HIDs are not for me. I'm getting a refund.
- Thread starter ChrisMansell
- Start date
Think if you are going to quote from the DFT its only right you cite the whole article, which begins "In the departments view...". The article is saying they want to be illegal but at present its not.
Admittedly it is a grey area but there is no legislation presently which states that aftermarket fitting of HID's is illegal.
Just a complete pain in the
when done badly or on light fittings which were not designed for them.... thats ok then ![[:@]](/forums/styles/seatcupra/oldforumsmileys/furious.gif "Furious [:@]")
5000K anti glare are the way forward.
I promise you, these little babies are very OEM looking, give exceptional light output, but without being too bright to dazzle on-coming traffic.
I've recently changed over to 5000K anti glare & tonight the wife followed me back home (see was driving the Leon). I was impressed to the say the least. Non of this chav looking pale blue non sense that would blind you from half a mile away. Just a nice white light focused wher it should be.
Passed at least 3 plod cars too, without a hint of being pulled.
I promise you, these little babies are very OEM looking, give exceptional light output, but without being too bright to dazzle on-coming traffic.
I've recently changed over to 5000K anti glare & tonight the wife followed me back home (see was driving the Leon). I was impressed to the say the least. Non of this chav looking pale blue non sense that would blind you from half a mile away. Just a nice white light focused wher it should be.
Passed at least 3 plod cars too, without a hint of being pulled.
Just read the article and although they aren't illegal agree with OP in him deciding to take them off.
They are a pain for other drivers, even the OEM ones in some cars. I had Xenons on the Cupra and they made no difference in my opinion over standard halogen, as I drive on well lit roads 90% of the time at night. In the country yes they may make a difference.
I actually spent £450 just on auto dimming mirrors on the TT to try and combat the glare from HIDS both OEM and aftermarket.
I thought that was the idea of having HIDs, that they were actually brighter for safer driving conditions...
Why did you buy them then? And why are you so against them now having paid and installed a set yourself? Just curious coz I've been looking into maybe getting a set for myself...
Personally I think that most of new cars soon (within 2 years) will have them fitted as standard anyway, they're an option (Xenons)(didn't take long for them to catch on) on most new models of any car out there now.
Why did you buy them then? And why are you so against them now having paid and installed a set yourself? Just curious coz I've been looking into maybe getting a set for myself...
Personally I think that most of new cars soon (within 2 years) will have them fitted as standard anyway, they're an option (Xenons)(didn't take long for them to catch on) on most new models of any car out there now.
My last car had OEM Xenons which were fantastic i agree, but thats not the problem beecause OEM ones are fitted with an auto levelling mechanism and the light fittings are specially built for xenons... the porblem is with people fitting them to their cars which have neither the levelling or the correct fittings and just throw the light all over the place not just on the road.
I find the factory OEM xenons amazing over standard headlights. Well worth the money in my opinion but as you say if you drive on well light roads most of the time you wont benefit from them....
I also do have to admit some of the factory fit german brands do seem really bright, just glad I have the auto dim mirror too!
Si
To do it properly is very expensive.
I'm not sure if all this is required to make them legal, which seems to be a grey area anyway but apart from the bulb you would need self levelling, headlamp washers and possibly a low washer warning light, certainly you get all this on a Leon with the factory fit.
Any car with Xenons from new must have washers by law.
I personally don't see them becoming standard, SEAT even dropped them as standard from the Cupra about a year ago. Most manufacters still want £900 for factory fit and in days of cost cutting, not having them as standard is a way of keeping the production price and RRP down.
I also assume after markets ones are classed as a modification that you would need to tell your insurance about and may affect your warrenty.
I'm not sure if all this is required to make them legal, which seems to be a grey area anyway but apart from the bulb you would need self levelling, headlamp washers and possibly a low washer warning light, certainly you get all this on a Leon with the factory fit.
Any car with Xenons from new must have washers by law.
I personally don't see them becoming standard, SEAT even dropped them as standard from the Cupra about a year ago. Most manufacters still want £900 for factory fit and in days of cost cutting, not having them as standard is a way of keeping the production price and RRP down.
I also assume after markets ones are classed as a modification that you would need to tell your insurance about and may affect your warrenty.
I find the factory OEM xenons amazing over standard headlights. Well worth the money in my opinion but as you say if you drive on well light roads most of the time you wont benefit from them....
I also do have to admit some of the factory fit german brands do seem really bright, just glad I have the auto dim mirror too!
Si
I would recommend the convenience pack to anyone buying a Leon. I didn't spec it initially but the car the dealer had coming in had it on and was £200 well spent.
The Audi has dimming wing mirrors too which is nice, but the rear view is the key one.
I find Range Rovers with Xenons really bad...
For the price the convenience pack is a must really, Some nice little extras.
I wish the Leon had auto dim mirrors it would be perfect then...
I wish the Leon had auto dim mirrors it would be perfect then...
I would love to know how people manage to get dazzled by front fog lights. Don't get me wrong I am not captian fog light chav but I have never found it a problem.
Think about it, they are mounted lower than normal headlights, they are aimed lower than normal headlights so how can the beam be shining in your eyes
Rear foglights are a bit silly bright if it's not foggy I must admit
I would love to know how people manage to get dazzled by front fog lights. Don't get me wrong I am not captian fog light chav but I have never found it a problem.
Think about it, they are mounted lower than normal headlights, they are aimed lower than normal headlights so how can the beam be shining in your eyes
Thats true - I totally agree
For what its worth, I have no plans to remove my HID's until I get flashed or until the police tell me to. I bought a quality kit and set the alignment properly. I was in front of a Porsche last night and the lights were so bright it was almost impossible to look in my mirrors. Same story with some Mercs and other marques.
I get flashed many times with my OEM adaptive bi-xenons. It's got to the point where I give a blat of the full beams to prove they aren't on full, but am now worried that maybe they've been set up wrong from factory.
Thing is they can't be adjusted manually on the dash as they are self levelling / adjusting so there is nothing I can do.
Haven't seen any bad HID's to date, but not to say I wont.
Thing is they can't be adjusted manually on the dash as they are self levelling / adjusting so there is nothing I can do.
Haven't seen any bad HID's to date, but not to say I wont.
I hope there's a crackdown on badly adjusted HID's/ Xenons soon, I'm sick of being dazzled by oncoming traffic especially on the motorway.
Maybe a complete bans in order, I can't see why anyone needs lights that bright, if they become standard accross ranges night driving will be a nightmare.
Maybe a complete bans in order, I can't see why anyone needs lights that bright, if they become standard accross ranges night driving will be a nightmare.
I see a lot of them on my commute to & from work - it's nearly always audi's that are 'bright'. I think it must be something in the reflector design that disperses the light badly
I would love to know how people manage to get dazzled by front fog lights. Don't get me wrong I am not captian fog light chav but I have never found it a problem.
Think about it, they are mounted lower than normal headlights, they are aimed lower than normal headlights so how can the beam be shining in your eyes
Rear foglights are a bit silly bright if it's not foggy I must admit
Its not front behind but oncoming foglights, most are almost as bright as full beams as after all they are designed to be used when its foggy....
Seems to be the latest 'chavvy' thing to do is use sidelights and foglights together
I agree with the comment about Range Rovers but then its because they sit so high.... really dazzling in the side mirrors when one is right behind you at lights etc!!
Im glad so many people are happy with the 'expensive' kits that seems the way to go
I was more than happy with my OEM Xenons on my last car...
True. Its quite often Audi's that I notice, even at dawn/dusk its distracting, at night its much worse.
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