First Night Drive - LED & Other Lights Reviewed

[MattBianco]

Me: I am going to take your car for night drive (Highway 1).
Wife: Whatever.

LED Low Beams 10
Bar none the brightest low beams of any car I've ever driven or sat in. Amazing brightness, making everything clear and sharp. There is no going back to HID/Xenon/Halogen or anything else.

Active Headlights 8
Not as active as the E70 I was driving for a month, nor the CLK. Around corners the CLK steers the light in the direction of the turn, holding the other straight. This one shifts directions of both lights, but it seemed under done. Perhaps the combination of speed/sharp turns made it seem less effective.

High Beams 7
Good, but not as good as the CLK. Also not as responsive as the CLK. It lacked the height and the brightness. And, it seemed narrow -and I do have to look out for deer on the sides. Unimpressed.

Anti Dazzle
This was supposedly coded (as were several other items, which I have tested and do as I requested), but it was a dud. It was basically automatic dimming high beams, with no maneuvering at all. I have to get a coder as i am still timid about doing anything myself.

Reverse Lights 9
Sufficiently bright to make the camera operate just right.

Front Turn Signals 10
They are bright, crisp on and off, light the entire brow area. The mirror signals are bright orange, not visible from the driver seat but clearly visible to cars behind you, in one bright dot.

Rear Signals 3
3 for being very bright. And 3 for not being amber/orange, which DOT studies show to be safer. Amber is legal and better, but BMW is saving about $20 / car for offering a NA version that is all red. You can no longer plug and play a Euro taillight and get amber. The wiring is different. It requires numerous coding revisions to alleviate errors. It voids your warranty. I would be happy to spend $1500 for a plug and play if I could.

You can vote on the rear turn signal color here: http://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1043017


I had the door-handle lights-on-for-reverse, coded. Not sure if it does anything for the driver, but it does create attention for pedestrians I suppose.

[hyde]

Can you check if turning the wheel left / right still turns on the fog lights on that side, as well as both fogs on reverse (with low beams on, or with auto-sense beams on)

PS: Did you code bright LED rings/angel eyes or do you have them on standard brightness (dim with beams on, bright with beams off)? Maybe low beams are so nice because you coded angel eyes/rings to stay bright with low beams?

[MattBianco]

Originally Posted by hyde

Can you check if turning the wheel left / right still turns on the fog lights on that side, as well as both fogs on reverse (with low beams on, or with auto-sense beams on)

PS: Did you code bright LED rings/angel eyes or do you have them on standard brightness (dim with beams on, bright with beams off)? Maybe low beams are so nice because you coded angel eyes/rings to stay bright with low beams?

Didn't notice the fogs doing that, though I presumed they were doing their thing. On the CLK the fog's contribution is very pronounced -can't miss it- especially at slow speeds. Did not test fogs in reverse as I had no idea they would do that.

Did ask to code angels to be brighter at day, but did not request that they stay brighter with low beams. I give the credit to the LED lights. It was very even and appropriately dispersed, and uniformly bright -no hot spots or shadows. I can't imagine the halo/rings would produce such uniform illumination.

[opasha]

Originally Posted by MattBianco

Didn't notice the fogs doing that, though I presumed they were doing their thing. On the CLK the fog's contribution is very pronounced -can't miss it- especially at slow speeds. Did not test fogs in reverse as I had no idea they would do that.

Did ask to code angels to be brighter at day, but did not request that they stay brighter with low beams. I give the credit to the LED lights. It was very even and appropriately dispersed, and uniformly bright -no hot spots or shadows. I can't imagine the halo/rings would produce such uniform illumination.

When your fogs are off, they turn on for each side that is making the turn. I have noted this on our 2011 X3 and it still is the case for the new F15.

When they are on, this does not occur. That is also why I have coded my fogs to be on with high beams. Obviously Bi-Xenon depth is wider as opposed to LED being deeper. However, when you have your LED fogs on, you will notice that the closer peripheral depth becomes better. That's why I drive with mine on at night always.

Also, regarding the LED Halos - they are 100% during the day. The coding you see in the cheat sheet is for the night time when they are on with your headlights. When the headlights are on, the Halo brightness dims down to around 25-40%. I noted this before in my pictures and when someone asked about the DRL tail lights. Only people with LED Lighting package can change the night time Halo brightness. I coded it on my Bi-Xenon and there was no change but there were also no malfunctions/problems.

Here is the comment @wdimagineer made in that thread: http://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...7&postcount=13

[MattBianco]

Great recap @opasha. Thank you.

I bookmarked the link for when I find a coder. I think @wdimagineer is among the coding deities.

[opasha]

Originally Posted by MattBianco

Great recap @opasha. Thank you.

I bookmarked the link for when I find a coder. I think @wdimagineer is a coding deity.

The coding is really easy. I can always help you over TeamViewer, buddy. @wdimagineer and a few other top coders are definitely an asset to our forums. It's always nice to know you can just ask a complicated question in the F15 forums, and it can be answered relatively quickly .

[F15GorDe]

Originally Posted by MattBianco

Great recap @opasha. Thank you.

I bookmarked the link for when I find a coder. I think @wdimagineer is among the coding deities.

+1

[Barbja]

Originally Posted by opasha

Also, regarding the LED Halos - they are 100% during the day. The coding you see in the cheat sheet is for the night time when they are on with your headlights. When the headlights are on, the Halo brightness dims down to around 25-40%. I noted this before in my pictures and when someone asked about the DRL tail lights. Only people with LED Lighting package can change the night time Halo brightness. I coded it on my Bi-Xenon and there was no change but there were also no malfunctions/problems.

When I was at my dealer a couple of days ago doing my final decision on the LED lighting package, they happened to have one with and one without almost right next to each over in the showroom.

In daytime mode, the halos on the regular car were significantly brighter. Both halos appeared to be the same in nighttime mode. However, the overall effect of the LEDs in nighttime mode was brighter. I think that I'd like to have the halo brighter at night -- I'll try coding that.

BTW, my CA was trying to discourage me from getting the LEDs. He wasn't successful.

[opasha]

Originally Posted by Barbja

When I was at my dealer a couple of days ago doing my final decision on the LED lighting package, they happened to have one with and one without almost right next to each over in the showroom.

In daytime mode, the halos on the regular car were significantly brighter. Both halos appeared to be the same in nighttime mode. However, the overall effect of the LEDs in nighttime mode was brighter. I think that I'd like to have the halo brighter at night -- I'll try coding that.

BTW, my CA was trying to discourage me from getting the LEDs. He wasn't successful.

Why was he trying to discourage you?

[wdimagineer]

Do you need coding help?

[MattBianco]

Originally Posted by wdimagineer

Do you need coding help?

Would love it. Will PM.

[PunjabiM3]

So for someone like myself that is on the fence about the LED headlights, would you say they are far superior to the standard bi-xenon and worth the $1900?

[MattBianco]

Originally Posted by PunjabiM3

So for someone like myself that is on the fence about the LED headlights, would you say they are far superior to the standard bi-xenon and worth the $1900?

I have to say, they are far superior to my CLK's bi-xenon on low beam, inferior in high beam. That said, you will get the chance to code anti dazzle with this package (I am not sure if that is true with other lighting packages). The cornering feature, I have yet to further explore....it feels inferior, but that would be the case regardless of LED package or not. Overall, they are very good lights and I have no regrets at all. Mind you, 99% of the time, the car is on low beams for my wife.

What I like best about the CLK high beams is how instantaneous they are. I can flash 3-4x per second and it would be crisp ons and offs. They are also higher/farther and wider projecting, and brighter.

[hyde]

Originally Posted by PunjabiM3

So for someone like myself that is on the fence about the LED headlights, would you say they are far superior to the standard bi-xenon and worth the $1900?

I ordered it.. I actually hated how uneven E70's xeneons were, although they are extremely effective, bright, great in distance and directional, the only problem I had was that driver side was lower than passenger side and when driving at daylight or dusk I could easily notice the "shadow" or uneven spread on the road. I am hoping LEDs will have a uniform spread and will also include whiter beam. As white as xenons are, they still reflect yellowish against road surface, but when you look at them they look super white, strange.

Matt, let us know when you check the backup fog lights and turning fogs. I know F15 upgraded to LED fogs so they should be pretty cool to see it fade in and out as you turn the wheel, if it does that at all...

[hyde]

Originally Posted by opasha

When your fogs are off, they turn on for each side that is making the turn. I have noted this on our 2011 X3 and it still is the case for the new F15.

When they are on, this does not occur. That is also why I have coded my fogs to be on with high beams. Obviously Bi-Xenon depth is wider as opposed to LED being deeper. However, when you have your LED fogs on, you will notice that the closer peripheral depth becomes better. That's why I drive with mine on at night always.

Also, regarding the LED Halos - they are 100% during the day. The coding you see in the cheat sheet is for the night time when they are on with your headlights. When the headlights are on, the Halo brightness dims down to around 25-40%. I noted this before in my pictures and when someone asked about the DRL tail lights. Only people with LED Lighting package can change the night time Halo brightness. I coded it on my Bi-Xenon and there was no change but there were also no malfunctions/problems.

Here is the comment @wdimagineer made in that thread: http://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...7&postcount=13

Some pictures of dim halos vs %100 halos with low beams would be extremely useful to see. I always wished my halos remain %100 on my E70 with low beams. Maybe now I can finally have that with my F15.

Originally Posted by Barbja

When I was at my dealer a couple of days ago doing my final decision on the LED lighting package, they happened to have one with and one without almost right next to each over in the showroom.

In daytime mode, the halos on the regular car were significantly brighter. Both halos appeared to be the same in nighttime mode. However, the overall effect of the LEDs in nighttime mode was brighter. I think that I'd like to have the halo brighter at night -- I'll try coding that.

BTW, my CA was trying to discourage me from getting the LEDs. He wasn't successful.

Based on Barb's post above, does that mean LED's have dimmer halos compared to non-LEDs at daytime mode?
That's really odd! How is that possible?

PS: I wish X5 had 7 series headlights, those are amazing, pure joy to look at.

[Kief]

I have the LEDs on my M4, and as much as I love the aesthetics, I don't find them any brighter. I ordered my X5 w/out the LEDs.

[McDonaldD]

Originally Posted by MattBianco

What I like best about the CLK high beams is how instantaneous they are. I can flash 3-4x per second and it would be crisp ons and offs. They are also higher/farther and wider projecting, and brighter.

MattBianco, what year is your CLK? Just curious, by knowing the year I can identify your CLK's exact xenon system so I can better understand your comparison.

Industry wide, Xenon went through several generations: from xenon low beams with halogen for high beams; bi-xenon low and high beams but halogen as flash to pass; pure bi-xenon low and high - glare shield became fast enough to be used as flash-to-pass; to some that use a pure bi-xenon system coupled with halogen-assisted high beams to simply increase range and output. Now, the industry-wide simplification ignores each manufacturer's timeline and implementation oddities (bulb style, wattage, ballast, etc.)

[MattBianco]

Originally Posted by McDonaldD

MattBianco, what year is your CLK? Just curious, by knowing the year I can identify your CLK's exact xenon system so I can better understand your comparison......

It is old. And great. 2007 CLK500.

I would retire it but it has 40k miles and it is fun on the coast around here

[Barbja]

Originally Posted by Barbja

BTW, my CA was trying to discourage me from getting the LEDs. He wasn't successful.

His argument was that the car already has headlights that work just fine. Since they don't work like they do in EMEA, they don't seem to add much value. I think that he didn't want me to give something else up so that I could get the LED lights.

Originally Posted by wdimagineer

Do you need coding help?

Yes, I'm sure I will probably need coding help!

Originally Posted by hyde

Based on Barb's post above, does that mean LED's have dimmer halos compared to non-LEDs at daytime mode?
That's really odd! How is that possible?

I don't know if that's generally true, but that's what I observed and I wasn't expecting it. I pointed it out to my CA and he found it odd too. We cycled through off/running lights/full on several times. (Well, he cycled and I watched.)

[hyde]

Originally Posted by Barbja

His argument was that the car already has headlights that work just fine. Since they don't work like they do in EMEA, they don't seem to add much value. I think that he didn't want me to give something else up so that I could get the LED lights.


Yes, I'm sure I will probably need coding help!



I don't know if that's generally true, but that's what I observed and I wasn't expecting it. I pointed it out to my CA and he found it odd too. We cycled through off/running lights/full on several times. (Well, he cycled and I watched.)

The main difference is with LED's all four headlamps turn on while with regulars only two outer ones turn on. Also turn signal is very "fresh" since it is invisible until it starts blinking and it is fully LED. I am not sure if it is as visible as the incandescent bulb, because my current turn signals (both front and side) light up enough to reflect off street signs.

[Barbja]

Originally Posted by hyde

The main difference is with LED's all four headlamps turn on while with regulars only two outer ones turn on. Also turn signal is very "fresh" since it is invisible until it starts blinking and it is fully LED. I am not sure if it is as visible as the incandescent bulb, because my current turn signals (both front and side) light up enough to reflect off street signs.

From a 'how it looks' standpoint, I definitely preferred the LEDs. And I gave up sugar to get those bad boys, so I'M DARNED WELL GONNA GET THEM!!! I didn't use all caps when I talked with him though .

[opasha]

It's best to show the day time and night time through pictures. I'll try to take some pictures of my Bi-Xenons now that I have a better camera so it is easier to see. If one of you who has a strong camera could take a picture of your LEDs in both modes, that would be helpful. They shouldn't be any different, but I guess we'll have to see.

@hyde, regarding your E70 and the shadow effect...this is due to pigment clouding of your headlight bulbs. When I installed HIDs in our ML350, I noticed the exact same issues and this was rectified by installing a better/cleaner bulb. If you have any sort of pigment (usually a light yellow/white discharge) within the bulb, this will naturally block the dispersal of light so shadows are created and sometimes messes up uniformity depending where the pigment is located and how much of it has clouded the bulb.