Please help me choose my bulbs!

[lilcdkey]

So I'm looking to get some 6000k looking lights for my headlights and fogs and I wanted to know if these would fit and how difficult would they be to install.

Option #1: DS2 Xenon/HID Replacement
http://www.khoalty.com/bmw-e46/lights/d2s-xenon-replacement-bulb.html

I'm thinking these will look most like HID's. Do the ZHP's have HID's stock or are they just xenon's on projectors? Can anyone explain the difference? Also, how difficult will this install be, just plug and play?

Option #2: High Output Halogen Bulbs
http://www.khoalty.com/bmw-e46/lights/e46-halogen-bulbs.html

Are my current ZHP fogs halogens? They look pretty bright as it is but I want white fogs. Would these fit? Also would they be as bright as stock?

Thanks alot guys, I'm a complete lighting noob.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Unless the previous owner of your car swapped out the fogs, your ZHP comes stock with halogen.

[az3579]

I'm thinking these will look most like HID's. Do the ZHP's have HID's stock or are they just xenon's on projectors? Can anyone explain the difference? Also, how difficult will this install be, just plug and play?

Xenons are HID's (HID = High Intensity Discharge).
Rule of thumb - if it has a ballast, it's an HID light.

[spencers]

Please, please, please don't buy aftermarket bulbs.

Phillips 85122+
At $95 a pair, (I know the price is high) these are infinitely worth the money.
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/product_info.php?products_id=148

They will last you up to 10 years, and will have the same light output (lumens) for a majority of their lifetime.

[lilcdkey]

Please, please, please don't buy aftermarket bulbs.

Phillips 85122+
At $95 a pair, (I know the price is high) these are infinitely worth the money.
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/product_info.php?products_id=148

They will last you up to 10 years, and will have the same light output (lumens) for a majority of their lifetime.

Eeeehh, idk man. $95 seems like ALOT for a bulb even if they are that long lasting, I keep thinking of the other mods I could get for $95.

[spencers]

Eeeehh, idk man. $95 seems like ALOT for a bulb even if they are that long lasting, I keep thinking of the other mods I could get for $95.

Yeah, I understand. In these days of cheap disposable stuff available out there, I can see how it's hard to want to spend extra on something of quality. ;)

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Eeeehh, idk man. $95 seems like ALOT for a bulb even if they are that long lasting, I keep thinking of the other mods I could get for $95.

In this business, you really do get what you pay for. There is a lot of cheap crap out there. The good stuff, though, has been worth it to me. It lasts a lot longer and the quality is very obvious.

[az3579]

Not only that, but if you buy the cheap stuff and have to keep replacing it, think of the amount of waste you're producing by throwing out the 2 or 3 pairs you'll go through before the quality bulb ever burns out.

[lilcdkey]

Not only that, but if you buy the cheap stuff and have to keep replacing it, think of the amount of waste you're producing by throwing out the 2 or 3 pairs you'll go through before the quality bulb ever burns out.

True that. I'll definitely have to look into those bulbs.

[mikeyb74]

I've tried just about every bulb company out there. PIAA, Hella, and Silverstar Ultras to just name a few. I've had the best of luck with the stock OE replacements. The three I listed seem to burn out between 3 to 12 months. Which is very annoying and expensive when they are not warrantied. So when I swapped my headlights to P46s I went to an H7 HID kit.

[Cadeez]

Please, please, please don't buy aftermarket bulbs.

Phillips 85122+
At $95 a pair, (I know the price is high) these are infinitely worth the money.
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/product_info.php?products_id=148

They will last you up to 10 years, and will have the same light output (lumens) for a majority of their lifetime.

So these Phillips bulbs are the OEM bulbs that come in our Bi-Xenon HID's? I looked on RealOEM.com and they list an Osram-Sylvania HID-D2S as the OEM replacement, I checked the site they link you to and they have them for $86 ea. Am I missing something? Also it lists it as a low beam, however I have Bi-Xenons, which means the bulb is both low/high beam. How is this so complicated?!?

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=EV53&mospid=47725&btnr=63_0550&hg=63&fg=05
http://www.bimmerspecialist.com/usa/parts/part_number/63%2021%207%20160%20806/3

[spencers]

So these Phillips bulbs are the OEM bulbs that come in our Bi-Xenon HID's? I looked on RealOEM.com and they list an Osram-Sylvania HID-D2S as the OEM replacement, I checked the site they link you to and they have them for $86 ea. Am I missing something? Also it lists it as a low beam, however I have Bi-Xenons, which means the bulb is both low/high beam. How is this so complicated?!?

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=EV53&mospid=47725&btnr=63_0550&hg=63&fg=05
http://www.bimmerspecialist.com/usa/parts/part_number/63%2021%207%20160%20806/3

Both the Phillips 85122 (earlier E46 models) and Osram/Sylvania 66240 (later models) D2S bulbs were used in stock applications.

It's not complicated. All E46 xenons use D2S bulbs.

The site I linked to says $95/pair for the Phillips. http://www.theretrofitsource.com/product_info.php?products_id=148
If you want Osram, Amazon has them.. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00265FXFY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=zhpcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=B00265FXFY

Both excellent bulbs.

If you want 5000k in a QUALITY bulb, try to source the Osram Xenarc 66420 CBI.

EDIT: If you want some reading material on why I suggest getting OEM bulbs versus cheap crap, http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/content.php?4-Everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-HID-bulbs.

[Cadeez]

Awesome, thanks for all the info. Are the Phillips/Osram 6000k? Looks like the Phillips are 4300k, I thought that was for halogens? I'd like 6000k I think...

[Marcus-SanDiego]

4300K is the stock level that BMW uses for Xenon lighting. It's supposed to be as close to midday sunlight as possible.

[spencers]

Awesome, thanks for all the info. Are the Phillips/Osram 6000k? Looks like the Phillips are 4300k, I thought that was for halogens? I'd like 6000k I think...

Both bulbs are 4300k. That temperature has been found to be the best with regard to output and visibility. Any higher, and you're just sacrificing lumens for looks.

[Cadeez]

Copy that, thanks again gents.

[shadowpuck]

+1 any higher than 4300k and you are just getting less performance.......

[Cadeez]

Yeah, I guess you could say the bulb was burned out...

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo184/jcadell/brokenbulb.jpg

[billschusteriv]

A little superglue and she'll be good as new.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Jeff, very nice. Burned out, indeed.

[HokieZHP]

I'm also looking at getting the Phillips bulbs because one of my lights went out. Do all zhp's have hid's? Mine say xenon along the rim of the light. I don't know if they're halogen or hid though.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Hokie, no. Xenons were an option. If you didn't order them, you got halogen.

See the FAQ for all kinds of ZHP information: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?1789-Frequently-Asked-Questions-%28FAQ%29-About-the-BMW-E46-330-ZHP-Performance-Package-Option

[HokieZHP]

Well I'm just not sure if it was ordered or not. Is there any way to tell? A sticker or label or anything?

They just said Xenon on the rim so I was thinking they were HID. Wanted to be sure though before I bought anything.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Do you have the window sticker that came with the car? It will tell you there. But, additionally, just looking at the lights at night will make it plain as day whether they are.

Another way, though, is that you can look at the perimeter of the headlight. See if it says Xenon on it.

[HokieZHP]

Yes it does say Xenon on it. So that means they're HID and these bulbs will work? http://www.theretrofitsource.com/product_info.php?cPath=27&products_id=148&osCsid=995hn0jicvfct81di74bqmq6j62hgfa0

[Marcus-SanDiego]

D2S lights. Should work. Confirm with the site you're ordering from, though.

[HokieZHP]

Ok great! Thanks Marcus for helping! I'll order a set of those then.

[danewilson77]

I think they are D2S bulbs....

[spencers]

I'm also looking at getting the Phillips bulbs because one of my lights went out. Do all zhp's have hid's? Mine say xenon along the rim of the light. I don't know if they're halogen or hid though.

If you have projectors (as evidenced in the picture), the chances of having xenons (D2S bulbs) are astronomically high.

Otherwise, you'd have halogen lamps (H7 bulbs), which are just reflector bowls, not projectors.

Easiest way to check? Take the bulb out and look! :)