I've been doing a few different upgrades and modifications to the car and most recently have been looking at HID kits on the Internet.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience of fitting/using a HID upgrade kit and how much I should be looking at paying for one?

Oh and its an 08 plate focus Zetec mk2.5

Yes its simply illegal to fit hid kits to the car

That's cleared that up then :( should have checked that first I guess

Truth is they should only be fitted to hid lenses even then you should have auto levelling and have washers for the headlights others fit them but up to you really if you get pulled you dont have a chance personally i find them too bright and annoying but each to there own

I've been doing a few different upgrades and modifications to the car and most recently have been looking at HID kits on the Internet.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience of fitting/using a HID upgrade kit and how much I should be looking at paying for one?

Oh and its an 08 plate focus Zetec mk2.5

i paid about £60 for mine , fairly straight forward to fit , the only thing is now they fail the MOT test if they haven't got a cleaning device fitted i.e. a wiper and washer jet or a high powered washer and a self leveling device fitted on the suspension ,

the washers and levellers are a grey area

look on page two,

"Where headlamp levelling or cleaning devices are missing or defective, but there is doubt as to whether they are required, the benefit of the doubt should be given."

http://www.dvlni.gov.uk/Freedom%20of%20Information/Light%20Vehicle%20Inspection%20Manual/Lamps%20-%20Headlamps.pdf

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/H7-6000K-BRIGHT-XENON-HID-CONVERSION-KIT-LIGHT-AC-VW-GOLF-FORD-FOCUS-POLO-MONDEO-/370584954439?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item564895a647

Try a set of these: http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/H7-Philips-Diamond-Vision-Headlight-Bulbs.html

Still not strictly road legal but ive had mine in for about a year and never been pulled up for them cause they arent overly bright like HIDs but they still give you that nice icy white colour. 2 mins and ill post a picture of mine

i have hid 6000k in my 2002 mondeo that i fitted my self and she just passed her mot yesterday with no advisories

happy days

you may have passed the mot but they are still illegal and the tester should have spotted this so if you are stopped not only do you get a fine and have to get a new mot to prove they were removed but the mot inspector will be reported to vosa so not so happy days im happy to say the plod are pulling them left right and centre near where i work so no more being blinded to heck anymore

The government should stop wasting peoples time and come out with proper rules and regulations. Legalise HIDs and give exact guidelines on what needs to be done for them to be roadsafe. That way after market parts places can develope proper conversion kits which would encourage more people to fit them properly. The problem is theres too many people fitting them incorrectly due to this massive grey area concerning HIDs

you may have passed the mot but they are still illegal and the tester should have spotted this so if you are stopped not only do you get a fine and have to get a new mot to prove they were removed but the mot inspector will be reported to vosa so not so happy days im happy to say the plod are pulling them left right and centre near where i work so no more being blinded to heck anymore

And to be honest ive been blinded lately more and more by misaligned normal headlights than HIDs. Most people I know with HID's regularly get their alignment checked which is more than can be said of people without the conversion.

not sure if thats 100% correct as i am a hgv driver and we park our lorrys in a vosa yard so i drive my car in there all the time not once have i been told i should not have them. i have been told by them to turn my fog lights off tho lol. i will ask the question tomoro and put an end will be abile to post the real truth about hid doit your self kits

theres no grey area vosa have stated its illegal to sell hid diy kits its illegal to fit to halogen lenses so proper hid lenses must be bought the lights must then be tested b y a lab to ensure they meet the specs thats how it stands and hella etc are not going to test individual lights for people so no matter how you look they are illegal you cant use hids in halogen headlights no matter how they are adjusted the beam pattern will blind others thats whay theres specific lenses for them and i get blinded more by hids than normal lights

You are 100% correct I have spoke to a Vosa officer to day at work and confirmed what u have said as long as the lens is up graded your ok any car made after 2010 must have a washer for the lights as well

So it is happy days because I have updated head light units so I am perfectly legal

Hope that spreads more light on the matter

Pun intended

There has been a grey area for years over HIDs. Im not arguin with you though anyone who fits them should fit them to approved HID lenses I agree with you 100%. Im being honest though when I say ive been blinded more by poorly aligned halogen bulbs than HID's. There is certain HID bulbs that have got a 'cap' on the lense to be fitted to halogen lenses. Again im not saying theyre legal but the do stop the lights blinded other road users. If manufacturers had any sense they would start producing HID compatible full headlight units for older cars which is what I mean when I said they should legalise them and put out strict guide lines. If they were legalised manufacturers could then produce these headlight units in conformance with regulations and they would make a fortune through the sheer number of people who fit them or would like to fit them to their car.

At the end of the day there is no arguin that they make it alot easier to see the road ahead which can only be a good thing aslong as they are fitted correctly to as not to be a nuisance to fellow drivers

i agree with there purpose i agree they should be made and sold in the proper lenses as well to make it easier i just dont agree with some of the crazy bright hid kits out there

Yeah I completely agree and thats why I think they should be legalised and have approved full headlight units rather than diy kits. I think at the moment a lot of people think 'well they arent legal anyway so I might aswel go all out and get the brightest ones possible'. Theres plenty of aftermarket headlight units out there so surely if they legalised HIDs to an extent as long as it was an approved/proper set up it would save an awful lot of problems.

They should ban HID diy kits all together and only legalise purpose designed headlight units for HID's. This would save any confusion come MOT time. I dare say its fairly simple to tell the difference between a diy job and proper units