Aftermarket Xenon's

[TommyC]

I've been looking at the vRS's in auto trader and xenon light's don't seem to be a popular option on the list from new. I would assume this is cos they're quite expensive??!!

Just wondering if they can be fitted by a dealer as an after market upgrade??

I've noticed that the reflectors are different (prism type) on Robbo51's car.


I've seen kits on ebay for xenon's that are less than £200 but i assume they wouldn't fit because of this??

[Jon TDI]

After market upgrade would be a very expensive option (headlights, washers, auto leveling sensor).

The kits on ebay will be for conversion bulbs that fit in your standard headlights. Not quite sure if they are 100% legal as you need washers & auto levellers.

[ChrisRs]

They cost me £500 as a factory fit option. It would probably cost you a lot more to fit them as an after market upgrade. You can get some pretty good bulb upgrades (See the threads) AND easily done too. Its almost impossible to change the main beam and sidelight bulbs on a xenon equipped Fabia for a bulb upgrade. If anyone knows how please let me know!!

[TommyC]

Originally Posted by Jon TDI

washers, auto leveling sensor

woah, wtf is all that needed for??

[WRCSixtyThree]

Originally Posted by TommyC

woah, wtf is all that needed for??

To comply with construction and use regulations for RTA purposes, IIRC.

Basically, the self-levelling prevents dazzle, and the washers are meant to keep the lenses cleaner to prevent beam scatter, which xenons are much more susceptible to.

[TommyC]

OMG i never thought they were that complicated!!!!

(I now understand why it seems you get blinded by some cars with xenon's and not by others. Could be people with aftermarket kits like those on ebay!!)

I wouldn't have thought headlight washers are as good as they're supposed to be though because surely if the headlights are wet then dirt sticks to them more easily??

When you use the washers to remove the dirt it doesn't remove all of it and then they're wet again, so more dirt sticks to them, so you use the washers again......

Bit of a viscious circle??

Only my thoughts though....... and won't be offended if i'm proved wrong!!!!

[tfboy]

The washers on xenons are pretty powerful jets though, and they target the small area of the polycarbonate cover where the light of the xid beam transverses.

On my previous fabia, I had xenons and truly miss them on my current fabia. Retro-fitting it is expensive because you have the washers (different washer bottle, added washer jets, bumber, etc), and the autolevelling which would cost the most to retrofit I think because you may need a new wiring loom

[johnjohnhealy]

Originally Posted by Jon TDI

After market upgrade would be a very expensive option (headlights, washers, auto leveling sensor).

The kits on ebay will be for conversion bulbs that fit in your standard headlights. Not quite sure if they are 100% legal as you need washers & auto levellers.

Dont worry the aftermarket kits are perfectly legal, i've got a kit on mine and even though the cars only 2 years old I have passed 3 MOT's (cos it's a taxi) with them fitted and informing the tester before hand just to make sure.

In every case they state that the auto-leveling and washers are only a requirement on cars supplied as new with HID/Xenons and the reg's dont apply to vehicles with retro fitted kits.

The only thing i'd say really about the aftermarket kits is be carefull about the quality of kit you buy. I have had some quite dodgy ones of e-bay, the lights flicker and distract you and the beams dont match each other sometimes, i.e. one will be really bright and the other not so. when flickering you cant see the flicker by looking at the lights, only in the light cast down at the road, you'd only notice if in the car.

I ended up getting a kit called 'X 5' and this seems to be pretty good quality, no flickering and bulbs match for brightness, only the occasional change of colour to a slightly more yellow colour for a couple of seconds but it's very rare.

In general i'd recommend HIDs cos once you get used to em normal lights seem crap!!

Also if the Fabia/Octavia are the same as the Superb with the H7 bulb (apart from being a nightmare to change bulbs) then you have to do a little work to get em to fit -

I bought new rear dust covers for the headlights so i could turn them back to standard if I want to/sell car. you have to drill them so you can get the wire through into the headlight, you will be supplied with rubber grommets to stop moisture getting in tho.

Also the plastic connector with the metal surrounding clip and the headlight bulb wires that you push onto a H7 lamp and twist to lock the bulb into position may need cutting/drilling or modding of the matal part to fit round the HID bulb. definately buy a few spares just in case and so you can still put a normal bulb in just in case. The X5 kit I have now didn't need any modding of the metal clip but was a right git to push the wires/connectors/rubber grommet through the small hole in the centre!!

[ChrisRs]

Another solution is to trade the car in and order a new one with Xenons. Job done !!

[tfboy]

Originally Posted by robbo51

Another solution is to trade the car in and order a new one with Xenons. Job done !!

True, although that's not a practical solution in my case

JJH, that's useful info. Thanks

[ap0gee]

Originally Posted by johnjohnhealy

Dont worry the aftermarket kits are perfectly legal,

Something like these, you mean?

Carlight

I was wondering about something like these myself...

[TommyC]

Originally Posted by ap0gee

Something like these, you mean?

Carlight

I was wondering about something like these myself...

They seem expensive compared to some of the stuff on ebay. You could save £100 on that price!!!!!

[faboka vrs]

VRSBarry had a retro kit fitted to his. Think it was from skodaspares or something. Try a search.

[johnjohnhealy]

Originally Posted by ap0gee

Something like these, you mean?

Carlight

I was wondering about something like these myself...

Hmm, just looked and they have a separate ignitor which is not good really. you want some that have built in ignitors and are in metal cases, the plastic stuff is cheap and nasty (not v.cheap on there though).

Try this American site - HID-LIGHTS

This is where I got my X5 kit from (thats the name of the kit not a bmw)
they are very friendly and sent the kit out by trackable recorded delivery, arrived quickly and nicely packaged. i'd recommend them.

They sell various kits , most look good quality, and they also sell replacement bulbs should you ever need them (unlikely)

They also trade on e-bay under the name 'importsquare' have a look at Item number: 8004850979
Thats what I have on my car, and i'm very happy with it.

[Podwin]

What about these people http://www.hids4u.co.uk/

[WRCSixtyThree]

Originally Posted by johnjohnhealy

Dont worry the aftermarket kits are perfectly legal, i've got a kit on mine and even though the cars only 2 years old I have passed 3 MOT's (cos it's a taxi) with them fitted and informing the tester before hand just to make sure.

In every case they state that the auto-leveling and washers are only a requirement on cars supplied as new with HID/Xenons and the reg's dont apply to vehicles with retro fitted kits.

The only thing i'd say really about the aftermarket kits is be carefull about the quality of kit you buy. I have had some quite dodgy ones of e-bay, the lights flicker and distract you and the beams dont match each other sometimes, i.e. one will be really bright and the other not so. when flickering you cant see the flicker by looking at the lights, only in the light cast down at the road, you'd only notice if in the car.

I ended up getting a kit called 'X 5' and this seems to be pretty good quality, no flickering and bulbs match for brightness, only the occasional change of colour to a slightly more yellow colour for a couple of seconds but it's very rare.

In general i'd recommend HIDs cos once you get used to em normal lights seem crap!!

Also if the Fabia/Octavia are the same as the Superb with the H7 bulb (apart from being a nightmare to change bulbs) then you have to do a little work to get em to fit -

I bought new rear dust covers for the headlights so i could turn them back to standard if I want to/sell car. you have to drill them so you can get the wire through into the headlight, you will be supplied with rubber grommets to stop moisture getting in tho.

Also the plastic connector with the metal surrounding clip and the headlight bulb wires that you push onto a H7 lamp and twist to lock the bulb into position may need cutting/drilling or modding of the matal part to fit round the HID bulb. definately buy a few spares just in case and so you can still put a normal bulb in just in case. The X5 kit I have now didn't need any modding of the metal clip but was a right git to push the wires/connectors/rubber grommet through the small hole in the centre!!

These kits are all very well, but there's a good reason why new vehicles have self-levelling and washers.

I was unfortunate enough to be stuck in front of some **** in an old BMW 3 series who had a HID kit. The beams are much more susceptible to the road surface, it would seem, and after about a mile I pulled over to let the **** pass, as the lights were incredibly distracting and dazzling. Drivers coming the other way obviously thought the same, after seening the number who were flashing at Mr-BMW-Chophead.

[johnjohnhealy]

Originally Posted by Podwin

What about these people http://www.hids4u.co.uk/

Their a bit pricey, I got my first kit from them, Techone I think they were called, very friendly and helpfull guy but this was the kit that flickered, I notice they are selling the vastly better quality kits now though.

[johnjohnhealy]

Originally Posted by WRCSixtyThree

These kits are all very well, but there's a good reason why new vehicles have self-levelling and washers.

I was unfortunate enough to be stuck in front of some **** in an old BMW 3 series who had a HID kit. The beams are much more susceptible to the road surface, it would seem, and after about a mile I pulled over to let the **** pass, as the lights were incredibly distracting and dazzling. Drivers coming the other way obviously thought the same, after seening the number who were flashing at Mr-BMW-Chophead.

If your headlights are adjusted correctly there shouldn't be a problem, I never get flashed and I drive on average 10 hours a night, every night.

People with normal headlights that are incorectly adjusted will dazzle you just as much, the only thing with HID/Xenons really is the different colour that will distract other drivers, they give out a more natural daylight colour, they aren't really a lot brighter than halogen bulbs it's just the more natural light penetrates better than the yellow light of halogen bulbs.

And at the end of the day, if their fitted to your car you aint gonna dazzle yourself are you!!

[tfboy]

Ahh, but all of those kits are to fit the standard headlight and they use the reflector designed for the halogen bulb. They're not "proper" HID bulbs in HID-style headlights.

So they only benefit is the colour temperature, and not so much the clean cut-off line you get with OEM HID setups

[ap0gee]

Originally Posted by tfboy

Ahh, but all of those kits are to fit the standard headlight and they use the reflector designed for the halogen bulb. They're not "proper" HID bulbs in HID-style headlights.

So they only benefit is the colour temperature, and not so much the clean cut-off line you get with OEM HID setups

So does that mean you're better off with some Silver Star (or whatever it is they're called) filament bulbs, then? Much cheaper and no legal issues...?