Acura HID Xenon vs. BMW
10-09-2002, 09:15 AM
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Acura HID Xenon vs. BMW
Hey, what's up. I left a year ago for a 5-series BMW and thought you guys would enjoy this little tidbit of information.
Ever been jealous of a BMW's HID headlights and how they are more blue? Well, the nifty blue color (higher color temperature in degrees Kelvin) comes at a price. They do not illuminate the road as well as the Acura lights.
Here's a thread over at BMW that might give you all a chuckle:
http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums...postid=1196378
Anyway, remember the grass is not always greener.
How's my 5er? Glad you asked! It rocks, great car, very solid and has a "feel" that the Acura can't begin to touch on the road. Also has an amazing interior in comparison.
Boo! Hiss!!!
The downsides? I really miss my TL when I'm in traffic, as my BMW is a stick shift and it's touchy. The BMW also does not ride as smooth and is not as comfortable. The TL is closer to a Cadillac, while the BMW is closer to a Mazda RX-7. Don't get me wrong, both cars are great but they are VERY different in many regards.
Interested in a 5-series BMW? Man, those things depreciate like nbo man's business and you can get a 1999 with lots of options an an extended aftermarket 100K B2B warranty for less than you'd pay for a new TL. So, to those who cry "the 5-series is not a fair competitor to the TL" I say hogwash. They're really amazing but definitely more fussy than an Acura/Lexus.
Ever been jealous of a BMW's HID headlights and how they are more blue? Well, the nifty blue color (higher color temperature in degrees Kelvin) comes at a price. They do not illuminate the road as well as the Acura lights.
Here's a thread over at BMW that might give you all a chuckle:
http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums...postid=1196378
Anyway, remember the grass is not always greener.
How's my 5er? Glad you asked! It rocks, great car, very solid and has a "feel" that the Acura can't begin to touch on the road. Also has an amazing interior in comparison.
Boo! Hiss!!!
The downsides? I really miss my TL when I'm in traffic, as my BMW is a stick shift and it's touchy. The BMW also does not ride as smooth and is not as comfortable. The TL is closer to a Cadillac, while the BMW is closer to a Mazda RX-7. Don't get me wrong, both cars are great but they are VERY different in many regards.
Interested in a 5-series BMW? Man, those things depreciate like nbo man's business and you can get a 1999 with lots of options an an extended aftermarket 100K B2B warranty for less than you'd pay for a new TL. So, to those who cry "the 5-series is not a fair competitor to the TL" I say hogwash. They're really amazing but definitely more fussy than an Acura/Lexus.
10-09-2002, 03:07 PM
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Ever been jealous of a BMW's HID headlights and how they are more blue? Well, the nifty blue color (higher color temperature in degrees Kelvin) comes at a price. They do not illuminate the road as well as the Acura lights.
10-09-2002, 04:11 PM
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our TL's beam has a wider range for 02+ models...
while the 99-01 models are more dense with not so wide range as the 02 models...
the 02 models were rated as one of the most powerful system in the market by some magazines
while the 99-01 models are more dense with not so wide range as the 02 models...
the 02 models were rated as one of the most powerful system in the market by some magazines
10-09-2002, 04:56 PM
#4
Senior Moderator
Originally posted by peiqinglong
I thought the reason why BMWs had the bluer color was due to the projector lens. While at a distance it looks bluer, when you come up close to it, the color is like a stock HID. Also you can see it in the beam pattern on the ground. I've compared mine to the BMWs a few times and they're projection color is the same as the Acura and other car manufactures equipped with HIDs.
I thought the reason why BMWs had the bluer color was due to the projector lens. While at a distance it looks bluer, when you come up close to it, the color is like a stock HID. Also you can see it in the beam pattern on the ground. I've compared mine to the BMWs a few times and they're projection color is the same as the Acura and other car manufactures equipped with HIDs.
Also that beemer owner in that post is crazy!!!. HID's illuminate the road much better than halogens, and I can spot that difference in less than a second at night when driving or riding in someone elses car without them. Even retrofit kits light up better than stock halogens. If he goes backward, he probably wont be happy with the results.
10-09-2002, 05:18 PM
#5
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Originally posted by samkws
our TL's beam has a wider range for 02+ models...
while the 99-01 models are more dense with not so wide range as the 02 models...
the 02 models were rated as one of the most powerful system in the market by some magazines
our TL's beam has a wider range for 02+ models...
while the 99-01 models are more dense with not so wide range as the 02 models...
the 02 models were rated as one of the most powerful system in the market by some magazines
I thought I heard that the HIDs on the 02+ was reduced a little cause of all the complaints. As a matter of fact, my once stock 99 TL HID is brighter and bluer than the 02+.
10-09-2002, 06:26 PM
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I wouldn't really trust a used car, even if its a BMW. If you are getting luxury, then get it new. By the way, you are saying that the TL is like a cady then you haven't tested the Type-S suspension. I also wouldn't compare a german car to a japanese car.
my $.02
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10-09-2002, 07:25 PM
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for the 02 models they have revised the reflectors and lights can go wider angles and stuff....
doesn't mean it's more brighter but u can see it from farther away...
yea...a magazine said we have a blinding headlights
doesn't mean it's more brighter but u can see it from farther away...
yea...a magazine said we have a blinding headlights
10-10-2002, 10:09 AM
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ive always felt that the HID's on the TL's were brigther on the road... it was usually easy to spot the TL lights: they were the brightest. that was my own personal opinion before i even considered the TL. as for those 5series dumbasses... how much weight can u place on guys that say Zenon instead of Xenon and claim that the halogens are brighter than the HID. If i go down to halogen i feel like i need to turn on my highbeam to get the same luminescene that the HID's put out
10-10-2002, 11:23 AM
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Re: Acura HID Xenon vs. BMW
Originally posted by ExOwner
Ever been jealous of a BMW's HID headlights and how they are more blue? Well, the nifty blue color (higher color temperature in degrees Kelvin) comes at a price. They do not illuminate the road as well as the Acura lights.
Ever been jealous of a BMW's HID headlights and how they are more blue? Well, the nifty blue color (higher color temperature in degrees Kelvin) comes at a price. They do not illuminate the road as well as the Acura lights.
edit
h I forgot, your Bimmer friend who thinks halogens light up the road better than Xenons is a fvckin' moron too.
10-10-2002, 02:54 PM
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the reason why bmw hid has the blue hue is because they are using projective type hid rather than the reflective type on the acura.
color temperature is the same across ALL cars with hid, always 4100k or 4300k. and no, you can't distinguish between 4100 and 4300. the next level would be 5300k by osram but it's already street illegal
the reason why the hid on bmw doesn't illuminate the road as good is coz' they are projective, so the angle of lights coming out is different. the light does not diverge as much, so you can't see the surrounding as good.
compare the reflective type hid on acura and those with halogen, 100% of the time acura will win. reflective type hid illuminates the road a lot better
so what's up with projective type? they look cooler from a distance coz' they give out the blue hue. if the projective housing is done correctly it should still light up the road better than halogen, there is a reason for technology. however if the housing is aiming too low for whatever reasons, of course he's not going to see anything
color temperature is the same across ALL cars with hid, always 4100k or 4300k. and no, you can't distinguish between 4100 and 4300. the next level would be 5300k by osram but it's already street illegal
the reason why the hid on bmw doesn't illuminate the road as good is coz' they are projective, so the angle of lights coming out is different. the light does not diverge as much, so you can't see the surrounding as good.
compare the reflective type hid on acura and those with halogen, 100% of the time acura will win. reflective type hid illuminates the road a lot better
so what's up with projective type? they look cooler from a distance coz' they give out the blue hue. if the projective housing is done correctly it should still light up the road better than halogen, there is a reason for technology. however if the housing is aiming too low for whatever reasons, of course he's not going to see anything
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