Jim55
Active Member
What's the best HID kit to get for a 204, 35w or 55w , iv tried upgraded halogens and they are still rubbish, so it's HID I'm gona fit , is the existing wiring up to 55w load or am I btr off with less powerful 35w
Stardelta
Active Member
Are you sure the halogen lamps aren't fitted upside down, easily done and the result is really poor light output, mine was like that from the previous owner
Borys
MB Enthusiast
35w will last longer apparently and are safer for wiring....thats what they say
Fitting aftermarket HID kits is illegal for on road use and may invalidate your insurance - see here
Dangers of illegal HID headlight conversion kits explained | Auto Express
http://webarchive.nationalarchives....ormation-sheets/aftermarket-hid-headlamps.pdf
Dangers of illegal HID headlight conversion kits explained | Auto Express
http://webarchive.nationalarchives....ormation-sheets/aftermarket-hid-headlamps.pdf
Borys
MB Enthusiast
Larkone said:
Yes you correct for halogen type headlights. Projector headlights with headlight washers not as such
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"The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to
ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this"
Unless the lamp unit is type approved for HiD type lamps (and halogen units will not be) it will still be 'illegal' but possibly (done properly) be less dazzling to other drivers?
ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this"
Unless the lamp unit is type approved for HiD type lamps (and halogen units will not be) it will still be 'illegal' but possibly (done properly) be less dazzling to other drivers?
Borys
MB Enthusiast
Possibly
Reading those articles seems there are still no proper laws in place against, no court cases recorded as yet????
Reading those articles seems there are still no proper laws in place against, no court cases recorded as yet????
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There's a lack of will to clamp down on this sort of non-compliance, as many see it as a 'victim-less crime' a bit like drink driving was many years ago...
Regardless of whether or not you may be prosecuted would you want to gamble on your insurance being invalid? - could get seriously expensive. Insurance companies will always be looking for ways to not pay out - why wouldn't they as they can argue it is in your best interests as it helps to keep premiums down.
400ixl
MB Enthusiast
There are VOSA regulations and many people have been stopped and fined in VOSA check points over the years.
How likely are you to be stopped, perhaps unlikely if they are set up to point low enough.
If you every drive a low seated sports car on the road, you will quickly appreciate how bad retro fitted HID's can be and how commonly they are badly fitted. OEM ones are bad enough, but you will affect other drivers with retro fit.
Will improve things for you, but worsen things for others. There's a moral dilemma there.
In all reality, the likely hood of you getting pulled over is low. MOT will depend on the tester (and you could always swap them back for that but is hassle).
Up to the individual to assess their willingness to take the risk on the VOSA, MOT and insurance issues that may or may not come up. No point in preaching a personal point of view as peoples will be different. As long as they are aware of the risks they need to consider then its up to them to decide.
On the OP question, I would go with the least load on the electrical system possible. Also consider you need to ensure that whatever you do is canbus compliant to avoid getting errors thrown up.
Doodle
MB Enthusiast
The wording of the MoT test is such that a retrofitted HID is not a failure. What would be a fail is the beam pattern, which in theory *should* catch the ones fitted to reflector units, which are the worst culprits for throwing light everywhere.
@400ixl being uninsured is not a moral dilemma, it's a criminal offence, 6 points on your licence and £300 fine, possibility of car being crushed and if it goes to court unlimited fines and disqualification. That's before you get onto those that have suffered loss as a result who then have to try and get recompense through the courts.
400ixl
MB Enthusiast
You missed the point I was making.
At the time of fitting, you will be insured. There is a risk that should you have an accident then your insurance may get invalidated due to the lights, and you may have had an accident to which the HID's were a contributory factor such as blinding the person coming the other way. How big a risk of that happening vs the possible consequences is the point.
That is the moral decision. Do you want to be put in that position.
Personally I wouldn't go down that route and clearly neither would you. But everyone is different and its their risk to consider.
Otherwise these threads just turn into an argument on peoples own value systems and go down the drain rapidly.
OP
OP
Jim55
Active Member
Re the low car , i had an mr2 before so i know what u mean , il have mine properly adjusted in the oem projector units fitted , and my son is an mot tester so he will b doing mine and setting them on proper vosa mot beam setter
kid-jensen
MB Enthusiast
The 35w versions are twice (at least) as bright as the standard Halogen 55W bulbs.
Go ahead and fit them. If the lamp units are as useless as the MLs, I'd do it quick brfore you crash into something....
Go ahead and fit them. If the lamp units are as useless as the MLs, I'd do it quick brfore you crash into something....
b1g1an
MB Enthusiast
Unless it's changed recently, as opposed to the new car rules, the MOT only says if you have HIDs and headlamp washers and/or self levelling are fitted they have to work, nothing re the lights themselves beyond the usual working and alignment.
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It's a type approval thing and how once no longer compliant, it technically invalidates the insurance.
Doodle
MB Enthusiast
Therein lies the problem - Type Approval only applies to new manufacture cars, no formal routine check is applied after that. The MoT test is, but that effectively condones it.
Insurance companies insist on a vehicle being "roadworthy", however, the MoT test itself says it is no guarantee of roadworthy condition.
Like Schrodinger's cat, it exists in a vague, arbitrary and self-contradicting grey zone until legal precedent dictates. I'm not aware we've hit that point yet.
Insurance companies insist on a vehicle being "roadworthy", however, the MoT test itself says it is no guarantee of roadworthy condition.
Like Schrodinger's cat, it exists in a vague, arbitrary and self-contradicting grey zone until legal precedent dictates. I'm not aware we've hit that point yet.
Borys
MB Enthusiast
Can someone provide a recorded evidence of insurance being invalided cause of HID's fitted?
Cannot fit winter tyres ,its a mod and premium will go up, no hid's in my projectors fitted properly (better drive on yellowish bulbs and barely see in the dark). Does not make sense
Cannot fit winter tyres ,its a mod and premium will go up, no hid's in my projectors fitted properly (better drive on yellowish bulbs and barely see in the dark). Does not make sense
