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BMW 3-Series and 4-Series Forum (F30 / F32) | F30POST > Technical Forums > Cosmetic and Lighting Modifications (exterior & interior) > THE halogen to led upgrade
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      07-04-2021, 12:16 PM   #1
Clefmonster
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Have done months of lurking on here, looking at every option possibly available to me. None were quite what I'm looking for (plug and play lci style lights and sub 1k)

Used OEM - not plug and play

Spyder and various copies - no, those christmas light angel eyes looked a bit too tacky

Protuninglab - better looking angel eyes, but the styling is just a bit too aftermarket-y

Umnitza bixenon- these are just repackaged depos

Depos - we all know those lci style headlights aren't gonna drop for another 5 years

So this just leaves me with the various aliexpress headlights that have come out in the last few months. Reviews on them here are close to nonexistent. The pictures and videos of them show a stellar angel eye lci pattern, but I have no idea how well the actual low/hi beams are. I'm guessing they aren't very good.

But it's time boys, to set aside my analysis paralysis. I'm getting them, and will provide my own personal review after the month it takes to get here. And secretly hoping someone on here has already done the install and will respond with their review... But I'm not hopeful of that. Wish me luck!

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/4001340425074.html
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      07-04-2021, 02:42 PM   #2
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There's not enough information on that web page to know what you're actually getting. It says LED and Bi-Zenon, so which is it? Good luck, I have a feeling that you'll need it.
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      07-04-2021, 04:30 PM   #3
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I’m guessing that they meant bi-LED (or dual function), but something got lost in the Chinese translation. The units pictured appear to be LED.

Then again, under the color options, your choices are original halogen and original Xenon. Wait, what? Maybe to get the correct adapter harnesses?

You are braver than I. Good luck!
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      07-05-2021, 12:01 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by auburnf30x View Post
I'm guessing that they meant bi-LED (or dual function), but something got lost in the Chinese translation. The units pictured appear to be LED.

Then again, under the color options, your choices are original halogen and original Xenon. Wait, what? Maybe to get the correct adapter harnesses?

You are braver than I. Good luck!
Yeah, it's an led upgrade so the options are if you are updating from halogen or xenon. I did look up some vague youtube videos of this brand of headlight and its definitely not xenon, so inaccurate marketing/translation common in aliexpress listings. SUPPOSEDLY it is led low/hi in reflector housing.



But basically, yeah. This is a gamble.
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      07-05-2021, 05:01 AM   #5
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I've bitten the bullet with respect to aftermarket LED headlights from AliExpress almost 6 months ago, and documented it in this thread. Upside is that the ballast modules are plug and play. Coming from Xenon headlights, lighting pattern is top notch and is substantially brighter than Xenons. Make sure you buy what you were looking for (Bi-xenon, or LEDs).
Micro Cracks F30 Xenon adaptive
These are the LED headlights I picked up, along with a short review
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      07-05-2021, 07:21 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zatelli View Post
I've bitten the bullet with respect to aftermarket LED headlights from AliExpress almost 6 months ago, and documented it in this thread. Upside is that the ballast modules are plug and play. Coming from Xenon headlights, lighting pattern is top notch and is substantially brighter than Xenons. Make sure you buy what you were looking for (Bi-xenon, or LEDs).
Micro Cracks F30 Xenon adaptive
These are the LED headlights I picked up, along with a short review
Thanks! That's exactly what I needed to hear!

Looks like your version is the same as mine (you probably used the xenon harness version), except with some of the cost pushed to shipping. $784 + 89 shipping = ~873. Guess the price has also gone up nearly $200 since you bought it 6 months ago :/
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      07-05-2021, 08:00 PM   #7
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I'd personal go for the eBay black headlights but I don't like the weird angel eye design. These are nice but I just can't get my head around $800 for headlights. They are all too expensive. All headlights should be half the price they are nowadays with how common they are.
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      07-05-2021, 09:18 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigshooter View Post
I'd personal go for the eBay black headlights but I don't like the weird angel eye design. These are nice but I just can't get my head around $800 for headlights. They are all too expensive. All headlights should be half the price they are nowadays with how common they are.
Yeah, the ebay black, aka spyder, has those gnarly angel eyes that I feel really detracts and cheapens the front end. It probably is relatively unnoticeable for a non enthusiast. But I'd always feel something is off when I do the ol' look-back as I walk away from car
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      07-09-2021, 03:38 PM   #9
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subbed, can't wait to see, I have yet to pull the pin and order these for myself
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      07-20-2021, 06:20 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Clefmonster View Post
Have done months of lurking on here, looking at every option possibly available to me. None were quite what I'm looking for (plug and play lci style lights and sub 1k)

Used OEM - not plug and play

Spyder and various copies - no, those christmas light angel eyes looked a bit too tacky

Protuninglab - better looking angel eyes, but the styling is just a bit too aftermarket-y

Umnitza bixenon- these are just repackaged depos

Depos - we all know those lci style headlights aren't gonna drop for another 5 years

So this just leaves me with the various aliexpress headlights that have come out in the last few months. Reviews on them here are close to nonexistent. The pictures and videos of them show a stellar angel eye lci pattern, but I have no idea how well the actual low/hi beams are. I'm guessing they aren't very good.

But it's time boys, to set aside my analysis paralysis. I'm getting them, and will provide my own personal review after the month it takes to get here. And secretly hoping someone on here has already done the install and will respond with their review... But I'm not hopeful of that. Wish me luck!

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/4001340425074.html
Did you end up installing them?
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