Q. for Daniel Stern re. HIDs

H3/H4 is the fog light lamps, the headlamps should be the 9006/9007, or something like that. My fogs are H4, my low beams are the 9007. Actually, I forget if my low beams are 9006 or 9007, but they are common bulbs in any case.

Are you sure about this? H4 are dual filament bulbs while H3's are single. His car being EU spec, and the 9006/9007 are US only, I doubt that's what he has.

Yeah, xenon is better, but you need the ballasts in addition to the lights or it won't work. You can't run xenon's on 12V, you know... :-)

Ulf

My E39 was a 1999, UK spec, and it had the 9006/9007 bulbs as standard. They are not US only. Badger.

In the UK, the bulbs changed certainly with the introduction of angel eyes. Not sure of the types, though, but the older ones looked like H4.

Sorry -- typo I meant HB3/HB4 which I belive is 9005/9006.

Yes, I know -- he's selling the ballasts with them.

"Mr Pook" wrote

Since Daniel hasn't replied, he's not monitoring this newsgroup. I've seen posts of his in others in the last couple of days. You'd best email him directly, or x-post to rec.autos.driving

Floyd

He hangs out in Chrysler rec.autos.makers.chrysler

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling

OK...good start...

That depends. There have been numerous different standard-equipment halogen headlamps on E39s such as yours. See if you can get your friend to report the manufacturer's part number (Bosch or Hella) from the decal on the back of one of the headlamps, and report it here. Second preference, answer some questions about the new lamps: Do they have projector dipped beams (outboard lamp looks like it has a central eyeball), or reflector dipped beams (no eyeball)? H7 bulb for dipped beam, or HB4?

HIR1 (9011) high beam, HIR2 (9012) low beam. Written up here:

1) You mean "HB3/HB4" -- H3 and H4 aren't the same bulbs as HB3/HB4 2) You're right, HIR1/HIR2 are very tough to get in Europe as yet, even though they are E-marked. You'd have to get 'em shipped over from America.

Glad to help

DS

9005 high beam, 9006 low beam. No BMWs in any market use 9007 for any function, in any market.

In an E36, your fogs are H1.

Your low beams are 9006.

...in North America. 9005/9006 (HB3/HB4) are little used in Europe, and

9007 isn't used at all in Europe.

DS

9006 (HB4) and 9005 (HB3) are worldwide-approved bulbs. Not a _lot_ of cars use them outside North America, but some do. 9004 (HB1) and 9007 (HB5) are North America only, not homologated elsewhere in the world.

H13 (Ford and Wagner are mistakenly calling "9008") is worldwide, as are H1, H3, H7, H8, H9, H10, H11 and H12.

H14 is homologated for Europe/Rest of world but so far used only in Japan.

DS

Thanks for the crosspost -- I've gone ahead and answered the OP's question in alt.autos.bmw.

DS

Sorry, I forgot about the EU spec.

I once had Cibie (now Hella, I think) headlamps that I put on a Mustang, and they took the H3 or H4. My 3 Series takes an H-something as the fog light, but I wonder now if that designation is different over here.

You could be right. All I do is pull the offending lamp and carry it into the store for a replacement. I don't need to remember what I put in because I know that the next time I put one in, I get the designation from the one that comes out. Part of what is different is the connectors and the shape, these two items preclude putting the wrong bulb in the right spot.

I said earlier that my fogs are H4, but on second thought and your prompt, I do believe they are H1. I have an H3 or H4 from some other application at home in my stock pile, and it doesn't fit my car, which is why it is still in my stock pile. It came from a fog light in my past though, of this I am all but certain. I can't remember any EU spec lighting on any of my cars in the past 15 years, so I can't imagine why it would be around my house.

The 9007 is the combination high and low beam, isn't it?

H4 high/low outer, H1 high-beam inner.

Your E36 3er takes an H1 as the fog lamp.

No, H1 is H1 all over the world.

Because H1 and H3 are common in North American-market, European and Japanese-made fog lamps.

It's one of them, yes. Others are H4 (called HB2/9003 in North America),

9004/HB1, and now H13.

That explains it, i had Japanese fog lamps a few years ago.

Will try and get specifics. All e39 5 series in the UK have/had projector dipped beam. The only obvious change in design was from

to The early projector shines through a hole inthe middle of what looks like a traditional headlamp lens -- what'sthat all about? I'm not sure its possible to tell HID from halogen by appearance of the unit when fitted in place.

Typo on my part -- duh.

Well, mine was a 1999, pre-facelift, no angel eyes and the std bulbs were

9006/9007. Of that I can assure you, as I fitted some replacement phillips ones in an attempt to improve the std crap lighting. Badger.

Right. So they must have made the change pre angel eyes?

I was surprised at just how much better the angel eyes are as lights - even halogen. And my old ones weren't in bad condition - although bulbs do 'age'.