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      06-08-2014, 08:21 PM   #1
pokerface
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BiXenon Headlamp Assembly

A friend recently complemented my X3 on how cool the bixenons were.. and even said he was surprised to see a quad projector set up. I didn't put much thought into it before, but it honestly stumped me.. why do we have quad projectors on Bixenon units?

The Bixenons by definition are low and high beams integrated. The low and highs are on the outboard units. The angel eyes serve as the daytime running lights. What do the inboard projectors do then? Are they just dummies?

In my E90, the inboard lamps serve as flashers and day time running lights (before the coronas got upgraded to LED)
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      06-08-2014, 08:39 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pokerface
A friend recently complemented my X3 on how cool the bixenons were.. and even said he was surprised to see a quad projector set up. I didn't put much thought into it before, but it honestly stumped me.. why do we have quad projectors on Bixenon units?

The Bixenons by definition are low and high beams integrated. The low and highs are on the outboard units. The angel eyes serve as the daytime running lights. What do the inboard projectors do then? Are they just dummies?

In my E90, the inboard lamps serve as flashers and day time running lights (before the coronas got upgraded to LED)
The inboard lights are dummies. All of the work is done by the outboard light.
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      06-09-2014, 04:59 AM   #3
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Although I have little good to say about our Lexus RX350, it does have outstanding high beams, the best I have seen on any car. The inner lamps, only on when the high beams are on, contain quartz halogen incandescent bulbs. In other words, the high beams are a combination of so called Bi-Xenon (HID lamp) and incandescent lamps. Its almost embarrassing to have a Lexus and two BMWs and have to say the Lexus lighting system is consequentially better than what BMW provided.

So I am not misinterpreted, both my BMWs have excellent lighting systems, the Lexus system just is even better and actually much better.
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      06-09-2014, 12:04 PM   #4
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If you look closely inside the inside projector, you'll see a loose connector. Theres's nothing there.
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      06-11-2014, 07:38 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by buze View Post
If you look closely inside the inside projector, you'll see a loose connector. Theres's nothing there.
Sadly. I would have gladly paid a reasonable amount more for a quartz halogen bulb that came on with the Bi-Xenon high beams in the already existing space.


Just a little editorial. Xenon is a gas that is used in both incandescent lamps and High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps. It bothers me as being very sloppy to use the word Xenon as part of the descriptor for either type of lamp since it is meaningless in differentiating them since it is used in both. End of editorial.
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      06-11-2014, 08:47 PM   #6
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I agree with RhoXS. If they went through all that trouble to fit an extra pair of projectors for that classic quad lamp look, they should have just made them functional.
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      06-11-2014, 11:12 PM   #7
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I wonder if there will be an aftermarket headlight upgrade for the inner bulb some day?
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      06-12-2014, 08:05 AM   #8
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I doubt the inside lens is a projector lens, its probably just a thin uniform convex plastic lens.
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      06-12-2014, 10:35 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The X Men View Post
I doubt the inside lens is a projector lens, its probably just a thin uniform convex plastic lens.
Right, that's why one would replace it if they filled it in with a light.
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