Xenon headlights again! - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

raland9 · 18th February 2002, 04:03

So let me get this straight. The 2000 model M5 had headlights that were blue-white as xenon headlights generally are. My 01 (and those of many on the Board) have a yellow-white color which is somewhere in the 4300 degree Kelvin range, or equivalent to a good halogen. Yet, I, like so many of you have gone out and bought 6000k bulbs for $375 so that they will look like those in the 2000 model.

Wouldn't I have been better off looking on eBay for older Xenon bulbs (they don't tend to wear out) to replace the newer ones BMW changed to (that emulate halogens)?

Rick

Bluewater M5 · 18th February 2002, 04:20

I think the xenon on both MY 2000,2001,2002 are the same. The should run at about 4000k. These bulbs are blue compared to halogens, however when compared to the 6000k bulbs they look yellow. But in no way are the stock xenon just like halogens.

atomic80 · 18th February 2002, 04:45

I think I should chime in here. I'm probably one of the few resident experts on HID technologies as we know it.

Okay...HID technologies believe it or not has gone through a lot of changes over the years. When cars with HID headlights first came out everyone was either awed or annoyed by their clarity and brightness. I'm sure you guys remember the first time you saw a car (probably the old 7 series from BMW, naturally) and thought to yourselves how bright they looked!

Well, those HID bulbs all operated at 4300K and were considered stage 1 types and also part of the 1st generation HID technologies hence the reason why they're dubbed, "stage 1, generation 1." It's a mouthful. Those bulbs were VERY blub/purple and bright! This naturally annoyed a lot of people driving in the opposite direction and complaints were registered. It's for this reason apparently that the HID manufacturers (OSRAM and Phillips are the big two) went back to the drawing board sometime in 1999 and came out with a new generation of HID bulbs that were supposed to more closely emulate halogen bulbs (read: appear more greenish/yellowish) but yet retain the brightness and clarity that HID bulbs are famous for. This was the stage 1 generation 2 bulbs that are now in all cars/suvs that have HID. They released those bulbs starting with the 2001 model year in the M5/5 series. This is why 2000 M5's still retain the blue/purple tint. And now a lot of people who wanted the blue/purple HID bulbs cried afoul. Again they went back to the drawing board and came up with those 6000k bulbs rather than revert back to the original design since they'd have to reduce light output somehow.

This is why I looked for those stage 1 generation 1 bulbs when I wanted to put in HID bulbs in my fogs. They're a LOT cheaper than those 6000k bulbs if you can only find them! I lucked out! But I couldnt find them again for my lowbeams which is why I ended up going with those 6000K bulbs.

That's the story.

raland9 · 18th February 2002, 17:23

Atomic80,

Thanks for the good input and the corroboration of what I had thought. Just for curiosity, are you familiar with what bulb the Lexus, Acura and some U.S. cars are using now that seems to be, for the most part, blue-white?

Rick

atomic80 · 18th February 2002, 17:37

raland9: From what I understand, those Japanese cars all use HID bulbs from the 8000K range which supposedly means that they don't emit nearly as much light. I can't confirm nor deny this rumour though.

I'm not an expert on Japanese HID technology unfortunately. But I do know this, there was a quip somewhere a while back that noted this interesting factoid about these Japanese HID systems not having the self-leveling mechanisms because DOT regulations did not require it. Some people have told me that their Lexus does in fact have the self-leveling feature which I suspect was added to only certain models to save on costs.

Nowdays shops in Japan are starting to offer 8000K HID kits for anyone that's interested but I wouldn't go for them myself.

Bluewater M5 · 18th February 2002, 19:25

When I bought my 6000k lights I ask Kyle at HIDS4LESS what car came stock with 6000k. He stated that he thinks only the TT, S2000, and the Lexus 430. He didnt seem sure but never mentioned anything about 8000k.

atomic80 · 18th February 2002, 19:34

As far as my knowledge goes, NO car comes stock with the 6k bulbs!

SWing · 19th February 2002, 01:43

While..I'm not too sure whether any car has stock 6k bulbs but one thing for sure, whenever I'm driving..the Audi's and S2k always have bluer/whiter light than stock M5 HID

Sugi