ok, my friend has a 59 plate focus zetec with the reflector headlights and he wants to fit a HID kit. Basically, anyone done this ? link to the website ? if not what bulbs are they ? H4's ?

any advice welcome. cheers

adam

just don't. too much to do to make them legal.

Get some Osram Nightbreaker Plus bulbs instead.

Piggy

just don't. too much to do to make them legal.

Get some Osram Nightbreaker Plus bulbs instead.

Piggy

agreed theres a host of laws regarding hid lights and if not fully carried out the car will fail mots for not beiong road legal proper kits will cost a few hundred the cheap ones are less but as i can confirm they dont last long youll be lucky if they last 6 months before they go faulty to be legal the whole headlight units must be replacded and they must be self cleaning which involves fitting wipers nozzles etc read below from department of transport issued to vosa and all mot stations

Aftermarket HID headlamps

December 2006

In the Department's view it is not legal to sell or use after market HID lighting kits, for converting conventional Halogen headlamps to HID Xenon. If a customer wants to convert his vehicle to Xenon HID he must purchase completely new Xenon HID headlamps. The reason for this is that the existing lens and reflector are designed around a Halogen filament bulb, working to very precise tolerances. If one places a HID "burner" (bulb) in the headlamp, the beam pattern will not be correct, there will be glare in some places and not enough light in other places within the beam pattern.

The following is the legal rationale:

The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 regulate the situation in the UK.

Under these Regulations, HID/Gas Discharge/Xenon headlamps are not mentioned and therefore they are not permitted according to the strict letter of the law.

However new vehicles have HID headlamps. This is because they comply to European type approval Regulations. The UK cannot refuse to register a vehicle with a European type approval. These are to ECE Regulation 98 (for the HID headlamps which are tested on a rig in a laboratory) and ECE Regulation 48 (Lighting Installation on the vehicle).

For the after market, a used vehicle cannot obtain type approval because it is only applicable for new vehicles. However we feel that saying "HID is banned in the after market" would not be reasonable. Instead we should make analogies with new vehicles. It would be reasonable to require HID in the after market to meet the same safety standards as on new vehicles. The same level of safety should apply.

Therefore a HID headlamp unit sold in the after market should:

1. be type approved to ECE Regulation 98 as a component.

2. when fitted to the vehicle should enable ECE Regulation 48 to be complied with (although no government inspection will take place).

3. Comply with RVLR as far as "use" is concerned.

In practice this means:

1. The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory.

2

. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam.

3. The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly like any other headlamp.

Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.

In summary it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules stated above.

I recently heard about HIR bulbs. They offer up to 75% of the light brightness from a HID. All you need is the bulb. Link to more info. I may give them a try myself once I've done some more research on them.

Ive just fitted a 6000k set into my projector angel eyes and there ace they MUST be 6000k or below if you want to get away with them though and check the adjustment all the time against walls and if you know someone that works at a mot centre ask them to check it lol sound ott but cant be to careful. I got mine off e-bay from a uk sourced company for 60 quid inc delivery, side lights and a 1yr warranty they also said they were e-marked haha.

BUT as of 2012 hid kits are an immediate fail on the mot test so if you intend to keep the car bear that in mind.

As for getting pulled over for having hid kits as long as ur adjusted correctly and not got a silly blue colour your laughing. Theres alot worse crimes out there like on the way home i well heard before i saw it a corsa on a 57 plate with a completely flat front tyre overtaking me now the police would pull me for having what look like xenon lights that arent blinding anyone and that corsa i hope for the saftey of the general public theyd pull the corsa and not me.

I'm aware this is a very touchy subject and everyone's entitled to there own but thats my 2p worth lol