Aftermarket Xenon Lights

[6pot]

Ive had and used these aftermarket HIDS on a VW of mine. Whilst it cannot be denied they amount of light they produce is great i did get flashed for what i only assume is having lights that looked like they were on full beam. I removed them after a week. Also porsches with HIDs seem to all have them pointing up into the sky which makes for a very uncomfortable drive with one behind you. Overall i wouldnt use them again and i probably wouldnt buy a car with them.

 

[BTB 500]

well answer me this...... if they were illegal, they would not pass MOT bya Mercedes-Benz dealership would they?

The MOT tests very specific criteria, many of which are not concerned with legality. E.g. it's not illegal per se to drive with a split rubber gaiter, but it will fail an MOT. And illegal window tints don't cause an MOT fail, nor (until very recently) did illegal numberplates. They are still illegal though.

Specifically on headlights, I would assume the test covers beam alignment (plus things like corrosion on reflectors). I bet it doesn't include self-levelling and the washer system, which are legally required for Xenon / HID lights.

 

[Sp!ke]

I have HID's on my SL but to be honest I dont really see any benefit over the standard lights on my W124. (the W124 reflectors being physically bigger hence being more efficient despite having less lumens)

I find all cars with xenons dassle me and I am surprised people try and argue that they are a safety feature when I am convinced it must make you more prone to having head on collisions with oncoming cars being unable to see or judge the lane width.

 

[flango]

well answer me this...... if they were illegal, they would not pass MOT bya Mercedes-Benz dealership would they? they were also alligned to the correct standards and so i am technically legal .... if there was an issue, MB would not have passed the MOT of the vehicle!!!

I'll answer you YOU ARE ILLEGAL no question, if you get stopped or are involved in an accident then the cops will go after you and send VOSA after the garage, I wish I knew which MB Dealer it was i'd shop them myself as it gives genuine MOT Test stations a bad name, Are you sure it was tested at the dealer and not shipped out ? did you watch them do it? I hope you have also told your insurance company as they also won't pay any claim if you have aftermarket HID fitted. You can't align HID correctly in headlights with reflectors made for bulbs. I just hope the MOT tester paid more attention to your brakes than he did your headlights Cowboys

 

[NISFAN]

............since then i have more people flashing their headlights at me thinkin i got full beams on but i havent.... i do not have the self leveling or the head lamp cleaning but the car still passed MOT.... they look mint tho

Are you retarded? Just because you pass an MOT doesn't mean anything is legal.

You have admitted that other motorists flash you thinking you have your full beam on. Do you think it is your God given right to piss every motorist off so you can have a chavvy cool blue glow thing going on?

 

[Mr E]

Specifically on headlights, I would assume the test covers beam alignment (plus things like corrosion on reflectors). I bet it doesn't include self-levelling and the washer system, which are legally required for Xenon / HID lights.

Correct.

It would also be possible - because the arc is in the wrong place - to have a pattern that "passes" on the test rig but scatters too much light upwards further down the beam and thus into the eyes on oncoming drivers.

I still get the occasional flash from other drivers (especially on dark lanes) and that's with standard fitment, automatic adjusters and self-levelling suspension.

It's also worthwhile knowing that it is illegal to sell for road use, fit for road use, or drive a vehicle on a public road with equipment fitted, that requires a conformance mark but does not have it. (That grammar is shocking, but I hope you get the point). Also relates to the AMG towbar thread....

 

[flango]

Correct.

It would also be possible - because the arc is in the wrong place - to have a pattern that "passes" on the test rig but scatters too much light upwards further down the beam and thus into the eyes on oncoming drivers.

I still get the occasional flash from other drivers (especially on dark lanes) and that's with standard fitment, automatic adjusters and self-levelling suspension.

It's also worthwhile knowing that it is illegal to sell for road use, fit for road use, or drive a vehicle on a public road with equipment fitted, that requires a conformance mark but does not have it. (That grammar is shocking, but I hope you get the point). Also relates to the AMG towbar thread....

I'm not sure about the washers bit as My Subaru Legacy Outback had Xenons and self levelling but did not have the washers. When I challenged Subaru UK on this they said they were type approved and legal in the UK

Seen plenty of Imprezzas too with Xenons and no washers so muct be a Subaru thing unless anyone knows of any other manufacturers who dont fit washers?

 

[Ted]

If the light from your aftermarket HIDs isn't enough, you can always supplement them by driving with your foglights on too.



































Ducks and runs

 

[Colin_b]

Thank's everyone for your feedback.

I'm still unsure due to the legal issue and I personally despise people who blind me and am always concious of doing it to others.

I think I will see how I get on with the standard setup, if that's not good enough i'll try the philips x-treme bulbs. If that's not good enough i'll go the HID route.

I doubt i'll be able to afford the real deal from Merc as they seem to cost 10-15% of what i'm paying for the car!

Thanks again, i'll stick my car in my avatar at the weekend.

Regards

Cameron

They are not illegal, per se. The is no law that disallows the fitment of hid bulds, provided they are properly fitted and aimed.It is rumoured that such a law may be coming.

The problem is too many fit them in old, scratched and bad condition lights, so scatter becomes a real problem. The lights must be in perfect condition.

Height adjusters - manual - at least are a must, and have to work. Use sensible bulbs, 4300k is best.

Done properly it isn't a problem, improperly its a nightmare for others.

You may get ECU problems in a merc, hid is lower wattage, so can confuse it.

I've got factory fit hid lights on my SLK, they are good. Not as good as the factory fit hid lights (AFL) on my vauxhall, by a long way. But I live in the middle of nowhere, narrow roads, no streetlights, an wandering livestock in the roads.

 

[markjay]

...is technically illegal unless you have self-levelling suspension...

Surely you mean self-levelling headlamps? The sensor is located in the suspension, but the adjustment is carried-out on the headlamp units, not on the suspension ride height...

 

[markjay]

Not as good as the factory fit hid lights (AFL) on my vauxhall...

Had an Omega CDX 2.6 with factory fitted HIDs, and they were great...

 

[BTB 500]

Surely you mean self-levelling headlamps? The sensor is located in the suspension, but the adjustment is carried-out on the headlamp units, not on the suspension ride height...

Either. If you have adaptive/self levelling suspension you normally have fixed lights (not even manual level adjustment). Otherwise you need auto levelling on the light units, as you describe.

 

[Howard]

Some interesting reading ,with quotes from the DOT's mouth.

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/electronics/32372-hid-xenon-conversion-kit.html

 

[markjay]

Either. If you have adaptive/self levelling suspension you normally have fixed lights (not even manual level adjustment). Otherwise you need auto levelling on the light units, as you describe.

Thanks, that explains it then.

 

[Mr E]

I'm not sure about the washers bit as My Subaru Legacy Outback had Xenons and self levelling but did not have the washers. When I challenged Subaru UK on this they said they were type approved and legal in the UK

Seen plenty of Imprezzas too with Xenons and no washers so muct be a Subaru thing unless anyone knows of any other manufacturers who dont fit washers?

Washers are deffo an EU-typre requirement (96 if the old grey cells are still working, but don't quote as it's too late to look it up).

IIRC Evos don't have it either.

I'll look up the regs in the office when I get in.

 

[Mr E]

I've had a chance to look up the appropriate regs: ECE 48 (96?? Ah - 2x48...)

Interestingly, the regs now talk about lumen output of the dipped beam headlamp unit and not the type of light source:

"...Dipped-beam headlamps with a light source or LED module(s) producing the
principal dipped beam and having a total objective luminous flux which
exceeds 2,000 lumen shall only be installed in conjunction with the installation of
headlamp cleaning device(s) according to Regulation No. 45." (6.2.9)

With high-output lights, the regulations on vertical control are stricter, and so automatic levelling systems are required.

So it may well be that the Subarus and Mitsubishis, although having HID lights, do not output >2000 lumens and so auto levelling and lamp washing is not required.

I was interested to see that the regs have been updated since I last had cause to refer to them - they now include conformance and installation regulation for cornering, adaptive and LED lighting systems. The use of fail-safes (such as the brake light being used as an indicator when the buld fails) is explicitly broken out too.

 

[Mr E]

Double post....

but here is a link to the DfT view on aftermarket HID.

It's also worth noting that the ECE test for lamps used a test board placed at 25m, whereas the MOT test checks the beam at a much closer distance to the headlamp and is so less likely to record scatter that would fail an ECE98 approval test.

 

[whitenemesis]

Double post....

but here is a link to the DfT view on aftermarket HID.

It's also worth noting that the ECE test for lamps used a test board placed at 25m, whereas the MOT test checks the beam at a much closer distance to the headlamp and is so less likely to record scatter that would fail an ECE98 approval test.

I put that link in post #4, didn't seem to convince anyone though

Thanks for the regs update but I guess that won't do much to convince either. Some people are just too inconsiderate / selfish