Im looking at a new car that has standard factory fit Bi-xenon's....

and the owner has changed the standard 4.3k bulbs with either 6 or 8k bulbs by the look of it.... now it isn't to my taste but at this time of year and climate i can't be bothered wriggling around under a car....

will it be legal or illegal?

cheers

Im looking at a new car that has standard factory fit Bi-xenon's....

and the owner has changed the standard 4.3k bulbs with either 6 or 8k bulbs by the look of it.... now it isn't to my taste but at this time of year and climate i can't be bothered wriggling around under a car....

will it be legal or illegal?

cheers

I thought that as long as they have self levelers and washers, they're legal, whatever temp bulb they have.

Tricky one. Illegal if the light output is judged to be 'too blue' by a passing officer of the law. Or perhaps by an MoT test centre, if it's due before you can be bothered to change them

With 6k I'd say you would be OK. Especially as they're behind a proper system so at least the output and beam definition should be sorted. 8k, you're starting to properly filter the output....

I thought that as long as they have self levelers and washers, they're legal, whatever temp bulb they have.

Nope, absolutely not. Fit some 12k bulbs to a proper setup then pop into your local MoT centre

Im looking at a new car that has standard factory fit Bi-xenon's....

and the owner has changed the standard 4.3k bulbs with either 6 or 8k bulbs by the look of it.... now it isn't to my taste but at this time of year and climate i can't be bothered wriggling around under a car....

will it be legal or illegal?

cheers

Softscoop has basically got it right, but I do believe 10 and 12 K are illegal (Too Blue)

I have 6000s in one of my cars, but if I need to replace them I will get the 4.3 as I do believe they are the best

Radiotwo

Pretty sure these are either 6k or 8k bulbs (on the right) and these passed an MoT with no issues at all. Like you, the previous owner fitted them and I can't be bothered (nor do I want to spend the money!) to change them over to something whiter. Still get flashed sometimes with them though, despite being legal and OEM and being pointed at the floor!

Sorry about the pictures, was trying to get used to a new camera and various settings. But you can see they're not too bad compared to normal lights.

The other car is a standard Corsa with halogens.

Edited 7 January, 201115 yr by TriggerFish

Nope, absolutely not. Fit some 12k bulbs to a proper setup then pop into your local MoT centre

light output with 12K bulbs would be shocking, would you even get any light at all??

light output with 12K bulbs would be shocking, would you even get any light at all??

Why not go for 30,000k?

I would doubt the type approval will apply if higher temperature burners have been fitted. 4300K (or thereabouts) is the optimum colour temperature, that's why it's used in OEM applications, I think some OEM systems are slightly higher than 4300K but not by much.

You'll get way with 6000K but 8000K is tricky and strains the eyes when driving at night. Any higher than that is utterly pointless and will no doubt be marked 'off road use only'. If you see a car running very high K burners you'll see the **** poor level of useable light put onto the road.

Photos of car headlights aren't much use as a reference, you need to see them with the naked eye.

Agree with photo comment; having taken photos of 'proper' setups before you always tend to get glare and scatter as the lens tried to capture everything.

I'd want somewhere in the 3k to 5k region if I was to be putting the bulbs in my car.

I'd want somewhere in the 3k to 5k region if I was to be putting the bulbs in my car.

Agreed, 4300k is OE, I have just ordered a 35w HID kit with 5000k colour temperature, went for those as I feel they are the crisipest whitest light!

Agreed, 4300k is OE, I have just ordered a 35w HID kit with 5000k colour temperature, went for those as I feel they are the crisipest whitest light!

Not sure I agree that the 5000k's will give you the 'whitest' light. From all the colour temps I have seen the 4300k ones were the nicest light to look at, and also to drive with.

Another point with HID bulbs is that they 'colourshift' with age. Basically, as the bulb ages the kelvin rating gets higher, and the brightness decreases. 4300k every time

Edited 11 January, 201115 yr by sleithykeithy

Not sure I agree that the 5000k's will give you the 'whitest' light. From all the colour temps I have seen the 4300k ones were the nicest light to look at, and also to drive with.

Another point with HID bulbs is that they 'colourshift' with age. Basically, as the bulb ages the kelvin rating gets higher, and the brightness decreases. 4300k every time

They do decrease in light output with age, but personally I'd love to be able to get hold of 3k bulbs as I find the white most annoying in bad weather.

Not sure I agree that the 5000k's will give you the 'whitest' light. From all the colour temps I have seen the 4300k ones were the nicest light to look at, and also to drive with.

Another point with HID bulbs is that they 'colourshift' with age. Basically, as the bulb ages the kelvin rating gets higher, and the brightness decreases. 4300k every time

vRSCarl has OE xenons (4300K) in his L&K and a 6000K conversion in his vRS, and side by side the 6000K are definately whiter, albeit with a slight tinge of blue, which is why I went for the 5000, as a happy in between.

And they arrived today so I fitted one to see and they are soooooooo White! Perfect colour match to my LED sidelights.

Agreed, 4300k is OE, I have just ordered a 35w HID kit with 5000k colour temperature, went for those as I feel they are the crisipest whitest light!

I would agree with this statement

Not sure I agree that the 5000k's will give you the 'whitest' light. From all the colour temps I have seen the 4300k ones were the nicest light to look at, and also to drive with.

Another point with HID bulbs is that they 'colourshift' with age. Basically, as the bulb ages the kelvin rating gets higher, and the brightness decreases. 4300k every time

I have had both 6000k, 5000k and 4300k bulbs and I have found the 5000k gives the nicest light imo. 4300k was the best for distance but I find 5000k the best compromise and the easiest on my eyes when night driving.

Some idiot near me has 8000k or 10000k in a Lupo and they are frankly irritating! They are so blueish/purple and incredibly distracting!