Just wondering if people have successfully fitted aftermarket HID kits to their Octy, irrespective of the whole legality debate?

No, I have not fitted them specifically because of the legality issue.

I was tempted but this put me off as splashing that much cash and risking being pulled for them combined with potentially blinding other road users did not make a good option IMHO

No, I have not fitted them specifically because of the legality issue.

I was tempted but this put me off as splashing that much cash and risking being pulled for them combined with potentially blinding other road users did not make a good option IMHO

I had a set which cost me £25 via ebay fitted to my last car which passed an MOT! As long as you have a projector lens the light will be aimed correctly so wont dazzle people. This was proven by the MOT test centre! Im pretty sure we'd be ok with the projector lenses as fitted to the Octavia, I know a lot of Audi & VW drivers who've fitted them, but they can throw up bulb warnings with some kits on Audi's, wondered if the Octy was similar?

Octy II will also throw up a bulb warning if the newer Golf V and Audi do.

Quite a few have got them fitted, Harry_vRS and Mater, being a couple that spring to mind.

As said, they wont dazzle especially, as the lens is a projector

Go for a proper kit though, not the cheap versions available, as they have the appropriate internals to trick the car into not throwing up the bulb warning.

www.hids4u.co.uk seem to be one of the best kits around, although at the higher end of the price spectrum. But they do say you get what you pay for

I will be looking into this myself when funds allow.

Cheers

Damian

I have the anti-glare version of the hids4u lights and they are good but pricey, and remember they aren't legal due to the lack of headlight washers and the self-level ability

Have a read of this Aftermarket HID (Xenon) headlamps

I indeed do have aftermarket Xenons. I got mine from Hids4U.co.uk point of warning though you need the ultimate kit or you end up with bulb failure warnings on the dash

Takes about 20 mins to fit and if anyone is gonna buy them PM me and i'll give you a 20% Discount code

Carl:thumbup:

Rather than putting empty consumers on the electrical system whip out your trusty vag com and disable the cold bulb diagnostics for the low beam, hi beam, etc

I've fitted a reasonably cheap kit (£50) that I also had fitted to my old Mazda6 and there are no bulb failure warning issues.

20 minute job too (took all day on the Mazda, bumper off job).

Also MOT is not a problem and so long as you keep the lenses clean and the alighment good then you're good to go.

PS. I generally have the level set at number 1 for normal roads, and 0 for motorways when I'm not loaded up, and have never been flashed.

Most of then problems with regard to aftermarket HID's relates to their fitment to reflector headlight assemblies. Because the HID burner ends up in a slightly different place to the OE incandescent filament there is the possibility of dazzle and light scatter.

The Octy II uses a projecter headlight unit and so can accommodate the light source being in a slightly different location without causeing scatter. The major issue with aftermarket HID's on the Octy II will be the lack of self-levelling - HID's are so much brighter that on an undulating road, without self-levelling, you risk blinding oncoming drivers. Its critical to keep the headlights accurately aimed and perhaps on bumpy roads use your height adjuster to drop them slightly.

Chanves are you'll get away with it.

Plenty of people do.

However you MUST know the rsisk before you make your purchase.

Your risk is that you will have a vehicle that can no longer get an MOT - because aftermarktet HIDs are illegal for road use.

If you real the link above you will see that your new HID setup will be missing one major component - the washer system.

Without this system the setup is not legal for road use.

The washer system makes the whole project cost prohibitive.

Sure there are plenty of people who've done it.

Sure there are plenty who "still got an MOT",

However just a year ago there were plenty of people with non-1005 legal number plates with an MOT.

I personally know 3 people who have failed their MOTs due to either illegally spaced number plates or the missing BSU number in the corner of the plate.

MOT test centres are being asked to be more careful....so OP risk at the end of the day.

Its not Just the MOT that is the problem. Car insurance requires your vehicle to be 100% road legal, therefore if there should be any reason to need to claim from insurance, they could legaly, and most probably say that the policy is not valid.

Especially now insurance companies will look for anyway out.

My non HiD Octavia has projector lamps and headlamp washers. Does anyone make a level sensor to automatically adjust the light leveling?

Folks, correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the auto leveling only sets the level when you turn on the ignition.

My Saab had OE xenons and the lamps did a little dance when the ignition was turned on.

I'll check with a friend who is a lamp system design engineer at Nissan........

Folks, correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the auto leveling only sets the level when you turn on the ignition.

My Saab had OE xenons and the lamps did a little dance when the ignition was turned on.

I'll check with a friend who is a lamp system design engineer at Nissan........

The auto levelling on the Octavia sets the level when the engine is running.

they do set the level on startup but they also move up and down when driving depending on the gradient

The auto levelling on the Octavia sets the level when the engine is running.

Only when the ignition is first turned on

Only when the ignition is first turned on

When you switch on the ignition the headlights move through there full range from bottom to top to establish reference points and to set the correct beam range.

There are sensors connected to the suspension that monitor the angle of the car (whether the front is pointing up or down) and adjust the headlight range automatically to keep them pointing at the road as you're driving

When you switch on the ignition the headlights move through there full range from bottom to top to establish reference points and to set the correct beam range.

There are sensors connected to the suspension that monitor the angle of the car (whether the front is pointing up or down) and adjust the headlight range automatically to keep them pointing at the road as you're driving

Which is what I said

Factory-fit HID's have a dynamic angle adjustment system which uses inputs from ride-height sensors.

Aftermarket HID's on a car like the Octavia are a 'grey area' - despite the DfT bulletins there is no case law that says they are illegal. Type Approval applies only to new cars and the Construction and Use Regulations are not water tight on this one.

The Octy II has projector lenses and provided a reasonable quality kit is fitted, should pass the MoT. The MoT inspector is looking for beam angle, pattern and colour (white or yellow). If the pattern is correct and non-dispersed and the colour is correct (subjective - but I would say HID's will colour temp of 5000K or less should be OK).

The MoT is not concerned with the SOURCE of the light and a light-meter test is not currently part of the MoT test.

I write this as an ex-MoT tester and am not aware of any recent changes to the test manual on this one.

HID's WILL FAIL if there is poor pattern or lots of scatter.

A knowledgable copper could potentially pull you under the C&UR, but this is very unlikely to happen if the beams are correctly adjusted and white (as opposed to blue).

The insurance company angle is altogether another matter and they may regard it as a 'modification' - although I doubt they could nullify your entire cover based on just this.

I'm interested in these HID's, but i already have Xenons as factory fit,including the light washers, but i don't think my full beam are xenons only the dipped beam:cool:I think my full beam is a H1 standard bulb which gives a very poor yellowish light soi'm thinking of getting the HID kit from HIDS4U Ltd for my full beam.Has anyone else got factory fit xenons and confirm that the main beam is a standard H1 Bulb?

Don't forget that the main beams will take time to ignite when you flash your headlights. I think factory fit bi-xenons have an additional halogen bulb for that purpose.

Don't forget that the main beams will take time to ignite when you flash your headlights. I think factory fit bi-xenons have an additional halogen bulb for that purpose.

No they don't

The bulbs in the main beam are fast strike igniting bulbs and the ones they sell on HIDS4U.co.uk are designed for that purpose

Carl:thumbup:

Edited 15 June, 200917 yr by Mater
Just to Clarify wasn't having a go

I stand corrected! Although I'm sure I have seen on some forums where there have been mention of slow ignition with factory fit bi-xenons but that could have been the older systems.