Replace DRL bulb? - BMW 3-Series Forum (F30 / F32)

justinnum1 · 02-07-2012, 10:24 PM

So, how easy would it be to change those 2 bulbs to something more bule/white looking? ANy ideas on what would be involved(how to get to the bulbs?)
So, here is a picture of the car non xenons DRL, its like the bottom half of the inner circles...

JoeyO · 02-08-2012, 01:24 AM

My guess is those are just halogen bulbs, most likely found any any auto parts store like Auto Zone. Sylvania makes regular oem halogen bulbs, but they also make upgrade bulbs which are brighter/whiter for a higher price (ie; Cool Blue and Silverstar). The downside to those brighter/whiter bulbs is they burn at a higher temp and therefore their lifespans aren't as long as the oem bulbs. I used to install those brighter/whiter bulbs but I got tired of changing them when they burned out. Unfortunately they only lasted 1/2 the time of the oem bulbs. Sometimes they lasted only several months.

So yea, you can probably put whiter and bluer bulbs in there. Just be prepared to change them considerably a lot more often then the OEM bulbs.

E90Fleet · 02-08-2012, 03:00 AM

Its a 6W Halogen bulb in the non-Xenons DRL
They dont give the bulb type for this one but should probably be easy to change

EDIT: Looking at the wrong lamp, Its a 24W PW24W bulb in the DRL

justinnum1 · 02-08-2012, 08:24 AM

Hmm, sounds good, will just need to find out how to access the bulbs(hopfully its easy and doesnt involve removing the front bumper or anything crazy lol) Maybe i can open the hood and it will be easily accessible

Xcution · 02-08-2012, 08:48 AM

I would just try and fork over the extra 900 bucks for the Xenons. After market will cost more, probably and xenons not only look better but are safer.

justinnum1 · 02-08-2012, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xcution

I would just try and fork over the extra 900 bucks for the Xenons. After market will cost more, probably and xenons not only look better but are safer.

Thats not an option, you have to get ZPP...im not paying 3grand just to have zenons lol

pcbrew · 02-08-2012, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justinnum1

Hmm, sounds good, will just need to find out how to access the bulbs(hopfully its easy and doesnt involve removing the front bumper or anything crazy lol) Maybe i can open the hood and it will be easily accessible

RTFM (literally) - starting on p. 280.
DRL is a 24W bulb

justinnum1 · 02-08-2012, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcbrew

RTFM (literally) - starting on p. 280.
DRL is a 24W bulb

Good find, just checked it out, looks doable

justinnum1 · 02-08-2012, 10:18 AM

Looks like i can get 24watt led lights and put replace the regular DRL with some leds, should be cool looking

simonh100 · 02-08-2012, 03:31 PM

Looking at other pictures of new F30 without the Xenon headlights, they still have the angle eyes or halo lights as per E92 model.
As far as I can tell with Xenon headlights the angel eyes are LED and presumably halogen for cars without Xenon

unintelligible · 02-08-2012, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simonh100

Looking at other pictures of new F30 without the Xenon headlights, they still have the angle eyes or halo lights as per E92 model.
As far as I can tell with Xenon headlights the angel eyes are LED and presumably halogen for cars without Xenon

Dude, the car in your picture has Xenons. The one in the pictures from justinnum1 has halogens. Halogen cars don't have corona rings.

justinnum1 · 02-08-2012, 03:54 PM

That car is xenons^....non xenon cars have no type of (rings) just a halogen bulb drl, bottom half of the inner rings

And i think it will look cool replacing the halogen DRL with a led

simonh100 · 02-08-2012, 04:06 PM

Cheers all,

Must have been more than 1 white car used in the collection of pictures.

bcl0328 · 04-21-2012, 12:18 PM

you ever replace it?

sr5959 · 04-21-2012, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justinnum1

Looks like i can get 24watt led lights and put replace the regular DRL with some leds, should be cool looking

That sounds like a great easy upgrade, post some pics when you do it!

SCBimmerKid · 04-21-2012, 09:43 PM

Have you considered an LED bulb replacement? That would last longer and you could get different hues of white and blue. I usually use VLED's. They have good stuff.

bcl0328 · 04-21-2012, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCBimmerKid

Have you considered an LED bulb replacement? That would last longer and you could get different hues of white and blue. I usually use VLED's. They have good stuff.

do they even have 24w LEDs?

SCBimmerKid · 04-21-2012, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcl0328

do they even have 24w LEDs?

I'm not sure. I'll check out the website and see what I can come up with.

Elk · 04-22-2012, 09:50 AM

The LED wattage will be lower than incandescent bulbs. What you need are LEDs with the proper base and roughly the equivalent lumen output.

SCBimmerKid · 04-22-2012, 10:57 AM

Yea, I couldn't find anything.

Elk · 04-22-2012, 11:06 AM

Just pull the bulb and look at the stamping. I think you need PY24W such as these:
http://www.highperformancebulbs.com/bmwpy5ulhipo.html

SCBimmerKid · 04-22-2012, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elk

Just pull the bulb and look at the stamping. I think you need PY24W such as these:
http://www.highperformancebulbs.com/bmwpy5ulhipo.html

Yep, those are the ones. Just make sure it's from a reputable distributor. I've purchased some that didn't haave good enough heat sinking and they died in just a month or two. (Waste of 60 bucks

) Happy Bulb hunting

02-07-2012, 10:24 PM	#1
justinnum1 Brigadier General Drives: 2013 335i Msport Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,788 iTrader: (0)	Replace DRL bulb? So, how easy would it be to change those 2 bulbs to something more bule/white looking? ANy ideas on what would be involved(how to get to the bulbs?) So, here is a picture of the car non xenons DRL, its like the bottom half of the inner circles... __________________ F30 335i Msport Estoril Blue/Black leather sport auto. black grills, Performance Exhaust, HK,
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02-08-2012, 01:24 AM	#2
JoeyO Lieutenant Drives: silver car Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: USA Posts: 516 iTrader: (0)	My guess is those are just halogen bulbs, most likely found any any auto parts store like Auto Zone. Sylvania makes regular oem halogen bulbs, but they also make upgrade bulbs which are brighter/whiter for a higher price (ie; Cool Blue and Silverstar). The downside to those brighter/whiter bulbs is they burn at a higher temp and therefore their lifespans aren't as long as the oem bulbs. I used to install those brighter/whiter bulbs but I got tired of changing them when they burned out. Unfortunately they only lasted 1/2 the time of the oem bulbs. Sometimes they lasted only several months. So yea, you can probably put whiter and bluer bulbs in there. Just be prepared to change them considerably a lot more often then the OEM bulbs. Last edited by JoeyO; 02-08-2012 at 01:36 AM.

02-08-2012, 03:00 AM	#3
E90Fleet Major General Drives: BMW Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: South Africa Posts: 7,851 iTrader: (0)	Its a 6W Halogen bulb in the non-Xenons DRL They dont give the bulb type for this one but should probably be easy to change EDIT: Looking at the wrong lamp, Its a 24W PW24W bulb in the DRL __________________ Nominated: Member of the Year, Most Contributing Member BMW if you are reading, I need a job Last edited by E90Fleet; 02-08-2012 at 10:51 AM.

02-08-2012, 08:24 AM	#4
justinnum1 Brigadier General Drives: 2013 335i Msport Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,788 iTrader: (0)	Hmm, sounds good, will just need to find out how to access the bulbs(hopfully its easy and doesnt involve removing the front bumper or anything crazy lol) Maybe i can open the hood and it will be easily accessible __________________ F30 335i Msport Estoril Blue/Black leather sport auto. black grills, Performance Exhaust, HK,

02-08-2012, 10:18 AM	#9
justinnum1 Brigadier General Drives: 2013 335i Msport Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,788 iTrader: (0)	Looks like i can get 24watt led lights and put replace the regular DRL with some leds, should be cool looking __________________ F30 335i Msport Estoril Blue/Black leather sport auto. black grills, Performance Exhaust, HK,

02-08-2012, 08:48 AM	#5
Xcution Lieutenant Drives: 2011 135i mSport Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Germany Posts: 444 iTrader: (0)	I would just try and fork over the extra 900 bucks for the Xenons. After market will cost more, probably and xenons not only look better but are safer.

02-08-2012, 03:31 PM	#10
simonh100 New Member Drives: BMW 318d Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK Posts: 16 iTrader: (0)	Looking at other pictures of new F30 without the Xenon headlights, they still have the angle eyes or halo lights as per E92 model. As far as I can tell with Xenon headlights the angel eyes are LED and presumably halogen for cars without Xenon

02-08-2012, 03:54 PM	#12
justinnum1 Brigadier General Drives: 2013 335i Msport Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,788 iTrader: (0)	That car is xenons^....non xenon cars have no type of (rings) just a halogen bulb drl, bottom half of the inner rings And i think it will look cool replacing the halogen DRL with a led __________________ F30 335i Msport Estoril Blue/Black leather sport auto. black grills, Performance Exhaust, HK,

02-08-2012, 04:06 PM	#13
simonh100 New Member Drives: BMW 318d Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK Posts: 16 iTrader: (0)	Cheers all, Must have been more than 1 white car used in the collection of pictures.

04-21-2012, 12:18 PM	#14
bcl0328 Captain Drives: 2012 328i Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Abingdon, MD Posts: 953 iTrader: (0)	you ever replace it?

04-21-2012, 09:43 PM	#16
SCBimmerKid Lieutenant Drives: Mineral Grey F30 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Hilton Head, SC Posts: 581 iTrader: (0)	Have you considered an LED bulb replacement? That would last longer and you could get different hues of white and blue. I usually use VLED's. They have good stuff. __________________ NO LONGER ON ORDER *'12 328i* Mineral Grey Metallic w/black leather/aluminum&black gloss trim/ZSL/ZPP/Xenons

04-22-2012, 09:50 AM	#19
Elk Captain Drives: 2012 335i Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: * Posts: 894 iTrader: (0)	The LED wattage will be lower than incandescent bulbs. What you need are LEDs with the proper base and roughly the equivalent lumen output.

04-22-2012, 10:57 AM	#20
SCBimmerKid Lieutenant Drives: Mineral Grey F30 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Hilton Head, SC Posts: 581 iTrader: (0)	Yea, I couldn't find anything. __________________ NO LONGER ON ORDER *'12 328i* Mineral Grey Metallic w/black leather/aluminum&black gloss trim/ZSL/ZPP/Xenons

04-22-2012, 11:06 AM	#21
Elk Captain Drives: 2012 335i Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: * Posts: 894 iTrader: (0)	Just pull the bulb and look at the stamping. I think you need PY24W such as these: http://www.highperformancebulbs.com/bmwpy5ulhipo.html

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