Adaptive headlights problem

[kip1]

http://www.autobild.de/artikel/auto-...r-4429428.html

In this test the Xenons of the BMW 435i the LED actually were average, but the Xenons were good. Only in the S-class and Audi A3 did the LEDs perform equally well as Xenons.

I still stand by the argument, if the high beam technology is identical, Xenons are the way to go.

THanks eaglesrest for making clear, what BMW should have done in the first place.

No problem, glad to help save you some money. It's an extra £1k for led in the UK, and that's a lot of money just to make the car look a bit better at night. The adaptive anti dazzle high beams are a fantastic feature though, well worth it.

I haven't made my mind up on TJA yet. It's irritating to keep the hand on the wheel, and then have to take over at 25mph. That said I've only used it briefly in light traffic so it might be a grower...

[kip1]

Originally Posted by eaglesrest

I haven't made my mind up on TJA yet. It's irritating to keep the hand on the wheel, and then have to take over at 25mph. That said I've only used it briefly in light traffic so it might be a grower...

Does it work also in normal traffic? In another thread it said only on autobahns/highways.

[Armen383]

Originally Posted by kip1

Yes, but I have seen no tests Where LEDs Would be better than Xenons, actually I think it has been exactly opposite.

It's a decision everyone obviously makes for themselves. I believe my own eyes better than any test... and when I saw LEDs in both daylight an night time - only one word came up: "SOLD!" ))
Can't agree with you more though on the fact that some of the latest tech actually tries to turn the driver into a dunce. Plus stuff like adaptive cruise/etc. works only when people go strictly in their lanes/obey the drivers code, i.e. these systems don't generally expect another car to hard-pass you on a high-speed NFS Rivals style ))

[kip1]

Originally Posted by Armen383

It's a decision everyone obviously makes for themselves. I believe my own eyes better than any test... and when I saw LEDs in both daylight an night time - only one word came up: "SOLD!" ))
Can't agree with you more though on the fact that some of the latest tech actually tries to turn the driver into a dunce. Plus stuff like adaptive cruise/etc. works only when people go strictly in their lanes/obey the drivers code, i.e. these systems don't generally expect another car to hard-pass you on a high-speed NFS Rivals style ))

If one believes in technology, one should also believe in technology that measures stuff, like distance, strength etc. I stopped believing in my own ability to spot differences, when i test drove the 200X new Volvo T5 vs the 90s old T5 and was convinced the old one was faster, well according to measurements it was not.

In what way do you feel the LEDs are better? Did you test them back to back in a F15, because the test I posted tested BMW lights in the same car/year, one cannot compare lights of different models/year/manufacturer?

I am still open to input as I have time to manipulate my order, but paying 2000euros for a technology that was inferior in an unbiast test does make me prone to take the Xenons (test winner) and save the money.

Originally Posted by kip1

Does it work also in normal traffic? In another thread it said only on autobahns/highways.

Nope fraid not, it just works on highways/motorways. It must be using the SatNav maps and GPS to check.

[Armen383]

Originally Posted by kip1

In what way do you feel the LEDs are better? Did you test them back to back in a F15, because the test I posted tested BMW lights in the same car/year, one cannot compare lights of different models/year/manufacturer?

1) Last much longer and don't start "fading" after a few years; 2) Subjectively: the color of LED light produced on the road is more pleasing to my eyes (I wear glasses); 3) Obviously aesthetically, especially during the night and even during the day LEDs just "kill" xenons.

In terms of testing - we don't have F15 where I live yet (my M50d is going to be the first one), so my personal tests were made on F01 (post-LCI) pretty much side by side and F13 with LEDs on a drive-by basis.

In the end of the day my motto would be: if you hesitate long enough whether or not something is worth getting, it's not worth getting it for you personally. Therefore, get Xenons and be happy with your choice and the car!

[kip1]

Originally Posted by Armen383

1) Last much longer and don't start "fading" after a few years; 2) Subjectively: the color of LED light produced on the road is more pleasing to my eyes (I wear glasses); 3) Obviously aesthetically, especially during the night and even during the day LEDs just "kill" xenons.

Has anyone a Xenon vs LED picture, because optically turned off the lights look identical, is it just the color in the night that is different?

[Armen383]

Originally Posted by kip1

Has anyone a Xenon vs LED picture, because optically turned off the lights look identical, is it just the color in the night that is different?

I don't have a shot at night (I guess google can help), but at day it can't look identical - Xenons have a lens inside the frame and LED have a something like a rib. See attachment (Xenons on the left, LEDs on the right).

[kip1]

Originally Posted by Armen383

I don't have a shot at night (I guess google can help), but at day it can't look identical - Xenons have a lens inside the frame and LED have a something like a rib. See attachment (Xenons on the left, LEDs on the right).

Thanks, I meant that the shape was very similar, not identical, sorry.

[barcelona]

^^ Kip 1
http://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=928568
see post 7 for LED pic.
Sorry, no Xenon. Hopefully some can post their pic, to share.

[kip1]

Originally Posted by Armen383

I don't have a shot at night (I guess google can help), but at day it can't look identical - Xenons have a lens inside the frame and LED have a something like a rib. See attachment (Xenons on the left, LEDs on the right).

Actually the Xenons look almost identical in the daytime, the rib is not lit, not sure if it impacts the visual outcome so much:

So the main difference seems to be at night.

Didnt find one google pic of LEDs vs Xenons at night, can people please post pics...I would appreciate. Porsche certainly made this comparison easier, the new turbo brochure posts pic of both side by side...p.58
http://www.porsche.com/microsite/ipa...11_Turbo_S.pdf

[kip1]

Xenons on a test mule...



Leds

Honestly, how hard can it be to find night time pics...

[kip1]

Are those pics acurate? In Xenons low beams the right ovals illuminate and in LEDs the upper LEDs in both circles illuminate? When using high beams I would suspect the inner round Xenons illuminate and the lower LEDs?

This is LED low beam?



Please correct me if I am wrong.

[Eu001939]

Originally Posted by Eu001939

Does anybody have problems with the adaptive headlights on their X5 ?

Last night I drove the car (got it on Friday) for the first time at night, and got very annoyed that dozens of cars flashed their lights at me.

I first thought it was because they loved the car

But no

Apparently the lights on my car are blinding those coming from the opposite direction. And even some cars I passed flashed their lights at me.

And the adaptive headlights do not have a manual height control button (it's all supposed to be automatic).

Any one else having this problem ?

FYI, I have the Xenon adaptive headlights, not the LED's...

Problem solved. My BMW dealer had to adjust the setting of the lights, which were aimed too high.

[MysticBlue]

Told ya! Coulda done it yourself in less time than taking it to the dealer. On every other BMW I've had with adaptive, it's just a thumbwheel on top of the housing. Usually, they're aimed a little too low for most people's liking. I've always adjusted mine up a little at a time until I start getting occasional flashes, then back it back down a turn or so. It ain't rocket science.

[Eu001939]

Originally Posted by MysticBlue

Told ya! Coulda done it yourself in less time than taking it to the dealer. On every other BMW I've had with adaptive, it's just a thumbwheel on top of the housing. Usually, they're aimed a little too low for most people's liking. I've always adjusted mine up a little at a time until I start getting occasional flashes, then back it back down a turn or so. It ain't rocket science.

In Belgium there is a legal setting you need to follow or your car won't pass inspection. So yes, you can turn the knob yourself but you need the equipment to measure the correct height...and I don't have that...every car dealer/garage has...

[MysticBlue]

Originally Posted by Eu001939

In Belgium there is a legal setting you need to follow or your car won't pass inspection. So yes, you can turn the knob yourself but you need the equipment to measure the correct height...and I don't have that...every car dealer/garage has...

I wish that was the case here. There are a lot of people driving around with messed up lights. One headlight pointing at the ground and the other blinding everyone, or both of them too high, or one burned out, etc. etc. etc. When I was a kid, people got pulled over by cops for stuff like that, but it doesn't appear to be the case anymore.