[Daftasabrush]

I'd always assumed that the F3X adaptives weren't as fully featured as the 5 series but the other day, while reading stuff about the G30s, I found the trigger for 'motorway light' and how the default when 'on' isn't actually the highest but is 'country light'.

On the 5s, when the headlight switch is all the way over to the right, they are on 'country light' mode and I always assumed this was as far as you ever got with the 3 series, but after reading about how you have to drive over 68 MPH for a duration (can't recall how long), you then get 'motorway light' I decided to give it a go. Sure enough, once you hit the criteria with the switch to 'auto', the headlights raise a bit to give further throw. Switching back to 'on' dipped the beam a bit (putting them back to 'country' mode) and noticeably reduced the throw.

Basically it has all the functionality of the M3/4 pre-lci lights but without tourist adaptation (attached).

[Squintstream]

Interesting! Can I ask what year you car is and do you think this feature would work on a 2014 car with adaptive LEDs?

A shame one has to twist the switch from Auto (from the left) to On (all the way to the right), but I've had to live with worse.

That said, reading my manual it states; The light distribution is automatically adapted to the speed. The city light is active as of a speed of less than 50 km/h, 30 mph. The motorway light is switched on at a speed higher than 110 km/h, 68 mph after approximately 20 seconds or as a speed of 140 km/h, 87 mph.

There is no mention that the switch has to be turned fully over to the right.

[robbie99]

The switch needs to be all the way to the left - Auto - for the 'motorway light' to work!

[Tengocity]

Geeky, but interesting!

Do you know if the M3/4 adaptive LEDs are different to the standard F3x adaptive?

I say this as my M4 headlights are way better than the 330e ones, when I thought they were the same system. I used to prefer the 335d adaptive xenons till I got the M4.

[NanasBack]

The F3x adaptive leds maybe different.

Mine are really poor with a cut-off which is far too close to the front of the car.
I hate driving in the dark with no street lighting.

The E90 adaptive xenons give a much better throw of light.

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by NanasBack

The F3x adaptive leds maybe different.

Mine are really poor with a cut-off which is far too close to the front of the car.
I hate driving in the dark with no street lighting.

The E90 adaptive xenons give a much better throw of light.

That's what I think about my 330e adaptives. In comparison with my old 335d adaptive xenons they're much more 'conservative' in light distributions, and the spread is quite variable to the side.

The xenons and the M4 absolutely maximised the distribution and the spread was very even, with no dark patches or areas.

[Squintstream]

Originally Posted by robbie99

The switch needs to be all the way to the left - Auto - for the 'motorway light' to work!

OK, but that's not what was said in the OP. That's where my switch is normally positioned and I can't say I noticed the throw changing.

I'll take it over 87 tonight and pay closer attention

[simnew]

My 440i has adaptive icon LED and the throw of those lights is quite a bit better than the standard LED's which are bright but have a lot of hot spots in front of the car without lighting up the kerb particularly well.

Certainly the LED icon adaptive are significantly brighter than the Xenon non adaptive and the adaptive Xenons main advantage - on the E90 that I had at least - was their ability to focus the beam on high beam and when travelling at speed on the motorway. The standard Xenons on e90 or F3x series don't do that and the LED achieves something very similar - except they are brighter than Xenon to start with. Haven't noticed the spread at town speeds being that much different - unlike my Adaptive xenons when it was VERY noticeable. Also the e90 adaptive Xenon cornering light was much more effective than the LED foglight that is used on the f3x

[Daftasabrush]

Originally Posted by Squintstream

Interesting! Can I ask what year you car is and do you think this feature would work on a 2014 car with adaptive LEDs?

A shame one has to twist the switch from Auto (from the left) to On (all the way to the right), but I've had to live with worse.

That said, reading my manual it states; The light distribution is automatically adapted to the speed. The city light is active as of a speed of less than 50 km/h, 30 mph. The motorway light is switched on at a speed higher than 110 km/h, 68 mph after approximately 20 seconds or as a speed of 140 km/h, 87 mph.

There is no mention that the switch has to be turned fully over to the right.

Apologies, I wasn't very clear! The switch needs to be in auto for the motorway light feature, and if it's in a 2014 manual I'd expect the car to have it.

Originally Posted by robbie99

The switch needs to be all the way to the left - Auto - for the 'motorway light' to work!

Yeah, this

Originally Posted by Tengocity

Geeky, but interesting!

Do you know if the M3/4 adaptive LEDs are different to the standard F3x adaptive?

I say this as my M4 headlights are way better than the 330e ones, when I thought they were the same system. I used to prefer the 335d adaptive xenons till I got the M4.

4 series (including M3/M4) use a completely different design and are made by a different company too. The 4 series adaptive LEDs were always better than the 3 series ones.

Originally Posted by NanasBack

The F3x adaptive leds maybe different.

Mine are really poor with a cut-off which is far too close to the front of the car.
I hate driving in the dark with no street lighting.

The E90 adaptive xenons give a much better throw of light.

That's a case of adjustment. For some reason, BMW like shipping cars with the headlights too low. Switch the headlights to 'on' (not auto) and then raise them a bit (do it on level ground with a wall in front so you can mark the levels - loads of guides for this).

Originally Posted by Tengocity

That's what I think about my 330e adaptives. In comparison with my old 335d adaptive xenons they're much more 'conservative' in light distributions, and the spread is quite variable to the side.

The xenons and the M4 absolutely maximised the distribution and the spread was very even, with no dark patches or areas.

Yup, in terms of usable output, the order is, IMO:

Pre LCI 4 series adaptive LED (no reason to doubt LCI ones aren't as good, just never experienced them - your comment implies they're still good)
3/4 series adaptive HID
3/4 series non-adaptive HID
3 series adaptive LED
4 series non-adaptive LED
3 series non-adaptive LED

Originally Posted by Squintstream

OK, but that's not what was said in the OP. That's where my switch is normally positioned and I can't say I noticed the throw changing.

I'll take it over 87 tonight and pay closer attention

Yeah I didn't make it clear. On 'auto' you get motorway light, my previous belief was that switching the switch to 'on' instead of 'auto' got the highest beams regardless of speed which I now know is not the case.

Originally Posted by simnew

My 440i has adaptive icon LED and the throw of those lights is quite a bit better than the standard LED's which are bright but have a lot of hot spots in front of the car without lighting up the kerb particularly well.

Certainly the LED icon adaptive are significantly brighter than the Xenon non adaptive and the adaptive Xenons main advantage - on the E90 that I had at least - was their ability to focus the beam on high beam and when travelling at speed on the motorway. The standard Xenons on e90 or F3x series don't do that and the LED achieves something very similar - except they are brighter than Xenon to start with. Haven't noticed the spread at town speeds being that much different - unlike my Adaptive xenons when it was VERY noticeable. Also the e90 adaptive Xenon cornering light was much more effective than the LED foglight that is used on the f3x

Yeah, the use of the fog lights as cornering lights is pretty crap, the pre-lci 4 series LED lamps used a separate LED module built into the main lamp unit (described above) and they worked really well. Not sure what the LCI 4 series corner lights are.