[respectBMW]

Okay, so over the weekend i went to this BMW parts warehouse to inquire about some xenon headlight (i plan on doing a conversion) and when i told him that i wanted to do a conversion he refused to give me the price of headlights. He said I would be wasting my time and that he would have to charge me $1,000 dollars in coding. He said it was $1,000 because all electrical components on E90 BMW's are specific to their vin number (anti theft strategy apparently) and that he would have code the entire system of the car for it work properly and the reason for that was if you don't code the entire car then it will start a chain reaction of multiple systems failing in the car. So in simple terms if the vin numbers of the part don't match then it won't work. He also said the reason it would 1k to code is because he uses official BMW software and that most local coders use a patch software that ends up destroying the systems of the car.
What do you guys think?

[shazzy04]

Is it just me or when I see a paragraph that large it makes me not want to read it..

[JS82]

Originally Posted by shazzy04

Is it just me or when I see a paragraph that large it makes me not want to read it..

+1

OP, please edit your post and I'm sure you'll get the right answers

[respectBMW]

Okay i edited it. Sorry i was kinda rambling with it.

[Haus_07]

Originally Posted by respectBMW

Okay i edited it. Sorry i was kinda rambling with it.

Ummmmm.... Are you sure it was edited???

[respectBMW]

now its 5 sentences... now i think you guys can provide some input

[x26]

Originally Posted by Haus_07

Ummmmm.... Are you sure it was edited???

Paragraphs are your Friend...

[x26]

Originally Posted by respectBMW

Okay i edited it. Sorry i was kinda rambling with it.

Hey Guy.

I would advise you NOT to put $300. much less more into a Headlight System for a 2006 328.

Put that $1,000. toward buying something to Run with the "Big Dawgs"...like me!!

Be patient Young Grasshopper...
Good Things will come your way.
Take good care of what you have for the Moment and Enjoy Life!!

ETA: That guy was right in the respect of with BMW's --Change a Light9Be it Foglamp, Different Headlamp, etc.) It can and Does cause a "Chain Reaction" and a "Disturbance in The Force" that is difficult to diagnose and Remedy.

PS Your car is a Beauty. Enjoy!!
So leave the Aftermarket add-ons OFF your car and save: Time, $$ and Grief!!

[respectBMW]

Originally Posted by x26

Hey Guy.

I would advise you NOT to put $300. much less more into a Headlight System for a 2006 328.

Put that $1,000. toward buying something to Run with the "Big Dawgs"...like me!!

Be patient Young Grasshopper...
Good Things will come your way.
Take good care of what you have for the Moment and Enjoy Life!!

ETA: That guy was right in the respect of with BMW's --Change a Light9Be it Foglamp, Different Headlamp, etc.) It can and Does cause a "Chain Reaction" and a "Disturbance in The Force" that is difficult to diagnose and Remedy.

PS Your car is a Beauty. Enjoy!!
So leave the Aftermarket add-ons OFF your car and save: Time, $$ and Grief!!

Well you see i was not going to spend $1,000 on coding because i thought that was ridiculous and i will not go aftermarket. If i do a conversion it will be the OEM way.

[shazzy04]

Lmao this thread turned into us telling the guy how to fix his thread.

[respectBMW]

Originally Posted by shazzy04

Lmao this thread turned into us telling the guy how to fix his thread.

Yeah, I noticed that. I just want people give their opinions on the situation i was in.

[Nedim]

I would just go with the aftermarket lights. Here is a good set. http://www.jlevistreetwerks.com/3-Se...duct_info.html

[Haus_07]

Originally Posted by shazzy04

Lmao this thread turned into us telling the guy how to fix his thread.

I actually feel kinda bad about that, so sorry OP, and I'll throw in some advice too.

1 - Be carefully what you buy if you go the eBay route. Sure, there are some great deals out there, but just because the verbage in the auction says "works on BMW 9x series" or whatever, do some research on the particular item that peaked your interest. There are many unscrupulous people/companies out there who will say just about anything to get your money, and their products are not always the best of quality, or may not work with your car.

2 - BMW's are very picky cars, especially when it comes electronics/lighting. Just trying to convert my halogen H-11 fogs over to HID was an absolute headache. Any time you change from one type of lighting system to another, you going to have to add an electronic device that fools the system into thinking its still running halogen. HID systems do not have the same impedence as halogen systems, so your car will think you have a bulb out, throw a warning, and cut power to the device(s) in question. I know....first hand!! There's a ton of info on this subject on this forum and the web. Do your homework!!

3 - Like the link another member posted to Jlevi, there are many companies out there (like the ones associated with e90post) that have the knowledge on how to do what you are trying to do, and do it the correct way. You really don't want to cut corners with these cars because you can end up regretting that you even thought about messing with them.

4 - Do you see how I split my different thoughts up with a space before I got into another subject? That's what the guys are talking about/looking for in a post. Think of it this way. When you type one big, long, rambling thought addressing many different questions, it's like talking to the bubble gum chewing blonde cheerleader who's just running her mouth faster than you blink. You lose interest in what she's saying real quick, even if it was something important. You'll have much better luck getting the information/recommendations your looking for if you break up your thoughts into manageable paragraphs (don't forget to put a space between them!!!) Not trying to be a dick in any way; just a little friendly advice on how to get the most out of this forum!!

5 - Good luck man, and I hope you get what your looking for. Remember, knowledge is key with these cars. Get involved in whatever mod you've got the itch for at the time. Search the forums, search the web, call some of the BMW speciality shops. The more you know about your car, the better off your gonna be, and could help someone else who's looking to do the same to his car with your wealth of knowledge you've attained from all your research on the subject!! Good luck bro, and post your results or other questions.

[Eric335]

Originally Posted by Haus_07

I actually feel kinda bad about that, so sorry OP, and I'll throw in some advice too.

1 - Be carefully what you buy if you go the eBay route. Sure, there are some great deals out there, but just because the verbage in the auction says "works on BMW 9x series" or whatever, do some research on the particular item that peaked your interest. There are many unscrupulous people/companies out there who will say just about anything to get your money, and their products are not always the best of quality, or may not work with your car.

2 - BMW's are very picky cars, especially when it comes electronics/lighting. Just trying to convert my halogen H-11 fogs over to HID was an absolute headache. Any time you change from one type of lighting system to another, you going to have to add an electronic device that fools the system into thinking its still running halogen. HID systems do not have the same impedence as halogen systems, so your car will think you have a bulb out, throw a warning, and cut power to the device(s) in question. I know....first hand!! There's a ton of info on this subject on this forum and the web. Do your homework!!

3 - Like the link another member posted to Jlevi, there are many companies out there (like the ones associated with e90post) that have the knowledge on how to do what you are trying to do, and do it the correct way. You really don't want to cut corners with these cars because you can end up regretting that you even thought about messing with them.

4 - Do you see how I split my different thoughts up with a space before I got into another subject? That's what the guys are talking about/looking for in a post. Think of it this way. When you type one big, long, rambling thought addressing many different questions, it's like talking to the bubble gum chewing blonde cheerleader who's just running her mouth faster than you blink. You lose interest in what she's saying real quick, even if it was something important. You'll have much better luck getting the information/recommendations your looking for if you break up your thoughts into manageable paragraphs (don't forget to put a space between them!!!) Not trying to be a dick in any way; just a little friendly advice on how to get the most out of this forum!!

5 - Good luck man, and I hope you get what your looking for. Remember, knowledge is key with these cars. Get involved in whatever mod you've got the itch for at the time. Search the forums, search the web, call some of the BMW speciality shops. The more you know about your car, the better off your gonna be, and could help someone else who's looking to do the same to his car with your wealth of knowledge you've attained from all your research on the subject!! Good luck bro, and post your results or other questions.

Originally Posted by shazzy04

Is it just me or when I see a paragraph that large it makes me not want to read it..

[respectBMW]

Originally Posted by Haus_07

I actually feel kinda bad about that, so sorry OP, and I'll throw in some advice too.

1 - Be carefully what you buy if you go the eBay route. Sure, there are some great deals out there, but just because the verbage in the auction says "works on BMW 9x series" or whatever, do some research on the particular item that peaked your interest. There are many unscrupulous people/companies out there who will say just about anything to get your money, and their products are not always the best of quality, or may not work with your car.

2 - BMW's are very picky cars, especially when it comes electronics/lighting. Just trying to convert my halogen H-11 fogs over to HID was an absolute headache. Any time you change from one type of lighting system to another, you going to have to add an electronic device that fools the system into thinking its still running halogen. HID systems do not have the same impedence as halogen systems, so your car will think you have a bulb out, throw a warning, and cut power to the device(s) in question. I know....first hand!! There's a ton of info on this subject on this forum and the web. Do your homework!!

3 - Like the link another member posted to Jlevi, there are many companies out there (like the ones associated with e90post) that have the knowledge on how to do what you are trying to do, and do it the correct way. You really don't want to cut corners with these cars because you can end up regretting that you even thought about messing with them.

4 - Do you see how I split my different thoughts up with a space before I got into another subject? That's what the guys are talking about/looking for in a post. Think of it this way. When you type one big, long, rambling thought addressing many different questions, it's like talking to the bubble gum chewing blonde cheerleader who's just running her mouth faster than you blink. You lose interest in what she's saying real quick, even if it was something important. You'll have much better luck getting the information/recommendations your looking for if you break up your thoughts into manageable paragraphs (don't forget to put a space between them!!!) Not trying to be a dick in any way; just a little friendly advice on how to get the most out of this forum!!

5 - Good luck man, and I hope you get what your looking for. Remember, knowledge is key with these cars. Get involved in whatever mod you've got the itch for at the time. Search the forums, search the web, call some of the BMW speciality shops. The more you know about your car, the better off your gonna be, and could help someone else who's looking to do the same to his car with your wealth of knowledge you've attained from all your research on the subject!! Good luck bro, and post your results or other questions.

Thanks.
I have done my research using this forum in regards to wiring and coding. They all seem like something i can with the help of someone else. The only things was that when this guy was telling me all this stuff it kind of shot down what i was planning to do.
However, i trust this forum and from what i read this conversion can be done as long as the proper steps are taken.

[mike-y]

the xenon headlights alone are nearly $1000 each new, so be prepared to spend some money on this if you truly want to go through with it. You can probably find some used, but you'll have to make sure they don't have broken mounting tabs and such.

[respectBMW]

Originally Posted by mike-y

the xenon headlights alone are nearly $1000 each new, so be prepared to spend some money on this if you truly want to go through with it. You can probably find some used, but you'll have to make sure they don't have broken mounting tabs and such.

I am always on the look out for parts.

[x26]

Originally Posted by Haus_07

I actually feel kinda bad about that, so sorry OP, and I'll throw in some advice too.

1 - Be carefully what you buy if you go the eBay route. Sure, there are some great deals out there, but just because the verbage in the auction says "works on BMW 9x series" or whatever, do some research on the particular item that peaked your interest. There are many unscrupulous people/companies out there who will say just about anything to get your money, and their products are not always the best of quality, or may not work with your car.

2 - BMW's are very picky cars, especially when it comes electronics/lighting. Just trying to convert my halogen H-11 fogs over to HID was an absolute headache. Any time you change from one type of lighting system to another, you going to have to add an electronic device that fools the system into thinking its still running halogen. HID systems do not have the same impedence as halogen systems, so your car will think you have a bulb out, throw a warning, and cut power to the device(s) in question. I know....first hand!! There's a ton of info on this subject on this forum and the web. Do your homework!!

3 - Like the link another member posted to Jlevi, there are many companies out there (like the ones associated with e90post) that have the knowledge on how to do what you are trying to do, and do it the correct way. You really don't want to cut corners with these cars because you can end up regretting that you even thought about messing with them.

4 - Do you see how I split my different thoughts up with a space before I got into another subject? That's what the guys are talking about/looking for in a post. Think of it this way. When you type one big, long, rambling thought addressing many different questions, it's like talking to the bubble gum chewing blonde cheerleader who's just running her mouth faster than you blink. You lose interest in what she's saying real quick, even if it was something important. You'll have much better luck getting the information/recommendations your looking for if you break up your thoughts into manageable paragraphs (don't forget to put a space between them!!!) Not trying to be a dick in any way; just a little friendly advice on how to get the most out of this forum!!

5 - Good luck man, and I hope you get what your looking for. Remember, knowledge is key with these cars. Get involved in whatever mod you've got the itch for at the time. Search the forums, search the web, call some of the BMW speciality shops. The more you know about your car, the better off your gonna be, and could help someone else who's looking to do the same to his car with your wealth of knowledge you've attained from all your research on the subject!! Good luck bro, and post your results or other questions.

Fantastic Post!!
Bravo!!!

[x26]

Originally Posted by respectBMW

Thanks.
I have done my research using this forum in regards to wiring and coding. They all seem like something i can with the help of someone else. The only things was that when this guy was telling me all this stuff it kind of shot down what i was planning to do.
However, i trust this forum and from what i read this conversion can be done as long as the proper steps are taken.

It seems that you already Know Everything??

WTF Did you even bother to ask??

[JamesM3M5]

The proper place to ask this question is actually on this forum:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=57

You will probably have better luck with aftermarket HID conversions/replacements. Stock HIDs are not only coded with the footwell module (or whatever module controls the lights on your particular model), but there is a lot of additional wiring for ride level sensors to aim the headlights, different connectors for the HID versus halogen units, and other possible unforseen issues.

[respectBMW]

Originally Posted by x26

It seems that you already Know Everything??

WTF Did you even bother to ask??

Because i was unsure on the coding aspect of the retrofit. I wanted to see if i could get some reassurance, which i needed after i had the discussion with the parts dealer.

Honestly, i wanted to get in a full blown argument with the guy.

[respectBMW]

Originally Posted by JamesM3M5

The proper place to ask this question is actually on this forum:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=57

You will probably have better luck with aftermarket HID conversions/replacements. Stock HIDs are not only coded with the footwell module (or whatever module controls the lights on your particular model), but there is a lot of additional wiring for ride level sensors to aim the headlights, different connectors for the HID versus halogen units, and other possible unforseen issues.

Well on wiring DIY's the footwell module can be avoided. Also I am not too concerned with xenon modules ( auto leveling and adaptive) because my car is not pre wired for those functions.