Worth while upgrade

[slobbo]

Just spent the last couple of hours fitting a Xenon HID kit and boy was it worth it. Before the upgrade I had the equivalent of a couple of candles. Now I can see the road. I only got the standard 35 watt kit rather than the 55W kit and it is magic. I need to replace the bulbs in my inner spots now as it looks pants with crystal clear blueish/white lights and crappy yellow spot lights.

Can anyone tell me what the inner bulb fittings are?

[andisnewsyncro]

Have you got the headlamps fitted with individual relays too? Made a huge difference to my standard H4 one once they were getting a full amount of leccy to the bulbs...

[slobbo]

This is the spot light fitting on the back of my Square headlights. Bulbs anyone?

[slobbo]

That was the problem with mine I think but it doesn't matter with the HID kit because you run a new supply from the battery. One of your original bulb plugs, plugs into the new unit to act as the switch but it draws the voltage from the new feed.

[keeno]

Just spent the last couple of hours fitting a Xenon HID kit and boy was it worth it. Before the upgrade I had the equivalent of a couple of candles. Now I can see the road. I only got the standard 35 watt kit rather than the 55W kit and it is magic. I need to replace the bulbs in my inner spots now as it looks pants with crystal clear blueish/white lights and crappy yellow spot lights.

Can anyone tell me what the inner bulb fittings are?

greetings! Where did you get the kit from and how much? Ta

[andisnewsyncro]

That was the problem with mine I think but it doesn't matter with the HID kit because you run a new supply from the battery. One of your original bulb plugs, plugs into the new unit to act as the switch but it draws the voltage from the new feed.

Ah, so it's like fitting a new feed and getting good lights all in one go then. Sounds good, does it work with the standard lenses or are replacements part of the kit? Like keeno asks, where from?

[slobbo]

Google xenon hid upgrade and you'll find plenty of companies selling them. Look on YouTube as well for fitting. They aren't cheap. About a hundred quid. I got mine as a birthday/Xmas gift from my folks. You'll be looking for a H4 kit. For that money you get the harness 2 boxes that do the voltage boost. And the bulbs that fit in your original headlights lenses and bowls.

[Aidan]

h3 for inners

[crazydiamond]

HID are wonderfull I used them on some airfield luminaires once, but they dont like to be flashed as they need to cool before they re-strike. How do yours work? is this a problem on your kit? I use 130w/90w H4's and relays and allthough they are illegal it just passed its mot for the second time with them. It was the only way besides HID I could get lights that worked beyond the front bumper!!

[Simon Baxter]

Just so that you are fully informed..

HID headlamps are only legal if.

-you have a headlamp lense that has been tested and approved for use with HID/Gas Discharge/Xenon headlamp bulbs. (not likey on a T3 unless you use a headlamp from something else)
-You have headlamp washers (not too difficult to source)
-You have self levelling headlamps, but that I mean automatically controlled, not one with a thumbwheel where you can set it. These are available on the aftermarket that either have sensors that connect to the suspension like 3B Passats, Range Rovers, AllRoads and the like ot that have a box mounted on the underside that beams the road and measures ride height.

So, if you do fit them be prepared to get pulled. Plenty of owners of T5's on the Brick-Yard will tell you so, and coppers seem pretty clued up on it also.

I priced a Hella self levelling headlamp kit up a while back, I then prolapsed.

I have a HID Bi-Xenon kit somewhere festering in a box at work, sick of people flashing me, I could see where I was going, just anyone in the opersite direction couldn't.

[Simon Baxter]

I'm not sure if they are saying that this headlamp has been tested for use with HID or not
Click

[keeno]

What about the cheapo xenon H4 bulbs you see for sale on eBay for a out six quid. Are they worth a go? The claims are about 50% more light. Anyone have any experience?

[syncropaddy]

Just so that you are fully informed..

HID headlamps are only legal if.

-you have a headlamp lense that has been tested and approved for use with HID/Gas Discharge/Xenon headlamp bulbs. (not likey on a T3 unless you use a headlamp from something else)
-You have headlamp washers (not too difficult to source)
-You have self levelling headlamps, but that I mean automatically controlled, not one with a thumbwheel where you can set it. These are available on the aftermarket that either have sensors that connect to the suspension like 3B Passats, Range Rovers, AllRoads and the like ot that have a box mounted on the underside that beams the road and measures ride height.

So, if you do fit them be prepared to get pulled. Plenty of owners of T5's on the Brick-Yard will tell you so, and coppers seem pretty clued up on it also.

I priced a Hella self levelling headlamp kit up a while back, I then prolapsed.

I have a HID Bi-Xenon kit somewhere festering in a box at work, sick of people flashing me, I could see where I was going, just anyone in the opersite direction couldn't.

You got there before me Simon. My young lad wanted to put Xenon lamps on his Passat and when we went through what was needed we prolapsed as well. We gave up and fitted some of those 'super bulbs' available - 100 watt I think and are a great improvement. Further research revealed that all of the above is required when fitting HID bulbs. To be honest Im not sold on this technology and a good pair of lights, clean and with decent bulbs are so much more cost effective

[Simon Baxter]

The technology is fine, it the red tape in retro fitting it that is suspect!
On a properly designed lighting system they are fine, but retro fitted into something that wasn't designed for it is bad, I know, I've tried.
Agreed when you fit them you can see much better, and when I had them I lived in the sticks and regularly drove country roads (like a penis) so then they were fine but i followed a few friends back from VW shows and they all had to bend their mirrors out of the way so they could see where they were going, thats not good.

I use Osram Silverstars now, don't even bother with the 10ww/80w jobbies, the silverstars give more light and don't require headlamp wiring upgrades as they draw no extra power.
we had one van in, admittedly a T4 but he wanted the 100w bulbs in, we put them in and compared to the silverstars and the silverstars gave more light.
Adding relays to the headlmap wiring is a must really, you'll gain between .5 and 1v at the headlamps, which to a headlamp bulb is a lot.

Then split the earths at the earth crown by the fue box, or earth the headlamps locally, that will make an improvement again.
If you get it in your head you want every .1v you can then chop the 20 year old headlamp plugs off and replace with new ones.

I'm more than happy with my silverstars/relays and wiring mods.

[slobbo]

Bugger Poo Bum. That was a waste then wasn't it.