View Full Version : My HIDs are fitted
Yesterday, I had a new HID kit fitted to my Leon and I have to say, I am very pleased with the improvement! I can actually see where I am going now :happy:
Took up the discount offer from ABlackMarket on this forum and had the kit fitted by their fitter as well. I received a good service - lots of communication and sensible recommendations and their fitter also did a very tidy job! Big thanks to them!!
Fully aware of the concerns people have with retro-fitting HID kits but IMO, as long as you are sensible, I think they are an improvement to both night driving safety and comfort. I don't have lamp washers, so I will keep the lenses clean by keeping a bottle of window cleaner and cloth in the car! Been driving around the town tonight and have had no flashes from on-coming traffic and that includes 2 cop cars!
The improvement these light have made are massive! Reflective road signs are lit up from a lot further away and the beam on the ground goes a lot further. In fact - I don't think I can go back to normal halogens :rolleyes: The kit is a 5K one, the light is very white - edging on to blue.
Here are some pics! The comparison pic is with my dad's Toleado, which has all stock bulbs.
http://img108.exs.cx/img108/9081/HIDComparison.jpg
http://img108.exs.cx/img108/4804/HID-Beamrs.jpg
:redface: Just realized that I have put this thread into the wong section... perhaps a nice moderator could move it to the "Members Product Review" section. Thanks!!
looks good mate glad ur happy with them
badlydrawnbanan
28-11-2004, 20:01
Very nice Kam ;)
Welcome to the HID club :) Enjoy
Is the large picture dipped or main beam?
Dipped im guessing as they would look yellow if was main beam and also if you look at the pic. nothing above waistline is really lit up, the lovely throw distance of HID.
The one thing that is clear though is you do not seem to have a clear cut off on your headlights? Is this because of the Leon headlamps or bad alignment? I have retro fit on my Ibiza yet it still maintains the sharp cut off without the glare.
Looks sweet though. You noticed how much more visable road marking etc are in particular!?
Dipped im guessing as they would look yellow if was main beam and also if you look at the pic. nothing above waistline is really lit up, the lovely throw distance of HID.
Most impressive if that's the case, Kam?
Yep, the pic is just the HID dipped lamps only! Road signs are indeed the most noticeable thing with HIDs - light is catching the signs some twice the distance further away at least.
qifop not sure what you mean about the clear cut off. When I had stock bulbs, I adjusted the lamps slightly higher as the OE setting was just crap! The beam of light ended about 2 metres in front of the car. I have left the lights as they are when the HIDs went in ... not had anyone flash me yet. When following a car, the highest point the beam reaches is just above the bumper on most cars, which seems to be OK so far.
I have Phillips Blue vision bulbs in the main beam and they are very yellow now. In fact, they make very little difference, just improves forward distance but no impact to the beam on the floor!
sportbilly
29-11-2004, 23:20
I have Phillips Blue vision bulbs in the main beam and they are very yellow now. In fact, they make very little difference, just improves forward distance but no impact to the beam on the floor!
Same here, the main beam just fills in the gap in the middle of the 2 beams but it yellow compared to the Xenon light.
First time I really used mine in the dark tonight and they are excellent, really impressed and I see what you mean about the roadsigns/refelctive things (speed cameras!) etc.
I must say for the cost this has to be one of the best mods - I will add some of my pics tomorrow as there on my other computer.
Anyone want a cheap set of Blue Vision H7's + Sidelights .. ? £27 new, make me an offer.
I must say for the cost this has to be one of the best mods - I will add some of my pics tomorrow as there on my other computer.
:thumbup: second you on that one!
looks great. Neg, did you get the same kit?
so Kam, how much did the H7 kit cost, inc fitting? (if you dont mind me asking)
mark
looks great. Neg, did you get the same kit?
so Kam, how much did the H7 kit cost, inc fitting? (if you dont mind me asking)
mark
Hmmmm I was thinking that tooo :hide:
sportbilly
30-11-2004, 12:22
I had the same kit yes but fitted myself. Not difficult - took my time and made sure everything was correct and didnt hit any major problems and they worked a treat.
Probably took me a couple of hours in all.
looks great. Neg, did you get the same kit?
so Kam, how much did the H7 kit cost, inc fitting? (if you dont mind me asking)
mark
The deal is on the discount section on this forum! Paid £40 for it to be fitted, all done in just over an hour. It looked straight forward to fit, just some slight drilling and everything is "plug & play". Neg, how were the instructions?
sportbilly
30-11-2004, 12:46
The instruction were pretty straigh forward, only really need to check the wire connections and that it really.
Simply fit the lights, mount the ballasts, connect the wiring and turn them on !
cool. for the sake of £40 i think i would pay matey to do it, i could easily do it myself, but, have you seen how much room there isnt in the ibiza engine bay!!?
The ballasts and connectors are also waterproof, so there is no headache involved in location away from water!
thats good! maybe they could be mounted in front bumper on my car then. Might just order a set and fit em my self thinking about it
True there is very little room for the ballasts, not sure about the mk3 but my mk4 was a nightmare. Here is where they went in the end.
http://www.sidtech.co.uk/iu/sidhead00078723569.jpg
http://www.sidtech.co.uk/iu/sidhead22807060500.jpg
sportbilly
01-12-2004, 11:15
More room than in the LCR by the looks of it ...
big ALI H
01-12-2004, 11:50
Might be a daft question - is it right that for Xenons to be legal they have to self-levelling and have the headlamp wash? If so, do these have it and if not would it be picked up at MOT time and failed?
Yup they do and no these dont. As for MOT, 2 options, most garages dont even notice (proven) and secondly, you only need to swap one cable and put the oE bulbs back in to get them back to how they were (for instance at MOT time :D )
After market pedal covers should also fail your MOT......
big ALI H
01-12-2004, 13:11
Yup they do and no these dont. As for MOT, 2 options, most garages dont even notice (proven) and secondly, you only need to swap one cable and put the oE bulbs back in to get them back to how they were (for instance at MOT time :D )
After market pedal covers should also fail your MOT......
Thats cleared that up then! :cheers:
As you have a mk4 it should be easy also. I know some of the mk3 people have problems because the anti glare cap inside the headlight is too close to allow the extra 10mm longer that the HID bulbs are.
The bulbs fitted fine in my MK4, albeit a bit close. I've had my beam alignment checked since by a friendly garage and they are well within the tolerance specified by the MOT.
sportbilly
01-12-2004, 13:31
MOT and legal talk have been spoken about loads - its upto you at the end of the day, you either want better lights or you dont.
Theodore
01-12-2004, 15:19
Hi everybody.
I have put two sets of Xenons. One low beam, and one in the fog lights. I am very pleased, an d so I think if I could put another one for main beam.
Do you know something about this? Has somebody put one set for main beam?
I have bought them from www.xenonvalot.com somewhere in Finland.
They are Hella ballasts and GE bulbs, at 5100K.
Regards,
Theodore.
Personally I wouldnt bother as I rarely use high beam and when I do its for very short durations of time. Therefore if they were HID, before the lamp had even created the ARC let alone heat up I would be turning them off again. Plus the ballasts wouldnt last all that long being switched on/off/on/off all the time.
Personally I wouldnt bother as I rarely use high beam and when I do its for very short durations of time. Therefore if they were HID, before the lamp had even created the ARC let alone heat up I would be turning them off again. Plus the ballasts wouldnt last all that long being switched on/off/on/off all the time.
... The arc would be a hell of a flash though! [B)]
I am sure who ever cut you up would get the message!!
so with the hid do u still have any sort of high beam?
so with the hid do u still have any sort of high beam?
My high beam is the standard but with the Phillips Blue Vision bulbs! On an unlit road, the high beam provides distance but does not do anything for lighting up the ground in front.
sportbilly
09-12-2004, 00:25
My high beam is the standard but with the Phillips Blue Vision bulbs! On an unlit road, the high beam provides distance but does not do anything for lighting up the ground in front.
Same here, Philips Blue Vision for me too. Full beam just fills in the gap in the middle of the dipped beam for distance.
My mate fitted an HID kit (from vagparts) to his vw polo, and they are H4 fitment, which means the single bulb does both (kits are loads more than H7!)
He has nothing but trouble with it, sometimes it doesnt arc so only one full beam comes on, sometimes they stay on, basically any combination you can think of!
Its not just him either, a few people have the same problem. So for that reason, i think were lucky we can still use normal Main beam halogen bulbs! :)
sportbilly
09-12-2004, 08:37
I think there is a H4 Xenon and H4 Bi-Xenon, sounds like its best to stay away from the bi-xenon unless OEM fitted.
Theodore
29-12-2004, 14:33
Yep, the pic is just the HID dipped lamps only! Road signs are indeed the most noticeable thing with HIDs - light is catching the signs some twice the distance further away at least.
qifop not sure what you mean about the clear cut off. When I had stock bulbs, I adjusted the lamps slightly higher as the OE setting was just crap! The beam of light ended about 2 metres in front of the car. I have left the lights as they are when the HIDs went in ... not had anyone flash me yet. When following a car, the highest point the beam reaches is just above the bumper on most cars, which seems to be OK so far.
I have Phillips Blue vision bulbs in the main beam and they are very yellow now. In fact, they make very little difference, just improves forward distance but no impact to the beam on the floor!
I understand you very well. All other bulbs, are yellow in comparison to HID.
So. I changed EVERY bulb putting HIDs to the main beam, and the fog lights, as well.
I have got them from www.xenonvalot.com in Finland. Very satisfied. Ask Mikko.
I now will change the little bulbs next to the main, with LEDs, which are white enough. I have found a US site with 6 LED bulbs.
Regards,
Theodore.