Legal* LED H7 & H4

[nuttinnew]

I'll get the * out of the way; on some cars, in some countries. If they meet the standards for certification elsewhere then the beam pattern must be up to scratch, perhaps the only reason for not being cleared here is the cost of the test.

https://www.osram.com/ecat/LED%20lamps% ... 1_3574187/

They're rated at 1500lm. Osram also list non-certified ones at 1750lm and 2000lm, which sound nice for high beam.

I'll see if my favourite yt tester has done a vid on them. In the meantime;

[integrale_evo]

Current legislation means they won’t be legal here regardless of colour or beam pattern because the blanket rule means that any light source other than that which the lamp was designed for will be an mot fail.

I assume because it makes it easier for a policeman to enforce at the side of the road than get into arguements about colour and beam pattern, although it doesn’t seem to have made a joy of difference to the number of cars I see with horrendously aimed and obviously aftermarket led bulbs.

Osram and Philips have done higher quality led replacements for years, I’d like to try some but they’re pretty pricey. Non-brand specials can be pretty variable in quality / output with their quoted light outputs usually being entirely fictional.

[nuttinnew]

Ah, that'll be that then (I could and should have checked ).
As you say, Osram and Philips have had leds out for a time; these should at least answer any alignment queries (and output compared to random no-names). I think they're £80+ for H7.

[scotta]

as @Rich B will attest non factory xenon or LED headlights on the F30 series bmw are shit. As a result i fitted a set of LED's. Someone on here recommended them. They passed 3 MOT's as the beam pattern was fine.

[mik]

I did a (stealth) xenon conversion on the VXR8 dipped beams. (Projector lights - beam good with sharp cut-off. Ballast built into the cap on the back of the light unit, so not obvious to see).

Massive improvement, but not quite as good as factory xenon on the Disco4 it shared the driveway with at the time.

I would though.

Have also updated HID on the Evora to higher output Xenarc Osram versions. Worthwhile.

[Beany]

The E46 has halogen candles.

Currently weighing up M3 Xenons, or third party headlights that support bixenons etc.

Not 100% comfortable with high output bulbs in reflector housings, and my housings are a bit flaky as it is so I'll probably replace 'em anyway - just need to work out what with.

[16vCento]

My Disco 3 had the best headlights, and especially main beam I've ever seen in a car, it was immense.

The XF Factory HIDs are dire, I might get some LEDs to replace them as they seem a decent upgrade

[integrale_evo]

The E46 has halogen candles.

Currently weighing up M3 Xenons, or third party headlights that support bixenons etc.

Not 100% comfortable with high output bulbs in reflector housings, and my housings are a bit flaky as it is so I'll probably replace 'em anyway - just need to work out what with.

I retrofitted aftermarket hid projectors into the standard e46 reflector housings on our touring as oem ones were expensive and would have needed coding.

I use the same ones in my compact and they’re the best headlights out of any of our cars.

If yours takes h7 bulbs they’re pretty much plug and play as they come with a keyed adapter to line them up.

[integrale_evo]

Ah, that'll be that then (I could and should have checked ).

I have, and will continue to use ‘illegal’ methods, but I’m sensible about it, my compact with my retrofit solution has excellent lights and I get flashed far less in that than the totally oe and aligned to mot specs xenons in the mito.

As long as you’re not taking the piss with stupid colours or terrible beam patterns I doubt anyone would notice or care. Shame a few mongs have to ruin it and cause them to bring in a blanket rule.

[nuttinnew]

Ah, that'll be that then (I could and should have checked ).

I have, and will continue to use ‘illegal’ methods, but I’m sensible about it, my compact with my retrofit solution has excellent lights and I get flashed far less in that than the totally oe and aligned to mot specs xenons in the mito.

As long as you’re not taking the piss with stupid colours or terrible beam patterns I doubt anyone would notice or care. Shame a few mongs have to ruin it and cause them to bring in a blanket rule.

I thought the Compact had std E36 lights, my bad memory. I'd like to give a projector retrofit a go but by all accounts the A2 headlights are an absolute pita to split - unless you have some from the first year of manufacture, which were made differently and are easy to do if nigh on impossible to find

Yep, don't annoy people or draw unnecessary attention and nobody'll bother pulling you up for things. At least these LEDs are known to be fine in reflector housings

[integrale_evo]

Nah, compacts have cheap rubbish hella non-projectors. I’ve put full fat e36 lights in my other two, but you need to swap the wiring around.

The compact lights are actually easier to retrofit an aftermarket bi-xenon projector into. If you remove the std e36 one you need to make up conversion brackets, an the compact you can just pull out the bulb shroud and trim its mount a little with a dremel then put the projector through the hole and tighten a nut on the back. Even better, the 9006 bulb connector plugs directly into most aftermarket hid kit ballasts.