Please help me choose my bulbs!

[lilcdkey]

So I'm looking to get some 6000k looking lights for my headlights and fogs and I wanted to know if these would fit and how difficult would they be to install.

Option #1: DS2 Xenon/HID Replacement
http://www.khoalty.com/bmw-e46/light...ment-bulb.html

I'm thinking these will look most like HID's. Do the ZHP's have HID's stock or are they just xenon's on projectors? Can anyone explain the difference? Also, how difficult will this install be, just plug and play?

Option #2: High Output Halogen Bulbs
http://www.khoalty.com/bmw-e46/light...gen-bulbs.html

Are my current ZHP fogs halogens? They look pretty bright as it is but I want white fogs. Would these fit? Also would they be as bright as stock?

Thanks alot guys, I'm a complete lighting noob.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Unless the previous owner of your car swapped out the fogs, your ZHP comes stock with halogen.

[az3579]

I'm thinking these will look most like HID's. Do the ZHP's have HID's stock or are they just xenon's on projectors? Can anyone explain the difference? Also, how difficult will this install be, just plug and play?

Xenons are HID's (HID = High Intensity Discharge).
Rule of thumb - if it has a ballast, it's an HID light.

[spencers]

Please, please, please don't buy aftermarket bulbs.

Phillips 85122+
At $95 a pair, (I know the price is high) these are infinitely worth the money.
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/pro...roducts_id=148

They will last you up to 10 years, and will have the same light output (lumens) for a majority of their lifetime.

[lilcdkey]

Please, please, please don't buy aftermarket bulbs.

Phillips 85122+
At $95 a pair, (I know the price is high) these are infinitely worth the money.
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/pro...roducts_id=148

They will last you up to 10 years, and will have the same light output (lumens) for a majority of their lifetime.

Eeeehh, idk man. $95 seems like ALOT for a bulb even if they are that long lasting, I keep thinking of the other mods I could get for $95.

[spencers]

Eeeehh, idk man. $95 seems like ALOT for a bulb even if they are that long lasting, I keep thinking of the other mods I could get for $95.

Yeah, I understand. In these days of cheap disposable stuff available out there, I can see how it's hard to want to spend extra on something of quality.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Eeeehh, idk man. $95 seems like ALOT for a bulb even if they are that long lasting, I keep thinking of the other mods I could get for $95.

In this business, you really do get what you pay for. There is a lot of cheap crap out there. The good stuff, though, has been worth it to me. It lasts a lot longer and the quality is very obvious.

[az3579]

Not only that, but if you buy the cheap stuff and have to keep replacing it, think of the amount of waste you're producing by throwing out the 2 or 3 pairs you'll go through before the quality bulb ever burns out.

[lilcdkey]

Not only that, but if you buy the cheap stuff and have to keep replacing it, think of the amount of waste you're producing by throwing out the 2 or 3 pairs you'll go through before the quality bulb ever burns out.

True that. I'll definitely have to look into those bulbs.

[mikeyb74]

I've tried just about every bulb company out there. PIAA, Hella, and Silverstar Ultras to just name a few. I've had the best of luck with the stock OE replacements. The three I listed seem to burn out between 3 to 12 months. Which is very annoying and expensive when they are not warrantied. So when I swapped my headlights to P46s I went to an H7 HID kit.