Halogen bulbs or Halogen 'fog lights' for E36?

[Just-ify]

Hi guys

I have a 316i (e36) with standard headlights and two open fog light spacers.

I find that my bean range and wide is rather poor - I don't know if this is common for the e36 range or just defective/damages lights on my vehicle.

Would you recommend replacing the standard bulbs with halogen (if one can do a direct swop), or rather install secondary halogen lights in the fog light bay?

Many thanks

 

[wikk3d88]

Fog lights make no difference to your low beam spread. Only useful for... you guessed it... fog and mist driving
Does your headlight adjustment work?
I found replacing my halogen bulbs with Osram Nightbreak Plus bulbs made a significant difference.
Also check the state of your battery and wiring and use a multimeter to check you're getting enough voltage
also check the state of your headlight lenses. cloudy/yellow/not clear, its time for a refurb

 

[Thunder]

Does it have a projector unit in pr just normal bulb?

 

[Just-ify]

Fog lights make no difference to your low beam spread. Only useful for... you guessed it... fog and mist driving
Does your headlight adjustment work?
I found replacing my halogen bulbs with Osram Nightbreak Plus bulbs made a significant difference.
Also check the state of your battery and wiring and use a multimeter to check you're getting enough voltage

Maybe I'm confused. Are the standard bulbs halogen or xenon?

I'm considering alternatives to boost the beam intensity above standard.

Thanks for the suggestions and tips/

---

Does it have a projector unit in pr just normal bulb?

Hey Thunder, its stock standard for the '96 model.

 

[Thunder]

Fog lights make no difference to your low beam spread. Only useful for... you guessed it... fog and mist driving
Does your headlight adjustment work?
I found replacing my halogen bulbs with Osram Nightbreak Plus bulbs made a significant difference.
Also check the state of your battery and wiring and use a multimeter to check you're getting enough voltage

Maybe I'm confused. Are the standard bulbs halogen or xenon?

I'm considering alternatives to boost the beam intensity above standard.

Thanks for the suggestions and tips/

---

Does it have a projector unit in pr just normal bulb?

Hey Thunder, its stock standard for the '96 model.

---

They come standard with halogens but some also use a projector where as other have just the bulb.
But replacing with nightbreakers like wikked said can work if the lights are adjusted to shine corectly.
Maybe check that first as it can make the light seem spread put when its only just pointing the wrong way.

 

[wikk3d88]

Standard E36 headlights are Halogen Bulbs in Halogen Projectors, which when working properly give excellent on road lighting.

Do not put in a cheap HID kit into your standard halogen projectors. The projector and cutoff are not designed for the light output you get from an HID setup and you end up outputting glare and annoying other road users. Not to mention the light spread is incorrect.

Check the basics first. Condition of your lenses, bulbs, wiring, voltage.
Osram Nightbreaker Plus are Halogen Bulbs, FYI

 

[Thunder]

Standard E36 headlights are Halogen Bulbs in Halogen Projectors, which when working properly give excellent on road lighting.

Do not put in a cheap HID kit into your standard halogen projectors. The projector and cutoff are not designed for the light output you get from an HID setup and you end up outputting glare and annoying other road users. Not to mention the light spread is incorrect.

Check the basics first. Condition of your lenses, bulbs, wiring, voltage.
Osram Nightbreaker Plus are Halogen Bulbs, FYI

+1

 

[wikk3d88]

also check your eyes. no joke, lots of people need glasses for night time driving

 

[Cape_Tonian]

also check your eyes. no joke, lots of people need glasses for night time driving

True that, worked for me. :rollsmile:

 

[Just-ify]

Standard E36 headlights are Halogen Bulbs in Halogen Projectors, which when working properly give excellent on road lighting.

Do not put in a cheap HID kit into your standard halogen projectors. The projector and cutoff are not designed for the light output you get from an HID setup and you end up outputting glare and annoying other road users. Not to mention the light spread is incorrect.

Check the basics first. Condition of your lenses, bulbs, wiring, voltage.
Osram Nightbreaker Plus are Halogen Bulbs, FYI

Thanks I'll check into that.

I've taken a pic of my headlights - are these projectors? From what I've heard the HID kits are OK to use if your lights are projectors and won't blind oncoming traffic?

---

 

[wikk3d88]

Standard E36 headlights are Halogen Bulbs in Halogen Projectors, which when working properly give excellent on road lighting.

Do not put in a cheap HID kit into your standard halogen projectors. The projector and cutoff are not designed for the light output you get from an HID setup and you end up outputting glare and annoying other road users. Not to mention the light spread is incorrect.

Check the basics first. Condition of your lenses, bulbs, wiring, voltage.
Osram Nightbreaker Plus are Halogen Bulbs, FYI

Thanks I'll check into that.

I've taken a pic of my headlights - are these projectors? From what I've heard the HID kits are OK to use if your lights are projectors and won't blind oncoming traffic?

Yes, your low beams are Halogen Projectors. HID projectors are shaped slighty differently and have a different cutoff.
If you put HIDs into your current projectors you end up with quite a bit of glare, as well as hotspots and other lighting issues. It looks kief at the drive thru but you're wasting your money.