E90/91/92/93 and Xenon
Discussion
Curious to know if xenons were standard on all msport cars, or if they had to be specced separately?
Reason I ask is that I'm the 3rd owner on my e91 msport, which has xenons. According to mdecoder it was not specced with xenons. I had assumed they came as standard but on comparison with the spec sheet for a friend's 335i SE, xenons are specifically called out on the spec list.
The first owner specced the car, and had it until last year from what I can decipher. The last owner tells me he done nothing aside from maintenance. There's no evidence to suggest they were an aftermarket add on. As I understand it the car came with them from the factory.
Did all msports come with xenon, or has the original owner gone to great lengths to have them fitted at a later date?
Reason I ask is that I'm the 3rd owner on my e91 msport, which has xenons. According to mdecoder it was not specced with xenons. I had assumed they came as standard but on comparison with the spec sheet for a friend's 335i SE, xenons are specifically called out on the spec list.
The first owner specced the car, and had it until last year from what I can decipher. The last owner tells me he done nothing aside from maintenance. There's no evidence to suggest they were an aftermarket add on. As I understand it the car came with them from the factory.
Did all msports come with xenon, or has the original owner gone to great lengths to have them fitted at a later date?
Edited by colm89 on Wednesday 11th December 17:39
If you do not have the knob for manual headlight height adjustment then you have xenons from factory - unless someone did a full blown conversion including automatic headlight leveling and headlight washers - non trivial job.
So if you either have the knob or headlight washer it is an aftermarket job.
So if you either have the knob or headlight washer it is an aftermarket job.
There are no headlight washers, and yes there is a height adjustment knob beside the lights dial, identical to this: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/CeUAAOSw3epau63-/s-...
colm89 said:
There are no headlight washers, and yes there is a height adjustment knob beside the lights dial, identical to this: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/CeUAAOSw3epau63-/s-...
Sounds like the xenons were retrofitted tbh.I wouldn't, the halogens are truly woeful!!
Better solution (if they are bmw parts), is to perhaps to acquire the front/rear level sensors, make up a loom and wire in the auto-levelling properly. As you’ve found out, with a small internal wiring change pre-lci xenons fit straight on if you’re happy to keep the manual levelling.
Better solution (if they are bmw parts), is to perhaps to acquire the front/rear level sensors, make up a loom and wire in the auto-levelling properly. As you’ve found out, with a small internal wiring change pre-lci xenons fit straight on if you’re happy to keep the manual levelling.
naturalaspiration said:
So do you have OE xenon headlights or aftermarket projectors fitted into halogen headlight housing? Or (hope not) just HID bulbs fitted into the halogen reflector? Any pics - front and back?
They are genuine bmw e90/91 xenon headlights, retrofitted to a car that came with halogens. The story is that previous owners friend had an e90 with xenons that he was selling, but they swapped the xenons onto what is now my car prior to sale. Previous owner tells me work was done by a reputable company.Better or not, my ocd prefers a car to have lights that it left the factory with, that work with the switches and sensors in the car, so will be returning to halogen when I have time to do so in January.
My current E90 has Xenons and they are just so much better than the Halogens it's predecessor (E91) had I wouldn't dream of swapping back to Halogen. 
Although if you have OE Xenons just pray you never need to replace an Angel-Eye - they are a b*gger to get at!
I believe if the car has Xenons it is supposed to have headlight washers for the MOT. If your car doesn't have headlight washers that's the only reason I might consider removing them, but a pair of BMW Xenons ought to fetch good money.
Although if you have OE Xenons just pray you never need to replace an Angel-Eye - they are a b*gger to get at!
I believe if the car has Xenons it is supposed to have headlight washers for the MOT. If your car doesn't have headlight washers that's the only reason I might consider removing them, but a pair of BMW Xenons ought to fetch good money.
Mr Tidy said:
My current E90 has Xenons and they are just so much better than the Halogens it's predecessor (E91) had I wouldn't dream of swapping back to Halogen.
Although if you have OE Xenons just pray you never need to replace an Angel-Eye - they are a b*gger to get at!
I believe if the car has Xenons it is supposed to have headlight washers for the MOT. If your car doesn't have headlight washers that's the only reason I might consider removing them, but a pair of BMW Xenons ought to fetch good money.
Yeah this is the problem, the car doesn't have self leveling or washers, and it's more effort than I'm willing to put in for the sake of keeping xenon. I'll likely revert back to halogen and sell on the xenons. Although if you have OE Xenons just pray you never need to replace an Angel-Eye - they are a b*gger to get at!
I believe if the car has Xenons it is supposed to have headlight washers for the MOT. If your car doesn't have headlight washers that's the only reason I might consider removing them, but a pair of BMW Xenons ought to fetch good money.
colm89 said:
Yeah this is the problem, the car doesn't have self leveling or washers, and it's more effort than I'm willing to put in for the sake of keeping xenon. I'll likely revert back to halogen and sell on the xenons.
That makes sense - you ought to get decent money for a pair of working Xenons with ballasts, etc.Osinjak said:
naturalaspiration said:
So if you either have the knob or headlight washer it is an aftermarket job.
Not quite right. I specced Xenons on my E91 as well as headlight washers, they were an option as well.Mr Tidy said:
I believe if the car has Xenons it is supposed to have headlight washers for the MOT.
Not according to this they dont: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-...4.1.5. Levelling devices
1. Make sure any manual headlamp levelling devices (driver controls) work - which they do
2. Vehicles with high intensity discharge (HID) or LED dipped beam headlamps may be fitted with a suspension or headlamp self-levelling system. If these systems have been fitted, they must work. - they havent been fitted, so arent tested.
4.1.6. Headlamp cleaning devices
You must inspect vehicles first used on or after 1 September 2009 equipped with headlamp washers - car was built pre-2009, so not relevant.
OP. I understand your OCD requirements, but if that is the case, you will also need to remove the black grilles and refurb the wheels back to silver
The OEM halogens are genuinely terrible. Think candles, but really rubbish ones.
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