probably better for resale value.

The ones i got were very good the only thing or complaint was they used a spherical lens for the projector beam vs the "$100s of each" aspheric and/or achromatic lenses so when lighting just the wrong surface you'd see some prism effect. Not a terrible trade off for 90% cost reduction. I'd only notice on white large reflective signs never a big distraction.

Looks like the three Spec-D units offered are only for the pre-facelift model, so no.

Yeah don't just drop in LEDs. Some new cars (looking at you, Hyundai/Acura/most Ford/GM trucks) LED headlights are absolutely blinding at night. After cataract surgery last year all LEDs appear with haloes, and the brighter they are, the further the haloes impinge on the scene. If I have to adjust my side/rearview mirrors to avoid being blinded, your lights are TOO F'ING BRIGHT.

I'd go further to say most new vehicles with LED headlights are way too bright, especially on SUVs and trucks. The lamps are mounted so high up that you are almost guaranteed to be under the cutoff area and the emission intensity is unregulated (as unbelievable as this is, the federal standard does not have any limits for intensity). Stand next to a new Silverado or F150 and notice the headlamps are almost at roof level for a regular sedan. New LED lamps are literally 10x-20x brighter than normal halogens. Look on Amazon and you'll see drop in bulbs advertising 30,000 lumens with names like "The Punisher", which indeed they are.

How illegal is it to mount rear-facing ones to get these assclowns to back off? Asking for a friend.

Quite illegal but check your froend's local ordinance. The penalties are often pretty mild. Eg. "stop doing that please"