Burger Motorsports "LED Angel Eyes" Review

[JJunkins]

Recently I snagged a 2013 M3 and have the same halogen-based-Corona ring (angel eyes, halos, etc) gripes as most everyone else. I combed over countless reviews and likes/dislikes with many different brands and found that many prefer the LUX brand.

I traded my X5 diesel for the M3 and had some unopened tuning parts from Terry Burger over at Burger Motorsports. A quick exchange landed me his LED Angel Eyes for my M3. With basically the same construction and half the price of the LUX brand, I thought I'd give them a try. I ordered on Thursday evening and had them, well, today obviously. Quick processing for sure.

http://www.burgertuning.com/BMW_LED_angel_eyes.html

Here's a few shots of the actual system and as you can tell, it's very similar in construction to the LUX. Also here are some shots next to my wife's 2012 335 with the OEM LED lights. One thing I learned is that taking pics of headlights is a pain.

Daytime pics on the bottom of the page. I also learned that these dim when the lights are on. I favor this as it's more of an OEM operation.

[Merlosso]

They look great. And I just ordered the Lux AE's on Saturday.

[THE TECH]

Originally Posted by JJunkins

Recently I snagged a 2013 M3 and have the same halogen-based-Corona ring (angel eyes, halos, etc) gripes as most everyone else. I combed over countless reviews and likes/dislikes with many different brands and found that many prefer the LUX brand.

I traded my X5 diesel for the M3 and had some unopened tuning parts from Terry Burger over at Burger Motorsports. A quick exchange landed me his LED Angel Eyes for my M3. With basically the same construction and half the price of the LUX brand, I thought I'd give them a try. I ordered on Thursday evening and had them, well, today obviously. Quick processing for sure.

http://www.burgertuning.com/BMW_LED_angel_eyes.html

Here's a few shots of the actual system and as you can tell, it's very similar in construction to the LUX. Also here are some shots next to my wife's 2012 335 with the OEM LED lights. One thing I learned is that taking pics of headlights is a pain.

Looks good.

[THE TECH]

Originally Posted by Merlosso

They look great. And I just ordered the Lux AE's on Saturday.

I'm sure you'll be happy with the LUX.

[JJunkins]

LUX are definitely great products! I wasn't able to justify twice the cost for what appeared to be very similar construction in Terry's product. I'll routinely make an update to this as time passes.

[GB///M3]

wow they look very impressive, especially for the price! any pics in the daytime?

[W///]

Call me crazy, but I'm a bigger fan of the original AE's. The bright whites look good too though.

[kawasaki00]

I have been looking for a set of lux for the wifes 328 but I went ahead and bought a set of the burger ones being that they are on sale. Thanks for the pics.

[Vic311]

I not a fan of that color temperature. A little too "intense" for me

Lux has a much cooler color temp.

[v_bimmer]

At the end of the day they are all made at the same place.

I will be going with Burger ones also. Lux for me is overpriced, for the same exact product.

[v_bimmer]

BUT i just ordered both from LUX and from another supplier (bulbs look identical). I will make a thread comparing the two.

If LUX is actually brighter, i will of corse address that, and my money will be well spent with LUX .

[Vic311]

Originally Posted by v_bimmer

At the end of the day they are all made at the same place.

I will be going with Burger ones also. Lux for me is overpriced, for the same exact product.

Thats just it..its not the same exact product..the color temps are different. I have the Lux and they do not look like the BMS

[Z K]

Originally Posted by v_bimmer

At the end of the day they are all made at the same place.

I will be going with Burger ones also. Lux for me is overpriced, for the same exact product.

They aren't the same product. The bulb heatsink base is the same as they probably get it from the same source but the ballasts and LEDs used are different.

I like my LUX 5000k. It is not blue/purple looking.

[BMW Fanatic]

Daytime pics please.

[JJunkins]

Originally Posted by Vic311

I not a fan of that color temperature. A little too "intense" for me

Lux has a much cooler color temp.

Originally Posted by Z K

They aren't the same product. The bulb heatsink base is the same as they probably get it from the same source but the ballasts and LEDs used are different.

I like my LUX 5000k. It is not blue/purple looking.

My M is Interlagos Blue so you guys may be seeing some bumper reflection in the headlight housing mistaking that for more a bluish light emission.

Originally Posted by W///

Call me crazy, but I'm a bigger fan of the original AE's. The bright whites look good too though.

The car on the right has OEM LED Coronas.

[JJunkins]

Daylight pics, as promised. Sorry I don't have a car with OEM LED Coronas to compare to this time. I guess it depends on the angle and photo + processing to see the outer ring; this seems normal.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by JJunkins

My M is Interlagos Blue so you guys may be seeing some bumper reflection in the headlight housing mistaking that for more a bluish light emission.

It is well known that the OEM LEDs are about 7000k. That is a blue tinted color. If that is what you like, then that is fine. Not everyone wants blue tinted rings even if it is closer to the OEM on the LCI cars.

The intensity and evenness of the color can not match LCI because of the halo ring design even if the color matches.

Here is a comparison of the Lux 6500k and the 5000k in my review. You can clearly see the color difference. Now 7000k will be even more blue than the 6500k as shown.

[JJunkins]

Originally Posted by Z K

Here is a comparison of the Lux 6500k and the 5000k in my review. You can clearly see the color difference. Now 7000k will be even more blue than the 6500k as shown.

Hmm. I'm not sure what degree kelvin the BMS LED's are. Their website indicates 7000K but the product I received doesn't identically match the product on the website. I'm guessing they're somewhere around 6500K as in person the OEM LED's look a bit more bluish.

[k-lo]

Originally Posted by Z K

It is well known that the OEM LEDs are about 7000k. That is a blue tinted color. If that is what you like, then that is fine. Not everyone wants blue tinted rings even if it is closer to the OEM on the LCI cars.

The intensity and evenness of the color can not match LCI because of the halo ring design even if the color matches.

Here is a comparison of the Lux 6500k and the 5000k in my review. You can clearly see the color difference. Now 7000k will be even more blue than the 6500k as shown.

I agree, nothing can match the LCI in brightness and evenness (except maybe OSS etc). My 2012 X5d kills my 2011 M3 in that department.

[advans]

Originally Posted by JJunkins

Hmm. I'm not sure what degree kelvin the BMS LED's are. Their website indicates 7000K but the product I received doesn't identically match the product on the website. I'm guessing they're somewhere around 6500K as in person the OEM LED's look a bit more bluish.

The color temperatures that they tell you are bullshit. Tungsten lamps are 2900k, standard halogens are about 2700-3000k. Metal Halide (HID) sources in parking lots are 4500-5000k.

Also, I need to clarify with people. Not many understand LEDs. Some vendors tell people that they have a "high wattage" LED, ie, 20-watts, it really doesn't explain much. They can have the same product, overdrive the LEDs, and cause premature failure. Also, the higher the wattage, the more effective their heatsinks would need to be.

The reason why different vendors have different "5000k" colors is because of the binning of the LEDs, theoretically ANSI-BINNED LEDs have a 7-step MacAdam Ellipse standard (color shifting). That's why different batches can vary in different colors, unless they have a tight 2-3 step binning process.

Also, last most important. Trust vendors that TELL you what LED chips they use. I believe Mtec uses CREE, which is a name brand. Along with Nichia, Samsung, Citizen, etc.

[MRSSIIM3]

interesting. cheaper than lux and look pretty good

[skins333]

Originally Posted by v_bimmer

BUT i just ordered both from LUX and from another supplier (bulbs look identical). I will make a thread comparing the two.

If LUX is actually brighter, i will of corse address that, and my money will be well spent with LUX .

OP, thanks for the great review...def worth some consideration. I think this would be the most helpful comparo though (Lux vs BMS).