I am pretty sure the buck stop here: there's not better 90mm xenon projector out there that's better than those on the Audi RS6, the OEM one on the new E55 or BMW 5/7 serie pale compared to it.

If anyone could remmember: I had the Depo projector headlight, then fit in the Hella lens from the new W211 (halogen) headlight into the Depo housing, due to poor Depo quality projector (the Hella lens fixed the very anoying two narrow beams problem created by the Depo ones). Next is fitting in the Philips Vision Plus to enhance brightness, after that it was the xenon ballast & bulbs (4300K). Light improved substantially.

Even with the xenon set, light is good, but still way far off compared to what I've seen in Porchse, BMW new 5/7 serie, Honda S2000, or Audi 6/8 serie. To enhance lighting, I usually turned on the fog light (fit with Philip Blue Vision, VERY BRIGHT & NICE LIGHT !!!), which help to brighten up a lot.

Looking back, the Hella lens that I used is from the halogen W211 headlight, good, but not excellent. The crappy Depo projector bowl probably do nothing but harm (xenon bulb have different emittant pattern than halogen bulb, and the Depo bowl doesn't reflect light that well), put together, the Hella lens probably expect different focal point than the projector created, and that could explain why the light quality of the xenon is still far off compared to xenon on high end German car.

Surfing around on HID planet classifed session (lucky me, they shut down this session last week, due to liability), I was able to get myself a set of bi-xenon projectors from the Audi RS6. The projector housing was designed much different compared to the halogen one seen in the Depo or W211 (pretty much validated my theory). But when hooking up the same set of xenon bulb and ballast to it, that when I was shocked, it was so bright, it makes my earlier xenon custome set (Hell/Depo) look like flash light.

I was just curious when I received the Audi projector set, so I just hook in the bulb & ballast to see how it would be like, since I know it'll be a lot of work to fit the the projector into my light housing, due to different projector base size & mouting point. I was about to save the job to after the wedding and move next week. But after seeing how it work, I just couldn't wait, so I set to start the job, at ....10:00 pm !!!

After 6 hours of mokeying here and there, customized every little parts (no store open that time, so have to custom make pretty much every thing), I got the projector sit nicely inside the light housing, the shroud fit in as well, and everything adjusted just as the original. I also managed to have the bi-xenon all hook up (quite simple, wire the solenoid to power that control high-beam).

Welllll, I don't know how to put it: it's about 10000 times brighter. !!!. Amazing how much brighness a projector could enhance, for same light source (bulb & ballast). Turning on the fog light now make no different whatsoever, you can't even tell if log light is on, the headlight is that bright. The cut off is sharp, and when I got on freeway (carpool) at night, light quality is 10/10, the cutoff projected on to the side wall is as far as you could take. It's very wide too: brighten up the lane the car is in, along w/ both left and right lane of it. If you've ever seen an Audi RS6 at night, you get an idea.

I've had lately couple BMW chase up when I go on the freeway, just to check out my xenon.

Btw, the bi-xenon is pretty cool: turn on the high beam, you hear a pop (or click) from the selenoid, the shield drop, and dang, it's ultra-bright. I left the highbeam halogen bulb in as well, so high beam is a combination of both bi-xenon and halogen H7 !!!. Don't intend to use it often though.

No light error message whatsoever.

If you're in southern CA and want to check it out, let me know.

<b> Night driving should be fun now. Mission accomplished </b>

 

wow next time Im down in LA and I got time, I definitely need to check it out!!! I'm thinking I should enlist you for my HID projector project! I need to get rid of my OEM HID's!

 

nice zam

are you gonna post some pics?

i am currently looking for some replacement projectors for my depo's. rs6 hard to come by nice choice! also working on another set of ballasts in hope that i can rid my car of the dreaded lamp defective msg! :v

 

Hey Shane - are you trying to shoehorn HID projector bulb into the Depo shell? I've just started to do that with mine and about to toss them in the oven so that I can gain access from the front.

 

That sounds great Zam, looking forward to some pics! Or if I'm up in LA sometime I'll have to look you up so I can get a close up inspection.

 

zam2000 i wanna see what you've done, i might be up for the same project if it's worth it, but take some pics.............

lets meet up.........

 

Yeah let me know how that goes. Really don’t have to pull the lens cover off but would definitely make installing the projector a lot easier! i would like to change my projector shields to bmw or clk style in order to do it I will have to pull the lens off.

I removed one of my projectors from the backside to clean the lense due to condensation. was not to bad! ha ha i forgot to but the cut off shield back in so i had to remove and start over took about an hour or two. Patience is a must.

Zam thank for the info I have been looking to score some a6 bi-xenon projectors now.I was previously just looking for a6 single xenon.

 

Sounds like another great upgrade ZAM!

Will this be the last modification needed on your lights?
I sure hope so, cause I know once I see your new lights, I will want to do the same.

Do you notice any light housing movement when you hit bumps on the road with this new setup?

 

yeah good question! i know my depo projectors vibrate more than i would like them to.

 

OceanView

It's very bright & far, and no beam either (just entire area in front of the car is (well) lid off. I don't see any light housing movement whatsoever.

However, this could be subjective. How about you drive it around, or take a ride, and observe it ?

As oppose to retroffiting the lens, this is a lot of work, since nothing is plug-and-play. I was about to hold it to Jan, after my wedding and month long honeymoon, but once I connected it, I knew it'd be hard for me to wait ...

Even someone who have no clue about car (can't even tell difference between brand, probably can't tell difference between car and bicycle either ), notice that the light is so much brighter & nicer !!.

Talking about fiance, by this time next week, I'm a married man already, scary huh ?

If they come out w/ a 90mm xenon projector that's better than the RS6, that'll be my next project on light . For now, can't seem to find any thing out there that's better than it.

 

Unfortunately, I started the job quite late into the day, so I didn't take picture of the process, along with pictures of "before", needed to see difference. However, if you search for my old posts, you should be able to see pix of my xenon before the Audi retrofit.

I'll try to take pictures soon. I can take picture of the new xenon on my W210, compared w/ the vision plus on my W211 for reference. I'll try to borrow my friend Infinity G35 or Acura CL (xenon as standard) and take picture so you guy can see. (The Audi projector beat them by the whole nine yard) Picture can hardly do justice, since overexpose, all light look good (even the crappy Depo), underexpose, all pix look bad. I think just as w/ chick, seeing with bare eyes is best.

Attached is the link to projectors comparision. Mine is the type in first set of pictures (Audi RS6 Bi-xenon), you can see how it is compared to Mercedes E55 (regular Hella), Porches (Bosch), or BMW (Hella/Valeo)

Link to xeno projector reference

 

Zam is the lighting master.