Aftermarket HIDs. A warning !

[Ledbelly]

When I bought my '03 W209 320 a few months ago, it was fitted with some cheap eBay type Chinese aftermarket Hids. From the start I have never been able to sort the aim out, they either light the road up two feet in front of the car or blind low flying aircraft.

I was driving at night a few days ago and the damn things were flickering on high beam so the next day I opened the bonnet and switched on the headlights. After a couple of minutes one of the control boxes for the Hids started smoking. I killed the lights and when I looked the back of the box had melted into a smoking hole. Needless to say I ripped the whole lot out and bought some standard H7 bulbs.

We all know the perils of this cheap Chinese crap, but these things could have destroyed my car and as they are a modification, I doubt very much if my insurance would have paid out.

If anybody is considering fitting these, please think again!

 

[AltonAnt]

These should fail an MOT as the headlight is not designed for this type of light source but it seems it is difficult to test as many that are retro-fitted slip through.

 

[Ledbelly]

Good point, bought it with a 12 month MOT, makes you wonder what else slipped though!

 

[Yugguy]

I wouldnt necessarily worry. I've used aftermarket in the past and passed MOTs. I only used 35w and correct colour though, so they looked more OEM.

Wouldn't do it today though.

 

[m80]

The flicker and dimmed start should give them away,
then if no wash system or auto levelling the tester should at least advise, i would have thought.