Aging Headlight Best Solutions

[Dathaeus]

So we all know the 2003 by now is really old, and the plastic headlight is always faded and needs cleaning etc., so I just cleaned it again using one of those kits that also has the clear coat, supposed to last for a year.

Well it definitely made some difference in the "brightness" of my light but the regular headlights are still pathetic compared to the amazing HID glass headlight kit I installed on my old e36 for less than $300 back when. These headlights do seem to be some Xenon HID because you can see the cutoff like mt e26 had in the beam, but it is again just too dim to really be safe to drive at night.

So I have been using the high beams which do some on brighter and I have almost never gotten any high beam flashes from incoming traffic which is weird, thinking maybe these high beams are set really low.

I have a video of my lights I just took in low and high beams, please see if you think they are bright or not.

https://youtu.be/q0sOAxgV7G4 (https://youtu.be/q0sOAxgV7G4)

And my questions are

1. For those of you with the 2003-2004, what have you done with your lights to keep them bright and useful? I am sure you all have had issues as well over the years
2. Why are the inner bulbs not on? What are they then... only the smaller outer bulbs are on both high and low beam, I assume its not just for show? I think I see a bulb in there on both sides
3. My fog lights also look pretty pathetic, have you guys also replaced those bulbs?
4. If you did replace anything, did you just replace the bulbs or the whole casing? (I really would like my old school glass case, would be so nice, those were BOSS)
5. My lights also look asymmetrical, you see how when I moved the camera, one light is brighter than the other? Is it somehow they got misaligned or are they just worn out and useless now?

Thanks

[sillieidiot]

That video is useless. We need to see the light output on the ground. Plus you'd have to have your camera settings to manual so it doesn't auto-adjust and stuff.

you probably just have the ZKW burnt bowls problem. Just search that up and you'll see some stuff people did to resolve it. Also, at least for your car, you could always just buy new outer plastic lenses so you don't have to keep polishing them. The first time you polish them, you take off the UV protection so it's going to keep on yellowing at a faster rate every time.

if you have AL headlights somehow, then clean the projector lens/bowl. Probably have a ton of dust build up by now

[Dathaeus]

Where's the best place to get the parts, including new fog lights?


That video is useless. We need to see the light output on the ground. Plus you'd have to have your camera settings to manual so it doesn't auto-adjust and stuff.

you probably just have the ZKW burnt bowls problem. Just search that up and you'll see some stuff people did to resolve it. Also, at least for your car, you could always just buy new outer plastic lenses so you don't have to keep polishing them. The first time you polish them, you take off the UV protection so it's going to keep on yellowing at a faster rate every time.

if you have AL headlights somehow, then clean the projector lens/bowl. Probably have a ton of dust build up by now

[John in VA]

Check https://www.morimotohid.com/buyer-guide-by-vehicle