HID kit ... which is best?

[Rick-sta]

Originally Posted by Neil1

The original rules with HID's was to have them self-levelling and have headlight wash.

Which is what is fitted to my car.

You can get away with a blue tint to headlights but only if they are HID's.

My car failed last year for having aftermarket side light bulbs as they had a blue tint to them, now I have gone back to the original bulbs which are rubbish, but that's the rules.

I had one of my HID D2S bulbs fail, that means the bumper has to come off to change them and it's advisable to replace both in case the other one goes.
I had them replaced with 6000k bulbs, wow what a difference, I can now see down the road for a change.
The other bulb was starting to fail because it had a pink hue to it.

Although most cars with factory xenons came out the factory with headlamp wash and self levelling (not all of them did, think some mitsubishi cars had xenons without headlamp wash and self levelling in the late 90's), it's never been an MOT requirement to have them. Our car's should never fail on headlamp washers even if they're fitted but aren't working, as they are only a testable item on cars registered from 2009 on wards.

In regards to your sidelights, they can't be blue or any other colour apart from white or yellow. failing it for having a blueish tint to them is just petty. if you want LED sidelights go for 6000k pure white ones and make sure they are canbus ones other wise you'll get a bulb error. These will pas an MOT fine.

Yes that's the only down side to Xenons, that if a burner fails it requires you to take the bumper off and headlight out to change it. But burners very rarely fail, and if you install new burners before fitting the xenons you most likely won't have to change them again whilst you have the car. I've had many xenons go through me where I use them for my upgrades, and every single set I've come across has had the original burners fitted still.

Fitting new burners does make a decent difference

[T-Cut]

Originally Posted by T-Cut

The law changed? - cos I've been thinking about converting mine but I'm dithering.

So did the Law change?


TC

[clf]

Originally Posted by T-Cut

So did the Law change?


TC

Yes it did. Last year or year before. It is in relation to e marks and conformity to designed purpose. IE halogen light units being designed to operate correctly with halogen bulb, with relevant H number.

I didn't follow close enough as our rules are different. Mot tester was looking closely at the front of mine last mot, enquiring about washers etc. Apparently his colleague had noticed a 75 earlier had genuine xenons, suspension levelling but no washers and failed it, to the protestations of the owner.

sent from here

[Rick-sta]

Originally Posted by clf

Yes it did. Last year or year before. It is in relation to e marks and conformity to designed purpose. IE halogen light units being designed to operate correctly with halogen bulb, with relevant H number.

I didn't follow close enough as our rules are different. Mot tester was looking closely at the front of mine last mot, enquiring about washers etc. Apparently his colleague had noticed a 75 earlier had genuine xenons, suspension levelling but no washers and failed it, to the protestations of the owner.

sent from here

Did that test take place in Wales Alan? If so the MOT tester was wrong and incorrectly failed the car. MOT rules in England, Wales and Scotland are the same, they are only different in Ireland and Northern Ireland where they do require headlamp washers if you have Xenons.

[gadget1960]

Assuming I do go ahead with the HID kit, will there be problems with heat?
I understood the HID kits produce a brighter more powerful light using a fraction of the power and so should burn cooler than a normal halogen? is this correct or did I read it wrong?

[mcd840]

Originally Posted by gadget1960

Hi all, I was considering upgrading my 75 CDT lights (basic reflectors) to HID, not really interested in changing them to what is already available from the 75 range. Question is ... how many of you have actually done this with your 75? what was the end result like? is the conversion really worth the time / money? and above all .... which kit did you use? as every kit I have seen advertised all claim to be the best for one reason or another and prices range from over £100 right down to about £20 !! , apparently the kits to use are the ones with 'ceramic' bulb holders??? no idea really so any personal experiences would be much appreciated.

There is a kit available for reflector headlights - HID-R's which are designed for a reflector headlamp with no glare. Below is an example of a more expensive HID-R bulb but plenty cheaper ones on ebay.

https://www.hids4u.co.uk/H7R-Anti-Gl...sion-Kits.html

Keep in mind though that these are not legal and will probably not pass a MOT but easy enough to remove for it

I fitted the following kit yesterday to my wifes KIA Ceed which has projector headlamps and very pleased with them, £14.95 with 2 years warranty you cant complain.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hid-Conve...72.m2749.l2649

You can also purchase ballasts on there own from this seller to power your HID-R bulbs

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hid-Conve...72.m2749.l2649


Hope that helps

And just to mention - when I had my Vauxhall Signum I fitted an aftermarket HID kit into the projector headlamps which passed the MOT. Personally I see more of an issue with new cars ie BMW, AUDI, PEUGEOT just to name a few with stupidly bright LED headlights which blind the s**t out of you.

[clf]

Originally Posted by Rick-sta

Did that test take place in Wales Alan? If so the MOT tester was wrong and incorrectly failed the car. MOT rules in England, Wales and Scotland are the same, they are only different in Ireland and Northern Ireland where they do require headlamp washers if you have Xenons.

It was Northern Ireland Rick. The guy that was testing (or should I say retesting ) was hinting that he thought his colleague was being harsh (although he admitted he was correct to do so) by failing it, as the bumper did not have cut outs for the washers, and argued by the owner never did, passing previous years. My tester seemed to be hinting that he would have verbally advised the guy, but taken him at his word. He was laughing about it, as the tester who failed it, didnt notice they were Xenons until the underbody check (which is on the last stage of our tests - THIS video gives you an idea of our tests and centres)

[gadget1960]

Will the heat produced by an HID kit be an issue for the plastic lenses?

[mcd840]

Originally Posted by gadget1960

Will the heat produced by an HID kit be an issue for the plastic lenses?

Going by the volume of cars with HID kits then I would say probably not

[Terryf]

Originally Posted by klarzy

Do not put an hid kit in halogen reflector headlights... not only illegal but blinding and you may melt some parts of the headlight....

Get hold of a proper set of second hand xenons...

I must have been lucky with mine then, never got a flash from approaching cars, never failed test and never damaged headlight. But I agree now illegal so now have real xenon's.