hid conversion kit

[steveleyland]

Anyone fitted a HID conversion to 406 ?

Steve

[rapport25]

Have been considering it for the last 6 months a few problems are that the bulbs dont get hot and a if we had snow for example it would not melt this out of the way. Like ordinary bulbs would also have heard problems with failing the mot and blinding on coming drivers as they are so bright. Apart from that fantastic

[steveleyland]

Rapport25,

been looking at them on a website my last car had them but looked like "balls" rather than these ballast and a mini bulb.
there are some at 100 watt that also just replace instaed of ordinary bulb difference is about £100 v £15 not sure if there is any real difference between the two any idea ?

Steve

[rapport25]

My pug's bulbs have been upgraded to all xennon bulbs at the front which give brighter white light instead of the yellow colour you get from standard. The hid kit is a xennon bulb but a hell of a lot brighter. Depends what you want to spend really. I would expect to pay around £120 for a decent hid kit. Or around £35 to £40 for a decent set of xennons up front.

Hope that helps Rappy

[mjb]

If you put HIDs in without new reflectors I'll personally find you and put the light clusters through with a wrench

I'm sick of being blinded by dickheads who think "brighter is better, I don't care about the beam pattern cos I can see, f*ck everyone else"

[steveleyland]

HID kit comes with same 55w as normal bulbs so should give cleaner and brighter light but not dazzle as would just putting in 100w xennons dont make reference to reflectors ?

steve

[steve_earwig]

55 watts only describes the energy consumption, it's got very little to do with the amount of lights they put out, in the same way CFLs ("energy saving bulbs") are only rated a few watts but replace much more powerful tungsten filament bulbs.

By law all new cars sold with HID lights must have a self-levelling system in order not to blind other drivers, I'm not sure how this actually applies to aftermarket HID conversions but I'd guess just like overpowered bulbs they're illegal.

Oh looky

In summary it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules stated above.

The idiots here often drive with their full beams on, or like the fool that blinded me last night, can't be asked to have their lights re-aligned after they've had a pile up. I couldn't see for a couple of seconds after he'd gone by which is more than adequate to plough into the car in front if he'd stopped for some reason. I also get cluster migraines, I have this well under control now but bright headlamps in my eyes are actually really painful, sometimes I have the urge to swerve and put the damn things out...

[rapport25]

Basically they are ilegal!!!!!!! As you need new headlights that have been tested and are approved. So just upgrade to a decent set of xennon bulbs which will give you a brighter light but not cause an accident and piss off other road users off. And leave it at that. Rappy

[steveleyland]

like you say plenty convert with hid kit as only fraction cost of proper hid's my fto had them and when pranged cost £1000 each headlight because needed new as lugs had snapped so could not be "adjusted". a hid replacement came on the market for £100 so lots of the guys with older spec car went down this route.

DoT seems pretty clear though its a no no so make do with xenon bulbs then

cheers again guys

steve

[Nicodemus]

I'm with mjb on this. I can drive 200 miles around town of a night shift and if I get blinded again by some selfish careless thoughtless numpty I swear I'm going to ram 'em. Even if you hold your hand up to block/shade the lights it still causes visual problems.

[steveleyland]

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/ACEparts-Performance-Lighting

this is site with conversions states is UK road legal and has E approval ?

steve

[steve_earwig]

Well, they must be ok then, I'd rather believe them than the Ministry of Transport.

[steveleyland]

is cheaper to get non legal 100w than road legal 55w is nuts

[Matt]

Ebay are very hot on the legality of items auctioned on their site, both with regards to its function and intended use, they would have already considered such matters and if there was any doubt about their legality they would not be permitted for sale on that site. The legal team at Ebay will have made a decision about this item due to the number of traders selling them the conversions have proliferated through the site, they do not want to get tangled up in a big court case

[steve_earwig]

I dunno what's going on then, on the one hand DoT are saying they'd be illegal, on the other ebay thinks they're ok. I think I'd rather believe DoT myself, I doubt the coppers that just pulled you over for blinding them would be persuaded by the ebay argument. I was thinking that the add doesn't actually say which cars they'd be legal on... caveat emptor an' all that guff.