Aftermarket HID Kits and their legality.
29 November 2008, 05:43 PM
#1
Aftermarket HID Kits and their legality.
This may be of interest to some of you.
Xenon HID conversion kits - a cheap, easy and safe headlight upgrade? | Power Bulbs
While I do not agree fully with everything that Auto Express had to say in the video, my experience of HIDs is such that while the dipped beam on some kits is very good I am yet to find one where the full beam does not suffer from scatter and makes it less effective for long range high speed cross country driving.
I will stick to my General Electric H4 plus 60%.
Xenon HID conversion kits - a cheap, easy and safe headlight upgrade? | Power Bulbs
While I do not agree fully with everything that Auto Express had to say in the video, my experience of HIDs is such that while the dipped beam on some kits is very good I am yet to find one where the full beam does not suffer from scatter and makes it less effective for long range high speed cross country driving.
I will stick to my General Electric H4 plus 60%.
29 November 2008, 06:37 PM
#3
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Never any question of them ever being legal IMO
Department for Transport - Aftermarket HID (Xenon) headlamps
hopefully all the chumps on the road who end up blinding people due to cheap and nasty kits will be pulled over and put in prison (never going to happen, but we can hope lol)
Department for Transport - Aftermarket HID (Xenon) headlamps
hopefully all the chumps on the road who end up blinding people due to cheap and nasty kits will be pulled over and put in prison (never going to happen, but we can hope lol)
Last edited by StickyMicky; 29 November 2008 at 06:39 PM.
29 November 2008, 06:56 PM
#4
Customers feedback says it all really:
https://www.scoobynet.com/group-buys...id-kit-gb.html
https://www.scoobynet.com/group-buys...id-kit-gb.html
https://www.scoobynet.com/group-buys...id-kit-gb.html
I've a set of bob's HID's on my Classic and they are simply awesome. Dipped is at a comfortable level to see much more than the halogen bulbs but not to much to dassel other road users. I've never been flashed for using them.
Turn on High Beam and the whole road for some distance is lit which is what you need.
Turn on High Beam and the whole road for some distance is lit which is what you need.
fitted mine yesterday,idiot proof doesnt even come close to describing how easy they were to fit,the ballasts are tiny,fitted easily and probably the best mod ive done to my car,i work early mornings,just realised how poor the standard lights are....now i need to do somethin about the p**s poor sidelights tho lol
Just fitted the slim hids to my bike, see part way through the difference between halogen and Xenon
[img=http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/8244/dscf3152jq3.th.jpg][img=http://img254.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif]
All fitted now into the fairing.
Bob, I'll be ordering another set in a week or so for my car
Andy
[img=http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/8244/dscf3152jq3.th.jpg][img=http://img254.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif]
All fitted now into the fairing.
Bob, I'll be ordering another set in a week or so for my car
Andy
Last edited by Aztec Performance Ltd; 29 November 2008 at 07:02 PM.
29 November 2008, 07:39 PM
#5
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I feel sorry for the drivers approaching these cars with lights that are described as 'Bloody hell these lights are bright!! like driving in daylight'.
Autoexpress has confirmed many peoples worries about these DIY kits, in a scientific and professional manner.
Dipster
Autoexpress has confirmed many peoples worries about these DIY kits, in a scientific and professional manner.
Dipster
29 November 2008, 08:08 PM
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In fighting aside, Im not convinced that they are illegal per se. AutoExpress is a bit of a comic so I doubt that theyve done a deal beyond speaking to an MOT centre and reading the DoTs guidance sheet (which is full of factual inaccuracies and even says itself, that it is an opinion and not a statement of law).
Personally though, Id sooner go without than deal with BOB'5 after the way he has acted, which is now back firing on him.
Personally though, Id sooner go without than deal with BOB'5 after the way he has acted, which is now back firing on him.
29 November 2008, 08:14 PM
#7
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i've got a set of these on mine, i've tried in vain to get rid of the scatter, but no joy, still got them on but will be coming off soon as, the seller was full of **** as he wouldn't agree they were not mot legal
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29 November 2008, 08:23 PM
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> Personally though, Id sooner go without than deal with BOB'5 after the way he has acted
Bring back Alcazar! He was right all along (which we knew) and was only hounded out because Bob'5 was a paid up advertiser. That's not big or clever.
Bring back Alcazar! He was right all along (which we knew) and was only hounded out because Bob'5 was a paid up advertiser. That's not big or clever.
29 November 2008, 08:33 PM
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"Jeff, I dont particularly support your anti-HID crusade, but I strongly feel that the vendor in question should have their advertiser status revoked. ScoobyNet would be better off (in anything other than a financial way) without this person."
I have no doubt at all that after allowing the bogus infraction to stand, the webclown told the advertiser about our private conversation where I mentioned the price fixing. Before you know it he had given me four more infractions on old threads that were nothing to do with him.
ScoobyNet will definately be better without people like you BOB'5.
29 November 2008, 09:03 PM
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Sorry but it depends on the model, my bug-eye has projector dip units, and I doubt these were altered for the standard fit JDM HID set-up, I haven't been flashed once, as I have them one click down in traffic.
Legality **** I'd rather be able to see where I'm going !
DunxC
P.S. If I want to dazzle people I'll use the pair of Hella 1000FF's...
P.P.S. Bring back Alcazar....
Legality **** I'd rather be able to see where I'm going !
DunxC
P.S. If I want to dazzle people I'll use the pair of Hella 1000FF's...
P.P.S. Bring back Alcazar....
Last edited by dunx; 29 November 2008 at 09:09 PM.
29 November 2008, 09:08 PM
#16
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Sorry but it depends on the model, my bug-eye has projector dip units, and I doubt these were altered for the standard fit JDM HID set-up, I haven't been flashed once, as I have them one click down in traffic.
Legality **** I'd rather be able to see where I'm going !
DunxC
P.S. Bring back Alcazar....
Legality **** I'd rather be able to see where I'm going !
DunxC
P.S. Bring back Alcazar....
29 November 2008, 09:34 PM
#18
i have hid's and i get a few ppl flashing at me..............not because they are too bright more just the fact i think my beam is far far too high 
someone reversed into my front end and fcuked off and left my bumper hanging off and since then my beam seems far too high at one side. other than that i never had any problems with them
have to admit i've not been on here long and have seen a fair few bitch fests on here and just think its a sad state of affairs.
someone reversed into my front end and fcuked off and left my bumper hanging off and since then my beam seems far too high at one side. other than that i never had any problems with them
have to admit i've not been on here long and have seen a fair few bitch fests on here and just think its a sad state of affairs.
30 November 2008, 12:09 AM
#21
I bought a full set of HID's for mine and what a difference, i'll never go back to Halogen Bulbs.
As soon as i fitted mine i went and got my lights set and never had any one flash me due to them being to bright.
Ok there are some cheep and nasty kits out there, I bought a set off here which were just **** and spent most of there time not working.
Lets face it, there are more cars out there with halogen bulbs fitted with head lights not set right and blind you or only have one head light on.
Thats my 2p worth
As soon as i fitted mine i went and got my lights set and never had any one flash me due to them being to bright.
Ok there are some cheep and nasty kits out there, I bought a set off here which were just **** and spent most of there time not working.
Lets face it, there are more cars out there with halogen bulbs fitted with head lights not set right and blind you or only have one head light on.
Thats my 2p worth
30 November 2008, 07:54 AM
#22
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There is no question over the legality of them
They are ILLEGAL. If the nasty policeman wants to do you for them, or a pedantic MOT tester wants to fail you for them, they can.
It's not a grey area, it's only a question of whether you get away with it.
That said, I will fit some when the car's ready for the road again, but I'm fully aware they're in the same category as my decat - ok as long as no one catches you.
They are ILLEGAL. If the nasty policeman wants to do you for them, or a pedantic MOT tester wants to fail you for them, they can.
It's not a grey area, it's only a question of whether you get away with it.
That said, I will fit some when the car's ready for the road again, but I'm fully aware they're in the same category as my decat - ok as long as no one catches you.
30 November 2008, 09:51 AM
#23
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There is no question over the legality of them
They are ILLEGAL. If the nasty policeman wants to do you for them, or a pedantic MOT tester wants to fail you for them, they can.
It's not a grey area, it's only a question of whether you get away with it.
That said, I will fit some when the car's ready for the road again, but I'm fully aware they're in the same category as my decat - ok as long as no one catches you.
They are ILLEGAL. If the nasty policeman wants to do you for them, or a pedantic MOT tester wants to fail you for them, they can.
It's not a grey area, it's only a question of whether you get away with it.
That said, I will fit some when the car's ready for the road again, but I'm fully aware they're in the same category as my decat - ok as long as no one catches you.
I am guessing that when the police start enforcing these regulations we will see a massive decrease in them being used, just like the respaced number plates where people thought it was cool to look like a tit..
I get blinded every day at least a dozen times by these things, the worst offender is a pug 206, I think more light goes up in the air than on the road
30 November 2008, 10:22 AM
#24
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Never been flashed in my blob with one of these kits yet I used to get flashed regularly in my 172 clio with oem hid's..!
Passed two MOT's, in fact the tester commented on how good the pattern was..!
IMHO a decent kit, properly adjusted in the right headlight (some designs will obviously scatter more than others) they make a good safe upgrade.
Lol, when halogen bulbs were first introduced way back when, people were getting flashed simply because they were brighter (note not dazzling) than the older technology (and therefore more noticeable). There was a lot of similar complaints about them at the time, now every car has them fitted as std. Very comparable to this debate.
Should we all go back to a candle in a lantern..?!
Passed two MOT's, in fact the tester commented on how good the pattern was..!
IMHO a decent kit, properly adjusted in the right headlight (some designs will obviously scatter more than others) they make a good safe upgrade.
Lol, when halogen bulbs were first introduced way back when, people were getting flashed simply because they were brighter (note not dazzling) than the older technology (and therefore more noticeable). There was a lot of similar complaints about them at the time, now every car has them fitted as std. Very comparable to this debate.
Should we all go back to a candle in a lantern..?!
30 November 2008, 10:55 AM
#25
what has customer feedback got to do with it BOB? when you were selling them I never saw one disclaimer stating that they were in fact illegal to use on british roads!
you may get away with using them, but then again you may not. your choice, your money your licence!
you may get away with using them, but then again you may not. your choice, your money your licence!
30 November 2008, 11:15 AM
#26
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If you are going to fit an HID conversion kit to your car, you NEED to have a projector headlight unit for the bulb to focus/aim the light where it should be and needs to be - ALL on the road - it if is not a projector unit then the light from the hid bulb is not actually aiming the light where it is needed, but instead lighting up everything in front of you, which you think is what you want, no no. Then you think its brighter, no wrong again. Its an optical illusion as the light looks brighter, it probably is, but it is putting light everywhere as it is a higher light output giving this illusion.
Looks like Alcazar was wrongly banned as he new the facts and tried in his vain to warn people that these HID conversion kits are in fact illegal.
Very good BOB'5 quoted all the positive feedback you have gotten from peolpe buying and fitting our HID kits. I wonder how many customers have removed the kit as it actually worsened the light
Looks like Alcazar was wrongly banned as he new the facts and tried in his vain to warn people that these HID conversion kits are in fact illegal.
Very good BOB'5 quoted all the positive feedback you have gotten from peolpe buying and fitting our HID kits. I wonder how many customers have removed the kit as it actually worsened the light
Last edited by SC008Y_MAD; 30 November 2008 at 11:19 AM.
30 November 2008, 11:16 AM
#27
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I think the main issue is with classics, they have poor lights to start with and the bodge job H4 HID's are also rubbish, so make things worse..
imho
DunxC
imho
DunxC
30 November 2008, 11:21 AM
#28
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you hit the nail on the head dunx. Its the poorly designed classic reflector and I just don't think it is just classics, bugeyes (with out Sti projectors, uk300 projectors) and blobeye still have a poor reflector, albeit better than tyhe classic, but still not brilliant.
30 November 2008, 11:27 AM
#29
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they only work ok with the projectors, thats why the classics with them fitted are pants, including mine! as i said before they will not pass the MOT as the pattern is much less defined and they scatter!
if you have them fitted, put your headlights against a dark high wall and you'll see how high the scatter goes,
oh and i bet the road signs are very bright when you drive on a Mway
if you have them fitted, put your headlights against a dark high wall and you'll see how high the scatter goes,
oh and i bet the road signs are very bright when you drive on a Mway
) as they were when I had oem HID's on my 172..!