***PIX OF MY X5 LIGHTING MODS***
 

Lately, many folks have been asking me about the lighting mods that I did on my E70. They also requested that I post pictures. Before I go into detail, I wanted to let you know that my car is filthy and I haven't been able to wash it. So please forgive the dirty car. ;)

Here's what you are looking at:

1. White LED License Plate Bulbs (Cost: $6.99 for each bulb from autoillumination and $1.99 for the pair of resistors from Radio Shack (50 Ohm, 10W Resistors). This is a much cheaper and better alternative to the LED's that sell for $25-$50/set. For one, these are MUCH brighter. The resistor prevents an error from being thrown up in iDrive. I've had this set-up on my M5 forever. It works GREAT!

2. GP Thunder 8500K White Angel Eyes. Cost: $15.98. I considered doing LED's for the Angel Eyes or even HID's for the Angel Eyes, but didn't feel it was worth the $200 cost. The GP Thunders work great, especially during the day when they act as my daytime running lights. Much better than the stock, amber color bulbs. In the pictures below, it appears that my headlights are on. They are NOT. Unfortunately, the reflection from the xenon headlight housing is so reflective, that it appears my headlights are on. They are not, so you'll have to use your imagination. Feel free to edit the picture if you want to block out that part of the light, so you can get a better idea of what the "halo's" look like white, instead of amber.

3. 6000K HID Xenon Fogs. They make such a difference in lighting up the road, compared to that of the stock Fog bulbs. Plus, these are much more white than the stock, amber fog halogens. I also like having them, as I get very concerned about the potholes, here in NY. Having these fogs help make it much easier to see what lies ahead on the road in front of me. With the 20" 214's and low profile tires, I get very concerned about damaging these wheels. :thumbup: Again though, I did the best I could with these pictures. Some may appear a bit over or underexposed.

4. Since it was pointless to show, due to overexposure, I've also upgraded the xenon stock headlights to 6000K. These now match the Fogs. The stock xenons on the E70 and E53 are 4300K, in case you didn't know.

Feel freel to let me know if you have any questions.

Enjoy!

/C

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...161024x768.jpg

LEFT = LED WHITE / RIGHT = Stock Halogen Amber
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...1024x768-3.jpg


http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...1024x768-1.jpg


http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...251024x768.jpg


http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...221024x768.jpg


http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...211024x768.jpg


http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...331024x768.jpg

I love the look of the fogs. What would I need to buy to get that done?

You need to get a set with the following:

1. 6000K (Anything above that starts to look to blue/purple, which is much too ricey for these kind of cars).
2. I suggest going with a 35W kit, instead of a 55W kit. The 35W kit should come as a "Slim Ballast". This will make it MUCH easier to mount the ballasts inside the front bumper.
3. Make sure the kit has cancelling cables, so it does not throw off an error code in iDrive.

I believe there is a member on this site that sells Fog Kits for the X5. Although I didn't buy from this member, I've heard nothing but good things. I used the vendor that I buy all my mods from for all my BMW's. I just have a good relationship with them, so there's no need for me to go elsewhere. :thumbup:

Hope this helps.

**Edit - I just realized you have an E53. Contact member LI-X5 and ask where he got his Fog kit from. His is perfect. His name is Neil. He's a good friend.

Looks stunning!!!

HID Fog... what is the brand that you use? did it give any error on dashboard?

Where did u purchase the GP thunder?

I am worry about switch Fog to HID.. since Fog light is also use as the corning light.. that comes on and off when Xenon head light is on. So, if you turn your head light on.. and turn your wheel over 15 degree, you will see the side that you are turning the fog light turns on for about 5-10 sec.... and turn off after that... wonder what is the life of the blast or the hid bulb constantly been ignite?

wow. Looks Awesome C. Cant wait to copy you when I get mine.

Yes, the E70 uses the Fogs as its cornering lights. So far, so good. The only issue is when I go in reverse. Briefly, an error comes up, but it resets once I drive away and works like a charm. To me, it's well worth it. Why the fogs go on in reverse is beyond me. I understand the feature for turning and signaling, but reverse makes no sense. I wish I could figure out how to bypass that trigger. In any event, it's not like I'm in reverse all that often, so the reset takes place rather quickly and the upside to HID fogs far outweighs this little issue.

I don't recall the brand of the HID Fogs, but they are made specifically for the newer BMW models, as they have the cancelling cables built in to bypass the famous error codes that can show up via your iDrive menu. This is a MUST for those with an E70. Make sure your kit has these and/or make sure you buy the cancelling cables as well :thumbup: .

This set was the 55W Kit which was not a slim ballast. Knowing what I know now, I would have asked for the slim ballast, as figuring out a place to put the ballast was a nightmare. You also need to keep the wires away from the PDC sensors, behind the bumper, as the magnetic current screws up the sensors when the Fogs are on.

This is where I bought the GP Thunders:

H8 by HID Lights USA

Here are the sizes of the bulbs needed for each:

Angel Eyes: H8
Xenons: D1S
Fogs: H11

One last thing I will add, is that if you don't want to do HID Fogs, but do want to get rid of the ugly amber colored fogs for the xenon-looking ones, you can also do the GP Thunders as your Fogs too. Just make sure you order the H11 bulbs for the fogs. The Angel Eyes are an H8 bulb. It's also a cheaper solution too.

If you do the GP Thunders, you'll want 8500K, since these are halogen bulbs too, not HID's. HID's should be 6000K. Standard Halogens for the pure white look should be 8500K.

Here are the exact bulbs, if you want to do the GP Thunders for your fogs instead of HID's:

H11 by HID Lights USA


Hope this helps and makes sense.

Did you try the LED License plate lights w/o the resistor? I installed the same on the E53 and there was no error on the dash.

Yes. It throws up an error, just as it does on the E60.

Did you solder the resistor onto the bulb or put it inline somewhere in the circuit?

Looks great, I also got the same LEDs from autollumination (they are definitely much brighter than any others I have seen) and the resistors from the shack. Haven't installed the resistors yet so its throwing up the annoying error in the dash, though it goes away except for the exclamation in the tach. area.

I will appreciate if you can take pictures of how you installed the resistors, they are too big to go inside the housing, and I am concerned if I install them outside, they might get too hot and burn something.

Thanks

I'll try and take pictures tonight of how they sit inside the housing. What I do need to let you know is that the metal covering is no longer used. However, I have it neatly tucked into the plastic housing, just along side and slightly above the bulb. There was no soldering involved. The resistor arms snake neatly through each clamp, as there's a hole in each to slide each arm through. I then used needle nose pliers to tuck them away and to make sure they didn't touch each other or the metal housing, inside the plastic casing.

It will make a lot more sense when I take pictures and when you open these up and see for yourself.

The resistors are key. I can't go with any error messages. That is too annoying. I need it to be perfect. As for the heating of the resistors, I have never had any issues with my E60's and I've had these LED License Plate bulbs on my cars for 3 years now.

Thanks, look forward to the pictures.

BTW, do I need one pair of GP Thunder for the Angel Eyes, or two pairs?

You get 2 bulbs in each set. So one pair. That's right, $15.98 for both bulbs. Not bad, right? :thumbup:

NICE

I just got home from work and am a little tired. Plus, the car is really dirty. After I wash the car, I'll disassemble the lights again and show you what the inside looks like. The problem is, I have to not only take off the License plate, but I have to remove the mounting bracket too, behind the plate.

Calton, thank you very much for your help. I order my bulbs today so I will also take pics after I am done with it.

are the angel eyes white ?? i see them like the stock ones ! and are they clear on the DT running lights ? bright enough like the stock ones ?

Yep. They sure are white and they are clear as day, during the day. They are perfect.

Hook up the fog to turn on as DRL's so they turn on when the car is on. thats what one of the member here did.

thank you for this quick reply :) but can you please tell me which one should I order :)

1-BMW Halo LED Ring Marker Angle Eyes Bulbs = $201
2-GP thunder 8500k , when I open the page there are a lot of products to choose from .

please help :thumbup:

i would go for the the GP thunder 8500k
for the angel eyes: H7 bulb
for the fog lamps: H11 bulb

Could you please explain to me what's the different between H1,,,,H10 :dunno: I dont get it :dunno:

The size and shapes of the bulb.

im trying to get you a picture of each just give me a few minutes.

http://www.advancespeedshop.com/imag...hite_chart.jpg

here you go...
and sorry about earlier...
The CORRECT bulbs are:
Fog lamps : H11
Angel Eyes: H8

That is NOT correct. The Angel Eyes are H8, not H7. The Fogs are H11. The xenons are D1S. Look back at some of my earlier posts.

Are the Angeleyes easy to install ? I mean can I do it my self ?

thanx yorencer,cmansbimmer. I appreciate your help BOTH :thumbup:

Sorry I am new here, Your car look good, would you please tell me where do you get those GP Thunder Lights.

More importantly, it's all about the grooves and how the notches align up, so they fit within the light housing. This is how the various types of bulbs are different. This is key, so that they easily fit and match into the sockets of the light housing.

Yes. Install is very easy, assuming you are somewhat handy. The housing for the angel eye bulbs is the black cap you'll first see, after opening the hood and looking at the back side of the light housing. That first cap is for the Angel Eye bulbs. As you go further out, towards the outer edge of the car, you hit the xenons next, followed by the front turn signal bulbs.

I'll order them asap !! H8 as u said :) thanx a lot

Got the GP Thunders 8500K, hooked them up in like 10mins, quite easy, looks great. Hooked up the resistors to the LEDs so that the error is not showing up. Will post the pics shortly. Great inexpensive mod, costed less than 50 bucks in all :D
Thanks cmans for the GP Thunder info. and the resistor install idea for the license plate LEDs

^ also got my GP Thunders done for angel eyes and fogs. Great match at 8500k, nice white, no blue - easy mods. When the headlights are on though, the AE goes into low power mode and the middle 2 AEs especially are not as bright. Still beats the amber though... fogs too... hated the mismatch amber. Will post pics after I snap the fogs too (did them on separate days).

Thanks cman.

Oh if you guys can post pics for the resistor/plate lamp, it'd be appreciated.

Before w/ fogs:
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/3083/beforeae.jpg

In between (new on left, old on right):
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/8514/betweenae.jpg

After:
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/463/afterae.jpg

After, at dawn:
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/3338/afternohidall.jpg

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/474...rnohidall2.jpg

After, with headlamps at dawn (notice the lower power AE because of headlamps, slight amber):
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/4829/afterhidall.jpg

One other note - if you want a perfect match with the fogs & headlamps you definitely need to upgrade the HIDs as mentioned before. I still like this more than the amber fogs before though.

Congrats! Looks great!

Looks cool rh71. Following are pictures of the resistor and my X with the GP Thunder Angel Eyes. You will have to remove the steel reflector plate before you install the resistor as the resistor cannot be installed with that plate there.

The GP Thunders look really cool but the intensity is a bit less than the originals I feel. Is it because the bulbs are essentially halogen but tinted? I haven't changed the fogs yet, may look into that as well.

Thanks to cmans for the resistor install idea, and field trial validation :)

PS: Ride is dirty due to rains and haven't cleaned it yet, didn't want the effort to go waste ;)

Those are perfect pictures of how the resistors sit within the housing for the license plate lights. Thanks for posting them.

That license plate is nice and bright now for the cops and photo radar to read clearly! ;) :D

LOL - Is that what we call a BRIGHT IDEA?

Well out here in the US, cops usually just chase you down ;) License plate is essentially immaterial ;) I think folks in Canada and Europe should be more concerned about that 'cause you have SpeedCams :nanana:

Anywayz, unless you are moving in a swarm of X5s, cops can easily recognize you, don't need a license plate number :dunno:

BTW, the bright 9 LED bulbs from autolumination do seem to help improve the rear camera view, a little bit.

Thanks for sharing this info cman.

Hi rh71, what bulbs did you install and were did you get them? Did you have to add any resistors etc or it worked out of the box without giving any errors?

^ cman gave all the info and links that's needed...

angel eyes: H8 GP Thunder 8500k

fogs: H11 GP Thunder 8500k

Straight up replacement of the existing bulbs, no errors or tweaks needed. I haven't done the license plate yet but the pics with the resistors is what you'll have to do.

Thanks! Yes, thanks to cman, I saw a few contradicting posts and just wanted to be sure which you used cause it looked great on your car.

A friend and I are working on having my bodyshop guy build in a custom fog light into the rear Aero Kit skirt that lights up the rear when the car is triggered into reverse. This should act like a flood light and light up a large area behind the car, so you can actually utilize the camera at night. I must say that the back-up camera at night is completely useless in a dark area. It is of no help at all. You're better of sticking your head out the window and utilizing the standard PDC sensors for warnings of objects or people in your rear. A bad design by BMW I must say.

That's pretty cool, can you post pictures? I can see how it would work, I have seen a few installed in other SUVs but they stuck out and looked ugly. I would be interested in seeing if this setup is hidden from view by the Aero Kit skirt.

sounds really cool Cman. cant wait to see it

I can't wait to see it on your car! :bustingup :bustingup Thank god you'll be the guinea pig for something with this X5. I'm tired of testing all this crap out. :nanana:

Re-read all MY posts and you will find the correct bulbs and sizes mentioned. :thumbup:

Yep, thanks a lot for the tips cman! Ordered and should get it tomorrow, can't wait to get rid of the 'yellow' glow!:yourock:

read under the picture in post # 26

Been here a while and this is my first message on this forum...

GREAT mod to you lights - cmansbimmer

Does anyone know if there are any distributers in the UK (preferably in London), that can provide these parts ?

Thanks in advance

:thumbup:

autolumination's homepage is a bit all-over-the-place... but I finally found a 'category' page - can you guys tell me exactly which one is the plate lights?

BMW Forum Light LED Bulbs

9 LED, 39mm Super White. I actually just ordered 8 of these bulbs on Friday for poleposition and I.

awesome thread!!! i'm bored so i might try this.

I have 10 High power LED coming on Friday.. i will post some picture as soon as i am done testing them in my 335 and x5. I have 24LED from BAVAUTO currently in Center console... and 12 LED in 2 back door...

I just got the GP Thunders 8500K. I did the left side, no problem, and it looks great! However, right hand side is a problem - I can not get my hand behind the fog light - it's way too tight (I followed the directions given in the DIY section).
How did you all change out your bulbs, in particular on the right hand side?? thanks

It's a tight fit and you have to wiggle your hand a bit to get there. I guess you did remove the silver trim piece as per the DIY?

It seemed to me the H11 GP Thunders 8500K are not as bright as the OEM fogs and had a more blue hint than the H8. The angel eyes H8 GP Thunder 8500k were beautiful...

BTW, if you change your angel eyes, make sure you don't leave the black headlamp access cover on the engine, I managed to knock mine down the engine compartment into the sump protector tray. 10 min changing the lights +30 minutes trying to retrieve the cover :banghead:

I can't talk about the fogs' brightness but about the blue... when I'm in the car and see its reflection it looks a little blue, but take a look at my avatar pic and you'll see it's still majority white. Perhaps a little camera trickery given the ambient lighting conditions? The AEs alone also look borderline blue when looking directly at them but they're at least whiter than the old amber.

But I do think both the H8 & H11 are the same exact hue when not using the low beams (regular headlights) as in that pic (which is also full-size on page 2). Using the headlights fades the AEs a lot.

My 6000K Fogs and 6000K Xenons match up perfectly. However, since the GP Thunders (Angel Eyes) are Halogen, not HID's or LED's, they look less white. However, when just the angel eyes are on, they look nice and white. It's a worthwhile trade-off IMO, for the upgraded lights across the board. :thumbup:

If you want a simple solution to change your license plate lights to brighter LEDS, read this.

For the license plate lights, you can simply spend more and buy a plug and play led light set without having to worry about resistors and error messages. It costs $72.99 and you can buy them here:

BMW LED Lights-GP Thunder

Enjoy your new brighter license plate lights!

I was just digging around on autoillumination and the 6418 9LED replacements all say "cool white" not "super white". Did they change their marketing speak or am I looking at the wrong place? I was on the festoon page: Festoon Dome Lights

CORRECTION: was going to hit cancel and not post but this may help someone else - The bulb called High Powered 9 Led SMT Festoon says "cool white" under the photo but "super white" when you click the add to cart button. I think this is the right bulb, if not I'll post a correction after extinguishing the electrical fire :yikes:

UPDATE: Bulb's received and installed. As far as I can tell, these are the correct bulbs.


Tim

I don't think there is such thing as build "specifically for the newer BMW", since you have 55W HID kit and the original bulbs are 55W so they draw the same power. That’s why there is no error.
I was wondering if your fog lights create any glare, since 55W HID are extremely bright and tend to produce glare when installed in reflector housings.

Just spend an hour on this and have a bloody hand as proof, is this how everyone's passenger side looks? I was able to get more of my hand in there when I laid underneath the vehicle but then my palm was facing the rear and I couldn't do anything.



Tim

That looks right to me. It looks like you're going to have to find someone with smaller hands...

maybe if I shave my arm?

It's a pain. I had the car on a lift and went from underneath. It took longer, but was much cleaner.

3.0 either side was pretty much a completely empty space there.

On the 35d only a lady's arm can do it.... I had my assistant do it and she could barely get it done despite her long fingers and skinny arms -- too damn tight.

Hi Guys

I just ordered the H8 and H11's as well as the license plate LED specified by "Marsh" LED Angel Light

Hopefully will install these next week.

PS: I also saw on the site the LED Ring Marker Bulbs for BMW Angel Eyes - has anyone tried these? if so how do they compare to the GP Thunder H8's?

Thanks

They'll be bright. :thumbup: For me, I like the GP Thunders when I use them strictly as my DRL's. Keep in mind that when you turn the headlights on, on the car, the Angel Eyes actually reduce power and are not as bright, as when they are on alone, just as DRL's. Just a heads up. This of course, is only the LCI's (E70). Since I upgraded my xenons to 6000K and am running 6000K HID Fogs, I didn't seen any reason to do the LED's or HID's for Angel Eyes.

I just remembered this post and you Guys have to remember that CMan changed his headlights to 6000k's, so they will have a bit more blue in them. That's why the 8500k's match his. I was wondering if the 7500k GP Thunder's would be a better match for stock 4300k HID's.

I've been debating on getting some HID lights for the fogs, but since my wife drives it, I don't want any errors, so I just might do the bulbs. I believe that it's Much more important to have better lighting than aesthetics (function over form, especially as you get older and your sight isn't as good! lol), but if I could have both, that would be alright with me! :D

Try them. They're cheap and it can't hurt. Personally, I think the 8500K GP's are white and perfect for both stock 4300 and 6000. I had them on both lights, before I went to 6000. I wouldn't do 7500K.

As for the HID Fogs, the difference in lighting up the road is night and day, especially with all these potholes in the Tri-State Area lately. I'm able to see them a lot better with the HID Fogs. I've had both, and again, I really like the HID Fogs. So if it's function, then I would do the HID Fogs. The X5 is actually my wifes car too and she appreciates how much better the road lights up with the upgraded lights. :thumbup:

Thanks CMan! :beerchug:

Unfortunately, we have the same type of roads here too! The interstate is the worst and I've seen some pothole that would swallow our trucks up around here and to be able to see them well ahead of time could not only save a pair of twenty inch rims, it could also save some expensive repairs and also be safer! That's a win/win in my book!

I'm off to buy some 4300k fogs then. :thumbup:

Do you have the digital ballast or the standard ones? Also, if I read correctly, you have the 55watt HID's in your fogs. Have you had any type of overheating problems with them because of the light being so concentrated? Some Guys with the bullet type fogs have reported problems with them. I know that the OEM lights are 55w, so you'd think that it didn't matter, but I just thought that I'd ask.
Thanks for your advice and for this post! :beerchug:

I assume the foglights have reflector housings... is it not illegal in the US to put HIDs in your fogs? It would be seriously dangerous to oncoming cars, looking into such bright glare from your fogs.

Nope. Legal and many cars use them. They light up the road below, so much better. And since they point down more, they don't bother oncoming traffic. :thumbup:

Anyone know of any decent LED applications for tail lights? I want to replace Brake lights, turn signals and running lights with LED but haven't had much luck so far. Has anyome done this? If so please let me know what bulbs you used. Are there any with built-in resistors? Thanks.

Where did you get the D1S bulbs for the headlights? And were they difficult to install?

I got them from a vendor I use on 5series.net (formerly E60.net). I have been using him for years and also used him for some of the parts on my X5. He's based in SoCal. Install isn't that bad. The only pain is getting the clip back on the ballast.

Hello
I know this thread has been around a while and I have read every page, but autolumination's website leaves a lot to be desired.
Can someone tell me if these are the CORRECT replacements for my 06 X5 (E53)..?
Do they come TWO to a single order or do I need to actually order QUANTITY 2..?

Festoon Bulb
Item # 9 LedColor: Super White
Size: 36mm SMT
$9.99Bayonet
Item # SMT Tower 23ledColor: Super White
Type: 7506
$19.99

Item total:$29.98 .


Thanks
ed

Ed -

At this point, I would recommend ordering bulbs from Bimmian. They're brighter and will last you a long time. There are so many bulbs out these days, the autoillumination route isn't ideal anymore.

Thanks, but the only ones I find at Bimmian are the WeissLicht LEDs, and frankly I sent back TWO sets for being bad out of the box.

The autolumination site hurts my head to even find anything....and that was AFTER I asked for help...

I'm wondering if I should just go buy some off eBay. Are they REALLY that different..?

Thank you again for the quick reply.
Ed

Ed,

There is a member on 5series.net (formerly E60.net) that has been selling lighting to many of the NY/NJ members for years. He's a great guy and someone I would highly recommend. He also has an E60 M5, like me. Great guy. His name is John and his profile is: brabusw209amg.

I would contact him and see what he can do for you. He'll even do the install for free, as he loves this stuff.

Hi i am new to X5 so i was looking to change all the interior lights with same ones...
do you by any chance have all the model numbers that go inside the car?

want more white, but dont care too much for LEDs, since i dont want to put resistors in every bulb.

any help would be appreciated, and also whats the best site to buy them as well.

Thank you

Sorry, I don't have the model numbers but no resistors are needed except for the license plate.

Before I break anything, is there a special method of pulling out the lights for the license plate or any other areas? It looks like there is a place for me to pull on the sides but I'd just like to make sure if anyone can chime in. Much appreciated!

The license plate lights have a small tab that you insert a slim screwdriver in and they pop out. There is an easy illustration in your owners manual

^
Much appreciated!
I just opened my owners manual and it's all in German... I may have to ask my dealer about this.

You'll see where the screwdriver fits. It's a small slot. The light just pops out. Unplug harness, plug new one in.

Has anyone installed these in to their E70?

LED Ring Marker Light for BMW E92 E93. E70. E82 E87 (08~) Angel Eyes

what is the difference between the above and these next ones?

LED Ring Marker Light for BMW E92 E93. E70. E82 E87 (08~) Angel Eyes

Just in case anyone is interested in a youtube DIY on how to replace the license plate light.

http://www.youtube.com/v/4fqFapI-3SI

i've got the first ones in my e70, i dont think there is much difference between either of those..they look like they are both using a similar LED setup..

during the day you can sort of see the rings glow but they arn't that bright..

at night time they look quite decent.

http://inlinethumb15.webshots.com/96...600x600Q85.jpg

Thanks Bren, have you heard of any better options?

(other than the OEM Bi-Xenons of course)

thanks

My car has bi-xenons, the ae's run off a separate globe.

the other options is to use an actual HID hit. They should be widely available considering it is a standard H8 globe fitment. (I believe some of the other members are running a similar setups)

The only issue is that it is a very tight space to get your hands in there to fit the globe. As for the harness I made a very small slit in the side of the covers of the head lights so that I could still close the enclosure and mount the harness elsewhere. I would do something similar if I was running a HID kit..