| PeterCS |
Posted
Thursday, Feb 22nd 5:50am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Junior Member
Post nr. 2
Oakville, Ontario Canada
BMW 316 Baur |
I own a 1982 316 Baur. This car was made for the European market.
I would like to replace my low beams.
Can anyone tell me what brand and model to look for.
Many thanks,
Peter C-S
Oakville, Ontario |
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| Madhatter |
Posted
Thursday, Feb 22nd 10:04am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 120
Australia - QLD
E21, E24, E30 |
With just the sealed beams, any will do really, just in the right diameter. Hella, bosch, narva, etc, they are all pretty good. |
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| melloh |
Posted
Thursday, Feb 22nd 11:31am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 487
California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is |
If you're looking for e-code lights, bosch and hella are the most common and arguably most cost effective. Many peopls swear by Cibie brand, though. |
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| MayanArch |
Posted
Thursday, Feb 22nd 2:43pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 1239
Florida, USA
Baur E21 2.7 1982, Baur E30 318i 1985, 323i 1978 |
Where do you get these? I have never seen them offered in local auto parts stores here. |
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| melloh |
Posted
Thursday, Feb 22nd 10:22pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 489
California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is |
I have never seen the ones I mentioned in the auto parts stores (like Napa or Kragen) b/c they only sell sealed beams, usually Sylvannia. The thing w/E-Code is that I believe they are technically for "off-road use only" b/c they are not dot approved. As long as you aim them correctly, you wont have any legal problems (please don't quote me in court, though :p). You will have to go online to find them. The Hella's (which I have) are easiest to find IMO. I know BMP and BavAuto have them for ~50/ea. Youre pretty much on your own w/ the Cibie's though. I know this guy sells them (ad lots of ppl in the BMW world buy from him) http://www.danielsternlighting.com/products/products.html. |
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| Madhatter |
Posted
Thursday, Feb 22nd 11:29pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 122
Australia - QLD
E21, E24, E30 |
make sure your replace them with lights which have reflectors, either on the filament or the glass itself. They are directional otherwise, and appart from giving you a poor spread of light for your low beam, they will blind other drivers as they direct the light straight ahead. Good for high beam, not good for low. |
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| melloh |
Posted
Thursday, Feb 22nd 11:50pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 490
California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is |
Madhatter, are you talking about the sealed beams or e-code? Here is my understanding and experience (just in case I misunderstood you):
Sealed beams like Sylvannia are basically like flood lights w/ concentration in the middle.
The e-codes have reflectors in them and are very much directed. In fact, there is a very clear cut-off in the light pattern and, i'm only guessing here, concentrating the light in the lower portion - to the road. Hence the need to adjust them correctly (not that you wouldnt anyway, right?) or as you pointed out, you can blind someone. |
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| melloh |
Posted
Friday, Feb 23rd 8:55am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 491
California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is |
just saw this link posted from the roadfly e30 forum
http://forums.roadfly.com/forums/bmw/bmw-3-series-e30/8270713-1.html
http://www.rallylights.com/hella/5.75_lo.asp
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| Madhatter |
Posted
Friday, Feb 23rd 10:58am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 123
Australia - QLD
E21, E24, E30 |
No, im talking sealed beams.
You can buy sealed beams with clear glass, ie no reflector, plus none on the filament. I used some for high beams on my previous red car. Huge amounts of light, have to show up a good 600-700m down the road.
See the clear glass? They are directional beams and are technically illegal on the roads here. You are surposed to have a refracting lense on the glass which actually breaks up the light, this is so you get good coverage on the road (so it lights up the shoulders), but also so you dont blind oncoming traffic. Either the glass lense or the actual filament has to have a reflector or diffuser of some sort to break up the direction of the light. |
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| melloh |
Posted
Friday, Feb 23rd 10:43pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 492
California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is |
I see I see! The standard store around here in California won't sell something thats not legal (to protect themselves) with perhaps the exception of fog lamps. Then again, it is possible they sell the one you mentioned advertised as high beams. |
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| Madhatter |
Posted
Saturday, Feb 24th 6:04am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 124
Australia - QLD
E21, E24, E30 |
they just advertise things as "offroad use" only here  |
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