X5 55 plate lighting upgrade

[Raven Flyer]

Has anyone retro fitted HID/Xenon gas discharge lights to one of these?

My other half has had one for years and I have just bought a new A6 with Martrix LED's.

She now thinks her lights need some serious upgrading.

[Denis O]

Fitted a HIDS Direct kit to my 04 e53, which is basically the same as yours. Easy job. Try X5 Drivers for instructions.

Dead easy and you can also buy an LED angle eye kit from the same supplier. Not brilliant but better than the yellow standard items.

[Raven Flyer]

Thanks Denis.

I have ordered an HID kit. The car has projector lenses so I am hoping the beam pattern will be acceptable without changing the light housing.

This is purely to improve the light output and cosmetics don't come into it so I ordered 5000K. Is that sensible?

[Denis O]

5000k sounds about right. I think that's what I put on mine. I used 35 watt but I understand there are now 55 watt versions which are brighter.

They won't cause too much unwanted attention from the constabulary.

This is the thread in case you couldn't find it.

http://xdrivers.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,3497.0...

[Raven Flyer]

Just an update. Fitted the kit at the weekend and it was an easy job. I used a Dremel to cut the holes required in the water proofing caps and the new leads and grommets fitted perfectly. The X5 has brackets that are perfect for the ballast packs and probably hold the OEM ones, if they were specced from new.

The whole job took around 40 minutes. The only fiddly bit is getting the bulbs in with the supplied carriers. These weren't as robust as the ones on the halogens and this was a faff. Once done, I bent the tabs across for a bit of extra security to the bulb fit.

As a note re the MOT thing (I know it troubles some people) the E53 already has self levelling headlights and has self levelling suspension. Either are acceptable means of headlight levelling for an MOT. It also has headlight washing systems.

Job done and the light output is in a different class to the standard halogens. Thanks for your help and advice.

[Denis O]

Glad you got it sorted and you're happy with the results.

I know what you mean about the bulb holders. They could have made them of chocolate milk shake and they would have been stronger. Hopefully the X Driver linked thread proved useful.