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Headlight conversions for E30/E36

With all the talk about headlights, I had to put in my two cents.  I owned an
84 325e and an 87 325is for a while, both of them had 100 watt high beams and
80 watt low beams in Hella lamps.  I simply switched the fuses to a rating
rating (20 AMP) and everything worked fine!  Hellas are cool, and give a nice
bright light that makes night driving that much safer.  For those of you who
think I was blinding everyone... (Perhaps I was with high beams...)  the low
beams had a special deflector builtin to the bulb to limit the light above the
hood!  Nice feature huh?  Now, I recommend checking the wiring between your
lights and fuse box to be sure it is think enough to handle the current.  The
easiest way to do this is to install the lights, turn them on and leave for
about five minutes.  Then follow the wires along behind the bumper and touch
them.  If they get quite hot, then you really do need relays.

As for E36 cars, the 9005 and 9006 bulbs were only available in goofy 55 watt
configurations.  In my new 318is, I have some bulbs from a company called
Imparts in the Midwest.  Call the 800 directory to get their number.  The bulbs
were $9.95 and seem to work quite well.  With the new car, I just installed 20
amp fuses and I was good to go!  Again, you should check your wiring, and if
there is any doubt, do put in relays.  Interestingly enough, the sales guy at
Imparts told me I wouldn't need relays, just fuses.  In all, the new lights are
just as good as the original Hellas on the other cars, and I am back into
driving with a nice bright light in front of me.  One caution, the new 9005 and
9006 bulbs don't limit light above the hood very much, so be curteous and
adjust your lamps to point down a little bit.

Good luck!

Mike Whitley
BMWCCA member
1992 Racing Dynamics 318is