Anyone fitted a HID kit

[jonnie5]

...and London Hackney Carriages (taxis/cabs) must carry a bale of hay and a sack of oats. Do make sure you check your cab is road legal before you board it next time in London .

It is also technically illegal to form cartels and lobby for lighting regulations to sole purpose of increased profits. Post this on Bosch and Philips forums

For a real, living, UK based person rather than a forum troll, what passes genuinely and thoroughly carried out MOT check (and does not contradict MOT manual) is legal, period. Projector HIDs will pass MOT as long as beam shape and range are correct.

There are tens of thousands of HID kits retrofitted in Europe every year, as long as they end up in projectors, there are no problems, legal or otherwise. But somehow this fact escapes you and similarly minded posters.

By the way, at least Bosch self levellers work far worse than manual headlight range control, I had factory xenons on Mk1 Octavia and despite re-adjusting the system 5+ times as per service manual, in the end I retrofitted the manual thumbwheel and hooked it up on the front levelling sensor, worked backward 3-0 but at least I could set the lights further than the front bumper when the boot was full.

Re the alleged 2000 lumen limit, here is exactly what VOSA says on the topic:

Do HID headlamps require washers / self levellers?

Headlamp washing and levelling systems are a legal requirement for high intensity discharge (HID) lamps with a luminous intensity exceeding 2,000 lumens. But unless the luminous intensity is marked on the lamp, a tester won’t be able to tell if these systems are needed.

So, they can only be rejected if they are fitted and are inoperative or obviously defective. If they are missing and you believe they should be fitted, then pass and advise.

There you are, advice note at worst.

Incidentally, these "damn all HID retrofits" posts invariably come from people who have never retrofitted HIDs, yet claim you'll be struck with a wrath of (choose your favourite deity/hero/government department here) if you dare to fit them. Sore conscience after shelling out £££s for factory HIDs perhaps? Working for car dealership and being afraid of losing profit? Or just the regular "I don't have it, so you won't have it" malice? The possibilities are endless.

I owned cars fitted with halogens, factory HIDs and retrofit HIDs, I have no financial interest in HID sales, merely a strong interest in self-preservation on 12hr+ dusk/night/dawn trips including autobahn and long stretches of woodland, over 150k miles travelled like that in the last 10 years.

I share what I learned so far, especially that it seems to have helped more than a few people over the years. You do not have to take my advice, but it seems that more than a few people did.

Over and out, if you want to travel in the dark and continue riding the high horse of nonsense, be my guest. If you want to retrofit HIDs safely, use the links I provided and search my other posts on the topic of HIDs.

Problem is legal or not 95% of the retrofits are not set up properly and it's totally unsafe for other road users. There will never be any chance of that percentage changing too so, its a thumbs down for me and a finger up to those that don't care about other road users safety.

Sent from my iPhone upside down, using Tapatalk whilst in a taxi rank

[dieselV6]

Your percentage sounds made up, though I agree glare producing reflector retrofits are seen way too often.

Projector HIDs work every time, if you see so many reflector HIDs producing glare on the road, it is the fault of sloppy MOT testers as they should've failed the car on beam shape, which has been a valid reason for rejection almost since headlamps started being checked on MOT.

Safety is actually the point of my posts, you can fit HID retrofits, but only in projectors, and make sure the headlight range is set correctly and the beam shape is right. All you need is a flat piece of tarmac or a driveway/car park next to a wall, it really does not take a rocket scientist to do.

There are quite a few halogen headlight cars on the road with H7 bulbs replaced upside down. These blind a lot more then even a reflector HID would. What do you suggest to do about these? Shoot the drivers for replacing the bulbs incorrectly?

Edited 15 February, 2013 by dieselV6

[jonnie5]

Simple fact is most people that fit them are ignorant to the facts of setting them up right. But I'm not tarring yourself and others of a small minority that do actually care that its done correct.

I believe that instead of teaching people to pass a driving test, they should teach them how to drive and operate a car properly. I've see so many people with the bulbs in correctly fitted or even the wrong type of bulbs in its unreal. Some people can't even change a tyre or top up the oil properly. It's these people that think they're "cool cos they have HIDs".

Sent from my iPhone upside down, using Tapatalk whilst in a taxi rank

[stevehg]

What is legally binding is MOT manual plus VOSA Special Notices.

You are deluded, there is nothing legally binding about passing an MOT. It has nothing to do with the legality of a vehicle, and is just annual road worthiness check. If you don't believe this contact VOSA and DfT yourself and they will provide written confirmation of this.

Telling people that it's legal to retrofit HID's in the manner you suggest is irresponsible. Stating that it will probably pass an MOT and its their own decision is one thing, you go a stage further and state it's legal. You have been given the facts, yet you choose to ignore them.

If you disagree with the law that's fine, but to then state that by your twisted logic it's legal even though you've been presented with the facts repeatedly by several people, just makes you look stupid.

[dieselV6]

"Annual road-worthiness check" is just that, it tells you your vehicle is/isn't roadworthy, and if it is, you are allowed to use it on the road. Looking back at the many troll posts on the issue, they invariably first quote the DfT and the dodgy VOSA guide, then immediately conclude that fitting HID retrofits will make cows stop giving milk in the area and so on. Where the fact is you are allowed to use retrofit HIDs on the road provided beam is OK (so projector ones).

I could go on, but frankly it is pointless, legality of HIDs is right up there with the London Hackney Carriage bale of hay and sack of oats quoted earlier. I'd much rather focus on providing advice on how to fit HIDs correctly. I'd call it quite responsible.

What is totally irresponsible is you asking people to travel in the dark when they have a choice to improve their road lighting.

Try A507 nr Baldock towards A10, using stock projector lights, on a moonless night. I am sure you will either travel 30mph causing tailbacks or seriously revisit your statute only view of retrofit HIDs.

[stevehg]

Where the fact is you are allowed to use retrofit HIDs on the road provided beam is OK (so projector ones).

OK with you, but not legal. If more than 2000 lumens they need self levelling and washers to be legal for retrofit. Fact and there's no ambiguity.

You obviously don't agree as I assume you are driving around with illegally fitted HID's and want to use your twisted logic to prove you are legal. As has been stated by several people, (trolls in your opinion) having an MOT pass does not make it legal.

If you have an issue with the law take it up with DfT. Calling people trolls and ignoring the facts is getting you no where.

[dieselV6]

Most people do not come to this forum to seek statute quotes, what they want is better lighting that still passes MOT and is allowed on the road (and projector retrofit HIDs that comfortably pass beam shape/position test are most definitely allowed).

My point still stands, stop derailing technical discussions started by people wanting to improve the lighting on their cars, probably best switch to a legal and insurance forum, these guys care about the small print.

By the way, I have "illegally" fitted HIDs as you call them, because factory HIDs have very poor levelling. and result in worse (and dangerous) road lighting than my retrofits. I had factory HIDs on Mk1 Octavia and won't order them again. Bosch levelling system sets base headlamp level only when car is stationary (it does do dynamic adjustments, but returns to base level). I have repeatedly found out on autobahn trips that if I fill up and then travel until reserve lights up, by end of this trip the headlights point into the ground. Stopping at uphill and downhill cross-sections in more hilly parts of the UK and Europe results in similar nonsense adjustment.

In my particular case (Mk1 Superb) the headlamp housing is identical for HIDs and for halogens, the only difference is the collar on the low beam projector opening to fit H7 rather than D2S bulb. I also happen to have headlight washers, so the only physical difference is manual vs auto leveller, so much for your "illegality" . I find headlamp washers mostly useless, Perhaps on 3-4 out of 120+ 1000m overnight trips they improved anything, mostly they just waste washer fluid in copious quantities.

Edit: I also carry equally "illegal" (must be illegal because the are at least sinful ) 2x85W overvoltaged high beams (19V-19.5V unloaded voltage or so, stock 55W H3 bulbs pushed to 85W), and 2x100W Hella Micro Xenon aux high beams(stock 50W magnesium housings, 75W D2S burners overloaded to 100W) , resulting in close to 35000 lumens total on the road when the lot+low beams are lit. Funnily enough, it is still within European limit of Reference Number 100 for high beam intensity and the number of light points on the car. I can assure you I would not install them if I did not require them for some outback forest roads abundant in wildlife, as the cost of the lot was well in excess of what you would pay for factory HIDs. Forgot the aux fogs, 2x Hella Micro DEs converted to 65W HID + 2x stock fogs. Sinful! ,

Care to join technical discussion after all?

Edited 15 February, 2013 by dieselV6

[stevehg]

My point still stands, stop derailing technical discussions started by people wanting to improve the lighting on their cars, probably best switch to a legal and insurance forum, these guys care about the small print.

The question was asked about legality. You answered wrongly. Several people corrected you, including me, you overact and now we are the ones derailing a technical discussion. As I said before, you are deluded.

What technically is there to still to discuss? The options are quite clear...

1. Fit HID lamps to your exiting filament housing is possible, but its illegal

2. Find an HID lamp less than 2000 lumens, source two emarked housings designed for HID and fit these and it will be legal. Probably only Skoda ones available. Fit an HID lamp above 2000 lumens and it not be legal.

3. Source two emarked housings designed for HID and fit these along with self levelling and headlamp washers and you can fit any HID kit legally.

[dieselV6]

Sinful! :rofl:

"Legal" - in your speak meaning "conforming to some wording in some document, but making no difference to the road worthiness and in real life whatsoever", so long as decent MOT tester approved.

Welcome to this forum, run wild

Edited 15 February, 2013 by dieselV6

[RichieJ]

Wow, its getting a bit heated in here.

I've got standard halogen lights on my green line and yes, they may not be as bright as the xenons I had on my vrs, they're perfectly adequate. I guess the car and every other car on the road would not be allowed to on the road otherwise. I drive dark country lanes to work daily from 0530 and when on nights return home at 0330 so I can vouch for they're performance. If they are to dark for the lane a quick flick of a lever and main beam. If this then isnt enough, I'm obviously not driving to the road conditions, and time to slow down. This is how I prefer to travel, rather than have to modify my 5 month old car and be concerned about its legality.

[skippy41]

I would just like some links to some good ones that work on dip, Please

[Richf]

I would just like some links to some good ones that work on dip, Please

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=vw+canbus+hid+kit

[silver1011]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=vw+canbus+hid+kit

Helpful, not.

This is a Skoda forum to discuss all things Skoda. Google only works if there are web pages to find - such as this very thread.

Leaving the legality aside, does anyone have any experience of fitting a HID kit to a MkII Superb?

I've heard it's safer for the electrical system to fit a non-CANBUS friendly kit and code out the cold start diagnostics rather than using the CANBUS friendly kit?

[Richf]

The guy asked for a link to a suitable hid kit , the 4th hit has a canbus compatible kit for vw's.

Few owners will recommend them as they aren't legal and many have factory xenons anyhow

[silver1011]

Hmm, OK, posting the link instead would have been better.

I think the legality side has been done

I'm looking at an SE so no xenon's as standard. As the Superb has projectors then as long as they are aligned correctly then all should be OK.