Xenon Or Halogen For Ford Focus 2010 (60 Reg)

[Weeksy]

Hi all,

One of my main beam (not full beam) lamps has blown tonight. Just having a look on Halfords, and they seem to have suitable lamps in stock to replace. I'm contemplating doing both at the same time as presumably the other one will be on its way out too.

The ones in the car currently are halogens. Is it worth replacing with halogen (and which models are best), or changing to Xenon? If Xenon, is it the same lamp base and will they just plug in and work? I'm guessing they require a transformer or similar which my car presumably doesn't have.

If I replace the halogens with xenon for the main beam, presumably it would be sensible to replace the full beam with Xenon too?

Any advice much appreciated. Budgets not a huge issue, rather get something decent, bright, and will last a reasonable time, rather than replace next year again.

Ford Focus 2010 (60 Reg in UK). Believe that makes it a Focus v2.5? Its a petrol, 1.6.

Suggestions for other places than Halfords also taken on board!

Thanks.

Dave

[Brigante]

you can't fit xenons unless you actually have xenon projector headlight units and have auto levelers and headlight washers

going by your model being a sport, i'm gonna assume you don't already xenon headlights so its not an upgrade you can simply just do

by fitting xenon bulbs

if you want a bright halogen bulb i'd recommend the likes of osram cool blue intense or osram nightbreaker plus

oh and main beam and full beam are the same thing. your thinking about dipped beam and full beam. either way, it isn't advised to fit xenons for a main/full beam as they take a few seconds to warm up and reach full brightness so they wouldn't be very good for flashing someone to pass

last bit of advice, don't go to halfrauds. they are rip off merchants. just buy some off eBay

if you are desperate though and to go to halfrauds i've heard good things about the Bosch bulbs they sell

[Weeksy]

Dear Brigante

Much appreciated, thank you. I had a suspicion the xenons wouldn't just work. Not a problem, I'll go with the decent halogens.

Unfortunately my partner is due any day now, so its essential to have a fully functioning car currently, so I think I'll have to go to Halfords! Pity, as otherwise I'd have waited and gone on eBay!

[Dee_82]

I don't think the levellers and washers are strictly necessary if you didn't have them to start with. I sailed through mot the other week with out them, chap said its ok assuming its pattern was good, but if you have them then they must work

[Goodkat]

For future reference, if you become a supporter of this here fine club, you get a discount card for Halfrauds. Very handy for times of bulb crisis as it brings the prices down quite nicely.

I recommend the Bosch Pure Light bulbs.

Sent from my Gen 1 WAP phone

[Dee_82]

that membership has saved me a fortune, generally speaking it brings their prices in line with internet prices, its worth noting tho that they order their parts from eurocarparts if they don't have them, which we also get a discount on, Halfords heavily marks up their prices on eurocarparts prices so sometimes its easier just going to them :)

[Brigante]

There has been so many discussions on this forum about xenons/hid kits and you do need auto levelers and washers to make them legal. whether factory fitted or not. Don't want to get into another discussion about it as so many members have already discussed it before. Its been like a weekly if not daily sometimes topic on the legalities of fitting xenons to a car that was not factory fitted with them. Of course, some MOT testers are more lenient than others and some will turn a blind eye to aftermarket hid kits if they are aligned ok. But by rights they should fail them.

Gotta say I haven't had much luck with my halfrauds discount card. Even with the 15% off I ended up paying over the odds on a new battery as I needed it in a hurry, and then 3 of the monkeys there couldn't suss out how to fit it and said it would be a garage job.. Ended up fitting myself the day after.

Then I purchased a few bits totaling about 40quid to make use of me discount thinking I was getting a good deal, come home, had a mooch on eBay and found the lot for half off that. For example I purchased some richbrook anti theft dust caps from halfrauds for 15pounds minus the discount. Looked on eBay that night and found the same item, brand new for 5pounds. Needless to say I took all of the items back to Halfords for a refund and purchased them from eBay instead

[Stoney871]

Legalities aside, to fit Zenon bulbs the headlights must be designed for them or the light beam is scattered and will dazzle others.

I'm currently using osram cool blue intense bulbs and they are far less yellow than standard bulbs and give excellent motorway illumination for signs and cats eyes.

[artscot79]

Sorry guys those osrama are pants been through 5 sets of bulbs looking for a decent one osram cool blue and intense Bosch bulbs cobalt bulbs and in the end these are the brightest whitest bulbs I've got far better Tha any of the others http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111442788867?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[Brigante]

All I can say is I'm glad I now have factory xenons lol :P

[JamieC]

I can highly recommend PIAA Xtreme White Plus bulbs, I had these in my Discovery and they made the likes of Osram bulbs look like candles lol. The only downside is the price they're not cheap.

I do now have Philips X-treme Vision in my dipped beam and they're pretty good, much better than the standard ones that's for sure.

[Stoney871]

Sorry guys those osrama are pants been through 5 sets of bulbs looking for a decent one osram cool blue and intense Bosch bulbs cobalt bulbs and in the end these are the brightest whitest bulbs I've got far better Tha any of the others http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111442788867?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I am more than happy using Osram's.

Each to their own.

[artscot79]

by all means stoney each to there own im just saying ive tried quite a few and was dissapointed with them the bulbs i di get were so much better and cheaper that its worth keeping in mind in the future

[artscot79]

I can confirm they work they last they don't damage lenses and are a straight swap they are brighter than all others I've tried