e46 Light Mods

[CorkDefender]

HI Lads
I have an e46 320D Touring
The standard head lights are pretty poor
Any suggestions for upgrading the lights / bulbs

Is it possible to put say the head lights from an e46 M3 in? i.e. the bi-xenon

Thanks
Tadhg

[Paddy]

Pre-facelift e46 maybe, but you'll need to retro-fit the washer units too which means the little panels under the headlights would need to be changed too!

[ciars]

And also the self levelling for the NCT

[John_D]

Prefacelift lift E46 headlights when properly adjusted are more than adequate assuming your reflectors aren't dull or burnt.
Xenon retrofit as already mentioned would need self levelling and washers to pass nct.
Another option is a projector retrofit from the likes of Morimoto but you'd be putting back halogen bulbs for the NCT.

[Don B]

+1 if they're anything like the E46 compact headlights, I find them pretty good..Ok, not as good as xenons om my saloon, but they do the job....I'm a city dweller though, back roads might be a different story
[hr]

And also the self levelling for the NCT

That would be a tricky job right? Front and rear level sensors would have to be fitted and coded?

[Gar]

Try popping a set of osram nightbreakers in should help a bit, i personally wouldn't rate the e46 light output highly have halogens in at the moment will be putting the hid back in asap was very bad on the kildare backroads the other night

[John_D]

Yours is the facelift with projector headlights Gar, I've never been overly impressed with halogen projectors tbh. My lights are better than the wife's 06 passat which is halogen H7 projectors

[KevinF]

My lights are better than the wife's 06 passat which is halogen H7 projectors

I was surprised how pathetic that era of passat lights are. I've picked up a pair of 100w bulbs to fit to my fathers one, I'm waiting on some relays to arrive before I fit them as I want them independent of the factory wiring, hopefully they'll bring it up to modern standard.

[Gar]

Yours is the facelift with projector headlights Gar, I've never been overly impressed with halogen projectors tbh. My lights are better than the wife's 06 passat which is halogen H7 projectors

You could well be right john i hadn't thought of that, anywho no loss i have a kit in the press just popped it out for the nct