upgrading E46 lights to xenons ???

[carlejo]

I'm about to buy a 325i sport with all the trinkets, but the only thing it doesn't have is xenon lights??..... I have seen aftermarket kits for approx £250... anyone seen them cheaper or have any advice whether they are worth the money or not ?

it appears to me that all you do is take out existing wiring going to halogen bulbs and then connect to some sort of box regulator thing.... the wires then go from that box to the new bulb holder, and then the xenon bulb plugs into that.... and then just place into the headlight housing.... would this be correct ?
thanks in advance
Carl

[vincenz]

does it have headlamp washers?
i think by law you need them with xenon head lamps as its a gas discharge unit

[carlejo]

I don't think it has headlamp washers.... does this mean I can't have xenons ?.....anyway, who would know ?
thanks
Carl

[pattyg]

From other forums I believe its not easy to convert and costs a fortune.

Perhaps someone could provide more details.

[drgav2005]

Not sure about it having to have headlamp washers (that's a new one on me)... but it would need to have the self levelling gubbins that the standard xenons come with... Given they are so bright, many people (without xenons) tend to think they're mis-aligned... so they really need to be pointing at the right angle!

[catherinej]

I think that the headlight washers are a mandatory requirement.

[carlejo]

from what I've read it doesn't seem to hard.... you just take out halogen bulb of the bulb housing and fit the xenon bulb into the supplied xenon housing and then fit housing into headlight.... then you take the wires that would normally connect to the halogen housing and connect them to the ballast and then outgoing wires from ballast connect to the bulbs... it seems easy enough, except I don't want to shell out £250 on them if they are not very good..... just wondered if anyone has actually done or if they thry can recommend where to buy.... seen a few on e-bay very cheap, but you don't know what they're like....

www.eurostyling.com/hid.htm

here's the e bay link

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5-6000K-XENON-H

[carlejo]

catherinej said:

I think that the headlight washers are a mandatory requirement.

any idea why ?....seems strange..

[Dunk76]

MOT failure for some bizarre reason.

Mate of mine has just fitted them to his E46 325i and spent ages pissing about with the brilliantly teutonic headlight washers fitted to the E46.

I really really wouldn't bother - just replacing broken bits on them is expensive and tricky enough, let alone fitting them.

[carlejo]

Thanks dunk76... any chance you find out from your mate why it's an MOT failure ?

[NickXX]

If it's an e46, I have a done a fitting guide here:

www.channelmotors.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=113

Being a 330, mine has washers already - I believe it's only a legal requirement for factory fitted ones. The laws are hazy with aftermarket kits.

I had mine aligned by an MOT tester after they were fitted - he said I'd have no issues whatsoever getting through an MOT. As expected, I got through an MOT a few months later with no advisories.

[carlejo]

Thanks nickxx.... reading it now

[carlejo]

I have searched the web and can't any info reagrding legal requirements of the xenons, eg.. if it does need washers, auto levelling etc....

I work in ambulance control and used a bit of cheek/influence and called our police department.... they can't find anything regarding aftermarket fitting of xenons and the law!!!.... so I'm now stumped

[rassi]

The self-levelling and headlamp washers are only mandatory when factory fitted - aftermarket xenons are not covered by these requirements.

[PAOLOH]

The only way headlamps can fail an MOT is on allignment. ( unless of course thay don't work, full stop ) If xenons are self levelling and your car doesn't have that option and lights were out of allignment, they would fail.

[blackspider]

carlejo said:

I have searched the web and can't any info reagrding legal requirements of the xenons, eg.. if it does need washers, auto levelling etc....

I work in ambulance control and used a bit of cheek/influence and called our police department.... they can't find anything regarding aftermarket fitting of xenons and the law!!!.... so I'm now stumped

There is no set law for self leveling headlamps,they dont come into an MOT as you cant prove how they or if they are working thats the same for the airbag-if the lights on you cant fail it because it isnt proof that the system has failed.
I believe its the manufactorer and safety standards that set this rule for a leveling xenon light.

[PAOLOH]

Just to confirm, the headlamps on an MOT test have to be at a set height. Self levelling or not. If they do not fall into set parameters, they fail.

[535dman]

These guys do it:
www.mstyle.co.uk/