Which seller to use- black projector halo headlights

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Naeem.m
Joined: Wed 19 Aug, 2009 21:57
Posts: 365

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: Leicester

Which seller to use- black projector halo headlights

Post by Naeem.m »

Hi guys

I'm considering buying some black halo projector headlamps for my Z, I've seen them On jontt's car and a few others. Anyone got them fitted to a black Z pics would be great. Not sure how they will look and wether They would suit my Z

Cheers guys.
Last edited by Naeem.m on Wed 24 Nov, 2010 11:18, edited 1 time in total.
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Wolverine_1999
Joined: Mon 15 Feb, 2010 20:07
Posts: 454

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: Munich

Post by Wolverine_1999 »

I'm debating this at the moment also..

They do give a much more aggressive look to the front, but compared to the originals, the rings are very small. I've gone for the rings around the originals for now.

I think your car looks quite aggressive from the front as is at the moment anyway though!

Let's see if my taste develops :D
Naeem.m
Joined: Wed 19 Aug, 2009 21:57
Posts: 365

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: Leicester

Post by Naeem.m »

I have noticed the rings are small but thinking they would look more uptodate. Does anyone have pictures they could post with these headlamps. With the rings on And the main dipped beam on etc.

:wink:
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preston2.8
Joined: Tue 24 Nov, 2009 13:54
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  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: upminster

Post by preston2.8 »

I have them on my black 2.8 I'll take some photos tomorow and post them.
Muzz
Joined: Mon 22 Mar, 2010 19:16
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  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Nuneaton

Post by Muzz »

Its a hairdressing thing.......................you would'nt understand
spurs fan in a coupe
Joined: Fri 18 Apr, 2008 19:24
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  Z3 coupe 2.8
Location: woking

Post by spurs fan in a coupe »

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Althulas
Joined: Fri 13 Feb, 2009 00:55
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  M roadster S50

Post by Althulas »

Still on my list yo buy but has anyone the silver set for comparison?
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Naeem.m
Joined: Wed 19 Aug, 2009 21:57
Posts: 365

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: Leicester

Post by Naeem.m »

Thanks for the pictures guys. How easy are they to install. I know you need to Tap into the sidelights wiring for the angels to work. How hard is that to do? Any write ups?
Also which seller did you buy them off, if from eBay? Really thinking of getting these Now. :)
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Naeem.m
Joined: Wed 19 Aug, 2009 21:57
Posts: 365

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: Leicester

Post by Naeem.m »

Hi guys

Have decided to give these a shot. Can someone please recommend a seller on eBay for these headlights. Want to make sure I get the right ones.
Cheers guys.
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Jonttt
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  M roadster S54
Location: Liverpool

Post by Jonttt »

I did an install write up in the knowledgebase if you check there.

They are easy to install. The electics is the easiest and if you choose to wire the halos to the sidelight you just need some "scotch locks" to patch the wiring in for these but the rest are plug in connectors to the original wiring loom. The most frustrating thing is the Z3 seems inconsistant with the amount of "slack" in the wiring harness in the engine bay so its common to have to extend on side of the Light units wires to reach the harness.

The only "tricky" bits really are removing the self adjuster mechanism from the old units and transferring them to the new one. Once you've done it though you think its easy. Also I used a gate to mark out my old beams (dip and full) so I could check the new units were roughtly correct. I then checked on a country lane by parking up and walking away form the car to make sure I was not dazzling anyone. To be honest the new units offer a much more defined beam cut off and so this is pretty easy to do. Your next MOT will confirm that they are set right.

another tip is to upgrade the bulbs you get with them before you fit them otherwise you will need to remove them to do it ;-)

In terms of sourcing them you will find all sellers (apart from some UK ones with actual stock) just take your order and they all get delivered from the same factory in Taiwan. The cheapest I found the first time was a USA seller but I got them delivered from tiawan. You are in a lottery re import duty and handling fees etc....

The second time I got some I got them from Simon at Justroaster. He is slightly more expensive but I figured I have a certain cost with no unknown duty potential and if anything goes wrong with them I have someone in the UK who I know will look after me.

I'm not sure if he still sells them but if a few of you are after them I would give him a bell and try to sort out a group deal :?:
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Naeem.m
Joined: Wed 19 Aug, 2009 21:57
Posts: 365

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: Leicester

Post by Naeem.m »

Thanks alot for that jonttt. I already have the chrome indicator bulbs and thinking I would like to keep the standard bulbs for the dipped and high beams. I do currently have xenons which give a slight blueish tint which I don't like too much as I prefer the either pure white or white with a tinge of yellow like standard.

I've seen you write up and was relieved as the headlights I've seen on eBay don't really come with instructions.

Any recommendations on sellers ?
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c_w
Joined: Thu 19 Aug, 2004 16:50
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  M roadster S50

Post by c_w »

I think as Jontt already said, all the sellers are selling the same item so just go off the price/good feedback? Also make sure you're buying RHD units, so be careful getting them from US etc.

The projectors us H1 bulbs for bother dipped and full beam. I would recommend a bulb upgrade to Philips Vision (or whatever they are) OR a H1 HID kit which really upgrades the look of them. If you don't like the blue tint, try and get a 4300k kit which is a factory OEM HID colour. The bulb holders need slight filing to accommodate most H1 HID bulbs though (tiny tiny amount).
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Daz3
Joined: Wed 15 Sep, 2010 19:57
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  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Spilsby

Post by Daz3 »

Hey i bought some of these from euroangeleyes off ebay however when they arrived i ended up paying customs and handling fee from parcelforce think it was about £30 so just be careful and take this into consideration. However even paying this i thought they were still a good price and the differance it makes to the front end of the zed is amazing. The halo's being smaller don't affect the look i don't think.
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Althulas
Joined: Fri 13 Feb, 2009 00:55
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  M roadster S50

Post by Althulas »

Anyone tried HID in these as they don't diffuse very well in the standard lights.
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Naeem.m
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  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: Leicester

Post by Naeem.m »

This kit comes with hid aswell
eBay item number 400174867853

I don't how hard it will be to install myself as I really don't want to pay someone alot of dish to get them fitted.

I've noticed some have led lit angel rings and the ones by euroangeleyes are ccfl. Am i
Mistaken? Is there a difference and which should I go for. :?

Sorry for all the questions :oops:
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baretto
Joined: Sat 16 Aug, 2008 17:45
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  Z3 roadster 1.9

Post by baretto »

Naeem.m wrote:This kit comes with hid aswell
eBay item number 400174867853

I don't how hard it will be to install myself as I really don't want to pay someone alot of dish to get them fitted.

I've noticed some have led lit angel rings and the ones by euroangeleyes are ccfl. Am i
Mistaken? Is there a difference and which should I go for. :?

Sorry for all the questions :oops:
The LED ones are from an American company called Umnitza, better halos but cost around 400 quid. Make sure you specify RHD when you buy as i was sent LHD ones. They are pretty easy to fit. If you get the ones with HID i think it might be a bit more difficult and like someone else said upgrade your bulbs first otherwise you have to take the lights out again
spurs fan in a coupe
Joined: Fri 18 Apr, 2008 19:24
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  Z3 coupe 2.8
Location: woking

Post by spurs fan in a coupe »

I'm pretty sure (although it was a long time ago) that I used these guys

cpk1997 on ebay

came from Taiwan or somewhere like that, quite easy to install but needed to cut into the side light wiring. with a soldering iron.

I love them.
Z3cade
Joined: Sat 09 Jan, 2010 18:18
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  M roadster S50
Location: Peterborough

Post by Z3cade »

I know that `Mstyle` do them in black or chrome for £195 for the pair! ive an Mstyle booklet with them in.... but cant find them on their website... worth giving them a ring as there uk based

Mstyle.co.uk
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Jonttt
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  M roadster S54
Location: Liverpool

Post by Jonttt »

baretto wrote:
Naeem.m wrote:This kit comes with hid aswell
eBay item number 400174867853

I don't how hard it will be to install myself as I really don't want to pay someone alot of dish to get them fitted.

I've noticed some have led lit angel rings and the ones by euroangeleyes are ccfl. Am i
Mistaken? Is there a difference and which should I go for. :?

Sorry for all the questions :oops:
The LED ones are from an American company called Umnitza, better halos but cost around 400 quid. Make sure you specify RHD when you buy as i was sent LHD ones. They are pretty easy to fit. If you get the ones with HID i think it might be a bit more difficult and like someone else said upgrade your bulbs first otherwise you have to take the lights out again
Be careful with the LED/HID ones and do some research on the american forums. They basically use one of the standard units from Tiawan and retrofit the HID's. The problem is they were never designed for HID (in fact there is a label on them warning you not to fit HID) and the lenses crack over time. They have a newer version out but I've seen some unhappy american customers posting warning about them still cracking.
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c_w
Joined: Thu 19 Aug, 2004 16:50
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  M roadster S50

Post by c_w »

Which part cracks? I've had mine running HIDs for maybe nearly 3 years!? Apparently HID bulbs run cooler than equivalent halogen too.

They did have a sticker saying "not for HID" but this will be due to the bulb/filament position being designed for a halogen bulb (there is a difference in the light throw from a H1 halogen and H1 HID bulb). Projectors can be Halogen (like these) or Xenon Gas Discharge Projector like factory HID Projectors, however the halogen projectors do work fine with H1 HID, but admittedly the beam isn't as good as it could be due to the bulb being a little too long which throws the light slightly. However, the strong cut off of the projector lamp itself means the light is well cut off.

Also those from the US, surely they're LHD units? as I can't see anything saying RHD?
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baretto
Joined: Sat 16 Aug, 2008 17:45
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  Z3 roadster 1.9

Post by baretto »

Jontt - i think the reason the American ones crack is because they put the units from Taiwan in the oven to open them up and replace the halos with LED's, therefore it's putting the units in the oven which causes them to crack
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Jonttt
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  M roadster S54
Location: Liverpool

Post by Jonttt »

May be, I can't remember the exact reason just remember seeing a long thread on Bimmerforums with people slating the suppliers customer service in dealing with issues of cracked lenses.

I remember there being some pics posted of "frosted" lenses that developed after a while (ie very small hairline cracks). I don't think the cracks were there when they first fitted them.

Just wanted to bring it to peoples attention if they were thinking of buying the modded ones ie do some research first.
Happiness is not around the corner........happiness is the corner
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