m5lover

The E60 has bi-xenons (standard on the 545i in the US, optional on other models). Bi-xenon lights means that both the low and high beams are xenon. This is accomplished with a lens that moves the beam up for high beam and down for low beam, as opposed to separate bulbs for low and high beams.
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How bout differences in terms of brightness?

EBMCS03

The higher the Kelvin rating the "whiter" you get till you hit about 5000K then it'll give a blue tint... then at about 9000K you'll get purple. The reason you see "blue" now is at different angles. Of course theres still "blue" in it but harder to see...

BMW's are about, I forget exactlly, but its about 4300K, Mercedes are I think a little more... but not by much and Porsche is about the same also about 4350Kish.

Actually all OEM Xenons are all around 4300K ish. + - very little.


What people are pissed off at with HID lights are not really the OEMs. its all the stupid ricers (ops are you one?) J/K installing the HID bulbs with wrong alignments on their Civics and blinding on comming traffic and then when they see us BMWs and Mercs with their Genuine Xenons they get all pissed off.

m5lover

The higher the Kelvin rating the "whiter" you get till you hit about 5000K then it'll give a blue tint... then at about 9000K you'll get purple. The reason you see "blue" now is at different angles. Of course theres still "blue" in it but harder to see...

BMW's are about, I forget exactlly, but its about 4300K, Mercedes are I think a little more... but not by much and Porsche is about the same also about 4350Kish.

Actually all OEM Xenons are all around 4300K ish. + - very little.


What people are pissed off at with HID lights are not really the OEMs. its all the stupid ricers (ops are you one?) J/K installing the HID bulbs with wrong alignments on their Civics and blinding on comming traffic and then when they see us BMWs and Mercs with their Genuine Xenons they get all pissed off.
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Sorry but im still new to this lighting system, but what are HID?I feel that my old 530 which i think uses the xenon is just not bright enough..i always have to switch to high beam for further distance.Is it expensive to get the bulbs that are around 5000k?

stream

The higher the Kelvin rating the "whiter" you get till you hit about 5000K then it'll give a blue tint... then at about 9000K you'll get purple. The reason you see "blue" now is at different angles. Of course theres still "blue" in it but harder to see...

BMW's are about, I forget exactlly, but its about 4300K, Mercedes are I think a little more... but not by much and Porsche is about the same also about 4350Kish.

Actually all OEM Xenons are all around 4300K ish. + - very little.


What people are pissed off at with HID lights are not really the OEMs. its all the stupid ricers (ops are you one?) J/K installing the HID bulbs with wrong alignments on their Civics and blinding on comming traffic and then when they see us BMWs and Mercs with their Genuine Xenons they get all pissed off.
[/quote]


Sorry but im still new to this lighting system, but what are HID?I feel that my old 530 which i think uses the xenon is just not bright enough..i always have to switch to high beam for further distance.Is it expensive to get the bulbs that are around 5000k?
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BMW xenons are 4200K. HID stands for high intensity discharge, which is used interchangeably with xenon.

I see in your sig that you have an M5 on the way--congrats. You don't have to worry about upgrading your fog lights on it, because the E60 M5 doesn't have fog lights (the front brake air intakes are there instead).

m5lover

The higher the Kelvin rating the "whiter" you get till you hit about 5000K then it'll give a blue tint... then at about 9000K you'll get purple. The reason you see "blue" now is at different angles. Of course theres still "blue" in it but harder to see...

BMW's are about, I forget exactlly, but its about 4300K, Mercedes are I think a little more... but not by much and Porsche is about the same also about 4350Kish.

Actually all OEM Xenons are all around 4300K ish. + - very little.


What people are pissed off at with HID lights are not really the OEMs. its all the stupid ricers (ops are you one?) J/K installing the HID bulbs with wrong alignments on their Civics and blinding on comming traffic and then when they see us BMWs and Mercs with their Genuine Xenons they get all pissed off.
[/quote]


Sorry but im still new to this lighting system, but what are HID?I feel that my old 530 which i think uses the xenon is just not bright enough..i always have to switch to high beam for further distance.Is it expensive to get the bulbs that are around 5000k?
[/quote]


BMW xenons are 4200K. HID stands for high intensity discharge, which is used interchangeably with xenon.

I see in your sig that you have an M5 on the way--congrats. You don't have to worry about upgrading your fog lights on it, because the E60 M5 doesn't have fog lights (the front brake air intakes are there instead).
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Its not the fog lights i want to change but the standar xenon i was thinking about..changing to somewhere around the 5000k area...does anybody know how expensive it is?

EBMCS03

For which car? the Cayenne? or any car for that matter its not expensive... for the non bi xenons, just the High Intensity Dischrge bulbs with ballistic... thats about like $200 ish... then u need someone to install them... or you can even... its not that bad.

I'll get youi more info in a bit...


BTW: Ballistic the thingy that sparks the gas on the xenons kinda like ignites them for start up. Its needed for real HID bulbs not the Fake PIAA ones...

EBMCS03

Ok take a look here... $299 for the single low beam HID kit.

http://www.xenonpros.com/mc5000k.html

m5lover

Thanks EBMCS03

Are these bulb standard fitting?Meaning they can go to any car right?

EBMCS03

Umm yea... but you have to know what type of bulbs your car uses... as they screw into the existing socket. for the E60 fogs its HB4. so check your owners manual.

So the HID bulbs are screwed into the existing socket and you find a palce to wire up the Ballistic... like under the hood somwhere or in the bumper to secure it.

EuroCarFan

I think some clarifications are need:

1) HID stands for high intensity discharge and Xenon is one of the gases that is used in HID lighting. There are other types of gas HID bulbs but they are more rare and I don't remember what they are
2) HID lighting uses ballasts to ignite the gas, xenon in most cases, to give off light. If you already have HID lighting, you can replace the bulbs to get a higher Kelvin temperature rating for a more bluish effect but you don't have to change the ballasts. They are already there since you already have HID.
3) Light intensity is measured by lumens. Higher Kelvin bulbs actually give off less lumens so they are less bright but they give a more bluish to purpleish shade the higher kelvin you go.

You should check this website: www.umnitza.com for more info. I spoke to one of the guys there and he has a wealth of info.

If I'm wrong with anything above, feel free to correct me....