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Re: E36 headlight assembly

Michel Gammon writes:
>
>Wade Olson wrote:
>
>>I ... want to replace the clear plastic
>>covers in front of the [head]lights [of my 92 3er], which have
>>become clouded and chipped beyond repair (I don't think plastic polish
>>will help).  The dealer claims it's $230 USD for each
>>side, but I don't need the whole assembly.
>
>I suggest you head up to Canada, really splurge (about $1400 Canadian), and
>get a set of proper ellipsoid headlights with glass covers.  They are
>available because of the E-36 Euro M3 sold here for a while....

I have to ask a silly question:  are the ellipsoid headlights worth all
that money?  I have the standard U.S. headlights on an E36 318is and
they don't seem to be much worse than the ellipsoids on my previous
car, a German 318i - at least for me.  While the ellipsoids are more
tightly focused, the free form halogen lights seem to be brighter,
judging by the occasional driver who will flash his lights at me
thinking I have my high beams on.

Granted, I still have a clear set of plastic headlight covers, once
you wash off the thick layer of summer insects.  Could it be that all
one needs is better lens covers?  Once darkness returns at a
reasonable hour, I plan to test the U.S. headlights against the
European ones.  Has anyone already run tests on both systems?

- -John
'96 318is

- -- 
John Firestone, Alfred Wegener Institut   jfiresto@domain.elided
 fuer Polar- und Meeresforschung             +49 (471) 4831 363
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