Headlight upgrade

[Robbles]

Hi all,

Quick question. If I got these bulbs. http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/mtec-xenon-upgrade-bulbs/mtec-100w-cosmos-white/mtec-12v-100w-cosmos-blue-hid-class-xenon-gas-bulbs-p-479.html would I need to do anything on my car to fit these I have a Octavia vrs. 57 plate or would it just be a case of removing my old bulbs and putting these in?

Thanks

[vectra1]

Hi all,

Quick question. If I got these bulbs. http://www.hids-dire...ulbs-p-479.html would I need to do anything on my car to fit these I have a Octavia vrs. 57 plate or would it just be a case of removing my old bulbs and putting these in?

Thanks

They are 100W, which means they are 100% Illegal

Get a hid conversion kit instead

Superior job

[sherlocks VRS]

+1 and your controller isn't designed to handle 100 watts. would possibly damage the controller.

[k.young]

Did you notice the last line of the description on the website.................."these bulbs are for off road and show purposes only"

[Grizzle]

They are 100W, which means they are 100% Illegal

Get a hid conversion kit instead

Superior job

Which is also 100% illegal :wonder:

[vectra1]

Which is also 100% illegal :wonder:

LLOL

true

but the 100 watt bulbs would be 110% illegal so

Then again

Over here in Ireland HID conversion if fine

[Wayne Kerr]

Anybody thought about the Philips Blue Vision Extreme?

Had these in the 1.8T 4x4, perfect!

[Stoofa]

They are 100W, which means they are 100% Illegal

Get a hid conversion kit instead

Superior job

Which would also be 100% illegal - he might just as well fit 100w bulbs as fit a HID kit

Both are as illegal as each other.

[RainbowFire]

Those nice people at the DVLA have this to say about HID 'upgrades':

----------------------------------------------------------

Fact sheet: Aftermarket HID headlamps

December 2006

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.

The following is the legal rationale:

The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 regulate the situation in the UK.

Under these Regulations, HID/Gas Discharge/Xenon headlamps are not mentioned and therefore they are not permitted according to the strict letter of the law.

However new vehicles have HID headlamps. This is because they comply to European type approval Regulations. The UK cannot refuse to register a vehicle with a European type approval. These are to ECE Regulation 98 (for the HID headlamps which are tested on a rig in a laboratory) and ECE Regulation 48 (Lighting Installation on the vehicle).

For the after market, a used vehicle cannot obtain type approval because it is only applicable for new vehicles. However we feel that saying "HID is banned in the after market" would not be reasonable. Instead we should make analogies with new vehicles. It would be reasonable to require HID in the after market to meet the same safety standards as on new vehicles. The same level of safety should apply.

Therefore a HID headlamp unit sold in the after market should:

1. be type approved to ECE Regulation 98 as a component.

2. when fitted to the vehicle should enable ECE Regulation 48 to be complied with (although no government inspection will take place).

3. Comply with RVLR as far as "use" is concerned.

In practice this means:

1. The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory.

2. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam.

3. The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly like any other headlamp.

Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.

In summary it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules stated above.

-------------------------------------------------------------

......this would be why all those 'conversions' will be illegal.

Hopefully the MOT people will catch on and the correct lights will become part of the MOT. :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes:

Edited 13 November, 2011 by RainbowFore

[vectra1]

......this would be why all those 'conversions' will be illegal.

Hopefully the MOT people will catch on and the correct lights will become part of the MOT. :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes:

10 minute job to remove the hid kit and put the original bulbs back in for the MOT. Put the HID back in after test.

Simples

[io1901]

10 minute job to remove the hid kit and put the original bulbs back in for the MOT. Put the HID back in after test.

Simples

All very well. What happens if you have an accident and some eagle-eye insurance assessor spots the "illegal modification" = no insurance.

[Antimus]

So, is there a legal way of doing a HID conversion? say for example taking the headlamp units from a Xenon equipped Octavia and putting them into your car?

[queeg]

So, is there a legal way of doing a HID conversion? say for example taking the headlamp units from a Xenon equipped Octavia and putting them into your car?

nothing stopping you fitting HID conversion in the UK, as long as the headlamp is type approved for HID (so get the correct type from Skoda), fit a washer system and fit auto leveling (not the manual tumb wheel system fitted to non HID cars). Do that and your good to go and legal. Cost a pretty penny, but whatever floats yer boat.

[RainbowFire]

nothing stopping you fitting HID conversion in the UK, as long as the headlamp is type approved for HID (so get the correct type from Skoda), fit a washer system and fit auto leveling (not the manual tumb wheel system fitted to non HID cars). Do that and your good to go and legal. Cost a pretty penny, but whatever floats yer boat.

+1

Absotively! I suspect the worst part will be getting the self-levelling to work, correctly.

[RainbowFire]

All very well. What happens if you have an accident and some eagle-eye insurance assessor spots the "illegal modification" = no insurance.

Ah face it, if people want to drive around with illegal headlights / limo-tint windows all round etc, no words will make them change their minds, until there's a letter from the insurance company pursuing the full amount of the claim. Then there'll be a cry of "oh, I didn't know it was illegal. :'( :'( "

I thought the point of the MOT was to make sure the car was safe and legal. HIDs in the wrong lenses blind people comming towards you, but then if you've had this sort of work done, I doubt that you'd care.....until some old guy meets you head-on because you've blinded him.

The attitude of "swap for the MOT" is great, you could swap your slick tyres for treads for the test as well, and that dodgy number plate, oh and what about having the CAT put back in too.

[Antimus]

+1

Absotively! I suspect the worst part will be getting the self-levelling to work, correctly.

Don't think I'm that bothered!

[Stoofa]

10 minute job to remove the hid kit and put the original bulbs back in for the MOT. Put the HID back in after test.

Simples

If you have to remove something for an MOT then it's illegal - even more simples.

[Bullit]

I had a HID kit on my last car and it passed MOT 3 years in a row, the FL Vrs has projector headlights and as such don't scatter light everywhere like normal halogen reflector headlamps.

[mannyo]

From 2012 the headlights and bulbs are becoming a testable item for the MOT, any HID bulbs fitted without a auto levelling system and washing system will fail the MOT. Whilst you could swap the bulbs, for the MOT you will still fall foul of a roadside stop, get a fine and vehicle defect rectification notice or worse a prohibition notice. As they will be illegal you'll be unable to declare the modification to the insurance as its illegal, and run the risk of non payment in an accident. Imagine having to pay out 000's in compensation from your own pocket to a 3rd party for whiplash etc.

[j0hn]

I thought the point of the MOT was to make sure the car was safe and legal. .

On the day the car is tested.

Although I do agree with your points in principle.

I did try an HID kit in my last car, I knew it wasn't legal and did take it out, although I installed it in a set of Hella projectors and the beam cut off was as sharp as the OE xenons in my Octavia but without the self levellers I suspect they were not always friendly to incoming drivers, although I was NEVER once flashed. Doesn't make it right of course.

Incidentally the shop maintained the kit was legal, but they would wouldn't they.?

[vectra1]

Ah lads

All this talk of Insurance claims.

C'mon will 'ye.

Can someone point out to me where in any insurance cert saying you cannot have them and won't be insured in case of an accident during daylight??

I bet some of the people that are so perfect are the same ones with bigger brake kits and other mods fitted to their car's. Would an eagle eyed insurance agent spot these as well or would the slip his eye?

[queeg]

Ah lads

All this talk of Insurance claims.

C'mon will 'ye.

Can someone point out to me where in any insurance cert saying you cannot have them and won't be insured in case of an accident during daylight??

I bet some of the people that are so perfect are the same ones with bigger brake kits and other mods fitted to their car's. Would an eagle eyed insurance agent spot these as well or would the slip his eye?

Says it quite clearly on insurance certs. Goes along the lines of "if you fail to disclose any facts which are relevant to your insurance this could invalidate your whole policy, or part of it. If you are not sure wether something is relevant, please contact us".

I renewed my insurance on Friday and was also verbaly told the same statement. I asked about my tow bar and was told that it was classed as a moddification and as such now appears on the cert. under moddifications.

You pay your money and take your chance. If you can afford to pay out to all parties should your insurance become invalidated by something you have not told them then dad on !

the insurers wording is deliberatly vague and it puts the onus on the driver to ensure EVERYTHING is disclosed.

Ofcourse, it's entirly possible for a claims adjuster to miss something.

[vectra1]

Says it quite clearly on insurance certs. Goes along the lines of "if you fail to disclose any facts which are relevant to your insurance this could invalidate your whole policy, or part of it. If you are not sure wether something is relevant, please contact us".

I renewed my insurance on Friday and was also verbaly told the same statement. I asked about my tow bar and was told that it was classed as a moddification and as such now appears on the cert. under moddifications.

You pay your money and take your chance. If you can afford to pay out to all parties should your insurance become invalidated by something you have not told them then dad on !

the insurers wording is deliberatly vague and it puts the onus on the driver to ensure EVERYTHING is disclosed.

Ofcourse, it's entirly possible for a claims adjuster to miss something.

Towbar is understandable to be included in cover, as it can do damage to other cars etc. and any time of day or night

HID's do not affect nor cannot injure anybody during daylight when not in use.

[j0hn]

So what about when it gets dark then?

[Bullit]

God there are some right doomsday daves on here. As I said before 3 years with a HID kit in my previous car with projector headlamps. I never got flashed, and in fact you couldn't tell them apart from e real HID equipped model in use. The light output was a major improvement but as someone said earlier the projector style lamps give a pronounced cut off so the beam stays low.

3 MOTs passed nothing ever said just checked alignment, not that it would have bothered me as 10 mins to change anyway. The ballasts etc were all hidden down in the wing and if I had crashed would the insurance bloke have went that deep, I doubt it.