E60 compared to E36 Headlights

[umnitza]

http://www.umnitza.com/albums/album07/e60vsE36ZKW.sized.jpg

http://www.umnitza.com/albums/album07/e60vsE36ZKW2.sized.jpg

http://www.umnitza.com/albums/album07/e60vsE36ZKW3.sized.jpg

http://www.umnitza.com/albums/album07/e60vsE36ZKW4.sized.jpg

http://www.umnitza.com/albums/album07/e60vsE36ZKW5.sized.jpg

http://www.umnitza.com/albums/album07/e60vsE36ZKW6.sized.jpg

http://www.umnitza.com/albums/album07/DDEwHID.sized.jpg

[andy_thomas]

http://www.umnitza.com/albums/album07/e60vsE36ZKW.sized.jpg

Wow, those E36 headlights are considerably sharper than the E60's. I didn't realise that factory E36 HIDs with such a sharp 20 deg cutoff were available only for the US market - you lucky chaps!

[armaq]

Those are the Euro ZKW headlights + a HID kit. You guys over there are the lucky chaps

My question is have the ZKW's been modified to have such a sharp cutoff?

[umnitza]

nope, stock ZKW cut off.

[andy_thomas]

Those are the Euro ZKW headlights + a HID kit. You guys over there are the lucky chaps.

Ah, so it's "E60 compared to *modified* E36 Headlights" :).

[umnitza]

Actually, those are not "modified" lights in the least.

Those are "stock" Euro Ellipsoids that are in the ETK from BMW:) So they aren't modified.

[TD]

Those are the Euro ZKW headlights + a HID kit. You guys over there are the lucky chaps

My question is have the ZKW's been modified to have such a sharp cutoff?
I upgraded my E36 M3 headlights to the ZKWs (in fact I got them from Umnitza minus the angel eyes). That's just what my cut-off looks like.

And this supports the claims JST and I have made that E36 ellipsoids are brighter and offer a better beam pattern than the E46 xenons.

[Kaz]

IAnd this supports the claims JST and I have made that E36 ellipsoids are brighter and offer a better beam pattern than the E46 xenons.

How? The comparison car here is a E60, and these E36 ellipsoids are not stock.

[TD]

How? The comparison car here is a E60, and these E36 ellipsoids are not stock.
Other than the angel eyes, they are. He claims repeatedly in this thread that they are stock. Are you saying he's lying?

And we have had threads in the past comparing E36 ellipsoids and the E46 xenons. I know that this is an E60 not an E46. But I think it support the argument as the E60 is running xenons that I assume are not too dissimilar in technology from E46 xenons.

[Kaz]

Other than the angel eyes, they are. He claims repeatedly in this thread that they are stock. Are you saying he's lying?

And we have had threads in the past comparing E36 ellipsoids and the E46 xenons. I know that this is an E60 not an E46. But I think it support the argument as the E60 is running xenons that I assume are not too dissimilar in technology from E46 xenons.

1) These are E36 ZKWs with xenons. Obviously that's not stock, since no E36s, euro or US, ever came with xenons. Also, these xenons aren't the same color temp as OE xenons.

2) There is no basis for saying the E60 lights are anywhere the same as E46 ones. Did you talk to a BMW lighting engineer who said that the lens assemblies are the same? Probably not.

Why do you insist on twisting things around to make it looks like they support your opinions when clearly, based on FACTS, this is NOT what you are claiming.

When this 'comparison' is done with a E36 with stock ZKWs using stock bulbs (what do they use; 55w H1 halogens?) and a E46 with stock zenons, THEN we can talk comparison. Not before.

[armaq]

TD are you saying E36 ZKW's with Halogen are better than E46 Xenons or ZKW's with HID conversion are better than E46 xenons?

If with HID conversion it really depends on which kit you use

EDIT: I do think the ZKW's have very good beam pattern, HID or not

[TD]

1) These are E36 ZKWs with xenons. Obviously that's not stock, since no E36s, euro or US, ever came with xenons. Also, these xenons aren't the same color temp as OE xenons.

2) There is no basis for saying the E60 lights are anywhere the same as E46 ones. Did you talk to a BMW lighting engineer who said that the lens assemblies are the same? Probably not.

Why do you insist on twisting things around to make it looks like they support your opinions when clearly, based on FACTS, this is NOT what you are claiming.

When this 'comparison' is done with a E36 with stock ZKWs using stock bulbs (what do they use; 55w H1 halogens?) and a E46 with stock zenons, THEN we can talk comparison. Not before.
Where is it said that they are running xenon bulbs in the ZKWs.

[TD]

TD are you saying E36 ZKW's with Halogen are better than E46 Xenons or ZKW's with HID conversion are better than E46 xenons?

If with HID conversion it really depends on which kit you use

EDIT: I do think the ZKW's have very good beam pattern, HID or not
I had an E46 with stock xenons. And I now have an E36 with ZKW ellipsoids with stock hallogen bulbs. I honestly feel the ZKWs have a better beam pattern and overall better lighting. And they don't have that obnoxious blue tint the xenons have either.

[Kaz]

Where is it said that they are running xenon bulbs in the ZKWs.

Just look at it...

I would GUESS that these are 6000k xenons or higher, assuming that the E60 is running standard 4100s.

[armaq]

Those are 5000k

[Kaz]

Hey Matt, where are you?

Frustrating when marketing types give you a buncha pics and no info...