Updating a pre facelift e39...

[SteveS Cup]

Hi guys,

My dad has a 523i e39 which is pre facelift.

He's been considering upgrading the car but it's worth bugger all now and is still a nice car, reliable as you like and he's only the 2nd owner.

So he wants to "update" it, basically I've talked him into fitting the facelifted Sport front and rear lights.

Found a few sets for sale (avoiding the nasty crystal ones!) but a few state that they'll only fit the facelift car.

I remember reading about the LED lights for the e46 confusing the computer to think the bulbs had blown etc etc...

Are there any issues with fitting facelifted e39 Sport lights to a pre facelift?

Any help would be greatly appreciate before we buy some!

Thanks,

Steve.

[sparks_E39]

You have to drill holes for the rear lights, and file a bit. Doesn't effect holes for pre facelift mounts. Front lights just swap out with no adjustments.

[Fox-]

The facelift angel eyes do fit the prefacelift cars BUT you need a new mounting bracket (Supplied with the genuine Hella retrofit kit) and you might need to bend some aircon pipework to fit them.

[roofer]

There's also a Hella plug and play for the rear lights.

[yinujim]

I think it looks wrong. Pre-facelifts look best left original

[peaktorque]

I might be selling my genuine Hella angel eye headlights soon. They come with the necessary wiring adaptors too.

The car is on eBay and I'm going to sell the lights separately (as the car is worth shirt buttons) unless the new owner wants them for a bit extra

[Patrick Bateman]

yinujim said:

I think it looks wrong. Pre-facelifts look best left original

They look incredibly inferior to the face-lift.

[Jobbo]

Patrick Bateman said:

yinujim said:

I think it looks wrong. Pre-facelifts look best left original

They look incredibly inferior to the face-lift.

Really? The non-Sport post-facelift bumper isn't particularly attractive, and the pre-facelift bumper looks wrong with the angel eyes.

Changing the grille is also necessary because angel eyes with the pre-facelift grille looks out of proportion.

[mattman]

Patrick Bateman said:

They look incredibly inferior to the face-lift.

Idiot......

[LordGrover]

^^ Oi! Get off the fecking fence and say what you mean!

[Patrick Bateman]

mattman said:

Idiot......

Was there any need for that? It's a bloody forum, you know, where people express differing viewpoints.

Grow up.

[Jobbo]

Patrick Bateman said:

It's a bloody forum, you know, where people express differing viewpoints.

And no matter how wrong those opinions are, you're entitled to express them

[Digger]

I updated my E39 lights. Infinitely better. Pic in my profile albeit a bit dark! Well worth doing if the car is a keeper.

[mattman]

Digger said:

I updated my E39 lights. Infinitely better. Pic in my profile albeit a bit dark! Well worth doing if the car is a keeper.

Very nice wheels digger - what size are they and have you had the suspension lowered?

[Digger]

The car came with original 18" Alpina wheels and as far as I am aware the car had stock M-Tech (or whatever it's called) Sport suspension which being a 540i may well have had lower suspension than smaller capacity E39's?

When I was searching for a 540 I was hoping to get one with 18" M Sport parallels but in hindsight I MUCH preferred the Alpinas as they added a touch of exclusivity given the vast majority run the parallels.

Edited by Digger on Tuesday 15th March 17:24

[SteveS Cup]

Thanks guys.

I've told him to just get a facelifted 530i Sport, but there's nothing wrong with his 523, he has no interest in speed from it as he's into bikes... just wants to make it a bit fresher.

I'd like him to get the full front and rear bumpers etc but hey, not worth it!

Are the "hella" ones the crappy looking Crystal ones on ebay?

[Fox-]

SteveS Cup said:

Are the "hella" ones the crappy looking Crystal ones on ebay?

No, the Hella ones are the genuine OEM lights - the only lights you should fit.

[plenty]

yinujim said:

I think it looks wrong. Pre-facelifts look best left original

Seconded. I like the angel eyes, but I also appreciate integrity and originality of design. I have a pre-facelift and wouldn't replace with facelift parts, because it's not a facelift car.

[Patrick Bateman]

Jobbo said:

nd no matter how wrong those opinions are, you're entitled to express them

Joking aside, are you saying you think the pre-facelift car looks better than the facelift?

That would be the wrong viewpoint.

[Fox-]

Patrick Bateman said:

Joking aside, are you saying you think the pre-facelift car looks better than the facelift?

That would be the wrong viewpoint.

I agree with you.

Profile for proof