I'm trying to install aftermarket xenons on my Clubman. Are there any issues that I need to be aware of before I install them? It's a plug n play kit with the ballast and igniter and a relay that attaches to the battery. The bulbs are 8000K so you get the blue tinge.

 

would like to see how the headlights look @ 8000k. I switched mine to 6000k since the 8k I have on another vehicle didn't have enough light output for me. I am very happy with the 6k's, they have a blue tint, the 8k's with have a slight purplish hue.

 

Um yes... aftermarket xenon lights are illegal in the United States.

That said, make sure you aim them properly. I've been blinded to the point of running my car off the road by people with improperly installed xenons.

 

and keep in mind that you will never get the same performance / results as OEM Xenons, with retrofit. Unless you change the whole housing. Because halogens use reflectors. And "real" Xenons use projectors. So with retrofit, you still use the halogen reflectors

 

You are right in what you are saying, but be careful, there are "real" xenons in reflector housings as well. They are just designed differently and designed by the OEM to meet standards. Look at the 02-04 MINI Cooper, older infiniti I30s, G35s, etc. etc. Real reflector xenons uses the D2R bulb, whereas projectors use D2S (and others, D1S, D2S, D3S, D4S, etc. etc. in other models).

 

I have an 03s and need a new pass. side xenon (long story - involves a semi truck)

Think its possible to buy some ebay halogen headlights and retrofit my xenon package to it? I do not believe that I would have to flash my ecu because I am not changing anything other than the headlight. I mean that I am sticking with the xenons.

I have a hard time justifying the $600 price tag for one headlight so I would rather retrofit a set of halogens.

Any thoughts? Am I heading in the right direction as far as retrofitting is concerned? Will I keep the brightness or will the halogen housing downgrade the xenon somehow?

 

Actually, I read the tests that (sort of) proved otherwise, because it really depends on how you define performance. Aftermarket xenons may illuminate farther and seem to be better due of incorrect light pattern caused by different focal point of a xenon bulb arc vs. halogen one, which besides everything else does blind other drivers.

Oh, and 8000k? Really?? I assume it's accompanied by an array of stickers, yellow calipers and a huge rear wing?

 

the higher the kelvin rating the LOWER the light output is. all OEM xenons are 4300-4500k range and thats because its in the range of daylight.

NJ is a stickler for aftermarket xenons, I have them on my work truck and properly aimed but i know people all the time getting pulled over for haveing after market xenons.

be carefull and please make sure you aim them corectly, anytime you mess with the headlights needs to be properly adjusted.

Happy Motoring

number one issue, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS TURNED OFF! this is because drl's run at a lower operating voltage then full and WILL i repeat WILL destroy your ballasts.

 

4500K is fine with me. No stickers, yellow calipers or wing by the way. Just thought that they light up the road a little better.

I just dont understand what is meant by:

" and keep in mind that you will never get the same performance / results as OEM Xenons, with retrofit. Unless you change the whole housing. Because halogens use reflectors. And "real" Xenons use projectors. So with retrofit, you still use the halogen reflectors"

I am using the same xenon materials currently in my car just placing them inside a halogen housing.

Thanks for the critique by the way. It helps me to understand what the heck I am getting myself into.

 

even though you will see an immediate difference in your visibility you can place your car next to a stock xenon'ed mini and it will be a perfect light path on the ground, this is because it uses a lens to focus the beam as a flat light beam and cuts off at the appropriate distance throwing out 100% of the light the bulb produces.

When retroing them into a halogen light box, because it uses reflectors to focus the beam there is alot of light wasted and thrown all around, there isnt an exact number but you will lose 28-35% (this varries because of manufacturing and design of the light box) of the xenon light output in the main beam due to the poor reflective and focusing ability of a halogen light box.

None the less, you will be able to see more road with xenon for best results a retrod car should do a 4300k mod. any higher and you lose visibility. im pretty sure 12k has less visible light then a cheap halogen light bulb.

 

I'm the OP that started this thread. Never did install the after market kit. I have it in another car and it does scatter light everywhere. I've adjusted the beam to be lower to the ground but still get occasional flashes of high beam from oncoming traffic. And mine looks nothing like a rice rocket. I thought maybe you directed the comment about the wing spoiler, yellow calipers, and sticker comments towards me. LOL.

 

Yes indeed, the comment was about 8000k, as nothing screams 'rice' more than blue headlights.

The reason you have issues with the beam is due to the fact that in xenon bulbs the light is produced by an arc which is much longer than in a halogen or incandescent bulb. So a significant portion of the produced light will always be sort of 'out of focus' when placed in a halogen reflector.

To do it properly, I'd recommend fitting headlights with a kit with OEM projectors (not necessarily Mini, the Lexus ones are considered the best by many for their output) - few online vendors sell those,- and it involves some drilling/glueing/etc.. You won't have auto height alignment (which I believe is mandatory in Europe), but the achieved performance can exceed even original Mini xenons, w/o blinding other drivers.

 

Some good reading here:
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/

 

Did not direct it toward you. Just commenting on it. Rice rocket cars annoy me. esp. the coffee can exhaust.

I found this thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post3194219

Burley (the OP) commented that this light is a personal project that he made. It looks good and is essentially what I am looking to do. I just want to be sure that I am headed in the right direction before I purchase a set of headlights then find out that the project is not possible and I have to resell the lights on ebay.

 

I came across this site: http://www.xtralights.com/02-06minic...itpackage.aspx

Anyone hear of this company? Good? Bad?

Also, I came across this one as well: http://www.blinglights.com/catalog.html

Anyone hear of this company? Good? Bad?

Thanks in advance.

 

I have used Xtralights.com before and they work great! (the xenon packages) I also ran accross http://www.ddmtuning.com/Product-Cat...hting/HID-Kits After i used Xtra lights. all my friends use them and yes, those are the prices and yes they are real xenons and theirs actually lasted longer then the Xtralights i had installed. Except these were in my work truck thats is notarious for terrible ride quality and headlight vibration.

 

Since I am going to "gut out" both my OEM xenons and a pair I purchase then combine the purchased housing with my xenon "guts" the newly created headlight should do really good.

Also, I ran across this site which explains the details of conversion: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=531559


I will order today and since I have a well deserved four day weekend coming up I will install at that time.

 

AAAARRGGH! Xenon frustration! I just got my kit yesterday, and was thinking of installing them in my stock Halogen pods.
Due to performance and safety issues Ive decided not to go ghetto and bite the bullet and buy these:
http://everythingcarparts.com/07-11_...bly_Black.html
Question: I bought the kit with the warning canceller, and it came with a 35w relay for 55w ballasts. Incompatible, or is the increase in wattage occur after (downstream) of the relay?
Also, has anyone tried this brand?
for under $300 for the pair is it too good to be true?