Lark, Kat and the Wingman Compare Angel Eyes

Originally Posted by Wingman335

Yes, I did install my split armrest and stainless steel pedals. I must tell you that installing the armrest builds character, fortitude and ahem, for lack of a better term, kahunas. It was very difficult to take off those pins, and it was testing my patience! But I was able to get it done in the end.

FIXED

The armrest and pedals look great.

You met him, so you know how big of a guy SO is. After hanging out here, you know how, um.... picky and what worry wart I am. Now, imagine the two of us doing my split armrest.

Me: "Honey, don't sit there you'll scratch it."
Him: "But sweetie, I have to sit here or I can't get enough leverage."
Me: Well, okay, but watch out where you point that screwdriver so you don't gouge the plastic."
Him: "Yes, I know, but if I don't push here the pin won't release."
Me (with hands over eyes but peeking): Okay, if you must, but please don't force it!"

Now you know why I have nominated him for sainthood.

[edit] ps: If you're going to do the reflector delete, do it now when you have 95F ambient temperatures on your side. We did mine in February and it was also a hair raising experience.

Originally Posted by Nordic_Kat

FIXED

The armrest and pedals look great.

You met him, so you know how big of a guy SO is. After hanging out here, you know how, um.... picky and what worry wart I am. Now, imagine the two of us doing my split armrest.

Me: "Honey, don't sit there you'll scratch it."
Him: "But sweetie, I have to sit here or I can't get enough leverage."
Me: Well, okay, but watch out where you point that screwdriver so you don't gouge the plastic."
Him: "Yes, I know, but if I don't push here the pin won't release."
Me (with hands over eyes but peeking): Okay, if you must, but please don't force it!"

Now you know why I have nominated him for sainthood.

[edit] ps: If you're going to do the reflector delete, do it now when you have 95F ambient temperatures on your side. We did mine in February and it was also a hair raising experience.

Thanks Kat! Yes, I agree- it was unnerving poking a screwdriver in the center console. I had painter's tape all over the interior to control the damage, should something slip.

I'm going to do the reflector delete, but I'm waiting to get the hairdryer I bought from Amazon to get here. That, combined with the ridiculously hot weather should make it for an easy DIY job... or so I hope

These are stock 2011's in the afternoon NC sun.

Originally Posted by bear-avhistory

These are stock 2011's in the afternoon NC sun.

Arrrrgh, stop blinding me with those High Beams

[QUOTE=Nordic_Kat;6195312]Sometimes all one has to do is ask. That is my take home lesson.

Great conclusion to Kat's well thought out project. A great contribution to those contemplating a light upgrade! Thanks, Kat!

And the next project is....? Exhaust? I was going to suggest brakes, but you're already stopping a LOT better than the people behind you.

[QUOTE=pointandgo;6229864]

Originally Posted by Nordic_Kat

Sometimes all one has to do is ask. That is my take home lesson.

Great conclusion to Kat's well thought out project. A great contribution to those contemplating a light upgrade! Thanks, Kat!

And the next project is....? Exhaust? I was going to suggest brakes, but you're already stopping a LOT better than the people behind you.

Thanks P&G. I still need to get some 'glamour' shots of the LUX H8's. The car has been in the shop for the last day and a half dealing with the preliminaries of the tensioning rope replacement. I had a 328i sedan loaner (AT) which was an interesting experience. Regarding my next project..... I am in a quandary. I thought it was going to be the PE, but I've had my attention diverted to upgrading my camera equipment.

[QUOTE=Nordic_Kat;6229920]

Originally Posted by pointandgo

Thanks P&G. I still need to get some 'glamour' shots of the LUX H8's. The car has been in the shop for the last day and a half dealing with the preliminaries of the tensioning rope replacement. I had a 328i sedan loaner (AT) which was an interesting experience. Regarding my next project..... I am in a quandary. I thought it was going to be the PE, but I've had my attention diverted to upgrading my camera equipment.

328i auto! I have one! What's so interesting? Just "set-it-and-forget-it." How do you manage coming up to STOP signs? Creepy feeling, isn't it? Put a restraining device on your left foot. Keep your right hand OFF the shift knob (I bet you didn't).

I can't wait until this 27 mo. lease is over (only 24 months to go). BACK TO A STICK!
(and CA)

[QUOTE=pointandgo;6229991]

Originally Posted by Nordic_Kat

328i auto! I have one! What's so interesting? Just "set-it-and-forget-it." How do you manage coming up to STOP signs? Creepy feeling, isn't it? Put a restraining device on your left foot. Keep your right hand OFF the shift knob (I bet you didn't).

I can't wait until this 27 mo. lease is over (only 24 months to go). BACK TO A STICK!
(and CA)

I just found it very interesting that for being siblings, the cabrio and sedan feel like very different cars. Part of it is the higher ground clearance of the E90 combined with the more open interior. The E93 cockpit is truly like being in a little cocoon.

The MT vs AT thing has been done to death, but it was interesting to actually experience it. We have these things called "Texas Turnarounds". They are inside lanes that allow one to do a 180 underneath the freeway on the access roads without going through the traffic lights at the intersection. I have to do one of these to get to work in the morning. In the MT cabrio, I love it, because I usually have the top down so I have noticeable exhaust notes and I can pin myself back into the seat rowing through 1st to 3rd hitting 60 mph before I let up.

Never once, in the MT have I had to go WOT to pin myself to the seat. This morning I had the throttle floored and didn't achieve the same thrill. Of course, I burned through an additional gallon of gas in the process, but hey - cheap thrills, or not.

I also now realized how truly wonderful is the Sun Reflective Technology leather put in the cabrio. This afternoon when I got in the loaner to take it back the dash thermometer read 104F. The loaner car was TiAg with gray leather. As I slid into the seat, my bare leg met the leather and I yelped! I truly expected to have burn marks on the back of my legs.

The seats in the cabrio get warm, but I've never, ever felt like I needed to visit the burn unit even after the car has been sitting closed up all day. SRT is truly an incredible innovation.

I never got a chance to experience the DS mode. I quite honestly didn't have or take the time to figure it out. The first thing I had to do when I got the loaner was correct the low tire TPMS warning. I did learn to keep my hand off the shifter with its metal covering. Talk about 2nd degree burns! I'll get a second chance at a loaner in another week or so when they get the parts in to fix my top. Next time I'll be ready to test the DS mode.

Just so I am reading this correct, they are (left to right): LCI, Lux, and Stock ?

I have an Alpine White 335xi, do you think the LCI would look good? Thanks for the pics!

Originally Posted by Nordic_Kat

Originally Posted by fordperf

Just so I am reading this correct, they are (left to right): LCI, Lux, and Stock?

Yes.

Originally Posted by fordperf

I have an Alpine White 335xi, do you think the LCI would look good?

I think it would look fantastic, but the LCI -- Lifecycle Impulse, BMW's term for facelifted -- angel eyes are OEM, not an upgrade. If you don't already have the LCI angel eyes, I would think that at a minimum you'd have to swap out the headlight assemblies.

Originally Posted by Verts4Ever

I think it would look fantastic, but the LCI -- Lifecycle Impulse, BMW's term for facelifted -- angel eyes are OEM, not an upgrade. If you don't already have the LCI angel eyes, I would think that at a minimum you'd have to swap out the headlight assemblies.

So so how can I tell if I have the LCI angel eyes? I have the Xenon headlights and halos, but is there a defining characteristic of them being LCI angel eyes?

What fun! Kat, thanks for sharing photos. I'm kind of psyched, we have a new member of our local CCA chapter - and he used to be an instructor for BMW and TrackTime HPDEs. He just picked up an '08 335i coupe. Hope to get some tips on our next scheduled outing.

Originally Posted by Wingman335

I'm going to do the reflector delete, but I'm waiting to get the hairdryer I bought from Amazon to get here. That, combined with the ridiculously hot weather should make it for an easy DIY job... or so I hope

It's not as hard as some of the threads make it seem. I did it during summer, on about an 85 degree day. Didn't use a hairdryer/heater.

One thing that made it really easy was using a thin, flexible card to slip between the reflector and the part (from the outside) to break the seal of the tape. I used an old grocery store loyalty card. The corner of it slipped easily between the two pieces, from the front, on the upper "thick" side of the short end of the piece. I then could gently work the card all the way through, breaking the tape seal, and then just slid it slowly and gently around. The reflector popped right out, and I never felt like I put any pressure on that thin bit of quarter panel.

Lots of folks have probably seen, but for more bulb comparison, here are the GP Thunders on my car.

Originally Posted by Nordic_Kat

I thought it was going to be the PE, but I've had my attention diverted to upgrading my camera equipment.

Are you going to go full-frame?

Originally Posted by Verts4Ever

I think it would look fantastic, but the LCI -- Lifecycle Impulse, BMW's term for facelifted -- angel eyes are OEM, not an upgrade. If you don't already have the LCI angel eyes, I would think that at a minimum you'd have to swap out the headlight assemblies.

And that is for all intents and purposes impossible to do (see below).

Originally Posted by fordperf

So so how can I tell if I have the LCI angel eyes? I have the Xenon headlights and halos, but is there a defining characteristic of them being LCI angel eyes?

Fordperf -
The very first question you have to answer is what body style is your car? From another thread I ascertained it is a 2009 335ix, but is it a sedan or a coupe? If your 2009 is a coupe - it is not an LCI as the coupe and cabrio did not receive their LCI until MY2011. If your car is a sedan, it received its LCI in 2009 but the new for 2009 headlight housing design for the sedan is still different and incompatible with the coupe/cabrio LCI headlight housing design. Either way from what I understand, retrofitting is if not impossible, then insanely expensive. Here are a few reasons.

1) If your car is a sedan (E90), then the headlight housings are completely different from from the headlight housings for the coupe and convertible. So different in fact, that access to the angel eyes is through the front fender as opposed to through the top of the housing under the hood.

2) Even if your car is a 2009 coupe, the headlight system in the LCI coupes and cabrios is very different in design which is one of the reasons the LCI angel eyes on the 2011 forward coupes and cabrios look so incredible. There was some chatter a while ago that supposedly retrofits might eventually be available, but considering how hot a topic the LED angel eyes has become, I've never seen anything more posted about it. That tells me it was wild a$$ guessing or conjecture.

Originally Posted by andrew b

What fun! Kat, thanks for sharing photos. I'm kind of psyched, we have a new member of our local CCA chapter - and he used to be an instructor for BMW and TrackTime HPDEs. He just picked up an '08 335i coupe. Hope to get some tips on our next scheduled outing.


Are you going to go full-frame?

You are welcome - I think we all had some fun meeting.

No, the upgrade was to my D7000. The pics I posted here were taken with an Nikon E5700.

Originally Posted by Nordic_Kat

Fordperf -
The very first question you have to answer is what body style is your car? From another thread I ascertained it is a 2009 335ix, but is it a sedan or a coupe? If your 2009 is a coupe - it is not an LCI as the coupe and cabrio did not receive their LCI until 2010. If your car is a sedan, it received its LCI in 2009 but the new for 2009 headlight housing design for the sedan is still different and incompatible with the coupe/cabrio LCI headlight housing design. Either way from what I understand, retrofitting is if not impossible, then insanely expensive. Here are a few reasons.

1) If your car is a sedan (E90), then the headlight housings are completely different from from the headlight housings for the coupe and convertible. So different in fact, that access to the angel eyes is through the front fender as opposed to through the top of the housing under the hood.

2) Even if your car is a 2009 coupe, the headlight system in the LCI coupes and cabrios is very different in design which is one of the reasons the LCI angel eyes on the 2010 forward coupes and cabrios look so incredible. There was some chatter a while ago that supposedly retrofits might eventually be available, but considering how hot a topic the LED angel eyes has become, I've never seen anything more posted about it. That tells me it was wild a$$ guessing or conjecture.

My car is the 2009 sedan, with the hdd based iDrive which someone in another thread (http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho....php?p=6615229) told me indicates I have an LCI model. Is that true?

Originally Posted by fordperf

My car is the 2009 sedan, with the hdd based iDrive which someone in another thread (http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho....php?p=6615229) told me indicates I have an LCI model. Is that true?

Sedan owners may want to chime in here, but the easiest way (for me) to distinguish a pre LCI sedan from an LCI sedan is the orange "eyeliner" that the pre-LCI sedans had.
See pic below


Below is a pic of CWinters LCI'd Sedan. Notice the different shape of his headlights
(C-Dub if you read this I hope you don't mind me borrowing your pic)



Now, here is a pic of the LCI'd coupe:



The LCI sedan still has a different headlight housing than the LCI coupe or convertible. The headlights in your car still cannot be converted or "Upgraded" to the equipment that is in an LCI coupe.

If you figure out a way to do it, please post it because there are a lot of people who would love to do it.

Originally Posted by Nordic_Kat

Even if your car is a 2009 coupe, the headlight system in the LCI coupes and cabrios is very different in design which is one of the reasons the LCI angel eyes on the 2010 forward coupes and cabrios look so incredible.

Actually the new headlight units started with the 2011 model year, the 2010 model year cars have the same headlights as the previous models.

Originally Posted by Nordic_Kat

The LCI sedan still has a different headlight housing than the LCI coupe or convertible. The headlights in your car still cannot be converted or "Upgraded" to the equipment that is in an LCI coupe.

If you figure out a way to do it, please post it because there are a lot of people who would love to do it.

Ok now I am learning. Are these bright LED halo lights only available in LCI coupes? There is nothing in the aftermarket for sedans to give a similar effect? It's not just replacing incandescent bulbs with LED ones?

(I'm pretty sure my halos are incandescent and not LED, just from the coloring and intensity)

Originally Posted by DougN

Actually the new headlight units started with the 2011 model year, the 2010 model year cars have the same headlights as the previous models.

I knew that, but obviously had a brain disconnect Thanks for reminding me I'll go fix it!

Originally Posted by DougN

Actually the new headlight units started with the 2011 model year

Exactly... For someone googling this thread in the future, the LCI E92 and E93 were introduced with MY2011 although their production did begin in late 2010.

EDIT: Shoot, Kat beat me to it. As my avatar likes to say, "Ack!"

Ohhhhhhhhhh! So the LCI corona rings in the leftmost photo ARE the stock headlights for that year?? And the Lux H8 in the middle are an aftermarket attempt to recreate that effect?

Originally Posted by fordperf

Ok now I am learning. Are these bright LED halo lights only available in LCI coupes? There is nothing in the aftermarket for sedans to give a similar effect? It's not just replacing incandescent bulbs with LED ones?

(I'm pretty sure my halos are incandescent and not LED, just from the coloring and intensity)

You can do what others have done. Get Weisslicht or LUX or GP Thunders. They won't be the super intense of the LCI, but in most light situations are going to look pretty good.

Here is an example of the LUX in a more normal (everyday) light situation:



I did the pics in this thread in the absolute harshest light I could for the purpose of showing the difference in a worst case scenario.

Also it is extremely hard to photograph 3 cars simultaneously and get all to have the best viewing angle.

Originally Posted by fordperf

Ohhhhhhhhhh! So the LCI corona rings in the leftmost photo ARE the stock headlights for that year?? And the Lux H8 in the middle are an aftermarket attempt to recreate that effect?

BINGO!!!!!

Originally Posted by fordperf

And the Lux H8 in the middle are an aftermarket attempt to recreate that effect?

Adding to all the great information that Kat has posted, the photo at the top of this page gives another good comparison between the stock halogen angel eyes and Lux upgrade... http://www.e92-lighting.com/products...ED-703-20.html

Thanks Kat and everyone, and forgive my total noobness. When I saw the pics of the LCI lights, my first thought was "ok must locate company called LCI on the web and look at their halo solutions". Hey, I'm new to all this

I drove the same car for 13 years before getting my E90, so I have a completely different set of acronyms in my head. I have to learn a whole new lexicon!