[jasper]

Or do they serve some functional purpose?

[dmontic71]

Decoration at least here in the US.. This is something that I used to see as an aftermarket mod on a lot of e46 and other previous generation BMWs. I am guessing that it was so popular and attractive, BMW figured, hey why not make it part of the car.

[Mark]

Originally Posted by dmontic71

Decoration at least here in the US.. This is something that I used to see as an aftermarket mod on a lot of e46 and other previous generation BMWs. I am guessing that it was so popular and attractive, BMW figured, hey why not make it part of the car.

BMW invented the halo first on the E39, then the aftermarket decided to use it for other models

[NoMods]

it was the "coronas" that tipped my decision to get the BMW instead of the IS350 they just look so sweet looking when the sun is low.

[GregL]

I was turning left at a major intersection the other day, waiting for oncoming traffic to thin out a bit, then in the opposite direction comes a Mazda of some sort also turning left (so facing me, but turning to the opposite direction that I would be going). As I was trying to look around the Mazda, I noticed that he installed a set of angel eyes... I guess the driver of the Mazda saw me staring at the nose of his car and shaking my head cause shortly thereafter the rings were turned off, leaving only his headlights on

[Fester]

Originally Posted by jasper

Or do they serve some functional purpose?

DRL

[Norsk]

Originally Posted by GregL

I was turning left at a major intersection the other day, waiting for oncoming traffic to thin out a bit, then in the opposite direction comes a Mazda of some sort also turning left (so facing me, but turning to the opposite direction that I would be going). As I was trying to look around the Mazda, I noticed that he installed a set of angel eyes... I guess the driver of the Mazda saw me staring at the nose of his car and shaking my head cause shortly thereafter the rings were turned off, leaving only his headlights on

................... ...................

In some countries they serve the purpose of DRL's.

In North America or at least in Canada, they run the inner lights as DRL (maybe because of regulations).

[nmulax]

Originally Posted by GregL

I was turning left at a major intersection the other day, waiting for oncoming traffic to thin out a bit, then in the opposite direction comes a Mazda of some sort also turning left (so facing me, but turning to the opposite direction that I would be going). As I was trying to look around the Mazda, I noticed that he installed a set of angel eyes... I guess the driver of the Mazda saw me staring at the nose of his car and shaking my head cause shortly thereafter the rings were turned off, leaving only his headlights on

That's great

[Park2670]

I have Umnitza angel eyes installed on my Maxima. Its the same kit they used for the X5 and such.

[tctic]

Originally Posted by Norsk

................... ...................

In some countries they serve the purpose of DRL's.

In North America or at least in Canada, they run the inner lights as DRL (maybe because of regulations).

That's only for the E92. Not the E90. Unless they changed for the 2007 models. The corona rings are also a new trademark of BMW just like the twin kidney grill. (so that a BMW looks distinctively like a BMW at night) But the real practical use of these corona rings is for parking. When people park on the street sides, either the left or right corona rings + the rear LED strips are illuminated so that your car is visible.

[supernova]

even if they were meant to be DRL, how visible are they at noon? its purely a trademark and just for looks. adding a perfect touch.

[calvino]

halos are like BMW %100 everybody on the steet see the halos and the 1st thing is BMW, I think is stupid see people with after market halos on non-bmw cars is like a Honda with the mercedes logo

I will love to use my halos as a DTR I try last weak I was working w Matt to find a ay to do i (hardwire) but the ECU is way to smart !!! it gave us an error but the really look great

check it out PIAA angel lights :rocks:

too bad that the computer is a bitch, I try everything to not get a error

[uhaulball]

i dont get why other cars cant have aftermarket angel eyes. we do too!

a friend's friend that i know has angel eyes on his scion tC and it looks better than the angel eyes ive seen on any e90. (they're cold cathode)

[liquid]

Originally Posted by armoredsaint

it was the "coronas" that tipped my decision to get the BMW instead of the IS350 they just look so sweet looking when the sun is low.

i was looking at the IS also. but i love the angel eyes on the bmw.

[Park2670]

Sorry to go against you Calvino, But i think this just looks awesome. Thus I put them on my Maxima, while im saving for a 335

[///Matt]

I do feel it's sort of a rip off when non-BMW's have Angel Eyes, but if I didn't have a BMW I'd want them...=)

Now that I own one, BMW should be the only cars with Angel Eyes, just so I have one more reason to feel better than every other car I see!

[Greeney]

Ive got to get some PMBs. My stock eyes just dont look as awesome as they could!

[kuthair]

I hope you people that put halo lights on your non-BMW's don't get pissed at Lexus/Inifiniti/etc for copying BMW.

[ska///235i]

Originally Posted by Park2670

Sorry to go against you Calvino, But i think this just looks awesome. Thus I put them on my Maxima, while im saving for a 335

[jasper]

found this on wikipedia... just thought I'd share...

HID technology
Xenon projector low beam headlamp illuminated on a Saab 9-5.HID stands for high-intensity discharge, the technical term for the electric arc that produces the light. Automotive HID lamps are commonly called 'xenon headlamps', because of the xenon gas used in the lamps. The xenon gas allows the lamps to produce minimally adequate amounts of light immediately upon startup and speed the warmup time. If argon were used instead, as is commonly done in street and other stationary HID lamps, it would take several minutes for the lamps to reach their full output. HID headlamps use a small, purpose-designed metal halide lamp which produces more light than ordinary tungsten and tungsten-halogen bulbs). The light from HID headlamps has a distinct bluish tint when compared with tungsten-filament headlamps. The high intensity of the arc comes from metallic salts that are vapourised within the arc chamber.

HID headlamp bulbs produce between 2,800 and 3,000 lumens from 42 watts of electrical power, while halogen filament headlamp bulbs produce between 700 and 2,100 lumens from between 40 and 65 watts. Because of the increased amounts of light available from HID bulbs, HID headlamps producing a given beam pattern can be made smaller than halogen headlamps producing a comparable beam pattern. Alternatively, the larger size can be retained, in which case the Xenon headlamp can produce a more robust beam pattern.

HID headlamp bulbs do not run on low-voltage DC current, so they require a ballast with either an internal or external ignitor. The ballast controls the current to the bulb. When the headlamps are switched on, the ignitor provides rapidly pulsed current at several thousand volts to initiate the arc between the electrodes within the bulb. Once the arc is started, its heat begins to vapourise the metallic salts within the arc chamber, and the ballast gradually transitions from startup operation to arc-maintenance operation. Once the arc is completely stabilised, the ballast provides 85v in conventional D1 and D2 systems, or 42v with Mercury-free D3 and D4 systems.

Despite marketing claims to the contrary, HID headlamps' light output is not similar to daylight. The spectral power distribution (SPD) of an automotive HID headlamp is discontinuous, while the SPD of a filament lamp, like that of the sun, is a continuous curve.

The arc within an HID headlamp bulb generates considerable short-wave ultraviolet (UV) light, but none of it escapes the bulb. A UV-absorbing hard glass shield is incorporated around the bulb's arc tube. This is important to prevent degradation of UV-sensitive components and materials in headlamps, such as polycarbonate lenses and reflector hardcoats. The lamps do emit considerable near-UV light).

Vehicles equipped with HID headlamps are required by ECE regulation 48 also to be equipped with headlamp lens cleaning systems and automatic beam levelling control. Both of these measures are intended to reduce the tendency for high-output headlamps to cause high levels of glare to other road users.

HID headlamp bulb types D1R, D1S, D2R, D2S and 9500 contain the toxic heavy metal Mercury. The disposal of Mercury-containing vehicle parts is increasingly regulated throughout the world, for example under US EPA regulations. Newer HID bulb designs D3R, D3S, D4R, and D4S contain no Mercury, but are not electrically or physically compatible with headlamps designed for previous bulb types.

The arc light source in an HID headlamp is fundamentally different from the filament light source used in tungsten/halogen headlamps. For that reason, HID-specific optics are used to collect and distribute the light. Installing HID bulbs in headlamps designed to take filament bulbs results in improperly-focused beam patterns and excessive glare, and is therefore illegal in almost all countries.

[calvino]

Originally Posted by jasper

found this on wikipedia... just thought I'd share...

Vehicles equipped with HID headlamps are required by ECE regulation 48 also to be equipped with headlamp lens cleaning systems and automatic beam levelling control. Both of these measures are intended to reduce the tendency for high-output headlamps to cause high levels of glare to other road users.

why not all 3 series comes w lens cleaning system ?? just if u order cold PK ??? so BMW is doing something illegal ? lol

[e92328i998]

I think someone may have already said this but the for the e92 they serve as DRLs. My car came with headlight cleansors and I dont have the cold weather package.

Seth