Upgrading bulbs

[Kempo]

hi guys,
i have a pug 206 1.4
was just looking for some advice regarding what to look for when upgrading my headlamp bulbs

[pgarner]

staying away from HID upgrade / retrofit kits

i recommend nightbreakers

[HDi fun]

The technical term is lamps but I'm not going to dwell on this.

I used to use Osram's Nightbreakers in my 406 which had H7's for the dips and mains. I just replaced the dipped beam ones and left the standard H7's in the main beam enclosures. The results were impressive but to be fair the lighting on that car was very good even with stock lamps.

Car's with the single enclosure H4 twin-filament lamps don't do anywhere near as well but the upgrades are worthwhile.

Forget the silly blue tinted stuff - it's wasted light.

Also, stick with 55-60w lamps. It's unlawful to go higher and you also run the risk of burning switchgear or wiring.

Aftermarket HIDs are also unlawful.

[Kempo]

cheers guys, what price range you rekon i should be shoppin in
and also would you reccommend changing all the bulbs(fogs etc.) or will the main 'lamps' (which get the most use) do?

[Prince]

Originally Posted by HDi fun

Aftermarket HIDs are also unlawful.

I think it's ridiculous that fitting HIDs to cars that didn't original have them is going to be an MOT failure. As long as they are adjusted correctly then all they do is improve safety!

I had a set of H4 35w 6000k ones fitted on my Civic and it was the best modification I did. The difference really shows up at night time. Unlawful or not I will still fit a set on my E36. That's what leniant testers are for.

[HDi fun]

Originally Posted by Kempo

cheers guys, what price range you rekon i should be shoppin in
and also would you reccommend changing all the bulbs(fogs etc.) or will the main 'lamps' (which get the most use) do?

Do the dipped beams firstly (if they're H4's then the mains are part of the same lamp). Also I'd swap the sidelights at the front for whiter ones simply for cosmetic reasons.

Autobulbs Direct offer some very good prices (their wipers are excellent as well)

The next thing is to replace all the rear lights. Standard ones will be fine. As they age the tungsten lamps get very black and dim. You'll be surprised how much brighter the brake lamps are especially.

@Price - the law is there to prevent glare. The light source in a HID lamp is a vertical arc. In a halogen lamp the filament burns horizontally.

Lenient testers won't solve the problem. Just because a car passes an MoT doesn't mean that it's legal to use aftermarket HIDs.

I'm not sure they're so fabulous anyway; read my other post on HIDs here:-

http://www.torquecars.com/forums/f8/...t-bulbs-17014/

[Prince]

Originally Posted by HDi fun

@Prince - the law is there to prevent glare. The light source in a HID lamp is a vertical arc. In a halogen lamp the filament burns horizontally.

Lenient testers won't solve the problem. Just because a car passes an MoT doesn't mean that it's legal to use aftermarket HIDs.

I'm not sure they're so fabulous anyway; read my other post on HIDs here:-

http://www.torquecars.com/forums/f8/...t-bulbs-17014/

I had them on my Civic and the difference was amazing. I honestly refuse to see the problem assuming they are fitted correctly using levellers.

[HDi fun]

Originally Posted by Prince

I had them on my Civic and the difference was amazing. I honestly refuse to see the problem assuming they are fitted correctly using levellers.

The problems are twofold:

One: The light source is a different shape to that of a filament lamp and therefore requires a completely different reflect. You MUST have automatic self levelling and headlamp washing system in place. Even retrofitting the correct enclosures and other bits you will still need to get the car inspected by VoSA before you can use it on the road.

On the Civic you were going even further into unchartered territory because the law says that the dipped beam MUST remain on whilst the main beam is in use. The Civic had H4s, you say so, the main and dipped cannot operate together.

Two: The Construction and Usage regulations make it patently clear that it's NOT lawful to use aftermarket HID conversions.

I'm still not sure that I prefer HIDs to a decent set of halogen lamps. I appreciate that the Civic had H4s and these types are always a compromise. Separate dip/main reflectors are far superior.

My concern is the lost acuity of vision from the artifical nature of the HID light. The human eye is much more acclimatised to natural light sources and filaments approximate this more closely than any gas discharge lamp.

Metal halide lamps do NOT produce a continuous spectra of radiaton. Filament lamps do.

[LuxuryMotorShow]

Sorry does HID stand for? I've used xenon bulbs before but I am sure that these are legal.

[Loz]

Hight Intensity Discharge lamp.

[trumpet30]

The light output on my polo was apalling.

Forget the lights with the blue tint as this just makes them dimmer as the Blue spectrun of light emitted does not highlight anything on the road i.e. blue light on black tarmac.

I fitted some of these units and changed them after a month as they made things worse. Went for Phillips Extreme Xenon bulbs. My god they are brilliant. They are very bright and much much better than anything I have fitted before. Avoid Halfords as theirs are overpriced at £25 each. Phillips extreme are about £20 for two.

[HDi fun]

VAG cars have had crap dipped beams for ages.

Xenon filled incandescent lamps are very different to metal halide HIDs.

[herb]

Originally Posted by HDi fun

VAG cars have had crap dipped beams for ages.

Xenon filled incandescent lamps are very different to metal halide HIDs.

i really dont get this people write all the time that the lights on the leon/vags are crap. but i have standard h7 bulbs (lamps for you paul)
and i honestly have no problems seeing the roads with them! whether it be pitch black country roads or town driving. i know i have good eyesight but surely im not the only vag owner in the world with good eyesight am i???

[waynne]

I've never been dissapointed with the Audi ones either. Friend had a Golf and was so fed up he paid for a full Xenon conversion kit £1500+

[HDi fun]

Xenon HID conversions are not road legal.

Except possibly in the case above. If Waynne's friend forked out for the full factory HID assembly from VW then that porbably is OK. THough technically the cars should still be submitted to VoSA for a single vehicle approval.

[waynne]

Yes he did, they put in the self levelling units, washers etc... It was done for a good price though but it is still a lot of money to splash out IMO just for better lights.

I'm not sure if SVA applies as this was also a dealer option fitted on new cars of the same age. Doesn't SVA apply if you change the car into something "new" rather than spec it up to match an existing car with SVA type approval?

[HDi fun]

If it's a dealer fit option then SVA isn't required.

[old-git]

Since I have been working in a car accessory shop on Sundays, I have seen a couple of car handbooks that state that you should not fit High Intensity bulbs/lamps as they may damage the lenses. I'm guessing either by discolouring or melting if plastic.

Before fitting, check your handbook.

[pgarner]

its the h4 lamps that are poor, the wifes golf uses the h1 h7 and they are million times better than mine even with the original VW lamps in heres

[T9 man]

Originally Posted by old-git

Since I have been working in a car accessory shop on Sundays, I have seen a couple of car handbooks that state that you should not fit High Intensity bulbs/lamps as they may damage the lenses. I'm guessing either by discolouring or melting if plastic.

Before fitting, check your handbook.

Car accessory shop! any chance of a discount to really really nice TC members by any chance?

[old-git]

Good idea, I will discuss it with them on Sunday. This would probably only be of use to members local to Chelmsford.