HID AEs pissed me off... Whats next?
10-02-2012, 01:03 PM
#11
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I have had HID AE's for 10 minutes when I decided this is not for me, way too bright for upcoming traffic, which we always have here in Holland and people will start to flash high beams at you. Cops will pull you over etc... I didn't want that and went for the Mtec 35W Super Whites. Same color as HID headlights and no problems at all.
Still in doubt though about the brighter and whiter LED's. Don't read much about the LUX H8 AE's anymore, anyone still using those?
Still in doubt though about the brighter and whiter LED's. Don't read much about the LUX H8 AE's anymore, anyone still using those?
10-02-2012, 06:39 PM
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My Ride: Alpine E60, '09 535i-Premium, Sport and Comfort Access PackageMods: Lux H8 V3 Angel Eyes, Weisslicht LED license plate lights, Interior LED lights, RPI Scoop, Matte Black Grills, Smoked LED side markers & side reflectors, 35% tint all around, and a 3
I have had HID AE's for 10 minutes when I decided this is not for me, way too bright for upcoming traffic, which we always have here in Holland and people will start to flash high beams at you. Cops will pull you over etc... I didn't want that and went for the Mtec 35W Super Whites. Same color as HID headlights and no problems at all.
Still in doubt though about the brighter and whiter LED's. Don't read much about the LUX H8 AE's anymore, anyone still using those?
Still in doubt though about the brighter and whiter LED's. Don't read much about the LUX H8 AE's anymore, anyone still using those?
10-03-2012, 02:09 AM
#13
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My Ride: 2008 535i LCI with sports/premium package, Sports trans with paddle shifters, CF emblems, JB4 Software, Dinan Exhaust, Navigation, M5Tech body kit, Carbon wrap interrior trim and CIC Controller.
+1, just keep it simple. They are charging way over the top for these lights. Would love to know what kind of profits are being made. Maybe if they lowered the price a bit they would sell more volume. I originally bought LED AE's only to drop 125.00. Hell my bulb out warning light was more visible and brighter that the AE's! Now you can get these lights all day as freebees when making purchases and or drop about 20.00 and they will ship them for free. I guess this gives you an idea of the profits?
10-03-2012, 07:33 AM
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My Ride: Alpine White 2010 535 M-Sport
10-03-2012, 08:39 AM
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My Ride: 08 528i TiAg Premium/Cold Weather Pkg, 20% Tint, Technic Harness, JL Audio 12W7, JL HD 750/1 and LOTS of lighting mods!!!!!
HID angel eyes are a complete waste in my opinion.
1. They generate tooo much heat
2. They have their share of install problem
3. They do not have uniform lumen output through out (compare the small and the bigger ring)
4. They dont look good at night when someone is looking at your car from a distance, with too much light being put out from the AE's and, the light being dispersed everywhere giving that shabby flush effect.
Thats my personal opinion and I am not affiliated with anyone. Dont mean any offense to anyone.
1. They generate tooo much heat
2. They have their share of install problem
3. They do not have uniform lumen output through out (compare the small and the bigger ring)
4. They dont look good at night when someone is looking at your car from a distance, with too much light being put out from the AE's and, the light being dispersed everywhere giving that shabby flush effect.
Thats my personal opinion and I am not affiliated with anyone. Dont mean any offense to anyone.
2. It was a pain to install these. But once installed I have zero issues.
3. IMO i think they're more uniform then LED's. You can barely see the outer ring being lit in the daytime with LED's.
4. From a distance they do look washed out at night. However, they look VERY nice in the day. Its a trade off really...day vs night. Also, if you're standing closer they do look pretty nice...though a bit blinding
10-03-2012, 09:10 AM
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My Ride: BMW E60
Model Year: 2016
HID angel eyes are a complete waste in my opinion.
1. They generate tooo much heat
2. They have their share of install problem
3. They do not have uniform lumen output through out (compare the small and the bigger ring)
4. They dont look good at night when someone is looking at your car from a distance, with too much light being put out from the AE's and, the light being dispersed everywhere giving that shabby flush effect.
Thats my personal opinion and I am not affiliated with anyone. Dont mean any offense to anyone.
1. They generate tooo much heat
2. They have their share of install problem
3. They do not have uniform lumen output through out (compare the small and the bigger ring)
4. They dont look good at night when someone is looking at your car from a distance, with too much light being put out from the AE's and, the light being dispersed everywhere giving that shabby flush effect.
Thats my personal opinion and I am not affiliated with anyone. Dont mean any offense to anyone.
The rest I agree. Last time I saw a HID AE car pull up from afar, and from a distance I wondered to myself why is that person's cornering lights on, and he changed it to white... as it got closer, I realized that it was HID AE, and that the inner ring is so diffused that it basically looks like a blob of light.
10-03-2012, 12:26 PM
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The HID's will get me in trouble which I don't want. I want my ride to look original, but refined. not a cop magnet 
Perhaps it will be a small upgrade to install LUX led's because the car will look more up to date? The outer ring is beautiful lit from what I can see from the picture but they are way too expensive imho. I have brake LED replacement bulbs which put out 11W, are way brighter than stock and cost me around $40.-, that's acceptable, but $250.- for two bulbs?
My Mtec Super Whites and a little bit of voltage and behaviour adjustment through coding gives a good result. The "auto-dimming" AE's spoils a lot, by swithcing that off and raising the voltage, even standard bulbs look way better.
Caused by the price I'm afraid I will be dissappointed with the LUX after all...
Perhaps it will be a small upgrade to install LUX led's because the car will look more up to date? The outer ring is beautiful lit from what I can see from the picture but they are way too expensive imho. I have brake LED replacement bulbs which put out 11W, are way brighter than stock and cost me around $40.-, that's acceptable, but $250.- for two bulbs?
My Mtec Super Whites and a little bit of voltage and behaviour adjustment through coding gives a good result. The "auto-dimming" AE's spoils a lot, by swithcing that off and raising the voltage, even standard bulbs look way better.
Caused by the price I'm afraid I will be dissappointed with the LUX after all...
10-03-2012, 09:41 PM
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My Ride: Alpine E60, '09 535i-Premium, Sport and Comfort Access PackageMods: Lux H8 V3 Angel Eyes, Weisslicht LED license plate lights, Interior LED lights, RPI Scoop, Matte Black Grills, Smoked LED side markers & side reflectors, 35% tint all around, and a 3
The HID's will get me in trouble which I don't want. I want my ride to look original, but refined. not a cop magnet
Perhaps it will be a small upgrade to install LUX led's because the car will look more up to date? The outer ring is beautiful lit from what I can see from the picture but they are way too expensive imho. I have brake LED replacement bulbs which put out 11W, are way brighter than stock and cost me around $40.-, that's acceptable, but $250.- for two bulbs?
My Mtec Super Whites and a little bit of voltage and behaviour adjustment through coding gives a good result. The "auto-dimming" AE's spoils a lot, by swithcing that off and raising the voltage, even standard bulbs look way better.
Caused by the price I'm afraid I will be dissappointed with the LUX after all...
Perhaps it will be a small upgrade to install LUX led's because the car will look more up to date? The outer ring is beautiful lit from what I can see from the picture but they are way too expensive imho. I have brake LED replacement bulbs which put out 11W, are way brighter than stock and cost me around $40.-, that's acceptable, but $250.- for two bulbs?
My Mtec Super Whites and a little bit of voltage and behaviour adjustment through coding gives a good result. The "auto-dimming" AE's spoils a lot, by swithcing that off and raising the voltage, even standard bulbs look way better.
Caused by the price I'm afraid I will be dissappointed with the LUX after all...
10-03-2012, 10:34 PM
#19
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My Ride: 08 528i TiAg Premium/Cold Weather Pkg, 20% Tint, Technic Harness, JL Audio 12W7, JL HD 750/1 and LOTS of lighting mods!!!!!
Heat is most likely a factor over a long period of time. I have worked on HID AE installed headlights that later opted for Orions and noticed yellowing of the rings from UV decay. Then again, I have seen this on headlights that used LEDs as well (a big name with the 3 series crowd).
The rest I agree. Last time I saw a HID AE car pull up from afar, and from a distance I wondered to myself why is that person's cornering lights on, and he changed it to white... as it got closer, I realized that it was HID AE, and that the inner ring is so diffused that it basically looks like a blob of light.
The rest I agree. Last time I saw a HID AE car pull up from afar, and from a distance I wondered to myself why is that person's cornering lights on, and he changed it to white... as it got closer, I realized that it was HID AE, and that the inner ring is so diffused that it basically looks like a blob of light.
As far as the visuals....It is a big blob of light at night...though I kinda like it...it commands attention...it makes ppl wonder what kind of car it is untill it gets closer and the angel eyes start to become more clear....this is a matter of preference though...again...better daytime looks vs better night time looks.
IMO you can't go wrong either way.
The HID's will get me in trouble which I don't want. I want my ride to look original, but refined. not a cop magnet
Perhaps it will be a small upgrade to install LUX led's because the car will look more up to date? The outer ring is beautiful lit from what I can see from the picture but they are way too expensive imho. I have brake LED replacement bulbs which put out 11W, are way brighter than stock and cost me around $40.-, that's acceptable, but $250.- for two bulbs?
My Mtec Super Whites and a little bit of voltage and behaviour adjustment through coding gives a good result. The "auto-dimming" AE's spoils a lot, by swithcing that off and raising the voltage, even standard bulbs look way better.
Caused by the price I'm afraid I will be dissappointed with the LUX after all...
Perhaps it will be a small upgrade to install LUX led's because the car will look more up to date? The outer ring is beautiful lit from what I can see from the picture but they are way too expensive imho. I have brake LED replacement bulbs which put out 11W, are way brighter than stock and cost me around $40.-, that's acceptable, but $250.- for two bulbs?
My Mtec Super Whites and a little bit of voltage and behaviour adjustment through coding gives a good result. The "auto-dimming" AE's spoils a lot, by swithcing that off and raising the voltage, even standard bulbs look way better.
Caused by the price I'm afraid I will be dissappointed with the LUX after all...
However, I have had someone purposely slow down, get behind me and turn their high beams on because they thought that I was flashing them. This was because I pulled up really quickly on a hill which landed my AE's straight in the person's rear view mirror.
Overall, a bit of caution could avoid problems with cops. Its not nearly as bad as one might think.
In summary, LED AE might be the most balanced overall in terms of installation and looks in different sets of light but will sometimes appear to be weak and will leave you hungering for more. On the other hand.... HID AE is just like WOW!
And then....theres Orion V4 for those who don't mind an aftermarket look...which will possibly give you the best lighting effect but again...this is non-oem.
Just my two cents
