X5M OEM LED Headlight Replacement Lens

[JellyStyle]

Has anyone successsfully done this?
I know you cant buy replacement smooth lens, only the ones that are non LED, but wondering if anyone has ever done this?

I have tried to polish BMW headlights and they don't work well, you need to recoat them with clear 2k, so its my backup option.

[jbash87]

I didn't notice you said "LED"... Disregard. Not sure about those.

Sreten did a video on it. It's not an M but I think they're the same.

M539 Restorations on youtube. He's got some great content for BMW nerds.

[JellyStyle]

looks like im going to try to polish the OEM firm, see if i can get it pretty, then use some 2k clear for headlights to reapply the clear to it.

[jbash87]

After looking at a bunch of photos I'm wondering if the lens is the same? Can you tell if the reflective bits on the LED headlights are connected to the lens itself, or the headlight body?

[Attacking Mid]

I'm a fan of the spray paint method similar to your video above. I have always sanded by hand and not necessarily in as many steps as the video suggested. The specific grits aren't super critical as long as you get up to at least, say, 1200 or so.

Painting on the car is a challenge to avoid runs. I remove the headlights when reasonably possible so you can paint a horizontal surface. If not, perhaps find a steep driveway or similar to tilt the lenses to be as non-vertical as possible.

Also, one spray can will do probably 6 headlights, so you might want to do multiple cars if possible as the 2K Spray Max won't keep.

These lights are not clean, I just ran out and snapped photos in the driveway where they sit. One was a brand new headlight and one was original (moderately fogged) and treated with Spray Max about 18 mos. ago. You can probably tell which is which, but it's certainly not obvious...





AM.

[JellyStyle]

thanks for the pics and feedback. I think the art is light coats and letting it flash, and reapply to it, as the video shows..but i also agree on removing so gravity is not working against you..

I will take before and after and see how close to OEM new i can get it. (if i only had a paint booth to shoot the headlights vs. in a garage)

[acarpenter86]

Originally Posted by JellyStyle

thanks for the pics and feedback. I think the art is light coats and letting it flash, and reapply to it, as the video shows..but i also agree on removing so gravity is not working against you..

I will take before and after and see how close to OEM new i can get it. (if i only had a paint booth to shoot the headlights vs. in a garage)

I have successfully painted a few sets of BMW lights. I think I did 400 grit to get all the yellow off, 600, then 1200. Make sure you don't see any scratches, just haze. Use water with the 600 and 1200. I used an actual auto clear and sprayer. Two good coats, and I actually went a step further and color sanded them and buffed them. Looked awesome.

However, on the X5 I just picked up, I plan to just buy new lenses. If you have a heat gun (or use and oven) it honestly is not that bad to just put in new ones.