Anyone fitted aftermarket DRL's yet?

[Edmom5]

Hi all

I got my X1 as a dealer demo so couldn't choose the Xenon lights. Bought a set of the Philips DRL units (great quality - fitted a set to my wife's Subaru in an hour) but stuffed if I know how to install them!

There is no reachable space behind the bumper - I'm assuming I need to remove it? Looks quite complex....

[chx437]

Basically it is not big job: there's one example installation using Philips LED Daylight 8 described here:

http://e84.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=539824

Mechanically you can install DRLs under the bumper (see the pictures in the above link) and you just drill holes through the bumper for the wiring. You can reach and route the wires without taking the bumper off. If you can unmount the connectors from the wires to be routed you can drill smaller holes (better to fix if you decide later to remove the DRLs).

If you use the above Philips DRLs, I found it more practical not to use the fixing brackets provided in the kit (because after you put the DRL unit into the provided bracket, it was not possible to remove the unit any more). So I made simple aluminium angle (L -) brackets so that I could independently fix the DRL unit into the bracket and the whole set then into the bumper. So the self-made brackets are long enough so that there is room for screw holes at both sides to mount the whole set into the bumber with screws.

Electricaly I connected the Philips DRL control unit so that I digged out the individual wires from the original wiring bundle going towards the left head-light unit on top of the left wheelarch. Debending on your model you have to find out which wires to use: in my case (driving wheel left, with original Xenon lights) I used following wires
- grey-violet (thin, about 0.5 mm2, original DRL power) to Philips main power
- yellow-green (thick, about 2.5 mm2, head-light on) to Philips DIM mode control

[greenfunk]

hey edmom5!
I got my x1 as a dealer demo as well and it too did not have the bi xenons, i actually asked them if they could retrofit it for me. But they said they cant cos you have to change the whole bumper and windscreen and blah blah blah.

But another thing is, does the drl make a difference to the brightness of the lights as a whole?

[Edmom5]

Chx437, Thanks heaps - I will try that this weekend. Nice looking photos, too

Greenfunk, they are not designed to add heaps of light, more to aid visibility - but they do add to the overal output. I looked at Xenons too but too difficult - went for 65W Osram Rallye globes instead!

[BMWX1er]

what is the bulb in the daytime light. the one n the headlight, whats the # of the bulb?

[Fayvir]

I've had my x1 for less than a week and changing the DRLs was the first thing i did.

It didn't come with the white 'angel eyes' so i swapped in a pair of GP Thunders arctic whites.
I didn't have to remove the bumper or any parts. Just slipped my hands in and popped the plastic cover out, twisted and pulled out the harness/bulb, replaced the bulb (H8, if i remember correctly), and popped it back in.

Took me a total of 20 min for both sides.

[BMWX1er]

did you replace the small W5W bulb as well?