Beginning with the E39 5 Series in 2001, BMW introduced lighted rings around the headlights on their cars. These quickly were termed “angel eyes” and became a big hit in the market.
Early BMW angel eyes were powered by a halogen bulb. This caused the color of the rings to be yellow, which didn’t match the bright white color of BMW HID headlights. Back in 2009, I purchased an upgraded set of LED bulbs made by MyCarr that matched the color of the angel eyes to the headlights on my 2001 530.
When I sold that car last year and bought my M5, I transferred the bulbs to my new car. Since 2009, the price of this aftermarket upgrade has fallen dramatically. Moore’s Law affects all electronics, not just computer chips.
A company called BMWLED now offers a set of two 5 watt bulbs for only $40. That’s less than half what I paid back in 2009 for my old set. A number of owners on forums have reported good results, so I purchased a pair and installed this weekend.
This upgrade could not be easier. Simply twist old bulb, remove and replace. Even though both sets are rated at 5 watts, the new bulbs seems brighter to me than my old ones. This might not be obvious in the picture below – the difference isn’t dramatic but it’s noticeable. Of course, my existing bulbs are now over three years old, which could be a factor.
At this price, the upgrade seems like a no-brainer. Some owners of older BMWs that did not come with angel eyes retrofit them into their headlight assemblies, which seems silly to me. After all angel eyes are just cosmetic – if you want to spend real money on lighting then upgrading the headlights entirely would seem to make more sense.
But when a simple, inexpensive bulb swap can make your existing angel eyes brighter and whiter, why not? Right now I’m pleased with the purchase. If these less expensive BMWLED bulbs prove to have a short lifetime I’ll update this post.
New bulb installed on right side of picture, drivers side
Original upgrade bulb – just twist and replace
New bulb vs. old – and note BMW’s creative “don’t electrocute yourself” graphic