Hi All

I'm new to this site having recently bought a 57 plate Octavia TDI VRS which I love!

Does anyone have experience of changing the standard headlamps to Xenons, I've had a look at kits but am not sure what I should be looking for. I'm hands on so happy to dig in an fit myself, I just want to ensure that I have all the parts I need!

Thanks

WMD

Someone else has asked this question a while back, it's exceptionally expensive.

To do properly and legally, yes - it's as above! As you'll need the proper headlamps, ballasts, a completely different wiring loom, the self-levelling sensor for the rear axle, plus the complete headlamp wash system.

People do fit aftermarket HID kits, which is probably where this discussion will end up going...

Steve

Do HIDs still result in legal lights?

Probably the best thing is to use the search facility as there have been numerous discussions regarding this.

Short answer is technically no, you can't retrofit HID legally with aftermarket kits but the only reason is the lack of self levelling on the lights which is there specifically to avoid dazzling other road users.

My personal take is that as long as you remember to use your power headlight adjuster on the dash, you are OK in practice. To be honest most factory HID equipped cars dazzle anyway due to the colour temperature of the light and as there is no difference whatsoever in the beam spread or focus between non-HIH and factory HID lights on our cars, an aftermarket kit will be fine. Make sure you get the alignment checked by an MOT centre to be on the safe side.

For God's sake though pick one WITHOUT the nasty error cancelling ballasts - our cars don't need them and they have the potential to cause all kinds of ****s and giggle as they present a dirty great big capacitive load to the cars system - not good.

Get a good aftermarket kit without them and have the coding done properly. Oh and before I forget - stay the hell away from 7K colour temp - stick to 5K ish and you won't look like a Clio Boy!

Like I said, check the other posts on this.

Edited 18 October, 201015 yr by wardth

I really wouldn't bother!

The costs involved are silly money & when you add all of the work involved + the little benefit that you'll get from all of the hassle, it's not worth it.

Just put it down to experience & next time order them when you order the car.

there is no difference whatsoever in the beam spread or focus between non-HIH and factory HID lights on our cars, an aftermarket kit will be fine.

At risk of cans and worms therein, have you got anything concrete to back that up? As the cutoff, pattern and throw of the lighting in a proper xenon equipped Octy2, and one fitted with an aftermarket HID kit, look different to me.

Steve

Easier to fit some Philip Extreme bulbs or Osram Nightbreakers and be happy - they give a decent improvement over stock.

At risk of cans and worms therein, have you got anything concrete to back that up? As the cutoff, pattern and throw of the lighting in a proper xenon equipped Octy2, and one fitted with an aftermarket HID kit, look different to me.

Steve

I've compared them both side by side some time ago and they looked pretty similar to me. In fact, if anything the non xenons looked to have a smaller beam spread. Fitting HIDS to mine the cutoff was much sharper (as expected) and the beam pattern was actually almost identical to my mates factory fit jobs. I also got them checked at two different MOT centres and they were spot on. I actually removed them because of failures of both kits I tried HIDS-4-U and HIDS DIRECT. Gave up in the end but I'm going to give it another crack soon - just been too busy to waste time dicking around with the car!

Hi All

I'm new to this site having recently bought a 57 plate Octavia TDI VRS which I love!

Does anyone have experience of changing the standard headlamps to Xenons, I've had a look at kits but am not sure what I should be looking for. I'm hands on so happy to dig in an fit myself, I just want to ensure that I have all the parts I need!

Thanks

WMD

be warned..............CANBUS does not like these aftermarket kits. JONTDI has also had some bad experiences that arose due to the way these kits work.

be warned..............CANBUS does not like these aftermarket kits. JONTDI has also had some bad experiences that arose due to the way these kits work.

That's quite a broad statement. Some are clearly better than others, from reading people's feedback on here. The more straightforward kits along with some VCDS coding seems to have reaped the most benefit for people.

Ive got an aftermarket set in mine & they work perfectly.

G

Someone like me will mention this

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/hidheadlamps

In the Department's view it is not legal to sell or use after market HID lighting kits, for converting conventional Halogen headlamps to HID Xenon. If a customer wants to convert his vehicle to Xenon HID he must purchase completely new Xenon HID headlamps. The reason for this is that the existing lens and reflector are designed around a Halogen filament bulb, working to very precise tolerances. If one places a HID "burner" (bulb) in the headlamp, the beam pattern will not be correct, there will be glare in some places and not enough light in other places within the beam pattern.

If you want a legal 'Xenon' look then buy blue covered bulbs like Philips Blue Vision or Osram's Cool Blue. If you want even more light then buy the Philips X-Tremes or Osram's NightBreakers.

That's quite a broad statement. Some are clearly better than others, from reading people's feedback on here. The more straightforward kits along with some VCDS coding seems to have reaped the most benefit for people.

I agree with Wardy, I have a CAN-BUS Kit,Slim and with a Low Voltage Peek on start up.

Had them for 3 months now.

People have been putting HID Kits, non Can-Bus on theirs and then have electrical problems.

One major problem is windshield wiper motors stop working.

Tons of VW Golfs and Seat´s.

Here´s a picture of my beem when I put the beem flat, option, and are 6000k.

Do have original washing system, no Auto levelling system. Oh yeah, Auto levelling systems are/have slow reflexes.

If you are not wanting to go down the HID kit path, the best bulbs, and the ONLY ones I have found that have a noticeable difference over stock are PIAA Extreme White Plus bulbs. They have a slight blue tint, rated at 4100K and only draw 55W and produce an output of that of a 110W bulb. They are pricey (about £50 ish a pair) but they make a big difference

Someone like me will mention this

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/hidheadlamps

If you want a legal 'Xenon' look then buy blue covered bulbs like Philips Blue Vision or Osram's Cool Blue. If you want even more light then buy the Philips X-Tremes or Osram's NightBreakers.

Aren't the standard headlights the same as the xenon headlight with projector lenses so the beam pattern is the same and not scattered.

Aren't the standard headlights the same as the xenon headlight with projector lenses so the beam pattern is the same and not scattered.

That was my understanding of the non-xenon lamps as they have the projector lenses - I am prepared to be proved wrong though

I agree with Wardy, I have a CAN-BUS Kit,Slim and with a Low Voltage Peek on start up.

Had them for 3 months now.

People have been putting HID Kits, non Can-Bus on theirs and then have electrical problems.

One major problem is windshield wiper motors stop working.

Tons of VW Golfs and Seat´s.

Here´s a picture of my beem when I put the beem flat, option, and are 6000k.

Do have original washing system, no Auto levelling system. Oh yeah, Auto levelling systems are/have slow reflexes.

friend with seat blew 2 wiper motors .......that's the worry for me.

friend with seat blew 2 wiper motors .......that's the worry for me.

If you earth the ballasts directly to the chassis, you won't have a problem. Don't connect them to the first earth wire you come across, or you will have problems.

To everyone who has fitted after-market HID's to their cars.

Have any of you asked your insurance company what using "non E Marked" parts on your car does to your insurance?

Those that haven't - have you thought about the potential of them not paying out for damage to your vehicle because of this?