Led or xenon

mpgrant5 · 08-25-2013, 02:15 PM

Hi about to order a m5 are the led lights worth the extra cost over xenons I think here in the uk the cost is £1495 ?

Pazzo009 · 08-25-2013, 02:24 PM

Is this a trick question? Aside from aesthetics, lighting is just as important as your seatbelt. Spend the extra money, if you don't you'll be wishing you did and then it will be too late.

EdM5 · 08-25-2013, 02:24 PM

That's a no brainer for a £ 80.000 + car.
Have you seen the LED lights IRL on the F10 LCI? They look fantastic.

bimmer-boy · 08-25-2013, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpgrant5

Hi about to order a m5 are the led lights worth the extra cost over xenons I think here in the uk the cost is 1495 ?

The Led's are the most significant Lci exterior upgrade available, 1495 Gbp is worth it IMO !
They look amazing ! And if you notice the stock xenons look different to the pre Lci xenons. Which make the LEDs stand out even more!

stealth.pilot · 08-25-2013, 04:11 PM

Well worth it in my opinion.

Hell if you don't like them and want your money back I'm sure one of the other Brits will give you 3k plus a light exchange.

mstmng · 08-25-2013, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

Well worth it in my opinion.

Hell if you don't like them and want your money back I'm sure one of the other Brits will give you 3k plus a light exchange.

i will give 2.5, been quoted 3.5
order it

Orich · 08-25-2013, 04:59 PM

LED for sure.

I waited for LCI and LED was one of the biggest reason.

ColdList · 08-25-2013, 05:00 PM

Absolutely!

Rohardi · 08-25-2013, 05:08 PM

Do it!

williamliu8668 · 08-25-2013, 05:13 PM

It is amzing....
I will order it.

328i M-Sport · 08-25-2013, 05:51 PM

The only problem with LEDs is they wear out over time more than xenons.

Neil McRae · 08-25-2013, 05:56 PM

just ordered a new one with LED

stealth.pilot · 08-25-2013, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 328i M-Sport

The only problem with LEDs is they wear out over time more than xenons.

That's what a warranty is for.

bobafettt · 08-25-2013, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 328i M-Sport

The only problem with LEDs is they wear out over time more than xenons.

data to support this statement?
xenons headlights have a usual lifespan of 2,000 hours
I have not seen data on led headlights, but a "regular" led home lighbulb is rated at 25,000 - 50,000 hours at which point the bulb with be 70% of the new bulb's intensity. That figure was calculated to be when a human could tell the difference between the bulb's intensity with the naked eye.

bobafettt · 08-25-2013, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpgrant5

Hi about to order a m5 are the led lights worth the extra cost over xenons I think here in the uk the cost is £1495 ?

Absolutely!

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328i M-Sport · 08-25-2013, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobafettt

data to support this statement?
xenons headlights have a usual lifespan of 2,000 hours
I have not seen data on led headlights, but a "regular" led home lighbulb is rated at 25,000 - 50,000 hours at which point the bulb with be 70% of the new bulb's intensity. That figure was calculated to be when a human could tell the difference between the bulb's intensity with the naked eye.

Most automotive headlights use 5mm LEDs. Here is some independent testing data. The dimming effects are noticable in as little as 400 hours.

http://www.molalla.net/members/leeper/5mmdeg.htm

Home LEDs are very different from the ones used in headlights.

bobafettt · 08-25-2013, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 328i M-Sport

Most automotive headlights use 5mm LEDs. Here is some independent testing data. The dimming effects are noticable in as little as 400 hours.

http://www.molalla.net/members/leeper/5mmdeg.htm

Home LEDs are very different from the ones used in headlights.

Thanks for this data.
Very interesting.
I just hope that current LED technology has advanced from 2006 (I think the most recent data in your link)
Ill be testing my LED lights for a while as I plan to keep the '14 for about 7 years to coincide with the release of the next gen M5 LCI.

bobblehead · 08-25-2013, 08:25 PM

^ next gen would be laser headlight which bmw has been working on for the last couple of years already

bobafettt · 08-25-2013, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobblehead

^ next gen would be laser headlight which bmw has been working on for the last couple of years already

well, at least I will be a guinea pig for these LED lights!
I would hate to see when those laser headlights misfire...

bobblehead · 08-25-2013, 08:49 PM

funny thing is bmw came out saying a couple of years ago that LED headlights are obsolete (just when Audi introduced LED headlights on several of their higher end models) and announced their laser headlights will be the ultimate headlight technology in about 5 years time.

Pazzo009 · 08-25-2013, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 328i M-Sport

The only problem with LEDs is they wear out over time more than xenons.

Really, I guess this would be a concern if you kept this car till you hit 1.2 million miles?

Niko1414 · 08-25-2013, 09:29 PM

I have the LED lights on my M6 and they are better than the Xeon lights on M5, but not drastically better like everyone is making it out to be. Its not similar to the jump from Halogen to Xeon.

My wife didn't even notice a difference between the M6 and M5 lights while driving.

My advice is order if its important to you. If not you won't even miss it. My 2 cents. Rather save the money for a mod

08-25-2013, 02:15 PM	#1
mpgrant5 Private First Class 49 Rep 188 Posts Drives: Bmw m2 cs + 340d Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Uk iTrader: (0)	Led or xenon Hi about to order a m5 are the led lights worth the extra cost over xenons I think here in the uk the cost is £1495 ?
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08-25-2013, 02:24 PM	#2
Pazzo009 Major 1109 Rep 1,314 Posts Drives: X5M,M3(46&36),812SF Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: NY&GA iTrader: (0)	Is this a trick question? Aside from aesthetics, lighting is just as important as your seatbelt. Spend the extra money, if you don't you'll be wishing you did and then it will be too late.
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08-25-2013, 02:24 PM	#3
EdM5 Colonel 4036 Rep 2,064 Posts Drives: G26 i4 M50 & E70 X5 Xdrive35d Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Amsterdam iTrader: (0)	That's a no brainer for a £ 80.000 + car. Have you seen the LED lights IRL on the F10 LCI? They look fantastic. __________________ 2004 e87 118d (ret.), 2007 e92 330d (ret.), 2007 e87 130i M-sport (ret.), 2009 e92 M3 (ret.), 2010 f10 535d M-sport (ret.), 2015 f10 M5 CP (ret.), 2017 f82 M4 CP (ret.) 2022 g26 i4 M50 & 2009 e70 X5 35d
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08-25-2013, 04:11 PM	#5
stealth.pilot Knight Commander 559 Rep 5,948 Posts Drives: 2014 911 Turbo S Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Buckhead iTrader: (0) Garage List 2014 Porsche 911 Tu ... [10.00] 2015 Mercedes-Benz ... [0.00] 2015 Jaguar F Type R [0.00] 2014 BMW M5 [0.00]	Well worth it in my opinion. Hell if you don't like them and want your money back I'm sure one of the other Brits will give you 3k plus a light exchange. __________________ 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 Ordered: EQS580, BMW IX, Lucid Air Touring, Corvette Stingray
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08-25-2013, 04:59 PM	#7
Orich Second Lieutenant 36 Rep 228 Posts Drives: 2014 M5 Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Toronto iTrader: (0)	LED for sure. I waited for LCI and LED was one of the biggest reason. __________________ "Speeding is like farting - you have to know when it’s inappropriate." - James May
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08-25-2013, 05:00 PM	#8
ColdList Brigadier General 152 Rep 3,041 Posts Drives: McLaren 675LT / C7 Z07 Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Marietta, GA iTrader: (0)	Absolutely!
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08-25-2013, 05:08 PM	#9
Rohardi Lieutenant 19 Rep 505 Posts Drives: 2014 Q50S Hybrid Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Rhode Island iTrader: (0)	Do it!
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08-25-2013, 05:13 PM	#10
williamliu8668 New Member 1 Rep 15 Posts Drives: 15'F10-535xi,19'G30-530xe Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: WA iTrader: (0)	It is amzing.... I will order it.
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08-25-2013, 05:51 PM	#11
328i M-Sport Private First Class 1 Rep 176 Posts Drives: 2011 328i M-Sport Sedan Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: NYC iTrader: (0)	The only problem with LEDs is they wear out over time more than xenons. __________________ 2012 328i M-Sport sedan 2013 550i M-Sport sedan
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08-25-2013, 05:56 PM	#12
Neil McRae BMW Motorsport 235 Rep 2,225 Posts Drives: BMW ///M4 F82 / BMW ///M5 F10 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Surrey iTrader: (1) Garage List 2020 BMW M5 CP [0.00] 2015 BMW M4 [10.00]	just ordered a new one with LED __________________ -- Neil J. //McRae -- Alive and Kicking -- neil at DOMINO.ORG --///M ARMY M5 CP Alpine White -- M2 LBB -- M4 DCT CP Alpine White
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08-25-2013, 08:25 PM	#18
bobblehead Brigadier General 256 Rep 4,721 Posts Drives: warp speed Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Toronto, On iTrader: (0)	^ next gen would be laser headlight which bmw has been working on for the last couple of years already
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08-25-2013, 08:49 PM	#20
bobblehead Brigadier General 256 Rep 4,721 Posts Drives: warp speed Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Toronto, On iTrader: (0)	funny thing is bmw came out saying a couple of years ago that LED headlights are obsolete (just when Audi introduced LED headlights on several of their higher end models) and announced their laser headlights will be the ultimate headlight technology in about 5 years time.
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08-25-2013, 09:29 PM	#22
Niko1414 Captain 67 Rep 704 Posts Drives: 720S, s550, S7, 997GT3RS Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Laguna Beach, CA iTrader: (0)	I have the LED lights on my M6 and they are better than the Xeon lights on M5, but not drastically better like everyone is making it out to be. Its not similar to the jump from Halogen to Xeon. My wife didn't even notice a difference between the M6 and M5 lights while driving. My advice is order if its important to you. If not you won't even miss it. My 2 cents. Rather save the money for a mod
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