I'm probably going to get my retrofit done very soon, decided to outsource to a guy in LA and I need your opinions on which projectors to use. Here are my choices, I can go with...

BMW 3-series projectors---white with slight bluish flicker, but lens is kind of small in our housing

BMW E46 M3 BiXenon projectors--pretty much whitish with a trace of light blue, very wide beam pattern, low beam operates as high beam as well

BMW 5-series projectors--purplish flicker with intense white light and nice long beam pattern

Audi TT projectors--very bluish-violet flicker, wide beam pattern, again small lense doesn't fill the opening

Audi S4 projectors--red, orange, blue, purple color flicker


I'm torn between the 5-series, S4, and Bixenons. What do you guys think? Thanks!

 

That's a tough decision! I'd choose between the three that you narrowed down also...I think I'd go with the 5-series though. Are you using the guy that I told you about? Let us know how it goes. I may consider it in the upcoming months. Oops, I forgot to do that voting option thing...

My vote...5-series

 

lex, i'd personally go with the 5 series. my friend has a new 540 and it has the HID system in there. it rocks!

 

The 5 series projectors are very nice. Would you leave the "angel eyes" on, or just use the projector? The bi-xenon from the M3 sounds nice, I'm not sure how they work (it mayhave a moving baffle that changes the beam pattern, I think that's how the lights on the new MB SL are), and how hard it would be to rig into another car. I have a feeling the bi-xenon assemblies are incredibly pricey. After that, I'd go with a regular E46 3-series projector. I guess I prefer the purple-blue flicker of the BMW to the multicolor flicker of the Audi.
Over on the GS forum, somebody posted pictures of a JDM Aristo with the multi-projectors from an 02 Infiniti Q45. I've never seen a Q at night, so I don't know how it would look.

 

Yeah, my first thought was to just get the 5-series projectors as well. I think it's the best overall choice, though it's difficult to choose between so many desireable properties. I guess the verdict is in then. The 5-series HIDs...

 

lex400sc werent you the person who was do a retrofit with the 3 series a few weeks ago? If not, someone was doing a custom retrofit of the 3 series into their SC.

 

Yeah that was me a few weeks ago. Since then I found a lot more projector options with this guy in LA. Yes Howie, it's See_fu.

 

Hey lex400sc, just wondering how much you were going to pay for the 5 series HID. I want to do this in the future and I want to know how much I need to spend.

 

Lex400SC, I thought you already had an E39 retrofit? Or was that somebody else with a beige 95 SC400? It was in your sig (or whoever I'm confusing you with's).

 

Yeah, check the thread date (August 8th)

IronChef, you have a PM.

 

Duh, I should have checked the date to see that it was an old thread bumped back up. That and your new sig that no longer mentions the retrofit confused me.

 

5 Series...Their projectors are amazing...

 

Doesn't the M3 bixenons adjust to your level of driving? Will this option still work if switched over to our housing? Probably not huh? I think it's sweet how the same projector is used for both low-beam & high beam.

A couple of my friends have new 02 M3's and I think it's sweet! I'd try for the BiXenons first, then the 5-series.

It's weird though, the 5-series HIDs are ALWAYS bluish from a distance, while one of my friend's M3's is bluish and the others is whiter.

Also PM me with the cost you're incurring from doing this retrofit.

Thanks!

 

The Bixenon projector just has a motorized visor that tilts forward to expose more of the bulb and bowl reflector when you flick on your highs. A retrofit would not be autolevelled, but you could still use the Bixenon feature with a simple relay harness.

 

The nice thing with the S4, is the cutoff.........razor sharp. Nuff said.