The ZKW Burnt Bowls Thread

[jjcools]

Resurrection

I am actually trying to sell the Zhp and what happens, light goes out. Complete fail! I knew it had a ZKW and an AL light and the ZKW light was a little faded but not also burned out. So, two options I found because I am a little nervous of attempting the DIY and need to get this fixed so I can sell it. Do I send it over to NY or have a CA person do the FXR retrofit to the car? The local guy said they use the DEPOTs and retrofit the FXR in.

DOes that seem stupid to anyone else?

[nike001]

Replace the ballast or the igniter and just fix it.

Fx-r retros are way too expensive. The depo idea isn't even a good one. If I were to do it I'd use BMW headlights

[jjcools]

I found a guy on ebay that sells OEM headlight assemblies for $400 used. I might go this route so the next owner does not just get the car with the burned bowl.

The Depo idea is what is confusing to me. Umnitza thinks that for $500 he can fit FX-Rs into depo headlights???? I am not sure about that and sending my headlights to NY (Lightwerx) seems like a lot of downtime.

[Crickett]

I found a guy on ebay that sells OEM headlight assemblies for $400 used. I might go this route so the next owner does not just get the car with the burned bowl.

The Depo idea is what is confusing to me. Umnitza thinks that for $500 he can fit FX-Rs into depo headlights???? I am not sure about that and sending my headlights to NY (Lightwerx) seems like a lot of downtime.

I was in the same boat as you: one AL & one ZKW headlight. My ZKW was quite dim & getting worse so I bought a used AL on eBay for a few hundred. ZKW-to-AL is 99% a direct swap, you just have to remove a bit of the ZKW lower plastic mounting bracket (very easy to do w/a Dremel or similar). Not the cheapest solution, but there's no fiddling with modifying projector housings or retrofitting this part or that, just a straight-up quality OE BMW replacement.

[llll1l1ll]

Is it a 99% direct swap regardless if you have a coupe/sedan?

[Vas]

I would love to do an fx-r retro. My zkw lights are starting to fade.

[cakM3]

Is it a 99% direct swap regardless if you have a coupe/sedan?

Coupes do not have this issue....only sedans with ZKW headlight assemblies...

[az3579]

Replace the ballast or the igniter and just fix it.

Fx-r retros are way too expensive. The depo idea isn't even a good one. If I were to do it I'd use BMW headlights

I disagree. An FX-R swap will cost you between 400-700 from the reports I've seen. ONE new headlight assembly from BMW is over 1k, for only one side.
The FX-R swap includes parts and labor. $700 for superior lights is a complete bargain if you ask me.

^^ This is using your original headlight housings. They modify it to make the FX-R's fit.

[danewilson77]

You can do one headlight for around $750 (Magnetti Marelli)

FX-R is def cheaper. More labor intensive though.

[cakM3]

I disagree. An FX-R swap will cost you between 400-700 from the reports I've seen. ONE new headlight assembly from BMW is over 1k, for only one side.
The FX-R swap includes parts and labor. $700 for superior lights is a complete bargain if you ask me.

^^ This is using your original headlight housings. They modify it to make the FX-R's fit.

So when are you going to do this BP?