Why aren't Xenons standard yet?

Well I'm yet to see a retrofit kit with "E Markings" on.
Has anyone who is using one of these Retrofit kits actually asked their insurance company what happens when they use lights that don't carry the E-Mark?
Because I believe on last checking - someone over at the Pistonheads site, the insurance company quite clearly stated that they would invlaidate the policy.

Yes I know, before somebody goes on, they will not and cannot disperse their 3rd party insurance.
However if you won't get your own vehicle repaired just because you were using non e-marked lights, that would be a pretty bad mistake to make all for the sake of retro-fitting some HIDs.
 
stoofa said:
Well I'm yet to see a retrofit kit with "E Markings" on.
Has anyone who is using one of these Retrofit kits actually asked their insurance company what happens when they use lights that don't carry the E-Mark?
Because I believe on last checking - someone over at the Pistonheads site, the insurance company quite clearly stated that they would invlaidate the policy.
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According to the Police:

Put simply placing a HID burner into a halogen housing is:

- Illegal
- Anti social
- Dangerous
- Likely to cause an accident
- Will cause drivers to switch to main beam on you
- Invalidates your (that is your car) insurance
- Reduces the effectiveness of your lighting spread on the road
- Leaves you with only near vision on the road
Click to expand...
 
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[TW]Fox;17740963 said:
It is also fairly obvious the page refers to reflector lenses as well, they simply don't bother to acknowledge projector lenses.
Click to expand...

If you read properly it it says
If a customer wants to convert his vehicle to Xenon HID he must purchase completely new Xenon HID headlamps.
Click to expand...
so they are actually talking about retrofitting projector headlights into cars that came with halogen headlights when they say they must have self levelling, comply with ECE Regulation 98 and the vehicle must have headlight washers. Halogen headlight HID retrofits are illegal according to that page.

The is some more info here: http://www.ukpoliceonline.co.uk/index.php?/topic/32360-illegal-retrofitted-hid-conversion-kits/ where a bunch of police officers are debating what fines/penalty to give people caught with halogen HID kits or people with incorrectly fitted projector HID's.
 
ubersonic said:
http://www.ukpoliceonline.co.uk/index.php?/topic/32360-illegal-retrofitted-hid-conversion-kits/ where a bunch of police officers are debating what fines/penalty to give people caught with halogen HID kits or people with incorrectly fitted projector HID's.
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www.ukpoliceonline.co.uk is an unofficial discussional forum intended for use by both Serving Officers, those aspiring to be join the Police Service, PCSO's, Special Constables and members of Police Staff alike.

So a forum full of busybodies and police officers then

none of whom make the law.

Interestingly the person who started that thread lists his interests as "Joining the Police..."

that forum is no more authoritative on this subject than we are.
 
Incidently he needs to learn to brush up on his law knowledge

HID retrofit is not legal as it does not comply with ECE regulation 98 or 48 . Under RTA 1988 s65 it is an offence to fit, supply or use vehicle parts that are not legal in EC .
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S65 of the RTA 1988 is about the sale of vehicle parts

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/65

not the use of them.

Vehicles and parts not to be sold without required certificate of conformity or Minister’s approval certificate.

(1)If—

(a)any person at any time on or after the day appointed by regulations under section 63(1) of this Act supplies a vehicle or vehicle part of a class to which those regulations apply, and

(b)it does not appear from one or more certificates in force at that time under sections 54 to 58 of this Act that the vehicle or vehicle part complies with all the relevant type approval requirements prescribed by those regulations,

he is guilty of an offence.
[F1(1A)For the purposes of subsection (1) above a vehicle shall be taken to comply with all relevant type approval requirements if an EC certificate of conformity has effect with respect to the vehicle.]

(2)In this section references to supply include—

(a)sell,

(b)offer to sell or supply, and

(c)expose for sale.

(3)A person shall not be convicted of an offence under this section in respect of the supply of a vehicle or vehicle part if he proves—

(a)that it was supplied for export from Great Britain,

(b)that he had reasonable cause to believe that it would not be used on a road in Great Britain or, in the case of a vehicle part, that it would not be fitted to a vehicle used on a road in Great Britain or would not be so used or fitted until it had been certified under sections 54 to 58 of this Act, or

(c)that he had reasonable cause to believe that it would only be used for purposes or in any area prescribed by the Secretary of State under section 63(5) of this Act or, in the case of a goods vehicle, under section 53(5) of this Act.

(4)Nothing in subsection (1) above shall affect the validity of a contract or any rights arising under or in relation to a contract.
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I cant see anything in there about using them.
 
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I totally agree about hid conversions in halogen reflector lenses. They cause such bad beam scatter they probably fail the MOT anyway.

That is why xenon systems use projector lenses. Assuming the correct bulb temp it is impossible to tell whether a car like an E60 lci (projectors as standard) coming towards you has factory or OEM xenon lights.

On an e39 the stock headlight unit even has the fixing points for the ballast bracket!
 
[TW]Fox;17741206 said:
I totally agree about hid conversions in halogen reflector lenses. They cause such bad beam scatter they probably fail the MOT anyway.

That is why xenon systems use projector lenses. Assuming the correct bulb temp it is impossible to tell whether a car like an E60 lci (projectors as standard) coming towards you has factory or OEM xenon lights.

On an e39 the stock headlight unit even has the fixing points for the ballast bracket!
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Ahh sorry dude I thought you were saying hids in halogen lamps were fine, my bad.
 
ubersonic said:
Ahh sorry dude I thought you were saying hids in halogen lamps were fine, my bad.
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Halogens come in projector lenses too. Apparently this is also dangerous.

My own opinion is weak halogens are dangerous on todays roads. My own night vision is destroyed by bright street lighting and the bright lights of other road users.

Hence when I come onto an un-lit section I can barely even see the curb, I'm guessing where the lane is if another car comes the other way. That surely can't be safe can it? Thank god for cats eyes is all I can say.
 
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