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Brake and back red lights are not LEDs

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Old 09-09-2005, 06:16 AM
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Just wondering why my E60 brake and back (tail) red lights are still normal bulbs technology and not LEDs. I was used to have LEDs on my E39 in 2001. Any reason ? Do you know if BMW have any plan on future models ?
Old 09-09-2005, 06:38 AM
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I was wondering about that too. It seems like they only put the LED in the 3-series coupe/6/7 series only. Really don't know why .... maybe its gonna be a face-lift enhancement?
Old 09-09-2005, 06:40 AM
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Originally Posted by vffun' date='Sep 9 2005, 04:38 PM
I was wondering about that too. It seems like they only put the LED in the 3-series coupe/6/7 series only. Really don't know why? .... maybe its gonna be a face-lift enhancement?
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They have to leave something for the face lift, coming in fall '08?
Old 09-09-2005, 10:28 AM
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Possibly!
Old 09-09-2005, 11:18 AM
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Whats wrong with having regular bulbs? Your 3rd brake light is LED so there is no delay in notifying your intension to stop.
Old 09-09-2005, 11:52 AM
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Originally Posted by speedracerF4i' date='Sep 9 2005, 03:18 PM
Whats wrong with having regular bulbs?? Your 3rd brake light is LED so there is no delay in notifying your intension to stop.
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I guess sometimes its just the 'feeling' of having the latest technology more than the 'application' of it. Just like Xenon headlights...the halogen ones have been doing a great job for the past so many years...but we still want to have Xenon... ...just a nicer touch for us enthusiasts!!!
Old 09-09-2005, 11:53 AM
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LED looks distinguished from non-luxury cars
Old 09-09-2005, 12:06 PM
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...in the case of Xenons, they are by far superior to halogens in terms of night vision, not just cool, a real safety feature, imho... As well with rear LED's, they shine a little brighter, but more importantly, they will activate faster and that time can save you in a real emergency braking situation, ....there is absolutely NO reason that the E60 was not designed with them, other than to piss off all current and soon to be owners, to keep it for a refresh, when in all honesty, the E60 doesnt need one, it was/is a perfect design .

...BMW better just do what they did with the E39 and make them retrofittable, just something else we'll need to mod :thumbsdown:
Old 09-09-2005, 01:19 PM
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LEDs fire faster than normal bulbs. I saw exact figures once, but the fraction of a second advantage LEDs have over normal bulbs should provide earlier signaling to the driver in the car behind you. Since a vehicle traveling 80mph covers nearly 120ft per second, a fraction of a second earlier reaction can translate into quite a few feet - the difference between the guy behind you stopping short of an accident or slamming into the back of your car.

LEDs are brighter too - perhaps BMW's research indicates that the brightness is what drivers can key in on - perhaps average reaction times aren't enough to make the faster firing meaningful in practice. I'm thinking perhaps this is the case - so the adaptive brake lights are probably adequate. I can't imagine BMW skimping on safety if it's actually an effective feature.
Old 09-09-2005, 01:25 PM
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Brighter is better, but I don't know, for the most part, I think non-LEDs look better.

Though I'd rather have LEDs of course.


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