you got me leaning more towards the Retro-Fit more than kit now
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If that's the case, then my job here's done
From what I read here T Mo T had complications with opening up his headlights (cracked one) hope it doesn't happen too often with everyone
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Umm, that's cuz t_mo_t is, well, t_mo_t... hehe, just kidding Tim, if you're reading this
Honestly, though, it doesn't happen to everyone.
There's also lots of parts to taking apart & replacing the projectors ; I'll have to get more familiar with this too as there were pics in tT Mo T thread that I didn't understood
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Not really. Its actually much easier than it seems in the write-up. I think I did my retrofit in under 2 hours. It took me longer to install my HID kit the first time around.
(not the fact he didn't do a good write-up)
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Tim did an awesome write-up... I'm still eternally endebted to him for teaching me what little I know.
So far , what I remember is that DOT prj. are milky on the lense but forget how that translates in beam output and that ECE 46 were THE ones to go with as they were clear with a sorta circle on the lense and have better something I forget .
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Correct. The DOT projectors give a fuzzier cutoff and generally distribute the beam wider. The ECE projectors give a sharper cutoff and farther-reaching beam. Also, the shields inside the projector have steps that are of differing shapes. The ECE step is larger whereas the DOT step is shallower.
I've read HID Planet sells complete ECE kits that are supposed to be new (w/out the harness) but with the Hella balasts ; think I remembered reading people preferring another balast brand ... Bosch/AL as the name for some reason.
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Yes, HIDPlanet.com projectors are new and are ECE. The Bosch AL and Hella ballasts are equally reliable, however the Bosch ballast fits directly in the recess at the bottom of the headlights, since that's also the OEM ballast for the 6.
Regarding the balasts ; I gather they are not LifeTime Warrantied ? but somehow being OEM they should last-problem free ... good for how long ? What about the igniters - are they better integrated to the balasts or separate ?
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Unfortunately when you're buying a second-hand part, there's no warranty. That is, I think the ONLY, downside to doing a retrofit. However, they're OEM quality and that by default means that they're at least 10x more reliable than any aftermarket ballast can ever hope to be. Most people, when weighing the two options (OEM with no warranty vs. aftermarket with lifetime warranty) tend to opt for OEM with no warranty.
Good for how long? Depends I guess on how well you treat them. They could last you for years if given the right treatment.
Igniters, IMO, are better separate. It allows for a more flexible installation, and it allows the igniter to be placed closer to the bulb. But, honestly, it doesn't really make a difference.
Also their prj. are both left (or right ?) but lately someone here had one of each side from them . I think they are Bosch from BMWs , their prj.
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I've heard all sorts of things, i.e. that they come left and left, or they come left and right. At the end of the day, it doesn't make a difference. If they come left and right, great. If not, they're just as easy to install and it makes no difference to the end-result.
Yes, the Bosch projectors on HIDPlanet.com are from the E46, which is the chassis code for the 1999-2003 BMW 3-series. The same projectors were also installed on Audi TT and a few other cars.
Now for the bulbs ... I know they come in 4100K . Now how to these light up in hue ? I think I've read they were very white to some yellow and that you could augment the Ks . Is that possible , and what would you choose to get more white/hint blue ? How much do they retail for the bulbs ?
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If you're going the retrofit route, you'll need the best bulbs you can get your hands on, and that is the Phillips 85122 or 85122+. The 85122 burns at either 4100K or 4300K. The 85122+ burns at 5000K. Initially all these bulbs will appear pure white with a slight creaminess. This is what you want, trust me. You don't want your bulbs giving off a blue hue. I don't know why everyone wants blue lights. Not only are you getting less lumens from a blue light, but your eye works harder to see at night. Also, in inclement weather when the road surface is wet, blue light gets absorbed by the road and nothing bounces back into your eye. The result is that you see nothing. So much for having HIDs.
What you want to do is get a 4100K or 4300K bulb are allow it to colourshift (after 100 or 200 hours of use) to a slightly bluer hue. The colour you end up with is ideal IMO. And, you'll end up looking very OEMish, which is what you want... not ricer-ish.
Not sure what you mean by augmenting the K-value of the bulbs. Colourshifting happens in its own after 200 hours or so. That's about the only thing that can be done to the bulb.
Plus, remember that your projector will add colour to the cutoff, which will give the blue-purple effect everyone's trying to achieve. If you want more colour, you can always colour-mod the projector.
HIDPlanet sells the 85122's for $79 US. Just got me some the other day.
Then there's the cut-off shield (forgot proper term) that you bend to get more blue ... but I have still yet to understand properly as I haven't seen a picture of this thing yet . Just know it's more towards the rear where the bulb inserts ... but I think HID Planet already bends'em at the right angle for ya before shippin'em out ?
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Yes, if you buy the HIDPlanet.com projectors, they're already colour-modded. Honestly, I wouldn't touch them after that. The Bosch projector doesn't lend itself well to too much modding. There are better projectors out there that can be colour modded with better results. Unfortunately, they're very hard to install in the 6 (i.e. no one's tried it
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Man ! There's so much to know that I don't and now that I know about H1 Kits ; I want it right the first time ! Wish I knew someeone close that did it , maybe he'd be willing to do mine ! Originally in this thread we talked about Guinea Pig (he's from Montreal like me) but it seems he doesn't come here too too much anymore as it's been a loooong time I haven't seen him post . Anyone know if he did the retro-fit or the H1 Kit ?
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Well, you said it yourself... if you want it done right the first time, then you should stop looking at H1 kits right now. Retrofit is the way to do it right.
No idea about GuineaPig's setup.
There's quite a bunch to learn ... but I am willing to learn the most (like anything I get into) and I want the best the first time around .
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Join HIDPlanet.com's forum and read the "university" section. Read the threads, see people's retrofit pics, ask questions. That's how I did it. Plus, it helps to have friends like t_mo_t and hieppo
What would be the ideal kit ... hmm ... retro kit hmm conversion (I'm trying to get used to this mumbo jumbo language hahah) that you would build with the actual parts available on the market zoomzoomfan / T Mo T ?? I would really like to know , with prices also and where to get'em .
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Remember...
kit = :thumbdn:
retrofit = :thumbup:
For the 6... the ideal setup IMHO is:
ECE E46 projectors... $99 a pair from HIDPlanet.com
Bosch AL ballasts... around $100 a pair on eBay, or check HIDPlanet.com forum's buy and sell section
Phillips 4300K bulbs... $80 a pair from HIDPlanet.com
HTH