[kevink1]

The headlights seem to be a confusing issue. Especially since, at one time, apparently xenon was an upgrade option. To me, it appears that xenon is standard. But the lighting package adds adaptive auto leveling and LED corona ring. There is also the LED option, and the auto brights option.

I went with the Lighting package, but not the LED. I guess I essentially paid extra for a LED corona ring and adaptive. I have yet to spend much time driving after dark with the car, especially out on the highway. Longer days of summer.

[Northandy]

It's funny xenons are not standard in the uk.

I have specced LED as do a lot of driving on unlit country lanes, I love the adaptive xenons on my 1 series but the LED should be a significant step forward

[Dastid]

Originally Posted by Northandy

It's funny xenons are not standard in the uk.

I have specced LED as do a lot of driving on unlit country lanes, I love the adaptive xenons on my 1 series but the LED should be a significant step forward

Neither dose it come in the us, unless you get the 35i

[The X Men]

Originally Posted by Northandy

It's funny xenons are not standard in the uk.

I have specced LED as do a lot of driving on unlit country lanes, I love the adaptive xenons on my 1 series but the LED should be a significant step forward

I would say from halogen to xenon is a significant step forward. From Xenon to LED is more of a minor step forward.

[ianfp]

Originally Posted by The X Men

I would say from halogen to xenon is a significant step forward. From Xenon to LED is more of a minor step forward.

I am inclined to agree with this statement. In terms of light output, the Xenon lights are hard to beat.

LED lamps are more energy efficient if you are concerned about such things.

[Northandy]

Originally Posted by The X Men

I would say from halogen to xenon is a significant step forward. From Xenon to LED is more of a minor step forward.

According to the reports though the LED from xenon is a huge step up, akin to halogen to xenon.

For me it was £1,600 for LED versus the vis pack at £1,100 ish was a no brainer really as I do a lot of country lane driving at night.

[The X Men]

Originally Posted by Northandy

According to the reports though the LED from xenon is a huge step up, akin to halogen to xenon.

For me it was £1,600 for LED versus the vis pack at £1,100 ish was a no brainer really as I do a lot of country lane driving at night.

What report is that? I have driven a few cars with LED headlights, they are whiter, thus provide a bit more visibility. Lumens wise, both LED and HID are very similar. The high beam on the BMW LED is much brighter than the HID, that is due to BMW's bi-xenon design. If BMW had use an aux. bulb for the HID's high beam, it would be as bright as the LED.
In the US, we do not get the Visibility pack, it is not approve by our government yet. The LED is a $1900 option here on top of the $900 lighting package for the X3 28i. $2800 for LED headlight is way over price in my opinion, especially when other car manufacturers already have LED headlights as standard equipment.

[Northandy]

Originally Posted by The X Men

What report is that? I have driven a few cars with LED headlights, they are whiter, thus provide a bit more visibility. Lumens wise, both LED and HID are very similar. The high beam on the BMW LED is much brighter than the HID, that is due to BMW's bi-xenon design. If BMW had use an aux. bulb for the HID's high beam, it would be as bright as the LED.
In the US, we do not get the Visibility pack, it is not approve by our government yet. The LED is a $1900 option here on top of the $900 lighting package for the X3 28i. $2800 for LED headlight is way over price in my opinion, especially when other car manufacturers already have LED headlights as standard equipment.

I read several forums prior to adding the option and there were many led buyers stating they were considerably better, and to be fair many saying they weren't but they were not people who had generally bought them.

Like I say for me buying the 3.0d m sport, xenons are not standard spec, so I would have added the vis pack, so for an extra 500gbp I get LED

[The X Men]

Originally Posted by Northandy

I read several forums prior to adding the option and there were many led buyers stating they were considerably better, and to be fair many saying they weren't but they were not people who had generally bought them.

Like I say for me buying the 3.0d m sport, xenons are not standard spec, so I would have added the vis pack, so for an extra 500gbp I get LED

For 500 pounds, I might have gotten the LED as well, but not for $2800 that it cost here in the US.

[nyalpine90]

i would like to see the difference between xenons and led headlight...light output

[The X Men]

Originally Posted by nyalpine90

i would like to see the difference between xenons and led headlight...light output

I have been trying to find that for a while, a xenon bulb produces 3000 lumens and 90 mcd/m2, while a halogen light generates 1400 lumens and 30 mcd/m2. I am yet to find any definitive performance numbers for an automotive LED headlight application.

[Envyscorpio]

Find out how much the dealer wants for the retrofit. Calculate your car's depreciation while you wait for a new one. If the retrofit is 50% of specing a new car you like and still within your budget. Get a new one and be happy. Price pass DD beater range needs to satisfy more of your want than need, and being happy is priceless.

[happy_chrissy]

Originally Posted by el_do33

i think he's asking upgrading to LED. All base 2015 X3 comes with Xenon standard now.

That is not true unless you live in a place they make them standard or if you have a 35i.I am in the US and the base has halogens for the 28i. I upgraded to Xenon lights.

[araje]

Here in India, the Bi-Xenons with Angel eyes come as standard. However, we dont have an option to upgrade to LEDs to keep it exclusive with X5 feature offering. Not sure why there is so much difference in policies within countries.

My X3 comes on friday 12/26 so cant comment much about Xenons. However, I had a Q3 which I traded in for X3. I had compared my Q3 with bi-xenons and Q3 with standard halogens - it was worlds apart, infact not on a scale to even compare. I am hoping that the X3 bi-xenons are as powerful as Q3's

One thing for sure - the daylight angel rings are much much brighter than the Q3's drl signature led strip. Thats good.

[m_alnimah]

I'd personally prefer LED's as also where i live (Middle East - GCC-Qatar) our dealer gets Adaptive LED headlights as standard on all models... But anything is better than Halogens on Cars nowadays

[clivem2]

I'm guessing LED vs Xenon depends on whether LEDs fix the shortcoming of the V3 Xenon mainbeam implementation. Dipped is great but without a 2nd pair of Xenons to provide good mainbeam I have to say mainbeam Xenons on the X3 is pants compared to what they should be.

[gIzzE]

The LEDs are completely adaptive and 'intelligent' though aren't they?

So, a fair bit better than the regular xenons if you really do make use of them and drive on the sort of roads where you notice it.


www.youtube.com/embed/-dvPZ3H1Vm4

[araje]

So I finally got my X3 and experimented with it at night with the bi-xenons. Well the bi-xenons are too powerful and have a wider coverage than Q3 bi-xenons for sure. There is a wide area illumination in low beam and on top of it if you turn on the LED fog lights, there's a nice white light enhancing it further near the car. Truly awesome. Coming from Audi Q3, its a great step up even when its still on bi-xenons. I didn't get a chance to see the adaptive LEDS yet.

Originally Posted by araje

Here in India, the Bi-Xenons with Angel eyes come as standard. However, we dont have an option to upgrade to LEDs to keep it exclusive with X5 feature offering. Not sure why there is so much difference in policies within countries.

My X3 comes on friday 12/26 so cant comment much about Xenons. However, I had a Q3 which I traded in for X3. I had compared my Q3 with bi-xenons and Q3 with standard halogens - it was worlds apart, infact not on a scale to even compare. I am hoping that the X3 bi-xenons are as powerful as Q3's

One thing for sure - the daylight angel rings are much much brighter than the Q3's drl signature led strip. Thats good.

[kozzi]

Xeons are standard with the 35i and a $1900 upgrade to LEDs. The upgraded lighting package includes more than just LEDs in the headlight assembly. The differences between Halogen to HID to LED to Laser is huge in performance and not necessarily all about light output.

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/ba...led-26530.html

[JSY]

Originally Posted by kozzi

Xeons are standard with the 35i and a $1900 upgrade to LEDs. The upgraded lighting package includes more than just LEDs in the headlight assembly. The differences between Halogen to HID to LED to Laser is huge in performance and not necessarily all about light output.

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/ba...led-26530.html

"Let’s not forget these lights need a few seconds to reach full brightness, reason why they are not that good as separate high beams. Some cars use HID low beams and separate standard bulbs for high beams. On higher end models, the same HID unit works both ways (wrongly named bi-xenon) by using a mechanical shade inside the reflector to change the beam’s direction accordingly."

I've always wondered the reasoning behind non-separate high beams for the Xenons.

[Bmwlvr60]

Really miss Lighting Package- which wasn't available on '13 X3- now that I have it on my '14 5 Series. X3 headlights just aren't bright enough in comparison. May trade in for '15 X3 when '16 X3s come out this summer in USA. Also, HUD and extra cameras are missed on my '13 X3.