NAL Headlights - anyone have these?

[Springfield1952]

My M5 has NAL (North American Lighting) branded headlights which I know nothing about. The parent company for NAL is Koito Manufacturing based in Tokyo. Does anyone know anything about this brand, good or bad?

TIA,

Curt.

[uscharalph]

My M5 has NAL (North American Lighting) branded headlights which I know nothing about. The parent company for NAL is Koito Manufacturing based in Tokyo. Does anyone know anything about this brand, good or bad?

TIA,

Curt.
Is that just the bulb or the headlight assembly?

[Springfield1952]

There is "NAL" cast in the center of the lenses, both high and low beam.

Curt.

[Dave M]

I have em. Canadian 91_525im. I think they suck the big one:(

The first person to offer up some better lighting at a reasonable pric will make some money:)

Dave M

[SLEX Runner]

My M5 has NAL (North American Lighting) branded headlights which I know nothing about. The parent company for NAL is Koito Manufacturing based in Tokyo. Does anyone know anything about this brand, good or bad?

TIA,

Curt.

Koito is a big OEM supplier for Toyota. They manufacture both headlamp assemblies and bulbs.

Nothing wrong per se with the brand...IMO, far better in fact than anything manufactured in Taiwan or China.

[Springfield1952]

I've never taken the lights out of either e34 but can I install any 5.75" diameter light? Or are the buckets a special design that requires a special light? Except for the Touring, which has elipsoids, just about every car I've ever owned got Hellas or Cibies put in while I owned them and I'm thinking of doing the same here if I can. Comments?

Curt.

[kyleN20]

i think i have hella?

[winfred]

89-90 and 93-95 have the elipsoid projector lights and they are expensive to replace, usually hella brand, 91-92 have cheeper less effective lights, the high and low beams look the same and don't have the dark dot that the elipsoid lowers have. elipsoids are as good as usa lights got and are varly close to euro lights in quality of beam but don't give you the option to install higher wattage bulbs

[bimmerd00d]

89-90 and 93-95 have the elipsoid projector lights and they are expensive to replace, usually hella brand, 91-92 have cheeper less effective lights, the high and low beams look the same and don't have the dark dot that the elipsoid lowers have. elipsoids are as good as usa lights got and are varly close to euro lights in quality of beam but don't give you the option to install higher wattage bulbs

my '93 had us non-ellipsoids, 10/92 prod date.

[winfred]

the factory was ether using up old stock (not sure when the cut off point was) or it was hit and repaired with the earlyer lights


my '93 had us non-ellipsoids, 10/92 prod date.

[Keith]

My M5 has NAL (North American Lighting) branded headlights which I know nothing about. The parent company for NAL is Koito Manufacturing based in Tokyo. Does anyone know anything about this brand, good or bad?

TIA,

Curt.


Hey Curt, long time no see and NOW you have an M5, NIIIIICE!

Hey, as far as the NAL's, Daniel is looking for a set for me, so I can get rid of these ellipsoids for lights that REALLY light up the road.

Check out his site here: http://www.danielsternlighting.com/

Oh, by the way, check out are local site here: http://www.norcalbmw.com/ and tell'em Keith sent ya. ;)

[emw525E34]

Yuck, toyota lenses in an M5?. Go for Hella Euro Ellipsoids, they are wonderful. No need HIDs as it "burns" other drivers eyes in the highway...

[Paul in NZ]

well my toyota had better (H4)low beams than my 535(hella H1 euro epsilloids)....

[Dave M]

Hey, as far as the NAL's, Daniel is looking for a set for me, so I can get rid of these ellipsoids for lights that REALLY light up the road.


I would love to know how you plan on making the NAL's REALLY light up the road. Sarcasm or secret?

Fill us in....

Dave M

[Anthony (M5 in Calgary)]

I've never taken the lights out of either e34 but can I install any 5.75" diameter light? Or are the buckets a special design that requires a special light? Except for the Touring, which has elipsoids, just about every car I've ever owned got Hellas or Cibies put in while I owned them and I'm thinking of doing the same here if I can. Comments?

Curt.

NAL low beam = freeform = crap lighting. There, I said it...

E34s use a special headlight bucket so you cannot easily retrofit standard 5 3/4" lamps. The ellipsoid lamps can be retrofitted but they use a different length fixed post in the mounting system. The other two posts are the same as with the freeform lamps but you'll need to do a fair amount of adjusting to get the new housings aligned. Usually the adjusters have enough rust on the threads to make adjustment impossible so buy new adjustment posts as well.

High beam NAL housings are OK.

Another good thing about the ellipsoid lamps is you can simulate a Euro cutoff pattern by trimming the shutter that fits between the lamp and lens. Not quite "smiley" good, but much better than the 1940's technology on which the DOT standard is based.

Trim shutter with a Dremel grinder along line shown to obtain the Euro angle pattern.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/interalian/ECODECUTAWAY.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/interalian/ELLIPSOIDSIDE.jpg

[Keith]

I would love to know how you plan on making the NAL's REALLY light up the road. Sarcasm or secret?

Fill us in....

Dave M

I'll let you know when I get them and have the correct bulb installed.