# Xenon headlights ?



## bmwnewbie (Jan 30, 2002)

Hello,

I am looking at a 325i - Orient Blue, Blk Leatherette and Premium. The only one the dealer could locate also comes with Xenon headlights. This is my first bimmer so wondering whether it is advisable to spend another $700 on Xenon. 

A friend of mine who has an Audi says his Xenon lights cause issue for other drivers -- he said they are constantly thinking he has his full beam on and are blinking at him, telling him to put his full beam off. 

I didnt know whether BMW drivers with Xenon faced the same issue and didnt know how effective the lights actually are. 

Any insights would be appreciated.


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## Staszek (Jan 28, 2004)

Your lights should be auto leveling so you shouldnt have this problem. Xenons are by far one of the best options on my car. Its a night and day difference between that and Halogens, if you have never had them its not a big deal, once you get them you will never want to go back.


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## lighthousemoon (Aug 6, 2004)

*Xenons . . can't live without them!*

I have a 2001 BMW 330i with Xenons . . oh damn . . love them to death! So bright and focused! Ever since that, I've had a Volvo XC90 T6, a Nissan Quest SE, a Hummer H2, and a Honda Odyssey . . of those cars, the Volvo had xenons, still so good, but the other cars are just plain halogens, and I get restless when I use them. Right now I just have the Quest, and am thinking of retrofitting the Quest with Xenons. And I was disappointed that my 2001 330i had low beam xenons when BMW came out with bi-xenons for 2002 and later. Now, I'm slated to get my 2004 BMW 330xi any day now, and comes with bi-xenons . . cant wait for that! Really, Xenons are great, and worth every penny.

Hope this lights your way!

C- :thumbup:


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## wag-zhp (Apr 8, 2004)

If you do very much night driving, I highly recommend the Xenons. They really do make a huge difference!


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## TLudwig (Mar 30, 2004)

Definitely get the Xenons. They are worth every penny. I have never felt like I had such a clear view of the road before. They are extremely effective as compared to the halogen lights in the other cars I've driven. That being said, if you've never had Xenon headlights before, the BMW halogens are very effective as well and you'd be okay with them. Of course, you'd still probably wish that you had them because they are very cool looking.

As far as other drivers thinking that I have my brights on, it's only happened to me a couple of times, and always when I'm waiting at a rise in the intersection (the lights are pointed higher relative to the other car than normal). It's no big deal, and I don't think that they cause any safety issues, especially since they are auto-leveled everytime you turn the car on.

When you're stuck behind someone going slow in the fast lane, the bi-xenons tend to come in very handy, acting as a powerful motivator to move it on over.


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## ger3sf (Feb 3, 2004)

Xenons should be standard on all BMWs. It's definitely worth the extra $700, and it may add a bit on the resale.


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## andy_thomas (Oct 7, 2002)

ger3sf said:


> Xenons should be standard on all BMWs. It's definitely worth the extra $700, and it may add a bit on the resale.


Why? Personally I do very little night-time driving, and the number of miles I've covered on roads with no ambient lighting can probably be counted on both hands. HID headlights would only increase the cost of the car, which is expensive enough as it is. I would prefer a lower purchase price and the option to add HID lights if I want to spend the extra money.


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## MA330CIC (Mar 13, 2004)

:stupid: X 7 above. A great option, well worth the price, but should be a standard option!


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## AndyDe (Jul 9, 2004)

bmwnewbie said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am looking at a 325i - Orient Blue, Blk Leatherette and Premium. The only one the dealer could locate also comes with Xenon headlights. This is my first bimmer so wondering whether it is advisable to spend another $700 on Xenon.
> 
> Any insights would be appreciated.


Absolutely yes! Worth every penny. I came from halogen on my last Audi to xenons on the new bimmer. Wow, is all I can say :bow:

You'll be able to tell the biggest difference when you go from xenons on your car to halogens. Get them !! :thumbup:


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## cantona7 (Apr 8, 2004)

Xenons are great, but I noticed that you're not adding the Sport Package. If I were you and cost was a mitigating factor, I'd get the SP over Xenons.


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## ger3sf (Feb 3, 2004)

andy_thomas said:


> Why? Personally I do very little night-time driving, and the number of miles I've covered on roads with no ambient lighting can probably be counted on both hands. HID headlights would only increase the cost of the car, which is expensive enough as it is. I would prefer a lower purchase price and the option to add HID lights if I want to spend the extra money.


I've been in London between Nov and Feb...the sun (when it's not overcast or raining) is only out between 9 and 3  . Maybe a slight exaggeration...

As HID/Xenons proliferate, their cost would decrease and enable it to be offered as standard. At some point, even Kia/Hyundia will have HIDs as standard. (Showing my age, I remember when air con, power windows/locks, etc were extra-cost on "high-end" cars).


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## CHESHIREKEITH (Aug 6, 2004)

bmwnewbie said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am looking at a 325i - Orient Blue, Blk Leatherette and Premium. The only one the dealer could locate also comes with Xenon headlights. This is my first bimmer so wondering whether it is advisable to spend another $700 on Xenon.
> 
> ...


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## jeffh325 (Mar 15, 2004)

bmwnewbie said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am looking at a 325i - Orient Blue, Blk Leatherette and Premium. The only one the dealer could locate also comes with Xenon headlights. This is my first bimmer so wondering whether it is advisable to spend another $700 on Xenon.
> 
> ...


BMW Xenons definitely light up the road better than halogens but it was a little hard to tell how much better they were (didn't do any night time test driving) when I bought my car. I think the best thing you can do is to find two friends with an E46, one with halogens and on with Xenons and do a side-by-side comparison.

Having said that, I love my Xenons. I guess they might not have been worth the $700 ( think it's less on the sedan) but I don't want to know about. It's nice to see the road so clearly at night and the adaptive controls are always amusing to watch.

I have never had anyone flash their high beam at me to complain about my Xenons. They should be auto-leveling. In fact, they're less disperse than regular halogens so you will see a sharp cut-off. If the car in front of you is below the cut-off, they have nothing to complain about.


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## CHESHIREKEITH (Aug 6, 2004)

Hi . 
Ref the Xenon lights,yes I'd pay the extra for them. I've got a 540i(my first BMW) and boy do they make a difference . If you can afford them ( no offence intended) I'd go for them.
Best of luck with the car- whatever you choose. :thumbup:


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## Tanning machine (Feb 21, 2002)

jeffh325 said:


> BMW Xenons definitely light up the road better than halogens but it was a little hard to tell how much better they were (didn't do any night time test driving) when I bought my car.


TM I had the original "new" halogens. They remained until recently the best headlights I have had in any car I have ever driven, regardless of build year. I assume the current BMWs without xenons use those, and they are exceptional. The xenons seem even better, but I haven't driven in enough totally dark areas yet to know for sure.

So, while I'd say the xenons are the "best" if you are economizing, I would not worry about having lousy headlights without them, particularly if you don't regularly drive in rural/unlit areas.


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## eelnoraa (Oct 13, 2003)

Definitely get the xenon while you can. You will regret not getting it, and it is such a hassle to get it retrofit later. Aim should be OK with auto leveling. The quality of BMW is xenon is exceptional, after using it, you almost cannot go back to halogen. The $700 is well worth.

eel


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## Tex (Oct 6, 2003)

I am with Tanning machine on that one: the Xenons are for sure the very best lighting source you can find on a car. But when it comes to BMW, the regular halogens are so good already that the Xenons are only marginaly better overall. They will mainly make a big difference when driving in totaly dark areas and/or over black pavement, and then they will make a difference because of the autolevelling feature (if you often drive with heavy loads), the looks and the motivational factor on the left lane (as TLudwig said).

If $ is an issue, I would not be worried about not having them that I would be worried driving without the Sport Package.


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## kurichan (May 1, 2004)

bmwnewbie said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am looking at a 325i - Orient Blue, Blk Leatherette and Premium. The only one the dealer could locate also comes with Xenon headlights. This is my first bimmer so wondering whether it is advisable to spend another $700 on Xenon.
> 
> ...


I have Xenons. So far, I'm not really impressed. They don't seem a whole lot better than the impressive halogens we had on our 528iT.


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## hockeynut (Apr 14, 2002)

Love 'em - wouldn't live without 'em. Got 'em on my car and also they are standard on the wife's 02 Maxima.

I agree with a post above about SP being preferable but on a $30k+ car what's an extra $700? SP and Xenons are the 2 "must have" options, IMHO.


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## Staszek (Jan 28, 2004)

IMO as I reread, I would rather have the SP over xenons anyday. You can retro fit xenons fairly cheaply, you can even retro fit the sport suspension very easily, but getting the sport seats is the hard part, and they are definetly worth it.


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## kurichan (May 1, 2004)

AndyDe said:


> I came from halogen on my last Audi to xenons on the new bimmer. Wow, is all I can say


Not a fair comparo! BMW halogens are exceptional. Audi might not be as good (never had one, so can't say for sure).


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## ironxcross (May 29, 2004)

Definitely worth it. I wish everyone had xenon because I think they're much easier on the eyes, except for when you're a little lower than and looking straight at an oncoming pair of xenons.


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

bmwnewbie said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am looking at a 325i - Orient Blue, Blk Leatherette and Premium. The only one the dealer could locate also comes with Xenon headlights. This is my first bimmer so wondering whether it is advisable to spend another $700 on Xenon.
> 
> ...


Love my xenon lights. after a week with them you'll switch to other cars at night and think the drivers didn't turn on their lights.

as for the flashing, when it happens I hi-beam back and let them know the sun can get a whole lot brighter.


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## eelnoraa (Oct 13, 2003)

Staszek said:


> IMO as I reread, I would rather have the SP over xenons anyday. You can retro fit xenons fairly cheaply, you can even retro fit the sport suspension very easily, but getting the sport seats is the hard part, and they are definetly worth it.


Yes, agree, SP first if you have to choose between SP vs xenon.
But I don't think xenon retrofit later come in cheap. It will definitely cost more than $700

eel


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

Comparing properly designed halogens with properly designed xenons, there is no comparison. Most factory xenons work great from the driver's perspective but some (Audis, S2000s) behave poorly to oncoming traffic. Not the case with BMWs. And a full and proper retrofit (with full lens assemblies, leveling, replacement LCM) will be very costly. The bulb-only ones often have very poor results and may now be illegal for that reason.

Note that the standard headlights on E46 sedans and pre-facelift coupes are conventional multireflector units, not the projector-lens or 'ellipsoid' style on most late 80s and 90s BMWs that work so well.


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## KrisL (Dec 22, 2001)

kurichan said:


> I have Xenons. So far, I'm not really impressed. They don't seem a whole lot better than the impressive halogens we had on our 528iT.


I agree.

I had halogens on my 99 E46. I have Xenons now. Not terribly impressed - I don't think they perform noticably better. More of the "ooh" factor.


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## Bill325Ci (Jul 17, 2002)

Just to add my voice to everybody else's here, definately get the xenons. This is the first car I've had them on, and I love them. They're worth the $700.


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## Staszek (Jan 28, 2004)

eelnoraa said:


> Yes, agree, SP first if you have to choose between SP vs xenon.
> But I don't think xenon retrofit later come in cheap. It will definitely cost more than $700
> 
> eel


Nope I have gotten them and sold them for $500 for the set, of course these are used and not bixenons. Also For just over $800 you can get the whole housings with xenons and DDE built in from Umnitza.


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## Rich_Jenkins (Jul 12, 2003)

bmwnewbie said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am looking at a 325i - Orient Blue, Blk Leatherette and Premium. The only one the dealer could locate also comes with Xenon headlights. This is my first bimmer so wondering whether it is advisable to spend another $700 on Xenon.
> 
> ...


:hi: and welcome to the 'fest!

Sounds like a great looking/driving car to me. Add the SP and you'll have a fine motor.

As to the Xenons, yes, they are worth it IMO. I've actually never been "flashed" by other drivers due to the lights. They appear to be gimballed and attached to stepper motors of some kind because as I back down the drive at night I can see them adjust elevation every 2-3s. Kinda cool.

As to the light, once you get them its pretty hard to get used to standard Halogens. I had a 3-er loaner with halogens and noticed a difference (which to me is/was worth the bucks) between the two lights.

YMMV of course


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## dorkus (Sep 4, 2003)

i'm with Tanning Machine as well - while i have no doubt the xenons are fantastic, i have to say that the stock halogens are by far the best headlights of any car i've driven (which admittedly isn't that many, but i've been in some good cars european and japanese luxury cars). focus, coverage, evenness and brightness are all really excellent even with just halogens.


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## andy_thomas (Oct 7, 2002)

ger3sf said:


> I've been in London between Nov and Feb...the sun (when it's not overcast or raining) is only out between 9 and 3  . Maybe a slight exaggeration...
> 
> As HID/Xenons proliferate, their cost would decrease and enable it to be offered as standard. At some point, even Kia/Hyundia will have HIDs as standard.


Fine. But until then, no HIDs, please. And London is extraordinarily well-lit at nighttime. HIDs in the UK have to come with headlight washers, and the total package on my car would have set me back over $1,400. Thanks, but no thanks. By all means fit them to US cars, though - they're cheap as chips to start with, and this further option restriction would have the effect of lowering the unit price for you anyway.


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## Patrick330i (Sep 30, 2002)

bmwnewbie said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am looking at a 325i - Orient Blue, Blk Leatherette and Premium. The only one the dealer could locate also comes with Xenon headlights. This is my first bimmer so wondering whether it is advisable to spend another $700 on Xenon.
> 
> ...


Funny you bring this up. My neighbor was washing her new X3 across the street this morning while I was working on my 3er. She mentioned that she was glad that I suggested getting the Xenons. She loves them. They really help light up the road at night. She has a stretch of freeway that is pretty dark if she gets out of work late. I don't see as well at night and neither does she. It's worth it. And the community at large is getting used to them. I don't get hardly any flashes or honking or anything. You need to check them out at night, I guess.


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## FenPhen (Jan 13, 2004)

bmwnewbie said:


> A friend of mine who has an Audi says his Xenon lights cause issue for other drivers -- he said they are constantly thinking he has his full beam on and are blinking at him, telling him to put his full beam off.
> 
> I didnt know whether BMW drivers with Xenon faced the same issue and didnt know how effective the lights actually are.


I've only been flashed once in 4 months of ownership, and that was because I was cresting a hill. I have also been on the receiving end where another E46 with xenons was across the intersection on higher ground. Very bright in that situation, but rare.

The BMW halogens, as others have said, are very very good, probably the best halogen lights out there, and far better than any other car I've been in.

The xenons are another step up, and are definitely worth it if you ever drive outside of an urban environment at night. The lights are aimed pretty well, and other drivers are usually outside of the cutoff, and shouldn't complain at all. The only times when other drivers are vulnerable are at places where the road is about to change curvature because the headlights can't anticipate that, and if you're taking a sweeping right turn, oncoming drivers will get lit up by the right headlight.

If someone's repeatedly flashing you while you have low-beams on, you could pull the light stalk toward you once to light up the inner halogen lights that are used for flashing to show them you didn't have high-beams on. :dunno:


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