HID Conversion Kits

[[TW]Fox]

Since I've bought the kit I may aswell try it, If I encounter many issues with other road users or I feel I am bliding people I'll take it off and sell it. I know a LOT of people with kits like without issue.

You wont experience issues, thats the point, and its why Saxo club and Focus club and whatever are full of people who think cheapo HID kits are the bees knees. The beam will be crap but better than before so everyone think its awesome.

You are not driving towards your own car on the other side of the road!

 

[Muncher]

So these kits are not actually Illegal but simply a "Grey area"

I don't even think it's a grey area to be honest. The car won't fail an MOT with them on purely because they are HID. You're not committing any offence either which the police could deal with. The department of transport would like to prevent their use, but for the moment at least, they can't. They can say whatever they want and put forward their interpretation but it's just that.

Yes I have one, not had any issues at all. My headlights are projector ones and the beam pattern is very sharp and not aimed too high. Given the low height which they sit at in the VX they're even less likely to blind oncoming drivers. Went through 3 MOTs with them with no issues whatsoever too.

 

[Tom|Nbk]

Yes - but Muncher has projector lights so his kit is a 'grey area' without affecting others, yours is not.

Does Muncher have auto leveling aswell then??

Fox I see plenty of aftermarket HID kits daily, I do more mileage than you. I'm yet to be blinded by them and I have fairly light sensitive eyes, if they are properly aligned it significantly reduces glare to the point where it barely becomes an issue from what I can gather from my experience.

Older headlight units are obviously going to be worse with these kits compared to modern headlamps. Hence why I would not fit it to a prehistoric Corsa with dated lamps/reflectors like some people do.

The focus headlamp is hardly the worst in the world and is very unlikely to blind someone to he point they can no longer see. As for going over bumps in the road and blinding people I have never noticed the beam of my current lamps to ever go above bonnet height.

 

[Ben M]

Does Muncher have auto leveling aswell then??

Fox I see plenty of aftermarket HID kits daily, I do more mileage than you. I'm yet to be blinded by them and I have fairly light sensitive eyes, if they are properly aligned it significantly reduces glare to the point where it barely becomes an issue from what I can gather from my experience. Older headlight units are obviously going to be worse with these kits compared to modern headlamps. Hence why I would not fit it to a prehistoric Corsa with dated lamps/reflectors like some people do. The focus headlamp is hardly the worst in the world and is very unlikely to blind someone to he point they can no longer see.

I'm going to take a wild stab in the dark and say that you do more mileage than him because you do lots of motorway miles, it's not on motorways that problems occur.

 

[M0T]

Stuff

I'm not a legal eagle, and I had never read the regulations but I had a quick look through and I am probably still wrong (and I recally you working in motor insurance so would probably be better placed to answer correctly than me).

But surely the fitment of HID lights without a projector or self levelling mechanism would contravene the following section of The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989:

Restrictions on the use of lamps other than those to which regulation 24 refers
27. No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road any vehicle on which any lamp, hazard warning signal device or warning beacon of a type specified in an item in column 2 of the Table below is used in a manner specified in that item in column 3.

1 Headlamp

(a) Used so as to cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other persons using the road

 

[Tom|Nbk]

I'm going to take a wild stab in the dark and say that you do more mileage than him because you do lots of motorway miles, it's not on motorways that problems occur.

Apologies forgot you were an expert with a wealth of knowledge, how long have you been driving again?

Infact have you even passed your test?

 

[Muncher]

Does Muncher have auto leveling aswell then??

No. If I remember rightly auto-levelling systems don't actually do what you think they do. I've a big of a vague recollection of the details but they don't react quick enough to dip as you go over a bump, all they do is ensure when the car is parked on level ground the lights are level and not effected by the load the car is carrying. Again, self washing mechanisms, what's the point in those??

Personally I have more problems with headlights that are generally badly aligned, have bulbs not working, fog lights on and people using main beam. I can't say I've ever noticed a car with aftermarket HIDs and thought they were a problem.

 

[Tom|Nbk]

Don't get Fox started on Fog's Muncher.

Since Fox is our resident road warrior with his uber low mileage town driving. We may be here all night now that's been mentioned .

 

[Lopéz]

No. If I remember rightly auto-levelling systems don't actually do what you think they do. I've a big of a vague recollection of the details but they don't react quick enough to dip as you go over a bump, all they do is ensure when the car is parked on level ground the lights are level and not effected by the load the car is carrying. Again, self washing mechanisms, what's the point in those??

I think you're right - there is no way on Gods green earth that any self levelling system works fast enough to compensate for every bump in the road. No way.
Not even the servo's on spacecraft react that quick.

As far as I'm aware the washing is because dirt etc on the lens causes more refraction on an HID/projector than it does on a normal halogen bulb. Again, they are less than effective, even with washers and wipers on the Volvo lamps you still need to actually scrub it with a wet cloth to get anything other than the lightest coat of road grime.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Since Fox is our resident road warrior with his uber low mileage town driving. We may be here all night now that's been mentioned .

Whats your problem?

I do more mileage than you.

Aaah, I see. An unquantifiable ****ing contest. It is only since I went back to Uni that I've done not done that many miles on my 530i. Before I went back to Uni I did almost 20k during my placement, and I've done plenty of mileage in other cars since. So don't start.

 

[Muncher]

1 Headlamp

(a) Used so as to cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other persons using the road

Of course, but that applies to all headlights. Because they are HID does not necessarily mean they cause undue dazzle, it means that if your lights cause undue dazzle you are committing an offence, they can be HIDs and not cause dazzle. In practice I imagine the threshold for this is quite high and if the vehicle is capable of passing an MOT lighting test then they are unlikely to be causing an offence under the act.

 

[Gaijin]

You've bought it, so fit it and test it. Drive past some of your friends in a secluded area and see if they get blinded. Don't forget to keep your front fogs off as you could potentially blind your friends for life.

I did this and mine were fine, the light was better, I know it is my car and I can tell the difference.

If you are sure it is ok leave it on. However you have a responsibility to other road users so be honest. You are also running the risk of getting nicked, however low the risk. Bear this in mind, and don't whinge if you get busted.

I'll add as usual that I used to have HID's on mine and removed them when a bulb developed a fault. Couldn't afford to replace them so replaced with Philips Xtreme Vision bulbs which are good, but not as good.

I have no reason to lie, but my personal experience is down to my car.

 

[M0T]

I think you're right - there is no way on Gods green earth that any self levelling system works fast enough to compensate for every bump in the road. No way.
Not even the servo's on spacecraft react that quick.

From what I can find they are there to respond to the load of the vehicle causing the lights to become incorrectly aligned, as well as to respond to differences in road levels.

Obviously you are right they can't react fast enough for a small bump, but larger ones maybe. More importantly is if you are carrying round a heavy load in your boot then you won't have your headlights at the correct level.

 

[M0T]

Of course, but that applies to all headlights. Because they are HID does not necessarily mean they cause undue dazzle, it means that if your lights cause undue dazzle you are committing an offence, they can be HIDs and not cause dazzle. In practice I imagine the threshold for this is quite high and if the vehicle is capable of passing an MOT lighting test then they are unlikely to be causing an offence under the act.

But the primary cause of HID dazzle is the fitment of HID lamps into Halogen reflectors as the OP intends to do, so the alignment can still be correct but a poor beam pattern could still cause dazzle.

Surely undue dazzle is a value judgement in the same way as careless driving? Therefore a police officer could give you a ticket for being non compliant with the regulations regardless of the car passing an mot alignment check.

 

[Tom|Nbk]

Whats your problem?

Your dramatisation of EVERYthing. After gauging other peoples opinions I do feel you and others which decide to follow you like sheep are making the issue if there really even is one to be bigger than it actually is.

 

[[TW]Fox]

It's the same story 'If it doesnt affect me personally I won't accept/dont give a stuff whether it affects anyone else'.

 

[Lopéz]

Your dramatisation of EVERYthing. After gauging other peoples opinions I do feel you and others which decide to follow you like sheep are making the issue out to be bigger than it actually is.

Chill Winston.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Your dramatisation of EVERYthing.

It's a thread about HID conversion kits, so I post lots in about HID conversion kits. Big deal. What do you want me to do, post once and ignore the excuses you come out with subsequently?

After gauging other peoples opinions I do feel you and others which decide to follow you like sheep are making the issue out to be bigger than it actually is.

No, you WANT to beleive that because you've bought your cheapo HID kit and want to fit it to look cool (You've just told us that light output increase was not the reason for your purchase). I dont have any sheep, stop giving me more credit than I deserve - the people who agree with me do so becuase of their opinion not becuase they follow what I say.

I wanted HID's in my Mondeo. I knew doing so would be silly, as it has reflectors not projectors, so I didnt fit them. Why cant you do the same?

 

[Muncher]

But the primary cause of HID dazzle is the fitment of HID lamps into Halogen reflectors as the OP intends to do, so the alignment can still be correct but a poor beam pattern could still cause dazzle.

Surely undue dazzle is a value judgement in the same way as careless driving? Therefore a police officer could give you a ticket for being non compliant with the regulations regardless of the car passing an mot alignment check.

Indeed, in non projector headlamps you are more likely to cause undue dazzle, therefore more likely to be committing an offence.

 

[M0T]

Indeed, in non projector headlamps you are more likely to cause undue dazzle, therefore more likely to be committing an offence.

Thats my point, but I would also be worried about the lack of a levelling mechanism causing the same problem when used with heavy loads. Obviously not a problem with using the VX