Head Lamp Review

[Shagy]

So I thought since I have two styles of these lamps I would write up a little review.

 

I purchased a set of "BMW" replacement lamps off Ebay. They looked nice in the photos and they were the right size. When I got them I noticed a little fog/haze on the inside and the projector didn't look clean. These were sold as NEW lamps. I figure I'm going to end up opening them and cleaning them up. I was also missing a clip that holds the bulb in on one of the high beam lamps and one of the connectors for the "city light" was busted, no biggie on the busted connector. Emailing with this company was actually good. They got back to me quickly and asked to see what the problems were. Its hard to get the haze to show up on the camera. They refunded me $30 and basically said I'm on my own for the clip. Still a little irritated about that, but what can you do.

 

The build looks pretty decent on the lamps, as far as aftermarket lamps go. Last night I was able to take them home and put a bulb in them to test the light output. Here is what I saw.

 

Aftermarket "BMW" Like Lamps

 

The light is just not as focused as I would like. I'm sure its better then the sealed beam stuff, but there is still a bit of glare on the sides.

 

This is the High beam lamp that came with the set

 

 

I decided to compare them to the OEM BMW lamps I got a few years ago. WHAT a difference there is. Light is VERY focused and has a nice cut off pattern.

 

BMW OEM Projector Lamps

 

I spent around $140 for the aftermarket ones. I got the BMW's for $60/pr (I was lucky when I saw the ad). The only benefit I see over the Aftermarket right now is that the lens is new, the BMW ones need to be polished, but I think I found a shop that does this.

 

Probably better to just save up some $ and get the OEM ones over the aftermarket..

[Dirk Diggler]

You can polish them yourself. Use a little rubbing compound or polish that you would use on your paint and clean them up. It's easier than most people think. My shop charges $45 to polish a set of lights, and it takes about 20 minutes. Those look like glass lenses, but if they are plastic you can wet sand them if they are in bad shape

[DanielC]

If they are plastic, you can polish them. I have done this with plastic headlamps on my Ford Aerostar.

You must use the slowest speed on a rotary buffer you can, and you must keep the pad or bonnet wet with water. Any heat build up will very quickly melt the surface of the lens, and really screw it up

[Radim]

They are glass, going to take a lot more than compound.

[Dirk Diggler]

If they're glass, compound should be good. Compound is the most abrasive product you can use. They don't look bad, so he could probably get away with just polish.

[Shagy]

They are both glass. the haze on the aftermarket is on the inside. It looks like its from the sealant. I've seen it before on a couple mondern headlamps that I've modified. I'm not worried about that @ all. The BMW ones have some pits but I think I'm going to have them polished by a shop that does glass polishing.

 

I was mainly making the post so people could see the lamps. I'm sure some of the guys have seen them on ebay.

[qwik510]

Thanks for posting. I have a nice set of the OEM BMW units and I will be installing them into my 510. Nice to see the clean focused beam they produce. I had thought about buying the set of new aftermarket ones too but found a super clean set from a fellow ratsun member a while ago.

[Shagy]

No problem David...

 

I might make the aftermarket ones my high beams.

 

 

[Madness]

Wet polishing stones are used on glass. Not compound.

[ariascarlos1990]

good info.