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      04-21-2013, 01:01 PM   #1
JNoSol
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mTEC V2 LED Angel Eyes Review

Hello 7ers. As promise, this is my full review of the latest mTEC V2 LED angel eyes kit for the F01/F02 (pre-LCI of course).

Coming from an F10 to a 2012 F02, I was very upset with the yellow lifeless angel eyes. So I did tons of research on multiple forums, to find out that no one has successfully installed LED angel eyes on a 2012 F01/F02 without error (2012 computer is more sensitive compared to 2009-2011). Some use HID, which seems very messy to wire (fire hazard). Some use halogen bulbs, to find out that it's not brighter compared to stock bulbs (just a bit less yellow, and halogen dim when the headlights are on making it even more yellow).

My research leads me to the new mTEC V2 LED angel eyes kit. This version is brighter compared to the V1, and it is now tested with the 2012 F01/F02 (I was one of the gunea pigs). Each V2 driver produces 9w (Powering each H8 with 4xCREE 3w LEDs) and over 1,100 lumens of light (much brighter compared to stock).

Ordering: I got my set from Steve @ mTEC Lighting USA for $220shipped. They arrive quickly and Steve is very responsive to my list of questions even after the sale. His website will not show the V2, since he's trying to get rid of old inventory.

Install: Remove the angel eyes bulb cover, unplug the H8, remove the stock H8 bulb. Insert the driver where space allows (as shown in my photo), install the LED H8 (not it goes in as a "T" shape). Plug everything up, install the cover, and then you're done. (should take you 5-15min). No tools required.

**For the 2009-2011 models, you'll need to install both the driver and the resister. For my 2012, I just install the driver and threw the away the resister. Notice I use Velcro to secure the driver, I didn't want rattling noise from it bouncing around.

Impression: The mTEC V2 LEDs light up all 4 rings fully, with bright and clean white light. Compared to using halogen white bulbs, the rings color doesn't change to amber when your headlights are on. As you see on one of the photos, I compared my pre-LCI 7 with mTEC to my E70 LCI which comes factory with LEDs. The 7's AEs seem brighter compared to the E70 LCI and almost as bright as my old F10. I'm 100% satisfied with the light output. Best of all, no error.

Enjoy the photos. I hope you find my review helpful. Cheers. - Jimmy Win
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Last edited by JNoSol; 04-26-2013 at 04:41 PM..
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      04-21-2013, 07:32 PM   #2
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Pics in sunshine please.....
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      04-21-2013, 09:42 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bruno787 View Post
Pics in sunshine please.....
Here ye go. It's brighter in real life.
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      04-22-2013, 03:17 PM   #4
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is the MTEC box (resistors?) just kinda flopping around inside the headlight housing? Does it get hot? The color looks excellent! Way better than any bulb I've tried.
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      04-22-2013, 04:44 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlBoston View Post
is the MTEC box (resistors?) just kinda flopping around inside the headlight housing? Does it get hot? The color looks excellent! Way better than any bulb I've tried.
The kit comes with 4 mTec metal boxes, the 2 larger and 2 smaller. The larger boxes are the drivers and the smaller boxes are the resisters. For the 2012,you don't need to plug the resisters to the driver. For 2009-2011, you'll need to plug the resisters to the drivers.

I Velcro the drivers down so they don't move at all (look closer on the photo, you'll see black Velcro). The drivers don't get hot. The massive heat sink of the LEDs do get hot, since these are high power CREE LEDs. The aluminum heat sink is designed to cool the LEDs down, nothing to worry about.
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      04-22-2013, 10:39 PM   #6
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Do they dim when you turn on the headlights?
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      04-22-2013, 10:46 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlBoston View Post
Do they dim when you turn on the headlights?
No. Maybe slightly, but I can't tell.
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      04-23-2013, 10:27 AM   #8
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I've seen the V1's go for 199 through MTEC's acct on ebay. What are the V2 selling for? You mention this is for the 2012 F01/F02, what about the F04? Also, can you provide more detail how you velcro'ed it? I still can't tell.
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      04-23-2013, 11:37 AM   #9
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Thanks JNoSol for the excellent review! I was wondering one thing, you mentioned, 3xCree chips - I think there are 4 LEDs per bulb - did you look closely at the bulb before installation and only see 3 LEDs? The bulbs look like there would be 4 from the spacing I see of the chips in the photo.
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      04-23-2013, 09:46 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlBoston View Post
I've seen the V1's go for 199 through MTEC's acct on ebay. What are the V2 selling for? You mention this is for the 2012 F01/F02, what about the F04? Also, can you provide more detail how you velcro'ed it? I still can't tell.
$220 shipped for the V2. I got them from Steve @ mTEC Lighting USA. It should work with the F04, if not, Steve will give you a refund I'm sure.

Below where the bulb is, there's a flat spot inside the housing. I cut a piece of velcro for the bottom of the driver and a piece of the velco for the flat spot inside the light housing. I then velcro them together.
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      04-23-2013, 09:48 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bimmer750li View Post
Thanks JNoSol for the excellent review! I was wondering one thing, you mentioned, 3xCree chips - I think there are 4 LEDs per bulb - did you look closely at the bulb before installation and only see 3 LEDs? The bulbs look like there would be 4 from the spacing I see of the chips in the photo.
You may be right, I will double check. If there are 4x3w CREE LEDs, then it would make more sense as mTEC doesn't like over driving the LEDs. So the driver is only for 9w, powering 12w of LEDs. I will confirm when I'm home, but it should be irrelevant. I believe LUX has 3 LEDs so I assumed the same for mTEC.
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      04-24-2013, 03:50 PM   #12
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looks great
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      04-26-2013, 04:43 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bimmer750li View Post
Thanks JNoSol for the excellent review! I was wondering one thing, you mentioned, 3xCree chips - I think there are 4 LEDs per bulb - did you look closely at the bulb before installation and only see 3 LEDs? The bulbs look like there would be 4 from the spacing I see of the chips in the photo.
You're correct. There are 4 CREE LEDs per H8 bulb. From the look of it, they look like XPE or XTE 3w chips. The 12w LEDs are under driven by 9w to reduce heat and extend the life of the LEDs.
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      04-26-2013, 04:44 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by E92-Lighting View Post
looks great
Thanks.
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      05-01-2013, 06:11 AM   #15
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mTEC H8 Golden Style Fog Light Bulbs

Check out the mTEC H8 35w (standard) - Golden Style bulbs. They look great and work well in foggy condition. I didn't go with HID, since bright/white fog lights will just glare back in my face in foggy condition. This is just the right look I'm going for.

Installation was easy. Just use your 2 fingers to pull the lower bumper grill, loosen the 8mm holding the fog light housing, slide the fog light housing towards the center of the bumper to unclip. Shouldn't take more than 5min. Be careful not to break the clips of the fog light housing, they're crispy.

It was a cheap mod, less than $30/set.
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Last edited by JNoSol; 05-01-2013 at 07:16 AM..
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      05-08-2013, 02:24 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JNoSol View Post
Check out the mTEC H8 35w (standard) - Golden Style bulbs. They look great and work well in foggy condition. I didn't go with HID, since bright/white fog lights will just glare back in my face in foggy condition. This is just the right look I'm going for.

Installation was easy. Just use your 2 fingers to pull the lower bumper grill, loosen the 8mm holding the fog light housing, slide the fog light housing towards the center of the bumper to unclip. Shouldn't take more than 5min. Be careful not to break the clips of the fog light housing, they're crispy.

It was a cheap mod, less than $30/set.
More pics please. Any sunny day shots?
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      05-09-2013, 12:38 PM   #17
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Lightbulb

I am VERY pleased with this "lighting solution". Seeing that it is much more than just bulbs. I was so disappointed coming from my e65 to the F01 having to look at the pissy looking halogen Eyes! I had to remedy that sh1t immediately.
Like most, I tried various 'HID-Type Halogen bulbs. They barely looked better and are typically less bright.
I had the Mtec AEs in my e65 I purchased from e92lighting/Derrick and were quite pleased with them. But when I installed these v2 AEs in my F01, I new I was in for something special when I fired them up and noticed the light output on my garage wall!

So I can honestly and easily state that based on my extensive search and experience, this is the BEST AE solution short of retrofitting some 2013 light assembly in our cars!

Pics:

For comparison; Side-by-Side install pics. And those are HOEN bulbs (left) fyi!





Now for direct sun-light pics (which is the most important right?)








Something equally important to me was/is "heat output" of the components enclosed inside the stock light housing: The LED bulbs, wiring and drivers. I had already been monitoring the wiring for signs of 'burning and overheating' or even smells of burning. As of yesterday or @ 2 weeks later I am happy to report everything looks great inside and zero signs of burning or overheating! I run my DRLs everyday. I snapped the following pics of my install:






Of additional note; The entire kit/items are very well made! Nothing flimsy or shody connectors.

~ Big Marcus
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      05-12-2013, 05:20 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 335aj View Post
More pics please. Any sunny day shots?
Direct sun hitting passenger side light.
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      01-12-2014, 12:07 AM   #19
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stunning shots! MTEC V3 F01 angel eye kits are 100% error free, dont worry
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      04-06-2015, 10:58 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by E92-Lighting View Post
stunning shots! MTEC V3 F01 angel eye kits are 100% error free, dont worry
I've also installed MTEC H8 V3 on my F01 and after 3-4 days of error free im starting to get errors and they randomly turn off or flicker. I think the problem is encountered on 7 Series models with fitted with BMW Dynamic Xenon headlights. Option S524A Adaptives Kurvenlicht / Adaptive Headlights

On F01 models with stock xenons (non adaptive) they works without errors. Can anybody confirm if that has installed and used MTEC H8 V3 on F01 with Dynamic Xenon option for more then a week without any errors?

Thank you
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      04-21-2015, 01:56 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bruno787
Pics in sunshine please.....
Wow, that's beautiful. The yellow bugged me as well.
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