http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/17021/why-is-is-costing-so-much-to-replace-a-xenon-headlamp-

Summary, reading betwen the lines - "Honest" John doesn't like plasma discharge headlights.

Warning; I got a pop-up that my blocker missed.

It is a valid point he raises though.

HID bulbs, like incandescent bulbs have a finite life. The issue is that the bulbs alone are at least a magnitude more expensive.

It is a valid point he raises though.

HID bulbs, like incandescent bulbs have a finite life. The issue is that the bulbs alone are at least a magnitude more expensive.

It not so much the bulbs as the ballasts. These can be incredibly expensive on some cars. They are sometimes mounted under the light unit (where they get wet) and easily damaged in a light front-end smash.

It is a valid point he raises though.

HID bulbs, like incandescent bulbs have a finite life. The issue is that the bulbs alone are at least a magnitude more expensive.

The cost of HID lamps might be significantly more than the equivalent halogen but they should last significantly longer (to the point where they generally work out cheaper in the long run).

The ballasts and electronics are expensive to replace if they go wrong or get damaged. But by the same token so are modern ECUs, fuel injectors and tubo chargers - I don't see Honest John saying that these should be avoided at all cost.

Why is a guy with a 6-year old car not going to a scrapper first? This isn't a bulb story, we know why they are more expensive, it's a headlight unit story. There's some old guy who has mounted a campaign about xenons and maybe he has a follower in HJ. It's also his opinion, and one I shall be ignoring. I think more light on the road is a better thing.

Why is a guy with a 6-year old car not going to a scrapper first?

Unfortunately second-hand xenon headlights are very rare as people snap them up to upgrade their halogen headlights.

Xenon’s and bi-xenon's are still an expensive option on most cars and are rarely standard so attract a hefty premium.

When these headlights are fitted to an older superseded model which has devalued considerably then the cost of replacement can sometimes exceed the cost of the car.

In this case if the owner wasn't prepared or able to cover the cost they could simply sell the working xenon unit and replace them both with standard halogens for much less!

But I agree, once you've experienced xenon's its difficult to go back to halogens.

An issue that is not often mentioned is that the light output from HID lamps (both OE and aftermarket) deteriorates with time and moves to the longer wavelength of the spectrum (becomes more yellow). This can happen after a few years use (obviously sooner if the lights are used as DRLs). This is not too much of a problem with aftermarket HIDs, where you can pick up a pair of H7-fitting lamps for £25, but its a real problem with OE units, especially some of those that are a rarer fitment. To restore your HIDs to full brightness is then quite expensive!

I've had a couple of cars over the past few years where xenons have been standard. Admittedly they are better than standard bulbs, but I certainly wouldn't spec them on a new car unless the option cost was less than £100 - I just don't think they're worth it for the marginal advantage they provide in my opinion. Needless to say, my Octavia doesn't have them, so that may make it less desirable when it comes to selling it, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

My position on DRLs is even more polarised. I think we'll all just get used to seeing them as they become more prevalent - diluting their intended benefit. If it's gloomy, then use your headlights. Skoda is capitalising on the demand by charging for them just now. Lets just hope they won't charge for deactivating them when I get my next Skoda.

Another carrot anyone...

AFAIK Skoda don't charge for DRL's. They are standard on newer models and headlights as DRL ('Scandinavian DRL') can be activated in Controller 9 on pre-FL models.

I have certainly 'gone off' some of the fancier DRL's that are now appearing (the strings of LEDs), the Scandinavian mode of just having dipped headlights activated seems best. Having driven in Scandinavia quite a bit, I do think they are a useful safety feature in gloomy weather (which is about half the year in the UK).

Standard Octavia HID headlights don't seem outrageously expensive, however I do know that some the AFS units fitted to other cars can be a bonkers price. Apparently some of the Merc and BMW units are over £2k a piece. That means that a minor traffic shunt starts with a repair cost of £4k for the lights alone!

... the Scandinavian mode of just having dipped headlights activated seems best. Having driven in Scandinavia quite a bit, I do think they are a useful safety feature in gloomy weather (which is about half the year in the UK).

I've read somewhere on this forum that they might look like dipped beam lights and use the dipped beam units BUT that they use a different lower power output in the daytime to prolong the life of the bulb as you only need to be seen and need not have the full light output in the day (as you can see where you are going anyway and don't need the lights' full output for that).

As to HIDs: my Yeti is my first car with them and they are amazing. I am one of those that can't go back to Halogens now. When I get into the MX-5 at night it feels like two little candles were lit up front when you switch the lights on!!!

Also have a look at this thread on the Yeti forum:

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/178553-full-beam-not-so-great/

It seems that (on the Yeti at least) the Halogen dipped lights are utter rubbish since the same bulb does both low and high beam and you lose all light in the foreground when you switch to high beam. Daft and not very safe - swithcing to high beam does NOT mean you are ONLY looking at the road further up... Another reason to specify HIDs for sure since the low beam output does not go away when the high beam joins it.

I'm not sure if the Octavia's Halogens work in the same way as the Yeti's?

I've read somewhere on this forum that they might look like dipped beam lights and use the dipped beam units BUT that they use a different lower power output in the daytime to prolong the life of the bulb as you only need to be seen and need not have the full light output in the day (as you can see where you are going anyway and don't need the lights' full output for that).

Yes, on some cars (including the Octavia) you can specify DRL 'Dimming' - this reduces the current to the headlights whilst DRLs are active and slightly reduces the light output. It is set via VCDS. Other cars have no DRL dimming. Some people may remember the old 'dim dip' system we had is the UK some years ago. A resistor was switched in series with the headlights when 'parking lights' were selected. The idea being that you couldn't drive on parking lights alone. This disappeared with the requirement to drive only on headlights and use parking lights just for parking.

Also have a look at this thread on the Yeti forum:

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/178553-full-beam-not-so-great/

It seems that (on the Yeti at least) the Halogen dipped lights are utter rubbish since the same bulb does both low and high beam and you lose all light in the foreground when you switch to high beam. Daft and not very safe - swithcing to high beam does NOT mean you are ONLY looking at the road further up... Another reason to specify HIDs for sure since the low beam output does not go away when the high beam joins it.

I'm not sure if the Octavia's Halogens work in the same way as the Yeti's?

That's pretty poor for a newly designed vehicle, I didn't realise they'd done that. I see the Yeti uses a dual-use H4 bulb for both dipped and main beam. Yes, means you get that annoying 'step change' between selecting full beam, and then taking it off again :S

The Octavia by comparison uses a much more sensible design, with an H1 main and H7 dipped bulb.

That's pretty poor for a newly designed vehicle, I didn't realise they'd done that.

Yep... so on a Yeti HIDs are the only way to go in my book. And I noted it as such in the "Things to think about before buying a Yeti thread".

Once you've have xenon headlights you won't go back to halogens. I get flashed occasionally but it's always people with halogen lights. Yes, they are a bit pricey to replace but the benefits far outweigh this.

If you wan't a 'xenon hater' then check out this little chestnut: http://www.blindedbixenon.co.uk/prob.htm

Despite the catchy site name, most of the problems listed involve halogen lights

I think if Honest John had said that 'Xenons should be avoided on cost' then I might have thought he had a point, as it is he sounds like a pratt!

....and breathe.

Once you've have xenon headlights you won't go back to halogens. I get flashed occasionally but it's always people with halogen lights. Yes, they are a bit pricey to replace but the benefits far outweigh this.

If you wan't a 'xenon hater' then check out this little chestnut: http://www.blindedbi....co.uk/prob.htm

Despite the catchy site name, most of the problems listed involve halogen lights

This is the guy I was on about. One of his points is that it blinds people who have had laser eye surgery. If your vanity is great enough to have eye surgery then fine, but to then deprive others of a clear benefit seems petty in the extreme. Still at least he is fighting a losing battle!

The idea being that you couldn't drive on parking lights alone. This disappeared with the requirement to drive only on headlights and use parking lights just for parking.

Which requirement is that? As I understand it it is still legal to drive on sidelights.

Parking lights on my Octavia only work without the ignition so it is impossible to drive with them on.

AFAIK Skoda don't charge for DRL's.

Skoda charge for the LED DRL's on the Octavia Scout.

I guess dipped headlight DRL's would be a free alternative.

Agreed, benefits outweigh any disadvantages of which I don't think there are any. That guy has isuues.

Only thing I don't like about the Scout is it's headlights, yep i didn't spec HID's as car was already built when I bought it. Have spent hours playing with bulbs and moving the beams around to try and replicate HID spread and performance and have given up now.

Came from another car that had HIDs and had it since new so 6 years and 150,000 kms, no light deterioration or failed system problems as mentioned above either.

Only thing I'd watch out for is the auto lights function with HID's. I understand HID's only have a certain number of start ups so having the auto on function means your lights turn on and off a lot more than you would like. Like in my garage at home on a sunny day etc.

P.S LED DRL's on my Scout have off/on option via maxidot. They turn off when main headlights or sidelights are on too. Benefit there is they have 50000 hour lifespan and are much easier to see than halogen equivilants in daylight.

Edited 27 January, 201115 yr by snala

If you wan't a 'xenon hater' then check out this little chestnut: http://www.blindedbixenon.co.uk/prob.htm

Hmm, perhaps Ken should get out a little more

All his "brief stories" involve him educating other drivers including the police on how to use their headlight adjustment switch to lower the angle of their headlights.

I have mine on "0" and always have as this is the recommended setting for single occupancy and an empty boot.

Surely if you are dazzling people when on "0" your headlights need realigning...

My Octavia has xenon's so they adjust automatically which means I have no manual control over their alignment from inside the car.

Not quite sure what the purpose of his website is.

Only thing I'd wacth out is the auto lights function with HID's. I understand HID's only have a certain number of start ups so having the auto on function means your lights turn on and off a lot more than you would like. Like in my garage at home on a sunny day etc.

Good point, although it is worth noting that the auto lights are designed to come on in bright sunshine (as well as low light) as low sun can also reduce visibility.