[gearbox]

clear oem style headlights are only $100 shipped for brand new!

[CDN-Retard]

what brand are the Land Rover projectors? those are always super purple...

[electric130]

Originally Posted by lordhelmet

I know you do. You ssm'ed the lights too. I always thought that was very good looking. I just can't get my mind made up about what I want to do. I'd like to keep the stock headlights but mine are junk. I've wetsanded them a couple of times already and I wouldn't want to deal with that if I retro. So that means new headlights. TYCs could be nice but I just don't know if I want after market housings. If I get TYCs though I would save money from not having to buy the bixenon projectors which could therefore be spent on 50 watt ballasts and bulbs.

yep yep yep. lots of choices. i'm happy with my retro. it was a PITA to do though. took about 2 months. either way (OEM or aftermarket) buy a second set of headlamps to do the retro on so you can still drive your car. don't try to be a hero and do it in a weekend. you'll be without a car! that was some of the best advice i picked up on hidplanet.com and thanks for the compliment on mine.

i saw a car tonight (in relation to gear's colorshift post) that had 1 headlight pretty blue and dim and one that was straight up PINK!!!! time to change your OEM bulbs dude! i think it was a lexus SUV of some type. it had projectors. i was on the interstate though and he was coming the other way, so i couldn't tell the make exactly.

[electric130]

Originally Posted by katzenjammer84

The E46 may be brighter, but the TSX is a lot more uniform IMO. I still hold by my opinion that the TSX projectors are one of the better available.

and decent price too.

[lordhelmet]

Originally Posted by electric130

yep yep yep. lots of choices. i'm happy with my retro. it was a PITA to do though. took about 2 months. either way (OEM or aftermarket) buy a second set of headlamps to do the retro on so you can still drive your car. don't try to be a hero and do it in a weekend. you'll be without a car! that was some of the best advice i picked up on hidplanet.com and thanks for the compliment on mine.

I hear you on not rushing. I kind of wanted to take my time with these and do them right the first time. I've been poking around on HIDplanet for a couple of weeks now and am learning a bit.

[buckshizzo]

Best overall in my opinion is the AP1 S2K projectors. I have tested many projectors and hands down the S2K is the best overall in intensity, width, sharpness, and color when modded correctly. Not to mention they are one of the smallest projectors out there. I tested my set of AP1 projectors with 55w and god damn they are amazingly bright with a uniform beam. I'm glad I never got rid of them. My current 55W TFX setup doesn't even compare. The TFX has hot spots and a mountain in the middle. The more you get into HIDs, the more critical you'll become about beam uniformity. You'll start picking out details.

I recommend that you take your time and read up on all projectors. There are pros a cons with each projector. Many variables come into consideration when choosing the right projector for your car.

[gearbox]

your fx mustve been the "recall" version. new G37/fx bowl does not have mountain, just smooth beam down to the foreground. but agreed s2k is prolly the best projector you will ever see. several people run them with 50w and yeah its bright.

[buckshizzo]

That's what I was thinking. Mine must have been a recall or something I though it was just a result of the tsx lense spacing changing the focal point. The mountain is hardly noticeable when on the road anyways. Someone told me to use g35 bowls to eliminate the mountain, but that's hardly worth all the trouble. I've learned to live with it.

[gearbox]

g37 bowls dont have mountain, g35 does. you should go back to s2k lol

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=35973

[buckshizzo]

sorry I meant to say g37 bowls, cuz g35 are pretty much the same as fx projectors. Thanks for the link to the pictures. It looks definitely a lot better without the mountain. The s2ks are waiting until I decide on the perfect shroud combo and headlight set up. I was thinking about doing a quad setup, but that's just a waste in my opinion. I can't just throw them in any setup. The only thing that bothers me about the s2ks is that sharp cutoff. I can't see shit above the cutoff sometimes.

[gearbox]

thats why you should do like me in all chrome oem lights. some light reflects off the chrome trim and up at road signs (but doesnt blind traffic unless maybe youre driving a semi, even then its not that bad). but i can see roadsigns no problem. the glare is only a small line at a 45 degree angle.

oh look a stop sign

[TemjinX2]

dont you have the dot e46's gearbox? i remember the dot line on my bixenon e46 was more then enough to light up signs from a far distance.

[gearbox]

i have ece but made my own dot spec cutoff shields with foreground limit (i was trying to jump over the chrome trim but i guess i didnt make the limiter long enough so it still hits it a bit). and modded for yellow cutoff. and its blurry enough that it doesnt get annoying at night. i hate sharp cutoff.



the foreground limit with open air projector. it disappears in the headlamp housing.



heres a cutoff shot. i couldnt get rid of the downward slope on each side even with bending the shield.



i guess the aluminum or the hi temp clearcoat and the metal weld couldnt handle the 50w hids lol

[electric130]

gear.......

wow

did you document all this? i remember going back and forth with you while you were trying to decide....... but i must have missed a thread somewhere....... very nice!