F30POST
F30POST
2012-2015 BMW 3-Series and 4-Series Forum
BMW Garage BMW Meets Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
BMW 3-Series and 4-Series Forum (F30 / F32) | F30POST > Technical Forums > Cosmetic and Lighting Modifications (exterior & interior) > Replace DRL bulb?
Studio RSR
Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      02-07-2012, 09:24 PM   #1
justinnum1
Major General
651
Rep
5,803
Posts

Drives: 2018 330i Msport 6mt
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: South Florida

iTrader: (0)

Replace DRL bulb?

So, how easy would it be to change those 2 bulbs to something more bule/white looking? ANy ideas on what would be involved(how to get to the bulbs?)
So, here is a picture of the car non xenons DRL, its like the bottom half of the inner circles...

__________________
F30 330i Alpine white/Coral red Msport 6MT
Appreciate 0
      02-08-2012, 12:24 AM   #2
JoeyO
Captain
United_States
202
Rep
814
Posts

Drives: silver car
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: USA

iTrader: (0)

My guess is those are just halogen bulbs, most likely found any any auto parts store like Auto Zone. Sylvania makes regular oem halogen bulbs, but they also make upgrade bulbs which are brighter/whiter for a higher price (ie; Cool Blue and Silverstar). The downside to those brighter/whiter bulbs is they burn at a higher temp and therefore their lifespans aren't as long as the oem bulbs. I used to install those brighter/whiter bulbs but I got tired of changing them when they burned out. Unfortunately they only lasted 1/2 the time of the oem bulbs. Sometimes they lasted only several months.

So yea, you can probably put whiter and bluer bulbs in there. Just be prepared to change them considerably a lot more often then the OEM bulbs.

Last edited by JoeyO; 02-08-2012 at 12:36 AM..
Appreciate 0
      02-08-2012, 02:00 AM   #3
E90Fleet
Lieutenant General
South Africa
1311
Rep
10,185
Posts

Drives: BMW
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: South Africa

iTrader: (0)

Its a 6W Halogen bulb in the non-Xenons DRL
They dont give the bulb type for this one but should probably be easy to change

EDIT: Looking at the wrong lamp, Its a 24W PW24W bulb in the DRL
__________________
BMW if you are reading, I need a job, Please.

Last edited by E90Fleet; 02-08-2012 at 09:51 AM..
Appreciate 0
      02-08-2012, 07:24 AM   #4
justinnum1
Major General
651
Rep
5,803
Posts

Drives: 2018 330i Msport 6mt
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: South Florida

iTrader: (0)

Hmm, sounds good, will just need to find out how to access the bulbs(hopfully its easy and doesnt involve removing the front bumper or anything crazy lol) Maybe i can open the hood and it will be easily accessible
__________________
F30 330i Alpine white/Coral red Msport 6MT
Appreciate 0
      02-08-2012, 07:48 AM   #5
Xcution
Lieutenant
Xcution's Avatar
United_States
65
Rep
476
Posts

Drives: 2011 135i mSport
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Germany

iTrader: (0)

I would just try and fork over the extra 900 bucks for the Xenons. After market will cost more, probably and xenons not only look better but are safer.
Appreciate 0
      02-08-2012, 08:49 AM   #6
justinnum1
Major General
651
Rep
5,803
Posts

Drives: 2018 330i Msport 6mt
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: South Florida

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Xcution View Post
I would just try and fork over the extra 900 bucks for the Xenons. After market will cost more, probably and xenons not only look better but are safer.
Thats not an option, you have to get ZPP...im not paying 3grand just to have zenons lol
__________________
F30 330i Alpine white/Coral red Msport 6MT
Appreciate 0
      02-08-2012, 09:04 AM   #7
pcbrew
Captain
pcbrew's Avatar
29
Rep
784
Posts

Drives: 2012 335i 6MT
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: DFW

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by justinnum1 View Post
Hmm, sounds good, will just need to find out how to access the bulbs(hopfully its easy and doesnt involve removing the front bumper or anything crazy lol) Maybe i can open the hood and it will be easily accessible
RTFM (literally) - starting on p. 280.
DRL is a 24W bulb
Appreciate 0
      02-08-2012, 09:11 AM   #8
justinnum1
Major General
651
Rep
5,803
Posts

Drives: 2018 330i Msport 6mt
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: South Florida

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by pcbrew View Post
RTFM (literally) - starting on p. 280.
DRL is a 24W bulb
Good find, just checked it out, looks doable
Attached Images
 
__________________
F30 330i Alpine white/Coral red Msport 6MT
Appreciate 0
      02-08-2012, 09:18 AM   #9
justinnum1
Major General
651
Rep
5,803
Posts

Drives: 2018 330i Msport 6mt
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: South Florida

iTrader: (0)

Looks like i can get 24watt led lights and put replace the regular DRL with some leds, should be cool looking
__________________
F30 330i Alpine white/Coral red Msport 6MT
Appreciate 0
      02-08-2012, 02:31 PM   #10
simonh100
New Member
United Kingdom
0
Rep
16
Posts

Drives: BMW 318d
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK

iTrader: (0)

Looking at other pictures of new F30 without the Xenon headlights, they still have the angle eyes or halo lights as per E92 model.
As far as I can tell with Xenon headlights the angel eyes are LED and presumably halogen for cars without Xenon

Appreciate 0
      02-08-2012, 02:51 PM   #11
unintelligible
Computer Janitor
unintelligible's Avatar
6
Rep
272
Posts

Drives: '12 F30 328i
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Melbourne, FL

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by simonh100 View Post
Looking at other pictures of new F30 without the Xenon headlights, they still have the angle eyes or halo lights as per E92 model.
As far as I can tell with Xenon headlights the angel eyes are LED and presumably halogen for cars without Xenon
Dude, the car in your picture has Xenons. The one in the pictures from justinnum1 has halogens. Halogen cars don't have corona rings.
Appreciate 0
      02-08-2012, 02:54 PM   #12
justinnum1
Major General
651
Rep
5,803
Posts

Drives: 2018 330i Msport 6mt
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: South Florida

iTrader: (0)

That car is xenons^....non xenon cars have no type of (rings) just a halogen bulb drl, bottom half of the inner rings

And i think it will look cool replacing the halogen DRL with a led
__________________
F30 330i Alpine white/Coral red Msport 6MT
Appreciate 0
      02-08-2012, 03:06 PM   #13
simonh100
New Member
United Kingdom
0
Rep
16
Posts

Drives: BMW 318d
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK

iTrader: (0)

Cheers all,

Must have been more than 1 white car used in the collection of pictures.
Appreciate 0
      04-21-2012, 12:18 PM   #14
bcl0328
Major
127
Rep
1,185
Posts

Drives: 2012 328i
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Abingdon, MD

iTrader: (0)

you ever replace it?
Appreciate 0
      04-21-2012, 12:45 PM   #15
sr5959
Captain
138
Rep
690
Posts

Drives: 428GC M-Sport
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Seattle

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by justinnum1 View Post
Looks like i can get 24watt led lights and put replace the regular DRL with some leds, should be cool looking
That sounds like a great easy upgrade, post some pics when you do it!
Appreciate 0
      04-21-2012, 09:43 PM   #16
SCBimmerKid
Lieutenant
SCBimmerKid's Avatar
30
Rep
580
Posts

Drives: Mineral Grey F30
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Hilton Head, SC

iTrader: (0)

Have you considered an LED bulb replacement? That would last longer and you could get different hues of white and blue. I usually use VLED's. They have good stuff.
__________________

*NO LONGER ON ORDER* '12 328i Mineral Grey Metallic w/black leather/aluminum&black gloss trim/ZSL/ZPP/Xenons
Appreciate 0
      04-21-2012, 09:48 PM   #17
bcl0328
Major
127
Rep
1,185
Posts

Drives: 2012 328i
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Abingdon, MD

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by SCBimmerKid View Post
Have you considered an LED bulb replacement? That would last longer and you could get different hues of white and blue. I usually use VLED's. They have good stuff.
do they even have 24w LEDs?
Appreciate 0
      04-21-2012, 09:56 PM   #18
SCBimmerKid
Lieutenant
SCBimmerKid's Avatar
30
Rep
580
Posts

Drives: Mineral Grey F30
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Hilton Head, SC

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by bcl0328 View Post
do they even have 24w LEDs?
I'm not sure. I'll check out the website and see what I can come up with.
__________________

*NO LONGER ON ORDER* '12 328i Mineral Grey Metallic w/black leather/aluminum&black gloss trim/ZSL/ZPP/Xenons
Appreciate 0
      04-22-2012, 09:50 AM   #19
Elk
Major
32
Rep
1,285
Posts

Drives: 2012 335i
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: *

iTrader: (0)

The LED wattage will be lower than incandescent bulbs. What you need are LEDs with the proper base and roughly the equivalent lumen output.
Appreciate 0
      04-22-2012, 10:57 AM   #20
SCBimmerKid
Lieutenant
SCBimmerKid's Avatar
30
Rep
580
Posts

Drives: Mineral Grey F30
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Hilton Head, SC

iTrader: (0)

Yea, I couldn't find anything.
__________________

*NO LONGER ON ORDER* '12 328i Mineral Grey Metallic w/black leather/aluminum&black gloss trim/ZSL/ZPP/Xenons
Appreciate 0
      04-22-2012, 11:06 AM   #21
Elk
Major
32
Rep
1,285
Posts

Drives: 2012 335i
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: *

iTrader: (0)

Just pull the bulb and look at the stamping. I think you need PY24W such as these:
http://www.highperformancebulbs.com/bmwpy5ulhipo.html
Appreciate 0
      04-22-2012, 11:10 AM   #22
SCBimmerKid
Lieutenant
SCBimmerKid's Avatar
30
Rep
580
Posts

Drives: Mineral Grey F30
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Hilton Head, SC

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Elk View Post
Just pull the bulb and look at the stamping. I think you need PY24W such as these:
http://www.highperformancebulbs.com/bmwpy5ulhipo.html
Yep, those are the ones. Just make sure it's from a reputable distributor. I've purchased some that didn't haave good enough heat sinking and they died in just a month or two. (Waste of 60 bucks ) Happy Bulb hunting
__________________

*NO LONGER ON ORDER* '12 328i Mineral Grey Metallic w/black leather/aluminum&black gloss trim/ZSL/ZPP/Xenons
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:34 PM.




f30post
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST