ZKW Lighting Solution

[Hornung418]

Max asked to have this thread cross posted here. Happily obliging him.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=990507


Hey all,

I have been plagued with the same issue that plagues every plastic bowl ZKW HID headlights for E46's. Because you cannot buy replacement bowls alone, the solutions currently for burnt bowls are either living with dim lights or retrofitting projectors. The retrofit is a good solution but involves cutting and irreversible modifications to the headlight housings. After much research and connections through work, I have found a solution.

I have acquired some extra bowls for testing and as is the common case, they are yellowed, cracked, and lack the "mirror finish" plating. The bowls are plastic welded to repair the crack damage and then re-plated correctly using the same methods to plate them from the manufacturers. Below is a series of pictures documenting and comparing the before and after. The results yielded the increased output of a brand new set of headlights.

Bowls before:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-HRoZqrTHdwA/UYVgRZGC-QI/AAAAAAAADe0/Lnmh_V9Le4I/w422-h316-p-o/IMG_0830.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ara_IgPnd0M/UYVgS7yDUwI/AAAAAAAADfM/fLjbGgIBDKE/w422-h316-p-o/IMG_0837.JPG

Bowls after:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-dBTIPAsjRn0/UYVgOHN01fI/AAAAAAAADeA/ZjRNuFEwcp0/w422-h316-p-o/IMG_0811.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-q5wyhfw1hnA/UYVgO-DkV6I/AAAAAAAADeI/A4iH892cedY/w422-h316-p-o/IMG_0814.JPG

Headlight output before:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MqQc7epn0t4/UYVgPzkGduI/AAAAAAAADeY/U0x67_v3vgs/w422-h316-p-o/IMG_0820.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-CZn4aoy4CeY/UYVgQUwBy0I/AAAAAAAADeg/Uc3iaLxi75Q/w422-h316-p-o/IMG_0827.JPG

Passenger side bowl replaced, drivers side original (notice light output increase and depth of beam):
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-i7ZNJkbxpZw/UYVgR0ekj2I/AAAAAAAADe4/xnHHNbq7uhs/w422-h316-p-o/IMG_0832.JPG

Both bowls replaced:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-WW6uJO6KK80/UYVgTenpGiI/AAAAAAAADfQ/VRmkT1TQvds/w422-h316-p-o/IMG_0839.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-WGjmH02ivTk/UYVgT_dtGxI/AAAAAAAADfY/oB7uVLL5WgA/w422-h316-p-o/IMG_0841.JPG

Before and after:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-CZn4aoy4CeY/UYVgQUwBy0I/AAAAAAAADeg/Uc3iaLxi75Q/w422-h316-p-o/IMG_0827.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-WGjmH02ivTk/UYVgT_dtGxI/AAAAAAAADfY/oB7uVLL5WgA/w422-h316-p-o/IMG_0841.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MqQc7epn0t4/UYVgPzkGduI/AAAAAAAADeY/U0x67_v3vgs/w422-h316-p-o/IMG_0820.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-WW6uJO6KK80/UYVgTenpGiI/AAAAAAAADfQ/VRmkT1TQvds/w422-h316-p-o/IMG_0839.JPG

I am going to be providing this service for any individuals interested. However, the lead time is lengthy so it will be just 2 or 3 individuals at a time. There will be an included core charge of $30 that will be refunded upon receiving your old bowls (this alleviates individuals having downtime on their cars). Bowls can be sent with or without the auto-leveling motor and shade, they will be returned as they are received. The total price will be $240 + $30 core charge + shipping, $270 + shipping if no core provided. Shipping will be done using USPS flat rate boxing in the US.


Please let me know if you have any questions.
Additionally, if someone cares to post this on ZHPmafia that would be great.

I HAVE 3 SETS OF FINISHED BOWLS READY FOR SHIPMENT

Max

[danewilson77]

Justin,

Ask Max what zhpmafia's compensation will be for advertising here. I'd like to know per set sold through the Mafia, how much the site will make.

Additionally, does he offer a warranty on his refinished product.

Thanks.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4

[JupiterBMW]

Also, just a mention, this is the same finish as before, so basically, a refinish with the same problematic coating as before? For that, it seems awfully steep. I think if he wants to charge this much for this service, then perhaps he should offer to send out complete light units so there is NO downtime to the buyer, much like Coby does. His service is top notch, something I think this Max guy should mimic if he wants to be successful.

Otherwise, I feel $270 is quite steep for just putting a bandaid on the problem.

[ELCID86]

Also, just a mention, this is the same finish as before, so basically, a refinish with the same problematic coating as before? For that, it seems awfully steep. I think if he wants to charge this much for this service, then perhaps he should offer to send out complete light units so there is NO downtime to the buyer, much like Coby does. His service is top notch, something I think this Max guy should mimic if he wants to be successful.

Otherwise, I feel $270 is quite steep for just putting a bandaid on the problem. +1

[Hornung418]

Jon, have a deeper look into the thread. There is a $30 core charge so you will get the lights with no down time.

As for the plating, it is the same, however it's applied in a thicker coat. Not promoting the guy just putting another option on the table for those that wish to keep the OEM lights with no retrofitting necessary.

Dane, I sent him a PM mentioning the policy. I have never had contact with Max prior to that PM, just obliging the request at the end of his initial post.

GS3 + TT4

[az3579]

Considering this issue will come back, he's asking way too much money for the service, IMO. That's halfway there to a Lightwerkz retrofit that yields even better lighting than our factory setups.

[JupiterBMW]

Jon, have a deeper look into the thread. There is a $30 core charge so you will get the lights with no down time.

As for the plating, it is the same, however it's applied in a thicker coat. Not promoting the guy just putting another option on the table for those that wish to keep the OEM lights with no retrofitting necessary.

Dane, I sent him a PM mentioning the policy. I have never had contact with Max prior to that PM, just obliging the request at the end of his initial post.

GS3 + TT4

Yes, I reread and I see that he does provide the bowls ahead of receiving the originals back, so that's good. But I still feel that for that price, he should be doing the work. Maybe sending a full set of headlights, minus outer lenses, and then just charging a larger core charge instead.

Either way, this provides another option for those still plagued by the burnt ZKW issue... For those that choose this option, best of luck in a good repair.

[RITmusic2k]

Hmm, despite the price, this is still rather interesting. I definitely need to do something to mine - I really wish they would just issue a damn recall already.

[Hornung418]

We need to merge the two threads.

But had I not hacked mine apart I would have gone this route first. Next step would be the AL swap as that is a little more intnsive. The retrofit has cost me a pretty penny in unexpected costs. C'est la vie.

GS3 + TT4

[midlandtech]

Hmm, despite the price, this is still rather interesting. I definitely need to do something to mine - I really wish they would just issue a damn recall already.

Ditto

[az3579]

We need to merge the two threads.

But had I not hacked mine apart I would have gone this route first. Next step would be the AL swap as that is a little more intnsive. The retrofit has cost me a pretty penny in unexpected costs. C'est la vie.

GS3 + TT4

It may have had unexpected costs, but you're still getting the best lighting option of all of them.

[Hornung418]

Halfway done just need to find the time to get the passenger side fixed...

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4

[terraphantm]

Honestly, I'm not terribly impressed with how the "fixed" bowls look. Might be more work, but I'd definitely prefer the EvoX-Rs over the other options. Hell, if there was a documented swap into AL lights, I'd do that myself

[danewilson77]

Bumping this I guess.

Feel free to fill this out for ZKW bowl issues. Thanks.

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/index.xhtml

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[Stevenluczynski]

^ countless people, including me have filled this out with no results, but with other problems it seems they look into cases with as little as 6 complaints.


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[maliceM3]

Bumping this I guess.

Feel free to fill this out for ZKW bowl issues. Thanks.

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/index.xhtml

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Filled one out

[NorCalZman]

^ countless people, including me have filled this out with no results, but with other problems it seems they look into cases with as little as 6 complaints.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I noticed that too. Very frustrating.