Hid Advice

[mrHman]

Hey ppl, im looking after some HID's for my mk1 facelift. There's two things holding me back though.

1. Someone told me HID's are illegal if you don't have auto adjust headlights and headlight washers

2. If the above isn't true then i need help choosing H7 HID's cos there's a shedload on eBay so i cant really choose and I dunno what brand is the best or most reputable.

Soo help me plz???

[artscot79]

It is illegal to fit hids to non hid lenses and every HID Kit is illegal you must have auto adjust headlights with the suspension sensors and the washers as for bulbs theres a wide variety osrams seem the most popular to buy avoid Halfords bulbs they are rubbish

[mrHman]

Hmm forget the hid's then lol. Is there any legal alternative to a 'whiter' light?

[Mike77]

Although illegal there are still cars passing an MOT with them fitted, so its your own decision as to weather or not to fit a set. I still run mine with them on, and would be absolutely gutted if I ever had to switch back to 'normal' bulbs. I'm use to the better visibility from the HID's. Worst that can happen is you get pulled and asked to remove them. Just make sure if you do fit them to pop down to a local garage and ask them to align them for you, will cost a little, but less likely to blind people, hence the reason they are frowned upon.

[artscot79]

Up here if youre caught you must take the car to an mot approved garage where the must remove the hid and refit normal lights then stamp a police ticket to say its been done very expensive as you pay for labour fitting and removal as well as the mot

My mates have been adjusted by a garage and they still blind people as his lenses are halogen lenses and vosa are amending the mot rules to fix the hid issue so be warned youre insurance is also invalid as the light are illegal invalidating youre mot and therefore the insurance if they say you blinded them they have you bang to rights im not against them just against poorly fitted diy jobs that nearly cause accidents

If you want them eBay do proper hid headlights with the proper lenses yes they are dearer but at the very least are legalish

[mrHman]

hmm thanks for the replies but i think ill just buy some upgrade halogen bulbs then. Don't wanna risk it. Im with privilege insurance and i called them up yesterday regarding modifications but unfortunately they do not allow any cosmetic or engine modifications. Even small mods such as tinting the rear lights, installing angel eye headlights or painting stock alloys are not allowed unless im 25 and had 5 years driving experience. How would it differ if i had a modification now or when im 25? I don't understand these crazy regulations. Anyway I asked them about HID's and upgraded bulbs and they said yeh it will be fine.

[Mike77]

Up here if youre caught you must take the car to an mot approved garage where the must remove the hid and refit normal lights then stamp a police ticket to say its been done very expensive as you pay for labour fitting and removal as well as the mot

My mates have been adjusted by a garage and they still blind people as his lenses are halogen lenses and vosa are amending the mot rules to fix the hid issue so be warned youre insurance is also invalid as the light are illegal invalidating youre mot and therefore the insurance if they say you blinded them they have you bang to rights im not against them just against poorly fitted diy jobs that nearly cause accidents

If you want them ebay do proper hid headlights with the proper lenses yes they are dearer but at the very least are legalish

To my knowledge down here in the northwest we won't too bad as yet. Mine passed an MOT with them fitted, only 2 months ago, I even queried it with the tester and he said they were alligned and fine, soiI want going to argue. Regarding getting pulled, they don't make you have the lights removed at a garage,,, they give you 14 days to make the vehicle road worthy, ie, remove them yourself, fit standard bulbs, take to an MOT testing station, and get them to stamp the form saying they are now ok ( £6 last time I checked ) so in my opinion not a massive risk.But each to their own I guess.

[jeebowhite]

I recently emailed VOSA surrounding a query on DRL's. Stupidly VOSA not only apparently replied to my email but they put another email into the chain from a guy who is an MOT tested of 10 years the chaps initials are JR... He got tugged by the police and VOSA told the police - tug and do anyone who has ANY HID lighting. JR sent a query and advised that the regulations are very unclear. and VOSA replied with the attached file with the legalities and requirements.

I will contact JR shortly to advise him that this VOSA error has happened, just so he is aware of their 'mistake' in sending his email on to other customers...

aftermarket-hid-headlamps1.pdf

[mrHman]

Ive decided to ditch the HID's and instead ordered some 55w 'Xenon' halogen bulbs. They arrived today and fitted them and they look 'white-ish' but im happy. Anyway i decided to go one step further and upgrade my brake and side lights to LED which look great now. However, i now want to change the indicators but read on a forum somewhere that i have to fit in line resistors to keep the blinking rate normal. Ive seen some LED indicator bulbs on eBay which say 'Error Free CANBUS' see link --> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-X-BAU15S-1156-581-PY21W-CANBUS-ERROR-FREE-18-LED-SMD-Indicator-Bulb-Yellow-/111069094776?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item19dc3be378

Would these be a better alternative to in line resistors?

[jeebowhite]

Unfortunately not. As you have I too have replaced most bulbs with led variety but error free will not prevent quick flash you have to wire in or plug in resistors. When I was looking into this one found some wire adapters so you just plug the resistor wire in the middle but could not see a way for it to work on my car.