I have used improved bulbs before, the best of which being PIAA Extreme White Plus, and they are better than standard halogen but nothing compares with HID light output and the colour temperature cannot be matched properly by any halogen bulb.

The closest to natural sunlight is around 4100K, the best HID kits to go for or 4300K where available or 5000K. these produce 300% brighter light output than a halogen bulb and are far superior to using just a simple bulb upgrade.

just had a look at the price of these, £47 a pair ! are these better than the bosch pure light and will they last longer ?

not going down the hid route, too much hassle, and besides i dont if i could fit them or not.....

Edited 15 December, 201015 yr by studmuffin

A HID kit will be fine in the Octy, as previously mentioned they have a projector headlight so you won't dazzle people with scatter. Keep them clean and use an OE colour xenon bulb and no-one will pay any attention to you!

Many forums have discussed the new MOT at length, even contacted the DVLA and concluded that it's rubbish. They can't and won't enforce it.

A HID kit will be fine in the Octy, as previously mentioned they have a projector headlight so you won't dazzle people with scatter. Keep them clean and use an OE colour xenon bulb and no-one will pay any attention to you!

Many forums have discussed the new MOT at length, even contacted the DVLA and concluded that it's rubbish. They can't and won't enforce it.

just seen these on ebay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SKODA-Octavia-04-HID-Xenon-Conversion-Kit-lights-/120505780916 any good ?

I recently fitted these. I am very happy with them, the light output is better and definately whiter tham OE. However I will still be fitting a HID kit in the new year and these bulbs will be going in swmbo's new car.

Also regarding the mot, I was prepared to swap a de-cat pipe once a year for the test, so changing the bulbs back to halogen won't cause any sleepless nights. Not that I'm suggesting that's a good pratice!

Lee.

just had a look at the price of these, £47 a pair ! are these better than the bosch pure light and will they last longer ?

not going down the hid route, too much hassle, and besides i dont if i could fit them or not.....

In all honesty they are the only bulbs that I have ever used that produce a large noticable difference over standard.

If you are definitely not wanting to go down the HID route then these are the only bulbs I would reccommend you spend youre money on

I had them in my BMW and they produce the purest of white lights and the closest to the output of HID you will ever get from a filament bulb.

PIAA will also give you a one year warranty with them so if the bulb does go for whatever reason they will replace it

just seen these on ebay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SKODA-Octavia-04-HID-Xenon-Conversion-Kit-lights-/120505780916 any good ?

Seller seems reputable and the kit looks ok. Ideally you'd want a lower temp colour but 6000k will look OE enough.

I recently fitted these. I am very happy with them, the light output is better and definately whiter tham OE. However I will still be fitting a HID kit in the new year and these bulbs will be going in swmbo's new car.

Also regarding the mot, I was prepared to swap a de-cat pipe once a year for the test, so changing the bulbs back to halogen won't cause any sleepless nights. Not that I'm suggesting that's a good pratice!

Lee.

Remember to disconnect the ballast before putting back the halogen H7's

Even the most expensive halogen lights won't get anywhere near a xenon bulb.

If you want to see where you're going go for the HIDs

Remember to disconnect the ballast before putting back the halogen H7's

Its not possible to connect the ballast to an H7 bulb. The HID burner is pre-wired with a high-voltage connector.

Its not possible to connect the ballast to an H7 bulb. The HID burner is pre-wired with a high-voltage connector.

Are the Xenon bulbs not H7 pattern then?

Are the Xenon bulbs not H7 pattern then?

They are HID burners on an H7 base. But you cannot connect the car's loom direct to the burners. They come pre-wired with HV leads and HV connector to mate with the ballast loom.

They are HID burners on an H7 base. But you cannot connect the car's loom direct to the burners. They come pre-wired with HV leads and HV connector to mate with the ballast loom.

I was on about it the other way around - connecting the standard H7 bulbs up with the ballast still connected to the car and popping them.

I have just fitted HID's, I think the MOT problem will come down to bad fitments and if you read the info from DFT might be only if the computer shows bulb fault on the dash i.e. when you fit HID's and don't change with VCDS

From link earlier in thread:

Other items – such as headlamp

bulb and unit incompatibility,

headlamp levelling devices and

illegal engine ‘chipping’ – will need

further thought before we can get

a workable solution for MOT

stations.

Some of the new items may

require extra effort on the part of

the tester – when we know for

sure what that is we’ll be talking

again with our trade and DfT

colleagues to work out what the

impact will be.

With HID's

I was on about it the other way around - connecting the standard H7 bulbs up with the ballast still connected to the car and popping them.

No, you can't do that (not without a great deal of effort). The connectors are simply incompatible.

Seller seems reputable and the kit looks ok. Ideally you'd want a lower temp colour but 6000k will look OE enough.

After looking at a youtube video, there is simply no comparison, between halogens and hids. i am now thinking of seriously buying hids as i work nights and for a extra max of £50, hids seem the most sensible option. Question..... If i go for hids will i need?

Headlight washers ?

Do they need to be self levelling ?

Are they easy to fit ?

Will they be ok with the canbus on my vrs ? Have heard of warning lights illuminating on dashboard and have to disconnect wires so fault lights do not light up

My car passed its first mot last week, so i would not have to take them out for a year if they were not up to eu regs {mot failure}??

Also the ebay link, for a pair of hids, are these cheap Chinese imports as the seller seems to says he ships from abroad ? Do these seem ok for the money? {Don’t want to be buying cheap Chinese rubbish} {i cannot believe i have just said that after ordering a Chinese timeless long 7501 headunit off ebay :wonder: ...}

How good are the hids from hids direct ?

are they legal and dangerous after watching this..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVuSSdZNsZw&list=QL&playnext=4

Thanks once again guys

Edited 16 December, 201015 yr by studmuffin

Test them

...and there will be no adjustment available by the light switch...another giveaway

Im sure Bens Octy has got the light level switch, unless its the dash pod intensity adjustment?

After looking at a youtube video, there is simply no comparison, between halogens and hids. i am now thinking of seriously buying hids as i work nights and for a extra max of £50, hids seem the most sensible option. Question..... If i go for hids will i need?

Headlight washers ? keep a cloth in the car

Do they need to be self levelling ? there is a button on the dash for manual leveling.

Are they easy to fit ? Yes

Will they be ok with the canbus on my vrs ? Have heard of warning lights illuminating on dashboard and have to disconnect wires so fault lights do not light up. Hauptmann (who lives near you) coded my system with VCDS to accept the HID's so I didn't need to fit the canbus cancellers.

My car passed its first mot last week, so i would not have to take them out for a year if they were not up to eu regs {mot failure}??

Also the ebay link, for a pair of hids, are these cheap Chinese imports as the seller seems to says he ships from abroad ? Do these seem ok for the money? {Don’t want to be buying cheap Chinese rubbish} {i cannot believe i have just said that after ordering a Chinese timeless long 7501 headunit off ebay :wonder: ...}

How good are the hids from hids direct ?

are they legal and dangerous after watching this..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVuSSdZNsZw&list=QL&playnext=4

Thanks once again guys

Have a look at this thread http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/179839-recommendations-for-a-good-hid-lamp-kit/page__st__40

Im sure Bens Octy has got the light level switch, unless its the dash pod intensity adjustment?

The point I was making was, at an MOT station, they can easily tell if HID's are OEM or retro fitted

1. There may be no light washers (Legal requirement)

2. There will be a levelling wheel on the dash (OEM HID's must be self levelling)

As Ben wont have these features, then fitting an HID kit will be illegal...Unfirtunately he will get away with it at the moment ONLY

As stated. ..... They WILL be cracking down!!!

After looking at a youtube video, there is simply no comparison, between halogens and hids. i am now thinking of seriously buying hids as i work nights and for a extra max of £50, hids seem the most sensible option. Question..... If i go for hids will i need?

Headlight washers ?

Do they need to be self levelling ?

Are they easy to fit ?

Will they be ok with the canbus on my vrs ? Have heard of warning lights illuminating on dashboard and have to disconnect wires so fault lights do not light up

My car passed its first mot last week, so i would not have to take them out for a year if they were not up to eu regs {mot failure}??

Also the ebay link, for a pair of hids, are these cheap Chinese imports as the seller seems to says he ships from abroad ? Do these seem ok for the money? {Don’t want to be buying cheap Chinese rubbish} {i cannot believe i have just said that after ordering a Chinese timeless long 7501 headunit off ebay :wonder: ...}

How good are the hids from hids direct ?

are they legal and dangerous after watching this..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVuSSdZNsZw&list=QL&playnext=4

Thanks once again guys

Hi

You are local to me.

I have fitted quite a few kits to Octavias. I can get you a kit, fit it and code the controller.

Budget for a headlight alignment afterwards (about £5-£10).

Send me a PM if you wish.

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

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

after reading this, nowhere does it say 'head lamp washers are required' just 'self cleaning' wotever that means...... :wonder:

so i asked the guy who has been doing the mot's on my cars for the last 15 years and he said he does'nt even check the headlight washers, so hids would not fail, as long as they are alligned properly.

after reading this, nowhere does it say 'head lamp washers are required' just 'self cleaning' wotever that means...... :wonder:

so i asked the guy who has been doing the mot's on my cars for the last 15 years and he said he does'nt even check the headlight washers, so hids would not fail, as long as they are alligned properly.

After reading this, nowhere does it say 'head lamp washers are required' just 'self cleaning' wotever that means...... :wonder:

Headlight washers = self cleaning

Headlight washers = self cleaning

yeah i know, read that wrong :S what i meant to say.... Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling, as printed, nowwhere does it say 'headlamp washers'

Are the design of the Octy projector headlamps the same as would be fitted with HID's?