LED lights > Xenon?

tlow98 · 05-21-2021, 12:08 PM

Never seen or used LEDs in a car before. My X5 has them.

UPDATE: These headlights are great. I wrote the review below before really getting to see them outside of being in city lights and use the features they have. They're incredible and are now one of my favorite features.

Overall they just seem sort of ok, not great.

Dislikes:
- Cut-offs are not as sharp as Xenons I've previously owned
- Flares and hot spots abound

Likes:
- High beems seem very powerful
- Adjust with steering angle

I'm assuming this V1 version of new tech is just ok...

crystalworks · 05-21-2021, 02:30 PM

After using them for the last 4 months, I find they are better than any BMW OE xenon setup I've used for sure. Not better than some Infiniti or Acura projector setups I've seen. But that's why Bimmer folk retrofit them into our housings I suppose.

I am still glad our F15 has LED lighting...

tlow98 · 05-21-2021, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crystalworks

After using them for the last 4 months, I find they are better than any BMW OE xenon setup I've used for sure. Not better than some Infiniti or Acura projector setups I've seen. But that's why Bimmer folk retrofit them into our housings I suppose.

I am still glad our F15 has LED lighting...

Yeah, good points about the Acura/Infiniti projectors.

I also noticed the LEDs seemed to improve after a few minutes of being on. I'd be interested in having a direct comparison someday.

ooshnoo · 05-21-2021, 08:13 PM

I have LEDs on my F32, and HIDs on our F15, and I wound take the LEDs any day.

chumbedi · 05-22-2021, 02:30 PM

Really like my adaptive LEDs.....but
Xenons only have big advantage in heavy snowfall as outer part of the headlight gets hot and snow melts.
Ok... in 3 years it happened to me only once, I had to wipe very often snow / ice building up on LEDs. But ...this needs improvement.

cbarden · 05-23-2021, 11:00 PM

The LED's are cool but I chose Xenons because of the light color. They are pretty bright as well.

blue dragon · 05-25-2021, 10:11 AM

Glare free high beam can only be coded on the LEDs.

RED_Y_ · 05-25-2021, 01:04 PM

LED is a must, way better compared to xenon HID especially if you are driving on the roads with no lights, once coded LEDs turned into the best feature of the F15 in my opinion. It was very important feature for me when I was looking for a car.

tlow98 · 05-25-2021, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RED_Y_

LED is a must, way better compared to xenon HID especially if you are driving on the roads with no lights, once coded LEDs turned into the best feature of the F15 in my opinion. It was very important feature for me when I was looking for a car.

Interesting! Anti-dazzle coding?

RED_Y_ · 05-25-2021, 02:52 PM

VLD and Anti-Dazzle.

tlow98 · 06-07-2021, 01:17 AM

Ok, so I need to update this thread.

In stock form THESE HEADLIGHTS ARE AMAZING.

Previously, I had only really used them during the gloaming hours. I had not spent any real time at night with them. So, it appears I shout my mouth off a bit early.

The auto-headlight function is incredible. Works very well.

I'm excited to have the car coded in a few ways - VLD and Anti-dazzle now at the top of the list :-)

05-21-2021, 12:08 PM	#1
tlow98 Major General 2193 Rep 5,016 Posts Drives: 2009 E91, 2014 F15 x35i Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (2)	LED lights > Xenon? Never seen or used LEDs in a car before. My X5 has them. UPDATE: These headlights are great. I wrote the review below before really getting to see them outside of being in city lights and use the features they have. They're incredible and are now one of my favorite features. Overall they just seem sort of ok, not great. Dislikes: - Cut-offs are not as sharp as Xenons I've previously owned - Flares and hot spots abound Likes: - High beems seem very powerful - Adjust with steering angle I'm assuming this V1 version of new tech is just ok... Last edited by tlow98; 06-07-2021 at 01:18 AM..
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05-21-2021, 02:30 PM	#2
crystalworks Captain 522 Rep 630 Posts Drives: Many BMW's Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: SA, TX iTrader: (0)	After using them for the last 4 months, I find they are better than any BMW OE xenon setup I've used for sure. Not better than some Infiniti or Acura projector setups I've seen. But that's why Bimmer folk retrofit them into our housings I suppose. I am still glad our F15 has LED lighting...
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05-21-2021, 08:13 PM	#4
ooshnoo Lieutenant Colonel 890 Rep 1,703 Posts Drives: 2014 428i and 2018 X5 Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Buford, GA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2018 BMW X5 [0.00] 2014 BMW 428i [10.00]	I have LEDs on my F32, and HIDs on our F15, and I wound take the LEDs any day. __________________ ___________________ 2014 F32 428i M-Sport 2018 F15 M-Sport
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05-22-2021, 02:30 PM	#5
chumbedi Private First Class 31 Rep 131 Posts Drives: BMW X5e40 (F15) Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Dusseldorf (Germany) iTrader: (0)	Really like my adaptive LEDs.....but Xenons only have big advantage in heavy snowfall as outer part of the headlight gets hot and snow melts. Ok... in 3 years it happened to me only once, I had to wipe very often snow / ice building up on LEDs. But ...this needs improvement. Last edited by chumbedi; 06-07-2021 at 03:13 AM..
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05-23-2021, 11:00 PM	#6
cbarden Private First Class 49 Rep 135 Posts Drives: M5 Join Date: May 2017 Location: Fl iTrader: (0)	The LED's are cool but I chose Xenons because of the light color. They are pretty bright as well.
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		BMW X5 and X6 Forum (F15/F16) > BMW X5 (F15) and BMW X6 (F16) Forum > BMW X5 and X6 (F15/F16) Forum
LED lights > Xenon?

05-25-2021, 10:11 AM	#7
blue dragon Lieutenant Colonel 1193 Rep 1,547 Posts Drives: '22 Tesla MY + '23 Tesla MY Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Land of high taxes and crappy healthcare iTrader: (2)	Glare free high beam can only be coded on the LEDs. __________________ \| '22 Tesla Model Y P - My daily \| '23 Tesla Model Y LR - Wife's daily \| '17 F15 35D - missed daily \|
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05-25-2021, 01:04 PM	#8
RED_Y_ Colonel 1062 Rep 2,524 Posts Drives: 2014 X5 3.5d Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: SF Bay Area iTrader: (0)	LED is a must, way better compared to xenon HID especially if you are driving on the roads with no lights, once coded LEDs turned into the best feature of the F15 in my opinion. It was very important feature for me when I was looking for a car.
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05-25-2021, 02:52 PM	#10
RED_Y_ Colonel 1062 Rep 2,524 Posts Drives: 2014 X5 3.5d Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: SF Bay Area iTrader: (0)	VLD and Anti-Dazzle.
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06-07-2021, 01:17 AM	#11
tlow98 Major General 2193 Rep 5,016 Posts Drives: 2009 E91, 2014 F15 x35i Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (2)	Ok, so I need to update this thread. In stock form THESE HEADLIGHTS ARE AMAZING. Previously, I had only really used them during the gloaming hours. I had not spent any real time at night with them. So, it appears I shout my mouth off a bit early. The auto-headlight function is incredible. Works very well. I'm excited to have the car coded in a few ways - VLD and Anti-dazzle now at the top of the list :-)
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