Philips X-treme Power Bulbs (up to 80% more light)

WeeJase

pert
Jun 2, 2001
8,595
0
Those require a battery connection mate rather than nice and simple setup of the Hids4U kit.

but the HIDS4U kits for my car are nearly 3 times as much as the ebay ones.
how much more work would be involved in making a battery connection?not 200 quids worth :no:
 

jonesya3

Full Member
Dec 28, 2005
603
0
Liverpool
but the HIDS4U kits for my car are nearly 3 times as much as the ebay ones.
how much more work would be involved in making a battery connection?not 200 quids worth :no:


Seen those bosch ones myself tonight very tempting plus its only a case of running 2 leads to the battery 1 positive and one negative.

wonder how much the import tax would be ?
 

driveforward

Is at the Nürburgring
Nov 5, 2002
3,245
0
www.driveforward.com
might be worth a punt,instead of a HID kit.need a quick fix asap,horrible yellow lights are bobbins.they are supposedly brighter than stock :no:

That's why I went for them - the awful yellow torches that were my dipped beams mean't I couldn't see anything without high beams on.. much much better now.

I have toyed with fitting HID's, like I did to Cordy.. many A2 owners have.. I'd just rather save the money for a remap tbh - especially when £25 can make such a difference.
 

WeeJase

pert
Jun 2, 2001
8,595
0
That's why I went for them - the awful yellow torches that were my dipped beams mean't I couldn't see anything without high beams on.. much much better now.

I have toyed with fitting HID's, like I did to Cordy.. many A2 owners have.. I'd just rather save the money for a remap tbh - especially when £25 can make such a difference.

i'm thinking get the buy 1 get 1 free,flog the second set on and if i'm still not happy,get cheap HIDS
 

Nathanio

Full Member
May 26, 2005
1,226
1
West Sussex
www.w1pcs.co.uk
I'd rather a kit that I plug n play rather than fanny around with connections on the battery etc. The Hids4U kit works so well and comes with a 2 year warranty. What does that bosch kit come with? What happens if something go wrong? It has to go back to the states.

So its £75 plus £20 PnP plus unknown import tax (around £13 I reckon) so thats £110 for a round amount vs the £170 of the Hids4U kit with an extra years warranty.

Know where my money would go....
 

jonesya3

Full Member
Dec 28, 2005
603
0
Liverpool
I'd rather a kit that I plug n play rather than fanny around with connections on the battery etc. The Hids4U kit works so well and comes with a 2 year warranty. What does that bosch kit come with? What happens if something go wrong? It has to go back to the states.

So its £75 plus £20 PnP plus unknown import tax (around £13 I reckon) so thats £110 for a round amount vs the £170 of the Hids4U kit with an extra years warranty.

Know where my money would go....

yer your probably right whats the delivery charge on the hids4u kit
 

WeeJase

pert
Jun 2, 2001
8,595
0
I'd rather a kit that I plug n play rather than fanny around with connections on the battery etc. The Hids4U kit works so well and comes with a 2 year warranty. What does that bosch kit come with? What happens if something go wrong? It has to go back to the states.

So its £75 plus £20 PnP plus unknown import tax (around £13 I reckon) so thats £110 for a round amount vs the £170 of the Hids4U kit with an extra years warranty.

Know where my money would go....

like i said,for my car(H4 kit) they are £269.00.sending stuff back to america isn't hard,its not like its the other side of the world :D
 

Nathanio

Full Member
May 26, 2005
1,226
1
West Sussex
www.w1pcs.co.uk
Not sure mate. Would need to check on their site. Why do I get the feeling that its free for group buy ones or might be wrong.

Sounds like I may work for H4U but I brought a second hand kit that was 18mths old and it was solid as a rock going strong after being shipped etc. Their are lots of reports on here and else where of cheap eBay kits dying in less than a year and not being that much better than halogen bulbs.

Why skimp on something that is safety related is how I see it and don't our Seats deserve the best :p
 

jonesya3

Full Member
Dec 28, 2005
603
0
Liverpool
Not sure mate. Would need to check on their site. Why do I get the feeling that its free for group buy ones or might be wrong.

Sounds like I may work for H4U but I brought a second hand kit that was 18mths old and it was solid as a rock going strong after being shipped etc. Their are lots of reports on here and else where of cheap eBay kits dying in less than a year and not being that much better than halogen bulbs.

Why skimp on something that is safety related is how I see it and don't our Seats deserve the best :p

£188 delivered
 

WaveyDaveyGravy

But I'm so tasty
Jan 3, 2006
350
11
Shipley
The legality of HID's is still very much a grey area, as all rulings and regulations refer to HID's when fitted as standard to cars. There are little or no references to aftermarket fitments.

Yes but the rules and regs on HIDs on new cars are primarily designed to not dazzle other motorists - that's why they have to have the auto self levelling and washers. Can't see how this would be overlooked by aftermarket fitments.

I've got Osram Silverstars, can't tell you if they're better than stock as replaced them before I drove at night as everyone said the originals were crap. Thing with these claims of more light is that it's difficult to prove one way or t'other. I've used the Auto Express tests as a base before as it's a fairly good level playing field.
 

Nathanio

Full Member
May 26, 2005
1,226
1
West Sussex
www.w1pcs.co.uk
Check the FAQ at the top of the page for a letter for the DfT on HIDs.

I have had my HIDs adjusted professionally whilst in the OE headlights and there isn't dazzle from me looking at it head on. But then I find poorly adjusted Halogen bulbs can dazzle just as badly. People saying ohhh HIDs are dazzlign is crap. Its poorly adjusted headlights whether it be halogen or xenon that dazzle
 

RobDon

Pro Detailer
Unfortunately it's not crap, halogen reflectors produce alot of excess glare with HID's, that's why oncoming traffic think you've got your main beam on, the light just escapes everywhere. Projectors get round this because they produce a tighter enclosed beam with no glare, hence all factory xenons use projectors.

This pic clearly shows the amount of extra glare produced by HID's in halogen lights: http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m172/unclebloodyfester/26052006140.jpg

I'm not against HID's but you have to be aware of why putting them into halogen lights isn't ideal and may get you pulled over.
 

UncleFester

Grumpier by the day!
Apr 30, 2006
4,764
2
Milton Keynes
www.facebook.com
lol Rob - that's my pic and it was taken on a mobile phone which just doesn't handle bright light at all well. I'll try and get some taken on my mates D70 and see if that produces a better image.

I've been behind coppers on the motorway with them on many times and not been pulled over, i don't get flashed by people.

I have to say I find the ones that are factory fitted with self levelling are more likely to dazzle because the self levelling units can't adjust quickly enough so you get this 'bouncing' light effect emitting from the car - highly irritating and worse than 'glare' because you get directed focused beam in your face.

As for headlamp washers, they're pointless without headlamp wipers, i've yet to see one of those kits do a decent job of cleaning a mucky headlight yet - all the water does is diffuse the light causing more of what it's meant to be avoiding :)
 

TimBarratt

Full Member
Oct 6, 2004
435
0
Blandford
Isn't one of the biggest problems with HID is that they can invalidate your insurance as they aren't exactly legal. Has anyone who has fitted them told their insurance company?
 

Nathanio

Full Member
May 26, 2005
1,226
1
West Sussex
www.w1pcs.co.uk
Why would fitting HIDs invalidate your insurance? Have you read the email from the DfT re Aftermarket HIDs in the FAQ?

Unless I am not mistaken the new Leon and Altea come with a HID option but no projector lamp as does the megane so the reflectors imo are not the main issue here, its the lack of being correctly adjusted.

I have not been flashed once with my HIDs but have had to flash pillocks with badly adjusted halogen bulbs that are pointed directly in your eye.
 

TimBarratt

Full Member
Oct 6, 2004
435
0
Blandford
Why would fitting HIDs invalidate your insurance? Have you read the email from the DfT re Aftermarket HIDs in the FAQ?

Unless I am not mistaken the new Leon and Altea come with a HID option but no projector lamp as does the megane so the reflectors imo are not the main issue here, its the lack of being correctly adjusted.

I have not been flashed once with my HIDs but have had to flash pillocks with badly adjusted halogen bulbs that are pointed directly in your eye.


Take a look at post 7 on the following thread. It says that they are illegal in cars not designed for them (which includes the mk1 Leon) therefore your insurance is invalid, as your car isn't road worthy.
http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=101950

Also these companies state on their web site that these kits aren't suitable for road use.

"we must sell these for off road and display systems only. " source hid4u.co.uk
 
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Nathanio

Full Member
May 26, 2005
1,226
1
West Sussex
www.w1pcs.co.uk
That is conflicting from the response someone else on here got. The rules are for kits fitted to new cars i.e. factory stock not aftermarket use.

Many people have had their cars MOT'd and passed and nothing said (which is a goverment test)

How then do they explain that the new Leon appears to have the same reflector for the halogen lights and for the factory xenons?

My car went in for service at my local garage and they did not mention at all the legality of the bulbs. If it was highly illegal then the government would not allow auto electricans to fit them to cars and would make the sale of them illegal.

As others I have been in front of several squad cars and about 40 police man (bloody millwall supporters causing chaos!) with traffic cops assisting and nothing has been said.

The gain in safety i.e. how much further you can see (and properly adjusted so not to glare people which can happen with halogen) far out weighs everything imo.

My car is roadworthy thank you very much as my Car has an MOT certificate that states that it is and was done not so long ago.
 

J500ANT

Active Member
Oct 20, 2006
272
2
Bristol
Auto Express says:

for standard bulbs its Hella or Osram
for Plus 30 its Halfords Brilliance or Osram Super
for Plus 50 its Halfords Super Brilliance or Philips GT150
for Blue its Osram Super Blue or Philips Blue Vision.

It does say Philips X-treme Power are THE best but they couldnt test them against anything else cos there are no competitors. So Philips X-treme Power is it!
 

mister.c.

mister.c.
Jul 5, 2004
494
1
Bugger me - back on track!

Cheers J500! - I havent had chance to have a look at my copy just yet.
 
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