[jcattarulla]

I know the 2012 takes a D3S HID bulb, but does anyone know what color temp is OEM? This would be measured in Kelvin.
Thanks!

 

[btmfuturesho]

I don't actually know, but OEM HID bulbs are usually more white than yellow, I think 4300k roughly?

Any time I change my bulbs I always use 5k I prefer the white light, and anything over 6k starts to go blue.

My 06 SC has the 2012 headlight assemblies and the OEM bulbs look close to 5k.

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[Keralis]

OE is 4300k

 

[BillConn]

OEM Xenon bulbs are always 4300-4500K. My suggestion is to always stick with the 4300-4500k temp range bulbs. This color temp is proven to be the best for actual visibility/brightness. Yes, the 5000K+ bulbs "look" whiter/brighter, but they are not actually as effective at illuminating the road as the lower temps.
Also, as xenon bulbs age, the color temp shifts towards blue 5000-6000K, so the output is diminished. I'd recommend replacing the bulb in pairs if you care about having them match. I have always good luck with Morimoto brand bulb direct from "The Retrofit Source" (and sometimes from Amazon.).
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/bulbs/d3s-morimoto-xb-hid.html

 

[btmfuturesho]

+1 for Morimoto. I have used many brands of cheaper bulbs/ballasts etc. over the years and I would ONLY use Morimoto stuff from TheRetrofitSource, if I'm not going to spend the extra $$$ on actual Philips or Osram etc.

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[jcattarulla]

If I am reading their site correctly, it sounds like they say their 5500k bulbs are the same "whiteness" as others' 4500k bulbs. Is that so? Just wondering what color temp to get from them. I want to see the most, and have them look the best.

 

[BillConn]

4500k. Nice true white.

 

[amrd]

Just came across this thread while researching HID lightbulb replacements for my 2011. Owners manual states 55w and all the Philips and Morimoto lightbulbs I find online are 35w. Is there a difference? Will they work? I'm willing to give these a chance only because there is such wide price variability at dealers... I got $250, $266 and $330 from three different dealers PER lightbulb vs. $75 (Morimoto pair) and $73 (Philips single on AMZN). And just to confirm, this is for a D3S bulb.

 

[BillConn]

I have a set of Morimoto HID bulbs in my BMW 7-Series. They have been great and the 4500K temp is very similar to the OEM OSRAM bubls. So I would give a big thumbs up to the Moromitos.
Now regarding the 35W vs 55W.... you simply need bulbs rated for 55w (which the Morimotos are). The actual HID system wattage is determined by the ballast, which is separate from the HID bulb. The big box on the back of a D3S bulb is the igniter not the ballast. So yes the RR is a 55W system, but most quality D3S bulbs are dual rated.

 

[amrd]

Thanks BillConn!

 

[woofster]

Interestingly, when I went to my local auto parts store to get replacement Xenon HID headlight bulbs, they looked up MY2010 in their system and gave me Osram D3S Xenarc 35W 6000K bulbs.

OEM color temperature is probably closer to 4300K but the 6000K looks pretty good, definitely a little whiter.

With regards to the power rating, the 35W bulbs seem to be functioning fine but should they actually be 55W instead?

 

[BillConn]

Interestingly, when I went to my local auto parts store to get replacement Xenon HID headlight bulbs, they looked up MY2010 in their system and gave me Osram D3S Xenarc 35W 6000K bulbs.

OEM color temperature is probably closer to 4300K but the 6000K looks pretty good, definitely a little whiter.

With regards to the power rating, the 35W bulbs seem to be functioning fine but should they actually be 55W instead?

6000K is very blue. Not white. 4300K is white. The reason it didn’t look much different than the bulbs you replaced is because your old bulbs had probably shifted color over the years. As an HID bulb ages its color output shifts wavelength from white to blue to purple. So by the time the OEM bulbs finally burn out, they are probably 5500-6000k temp in color.
4300-4500K bulbs are the best for visibility as they provide the most usable bright light for our eyes. The cooler temps (5000k+ ) appear “whiter & brighter” but provide diminished visibility in practicality.

 

[Darrenparker]

I searched for my 2013 and found Genuine original Osram Xenarc 66340 D3S HID Xenon bulb, is there anyone who has ever used anything from Xenons4U?

 

[CaifanSC]

With regards to the power rating, the 35W bulbs seem to be functioning fine but should they actually be 55W instead?

Great thread with great info. Thanks, Gents!.

I wanted to follow up on Woofster's question above about the wattage. I have a bulb out and I'm reading up on the replacements. I'm debating between the Morimoto and the Osrams....but...they are both rated for 35W. The bulb that I'm replacing is an Osram also rated for 35W so I want to know if I should be looking for something rated for a higher wattage. My main interest is longevity. I'm not really interested in fiddling with different color hues and temperatures. Factory brightness is quite fine for me! At least for headlights... I may do yellow fogs when the time comes to replace those bulbs .

Thanks!