All you wanted to know about the M3/M4 and 4 Series LED headlights

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by Blubaron79

Are some of those LED features limited in the US still?

Yes, see post #39.

[tiefergelegt]

AutoBild recently tested LEDs vs. Xenon and said they're not better than Xenon. Comparing the headlights from the 435i, the Bi-Xenon got a better rating..

http://www.autobild.de/artikel/auto-...r-4429428.html

[Zayken]

I have the information that the M3-M4 will have standard LED lights in the German market!!!

That means that officially xenons will die with F series and laser will be the option for the future while LED will be the standard choice

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by swissfrancs

AutoBild recently tested LEDs vs. Xenon and said they're not better than Xenon. Comparing the headlights from the 435i, the Bi-Xenon got a better rating..

http://www.autobild.de/artikel/auto-...r-4429428.html

Interesting read.

[Blubaron79]

Originally Posted by swissfrancs

AutoBild recently tested LEDs vs. Xenon and said they're not better than Xenon. Comparing the headlights from the 435i, the Bi-Xenon got a better rating..

http://www.autobild.de/artikel/auto-...r-4429428.html

Wish I could read German. :

[Blubaron79]

Originally Posted by B-1 Pilot

I have xenon a on my '13 335 and LEDs on my M5. I will buy the LEDs on all future BMWs, period. They are just that good compared to xenons in my opinion... It's not just brightness is the beam shaping and the swath of light being thrown out.

Unfortunately. Most of the features described in the link won't work automatically or exactly as described in the U.S. without coding thanks to archaic DoT regulations. Once coded, however, they are amazing. My high beams almost never completely turn off and I never manually switch them. At this point no matter when or where I drive, the car is able to determine the optimal lighting for the conditions.

Did you get yours coded; and if so where?

[flyga3]

Awesome! LEDs are the way to go. Kill the Xenons and halogens. So much better that BMW decided to use the high (inner) beam (light) position again. So lame that it wasn't used w/Xenons, and made a high beam flash useless.
BUT at $1,900?? Talk about margin! LEDs are coming way down in cost and this is lame. But it's the way to go.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Blubaron79

Did you get yours coded; and if so where?

You can code your LED's and/or Xenons yourself. You just need a laptop, the software and the cable.

[Blubaron79]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

You can code your LED's and/or Xenons yourself. You just need a laptop, the software and the cable.

Yea... I'm not that smart.. Ha

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Blubaron79

Yea... I'm not that smart.. Ha

It's EASY! It's easier to do than you think.

[ixse]

Originally Posted by ///M Power

Unless you live in the rural where there is no street light, the $1900 option with the auto HB is not worth it. I rather spend it on a HK system or parking assist.

But eventually all cars will be running LEDs.....

oh hell no.. you said parking assist.. and your id is "M Power"...

but anyway, to all of you saying LED gives you premium look.. the new corolla comes with LEDs headlights stock. chew on that for a bit

[Blindside_137]

Visually speaking, with the lights off...

LED angels >> Xenon angels

But Xenon projectors >> LED projectors.

I'm not a fan of the strange look the LED projectors have when off. Reminds me of the older style of headlights with mirrors to reflect the light and direct it outwards.

[B-1Pilot]

Originally Posted by Blubaron79

Did you get yours coded; and if so where?

Yeah.. from a friend I met through boards who goes by V12. I'll send you a PM. he took my 2014 M5 and Brit 2014 M5 with the LEDs and worked backwards through the differences to figure out where the specific coding for adaptive LEDs exists, and then re-enabled it for US spec cars.

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

You can code your LED's and/or Xenons yourself. You just need a laptop, the software and the cable.

most coding is easy... however the adaptive LED light changes are bit more tricky (for instance how they label the "enlarged town lighting" shown in the -- not an easy or direct from German). Im sure others will crack it, but not sure if the info on how to fully enable these lighting features has made the coding sections of the forums.'

Full LED adaptive coding enables this feature, and its amazing:

[dreamspeed]

What's horrible is that xenons aren't standard.

With all the safety equipment that is mandated by the government nowadays you'd think being able to see like 2x better at night would be a top priority

[richb811]

Awesome technology and an informative article to boot! Thanks for sharing.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by dreamspeed

What's horrible is that xenons aren't standard.

With all the safety equipment that is mandated by the government nowadays you'd think being able to see like 2x better at night would be a top priority

Xenons are standard. I'm assuming that you meant LED's.


....and the LED's don't illuminate 2x better at night! It's simply not true.

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Xenons are standard. I'm assuming that you meant LED's.

I think he meant standard by regulation.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

I think he meant standard by regulation.

Ahhhhh! That makes total sense.

[mags]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Nobody is saying anything is wrong with them. People who have seen them or who have them on other cars are just saying that $1900 is an exorbitant amount for very little - if any - gain.

As someone who has them, I am biased .
I wear glasses and I think they do make a difference for me at night.
Seeing is like hearing, we each have a different "translation" of the electric signal our eye sends to our brain and thus some people will easily see the difference and others not.
The technology is there and it is justified.
However I think the difference from halogen to xenon is bigger than xenon to LEDs. (no different in home light bulbs halogen-CFLs-LED)
There is no right or wrong. however I do recommend trying to drive one of each cars at night with your dealer (now in the winter it is easy with early sunset) prior to spending 1900
I personally tried them in Europe on rental 740d prior to deciding to purchase the option on my 435i

[Ghetto2315]

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/30/l...rea-over-pate/

http://plays-with-cars.kinja.com/led...00s-1515947478

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Ghetto2315

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/30/l...rea-over-pate/

http://plays-with-cars.kinja.com/led...00s-1515947478

LOL @ the Kia reference. I chuckled, but I, too, think LED's will be a fad that will be forgotten about once Laser lights become more widespread.

[Black Flagged]