When you next do an update, please please do NOT do the thing that VAG appear to be doing on the other brands and when fitting bi-xenons also take away the separate pair of incandescent main beam lamps.

Have driven a few now on VW and Audi (no SEAT but can see they are same on EXEO) and whilst dipped beam is excellent the main beam just does not cut it.

OK on narrow and winding roads on a dry night, but on wide open roads and especially on dark wet nights just not up to snuff imo.

I don't want the hassle of mounting the typical Scandinavian thing of a bank of 2 or 3 monster Hellas hanging off the nose, perhaps more to the point the pain of arguing with the fleet manager about whether I'm allowed to do it.

I'm not sure having not driven a VW with incandescnet bulbs, however, my currnet car Passat CC has bixenons and main beam is excellant, last car evo X main beam slightly better (still no extra bulbs) and BMW 5 series had them, but only for flashing, did not come on with main beam and again excellant illumination.

It's 2011MY cars eg new Passat, iirc the Passat CC still has the old arrangement, the bi-Xenon plus a second pair of high beam lamps with normal incandescent with H3s(?)

The ones I have driven where it's just the bi-Xenons alone, as per OP, main beam does not have the throw or beam control on high beam for real high speed distance work out in wide open spaces. Other examples are Audi A1, Scirocco. The current new Passat without bi-Xenons is fine on main beam.

I agree, bixenons are great, white and brilliant, and the high beams are ordinary yellow H3's. I rate them as ok but it is not ok to have white xenons ond yellow high beams. Just not pretty IMHO. I changed them to blue (white) H3 that are suppose to give a 30% better beam. I'll let you know next winter if this is true. Living in Sweden, the days are very long right now, so the high beams are difficult to test.

With both bulbs, on the current superb, when you switch to main beam, the halogen lamp comes on as well as the Xenon headlight beam being altered for full beam. This means you get the Xenon full beam, and the halogen acts as a sort of fill in for the parts of the road the xenons miss.

Another drawback of no halogen bulb is a massive delay should you choose to use the headlights to flash them, because you'll have to wait for the voltage to get up to the correct level to fire the igniters and the bulb to light, and Xenons do not like this and each flash reduces the bulbs life quiet a lot. With both bulbs, a flash simply operates the halogen bulb and xenon is not powered up at all.

Another drawback of no halogen bulb is a massive delay should you choose to use the headlights to flash them, because you'll have to wait for the voltage to get up to the correct level to fire the igniters and the bulb to light, and Xenons do not like this and each flash reduces the bulbs life quiet a lot. With both bulbs, a flash simply operates the halogen bulb and xenon is not powered up at all.

Is this the case if the low beam is set up as daylight running lights in the MFD? The lights are alight already and the high beam is only a movement of the shutters in the lights as I understand it.

I believe so, the current superb has the DRL located next to the foglight. Only older superbs like my 2008 switch on the xenon when used as DRL, and they run at a slightly dimmed setting to prolong the life of the bulb.

My previous Passat had the bi-xenons with no halogen main beams. I always found them to be fine for main beam, especially with the dynamic lighting. That said, the main beam on the Superb is even better!

The only problem I found with the Passat bi-xenons was driving on dipped headlights during the day (as I've always done on motorways prior to the introduction of DRLs), people often could not spot a flash of the main beam, say if you were letting someone out.

I believe so, the current superb has the DRL located next to the foglight. Only older superbs like my 2008 switch on the xenon when used as DRL, and they run at a slightly dimmed setting to prolong the life of the bulb.

My headlights have failed (gone pink) after less than 60k miles DRL running...lease company not happy about forking out for the replacements.

I guess this may be why the set up was changed to the current arrangement, ie not using the Xenons as DRLs.

Dan

Am I wrong in saying that bi-Xenon means that both the dipped and main are Xenon? You cannot call something bi-Xenon and then have a halogen light doing the one or the other! You just have Xenons if your car also has a halogen unit in there I'm afraid.

On the Yeti the standard halogen light is apparently fine but the moment you go to main beam the same bulb does this job and you lose all the light in the foreground! Useless according to most owners on this forum. The Yeti Elegance spec bi-xenons however has a shield that moves away when you go from dipped to main. Thus the full low beam light spread is still there whilst getting the longer range of the main beam to boot. I have these and they are awesome.

I suspect the VAG cars you are on about have old fashioned Xenons and NOT bi-Xenons.

I suspect the VAG cars you are on about have old fashioned Xenons and NOT bi-Xenons.

No you're wrong, they have a single pair of bi-Xenons. I'm quite clear about that.

When main beam is selected the shutter moves and you still have the light as before in the dip pattern, but as you say light is now allowed to shine generally forward.

However the control of that light is poor, and just generally shines forward. It's OK on narrow and winding lanes where your maximum sight line is not so far ahead, and the sides are quite close, but as soon as you get on open straight roads in open countryside they just don't have enough power and control. As said in OP. When it's wet it's even worse, I'd go so far as to say dangerous.

Eyesight is better than 20/20 btw before anyone tells me to get an eyetest.

On the Superb Elegance they have a pair of bi-xenons with the moveable shutter, and a second pair of normal halogen lamps using H3 lamps which provide more controlled light forward.

I have not driven behind a set of Yeti bi-xenons so maybe Skoda are better than the utter garbage that VW/Audi/Seat are currently putting in.

I do a lot of miles in the wilds of Scandinavia, mainly Sweden, and in order to get suitable main beam light with just a single pair of VAG bi-xenons and no second pair of main beams I would have to mount extra lights for the winter.

Just to give example with pictures

2011 Audi A4 headlamp normal

2011 Audi A4 headlamp bi-xenon

The second are OK on dip, very good in fact better than halogens, but main beam long distance = total scrap.

However the control of that light is poor, and just generally shines forward. It's OK on narrow and winding lanes where your maximum sight line is not so far ahead, and the sides are quite close, but as soon as you get on open straight roads in open countryside they just don't have enough power and c

I think that all bi-xenon lights are adaptive, and have several different modes.

Maybe this explains in more detail:

http://new.skoda-auto.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Environment/Adaptivni_svetlomety_AFS_ENG_07_2008.pdf

The Skoda AFS system is basically modifying the shape of the dipped beam.

The VW Audi lamps can use a different system, Adaptive High Beam

This is why they are doing away with the second set of normal lights.

However regardless of whether they have this system or just normal switching with the dip switch in the conditions I describe the main beam is lousy, definitely a step backwards.

I can understand folks who have paid a lot for bi-xenons to be reluctant to admit money was perhaps not spent well, or maybe it suits the sort of driving they do, but they definitely do not suit mine.

Feels like a "The Emporer has no clothes" situation.

I wrote on the performance of the Bi Xenon lights some time ago and thought that it was my eyes that was the problem as I am an old fart and eyes lose their ability to absorb light. I have yet to do it but am going to fit better globes to the H3's and see what happens. To me the lights have a light temperature that is a bit too high and they lack volume of light in the mid distance, sure they throw a long way but the detail is missing if you follow what I mean. Does anyone know what light temperature xenons are? It is generally thought that about 4800 Kelvin is about right IIRC.

I believe they are 4300K.

... or maybe it suits the sort of driving they do, ...

I think this is more the issue. In the UK we do not get the darkness you experience in Scandinavia as there is always exactly 1 million and 5 other users on the very same roads with you at all times, even at the smallest hours of the morning. Grrr. Makes for slow progress and meant that in 110,000 miles of driving with my last car I used the main beam lights perhaps, ten times over nine years (exluding flashing people to let them in or something...) But then I do live in London but also have been to every corner of this fair isle.

The few times I've used the main beams on my bi-Xenon Yeti they have been astounding having come from a behalogened Audi.

I agree, you don't get the chance In UK to use main beam for any length of time.

However in wild and woolly Worcestershire, where sheep are safe albeit a bit nervous from them across the border, most of the roads are OK with the bi-xenons, as the roads are narrowish and winding. There are some open trunk roads but usually something on them even at 3 in the morning. Sadly 3 in the morning is not unusual for me.

Up on t'moors in Yorkshire though, especially on a wet and wild night, sharp intake of breath follows.

tbh I'm waiting to see result of Llanigraham's attempts to fit auxiliaries on his Yeti.

I have yet to do it but am going to fit better globes to the H3's and see what happens.

I tried this on my last Volvo when one of the H3 mains went, and put in some 100w from Biltema. This is the Swedish equivalent of Hellfrauds.

They were bright alright, but pointed in the wrong direction. Thought I'd fitted the bulbs wrongly, messed and phaffed about for ages.

Finally found out that what counts more than anything in modern lights is the accuracy of filament positioning. Since then I've bought lamps from proper manufacturers, currently have all Bosch in mine and the results are fine even without upping the wattage.

I tried this on my last Volvo when one of the H3 mains went, and put in some 100w from Biltema. This is the Swedish equivalent of Hellfrauds.

They were bright alright, but pointed in the wrong direction. Thought I'd fitted the bulbs wrongly, messed and phaffed about for ages.

Finally found out that what counts more than anything in modern lights is the accuracy of filament positioning. Since then I've bought lamps from proper manufacturers, currently have all Bosch in mine and the results are fine even without upping the wattage.

Up until this car I have always used stronger globes. In the last one I used 130/100W H4's and they were great, in fact at least as good as the xenons in the Skoda. In that car I also used 125W highs as well. I keep looking at the Cibie Super Oscars I have in the garage but my son won't let me bolt them onto the Skoda, no sense of adventure I reckon.

Never got chance to use other than dipped beam... But shouldn't Bi-Xenon have just one Xenon light that it is dipped or in main light position? Halogen H3 is there just for flashing, as it is slow to position Xenon between two positions? Probably H3 will stay on once in main beam mode.

The xenons are on all the time, shutters move the light position from low to high. H3's are used for flashing and are on all the time on high beam.

The xenons are on all the time, shutters move the light position from low to high. H3's are used for flashing and are on all the time on high beam.

There are no H3 Halogens in a Yeti with bi-Xenons. As stated before any car that also has halogens just has good old fashioned Xenons and they cannot be called bi-Xennons. :no:

There are no H3 Halogens in a Yeti with bi-Xenons. As stated before any car that also has halogens just has good old fashioned Xenons and they cannot be called bi-Xennons. :no:

So Skoda made a mistake when they clearly labelled mine Bi-Xenon on the headlamp bezel? Do you understand what Bi actually means?

So Skoda made a mistake when they clearly labelled mine Bi-Xenon on the headlamp bezel? Do you understand what Bi actually means?

I very much do.

Bi means two. It means that BOTH the low beam an the high beam are done with Xenons. Hence bi-Xenons.

If you have Xenons it means ONE of the two is done by Xenons and you have halogens to do the other.

And if you still don't get what bi-Xenon means just do a Google please, not rocket science:

http://wikicars.org/en/Bi-xenon_Headlights

"A bi-xenon system eliminates the need for a separate halogen high beam bulb/lens by either moving the xenon bulb within the lens or by moving a shield up or down in front of the bulb (depending on the reflector design) to allow light to escape from the lens in a different pattern. "