BMW: 2003 525i Xenons don't shoot far?

I just bought a 2003 525i and have been somewhat disappointed with the xenon
headlamps. The light output is bright and crisp, but it doesn't illuminate
the road very far out. I know that the manufacturer sets up the lamp so that
it doesn't shine directly in other drivers' eyes. In my brief experience,
however, my old car's halogen low-beams lit up the road much further out
than these new xenons. I find myself continuously straining to see what is
beyond the 'reach' of the xenons.

Is this something that I or the dealer can adjust? I know that there is a
self-leveling mechanism so that the lights don't blind oncoming drivers, but
is there a manual aim adjustment? I don't want to be obnoxious to oncoming
cars, but I do want to be able to see more than 50-75 feet in front of me
with my low-beams on.

Any thoughts?

Seems a common problem - I suspect they adjust them low so they don't annoy
oncoming drivers - perhaps overly low.

I adjusted mine ('03 525iT) - there are two plastic wheels sticking straight
up behind the light assembly. You need a metric allen wrench to adjust them,
and they only adjust the horizon (up/down, not like the non-xenons where they
adjust both horizontal and vertical). Turn both an equal amount in small
steps.

The standard for adjustment - is (and this is from memory, but fairly close) -
park the car opposite a flat wall, on a flat surface. Park it 25' from the
wall. Measure the distance from the center of the light to the ground. Adjust
the top of the flat-section of the beam to be 2" less than the height of the
center of the bulb.

Took about 10 minutes total - and made a big difference. I was driving my
other 5 series ('98 528i) tonight with wife following me in the '03 - and the
lights were not annoying, so I think the adjustment is good.

The self-leveling is only meant to level the lights to the adjusted position
with the two adjusters. Since the Touring has self-leveling rear suspension
the self-leveling of the lights is a bit redundent. Probably more useful if
you have one without the self-leveling suspension.

In article <com>, RJM <com> wrote: 


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Don Eilenberger
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Moderator, E39 Yahoo Special Interest Group
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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bmwe39
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