Why aren't Xenons standard yet?
- Thread starter Steedie
- Start date
I'm the opposite, yeah they're nice (went from a 10 year old Civic to a clio 182 with xenons) but not absolutely necessary.
Probably just me though, i've never used my cruise control, and I hate auto wipers
In general in car technology is way behind the real world.
Sat Nav's, audio equipment and other gadgets are all expensive options and still years behind cheap stuff on the high street.
From a manufacturers perspective; if it costs £100 to fit a device as standard, multiply that by x million car sales and it's a significant amount of lost revenue.
Sat Nav's, audio equipment and other gadgets are all expensive options and still years behind cheap stuff on the high street.
From a manufacturers perspective; if it costs £100 to fit a device as standard, multiply that by x million car sales and it's a significant amount of lost revenue.
Soldato
- Joined
- 19 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 18,084
- Location
- Shakespeare’s County
Not if your profit target on the product remains the same, the price of the increases. What really happens is the options are where the easy cash is made with the options, the Mini is a perfect example, cheap enough car to attract a lot of buyers but then open seasom on the options list that soons adds thpusands to the price.
People who don't know about them don't care, people who do know about them will pay a lot extra for them! It's a shame though that the UK market is like this. Just go on MB USA or Audi USA website and see how much kit you get as standard across the range. Makes me weep! Xenons, power seats, leather etc etc!
Nope, many cars have Bi-Xenon headlamps which use the Xenon bulbs for main beam as well as dipped
Deleted member 66701
Deleted member 66701
They are more than likely poorly fitted after market kits in reflector headlamps, not OE parts or properly fitted kits to projector headlamps.
Nope, many cars have Bi-Xenon headlamps which use the Xenon bulbs for main beam as well as dipped
Correct, but the "HID" part is only used as main beam/flash when the dipped headlights are on, and there will still be a reflector (whether it be open or a projector housing) with a normal halogen bulb to use as the flash when the headlights aren't on.
The main beam is created by moving away the shield inside the HID projector housing that creates the really sharp cut-off you see with dipped beam.
Associate
- Joined
- 22 Oct 2004
- Posts
- 1,725
- Location
- United till I die
I find it quite funny that on my Accord Exec, the car doesn't come with HID as standard trim, but Honda must have found it cheaper to equip the whole Exec range with projector headlight and headlight washers anyhow. Nice quick easy fix by putting in after-mark HID's and bobs your uncle, HID at 1/4 of the price with no blinding other motorist issues.
Soldato
- Joined
- 19 Oct 2008
- Posts
- 6,062
I'm quickly becoming a fan of cars fully specced cars with lots of toys, xenons are one of them.
I'm not, but I do like Xenons fitted to my cars though, defo wouldn't buy a premium car now without them.
What gets on nerves however is the sheer number of people who see these whiter than normal headlights coming towards them, think I've got full beam on and then proceed to blind me with their full beam. On some occassions I blast the full beam back at them also (partly to indicate they were not full beam that I was using). DOn't always like doing this though as one blinded driver better than two blinded drivers.
Think they should be made mainstream/std on all cars, at least everyone will be driivng around with these brighter whiter lights so people will know they're not full beam.
Xenons are safer and I'm surprised in this nanny world we live in that's not enough reason to make them be fitted to all new cars
People will still pay for them as an extra. They reflect a premium value and have a strong function, they also look pretty neat which is an added bonus. Even people who know sod all about cars quite often say my headlights look awesome.
I'm pretty annoyed that some manufactures don't offer them as an option. Clio 200 Cup would be a car I'd consider but I can't imagine driving a car without Bi-Xenon headlights now I'm used to it and thus I've overlooked it.
I can't believe the other night I spec'd up a 135i coupe and it didn't come with them as standard, they were at least £600 as an option.
I'm pretty annoyed that some manufactures don't offer them as an option. Clio 200 Cup would be a car I'd consider but I can't imagine driving a car without Bi-Xenon headlights now I'm used to it and thus I've overlooked it.
I can't believe the other night I spec'd up a 135i coupe and it didn't come with them as standard, they were at least £600 as an option.
Last edited:
What car do you have them fitted to?
I get flashed several times a week and I have mine on so they point as downwards as possible. Albeit I do have mine on most of the time (unless it's bright sunlight) so I guess they could just be flashing to tell me I've got my lights on.
Correct, but the "HID" part is only used as main beam/flash when the dipped headlights are on, and there will still be a reflector (whether it be open or a projector housing) with a normal halogen bulb to use as the flash when the headlights aren't on.
The main beam is created by moving away the shield inside the HID projector housing that creates the really sharp cut-off you see with dipped beam.
HIDS these days (and for the last few years) can instantly strike and are used to flash even without dipped headlights on.
How do you know that? Just because they didn't flash, doesn't mean you weren't blinding them