After noticing that the VRS headlamps are still average at best after fitting the fancy Philips lamps, I got to thinking there must be LED driving lamps available by now...

Well, these http://www.lazerlamps.com/models/st-range-lazer-led-light-bars look the type of thing I'm thinking of.

Any thoughts? I wonder where a black one would discreetly fit on a white/black VRS??

Rachel

I think they look rather chavvy tbh,but, more to the point, surely these are just a supplement to the main beam so do nothing to overcome the weakness of the dipped beam which is what tends to be in use 95% of the time.

I think an HID (slightly illegal!) conversion is the way to go.

WOW! Looks like something you'd fit to go hunting for Kangaroos on a bush trip!

I guess it's hard to say, as the picture of the full size US pick up, which could fit your Fabia in the load bay, plus an elephant, make it shard to guage whether the smaller one's would discretely fit on the grill somewhere.

Also, it says EC compliant, but are you allowed "driving lamps" at 1.5x brightness of HID headlights? Or would you have to switch them off (like front fogs) unless no-one else is around?

Get the fabia's s2000 rally light pod.

I actually find the dipped beam is fine. I just find the full beam really isn't powerful for driving quickly round here in Norfolk - it's dark out there! :-)

I actually find the dipped beam is fine. I just find the full beam really isn't powerful for driving quickly round here in Norfolk - it's dark out there! :-)

In which case fit the dual bulb lights from the other model fabias and you will then have four bulbs on full beam instead of two.

Have you tried 100w bulbs?

I know they're a bit frowned apon but they might make the light better for you. Or even the dreaded HID kit. While they are also as fround apon as 100w bulbs the projector lenses keep the light pattern the normal halogens do..

I used HID's for over a year but I got annoyed with the "heating up" thing they do when you first turn them on. Never got flashed or anything like that.

If you do want to get external lights, I find them all a bit tacky looking, but I guess some Cibie Oscars or KCDaylighters will work wonders.

Assuming you folk are having issues with the bi-halogen projector style lights on the MKII fabia's?

If so then get an HID kit. I have tried all manner of different up rated bulbs (80w, 100w, Night breaker, etc. etc.)

I bought a 4300k HID kit from a member on here last year and finally got around to fitting it last week. All I can say is I wish I'd done it sooner, and not wasted money on trying out different options for regular filament bulbs.

I am tempted to upgrade and go for a more expensive 'quick start' kit as they do take about 5 second to warm up when switched on but have cured the poor light output issue I had before.

JMTPW

After market HID kits are not just a MOT failure but annoying when some **** comes towards you with them.

After market HID kits are not just a MOT failure but annoying when some **** comes towards you with them.

But they are not YET an MOT failure...do a search on the subject.

Well, I was looking to fit something specifically approved for road use, not HIDs that may or may not be...

Fog lights are an essential addition to a vRS i believe, shame on Skoda for none being fitted as standard.

Never found Norfolk to actually be darker than anyplace else

& the Full Beam on cars is OK at National Speed limits.

If above National Speed limits its best not to advertise your self with obviously out of the ordinary lights to people sitting square wheels in the distance waiting for cars coming above the National Speed limit.

Norfolk does have pretty bad corners for odd cambers

(almost no camber on 90 degree bends)

& the sign posting could be better.

george

After market HID kits are not just a MOT failure but annoying when some **** comes towards you with them.

When they are fitted to a projector style lamp (like in the vRS) they are not dazzling.

It's the people who fit 8000K kits to normal halogen reflector lamps that are the real danger!

Phil

After market HID kits are not just a MOT failure but annoying when some **** comes towards you with them.

When they are fitted to a projector style lamp (like in the vRS) they are not dazzling.

It's the people who fit 8000K kits to normal halogen reflector lamps that are the real danger!

Phil

As Phil says, HID's fitted to a projector style headlight unit are no more dazzling than a regular bulb. Fitting them into reflector headlights is where the dazzling issue lies.

http://assets.dft.go...d-headlamps.pdf

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/car-servicing-repair/mot-changes-2012.html

New legislation in 2012. And XK140 i have done a search. I've issued enough VDRS in relation to them.

Interesting read. The rear doors with child locks activated will be an MOT fail then?

I'll be leaving my HID's and decat exhaust fitted for my MOT. If it fails, I'll do something about them.

Just be friendly with your local tester thats all

Interesting read. The rear doors with child locks activated will be an MOT fail then?

I'll be leaving my HID's and decat exhaust fitted for my MOT. If it fails, I'll do something about them.

No. Child locks are fine. It states if doors cant be opened from the outside its a failure.

No. Child locks are fine. It states if doors cant be opened from the outside its a failure.

Indeed. Mis-read on my part.

http://assets.dft.go...d-headlamps.pdf

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/car-servicing-repair/mot-changes-2012.html

New legislation in 2012. And XK140 i have done a search. I've issued enough VDRS in relation to them.

Firstly the opinion of the dft has little more legal weight than that of Robert mugabe, until challenged in court we will never know.

Secondly as stated unless they dazzle a car will pass an mot as washers and self levelling are only checked if present.

Finally as American research has shown cars with hid to have 10% fewer incidents than those without perhaps they are not that bad.

Firstly the opinion of the dft has little more legal weight than that of Robert mugabe, until challenged in court we will never know.

Secondly as stated unless they dazzle a car will pass an mot as washers and self levelling are only checked if present.

Finally as American research has shown cars with hid to have 10% fewer incidents than those without perhaps they are not that bad.

Exactly.My reference was to the fact that many have confirmed they are NOT failing MOT's,albeit they may be "technically" illegal.

Still, it's nice to know that in Norfolk, regardless of whatever other criminal activity is going on,"dazzlers" are feeling the full force of the law.

I used to get flashed ALL the time in my Cordoba and that just had normal halogen lights with standard bulbs in. I would literally get flashed at least once or twice every time I drove at night. They were properly adjusted and I would normally have them dipped to "1" as they were rubbish lights and so needed focusing more on the road in front of the car.

I have not been flashed once in the Octavia with HID lights.

I find a lot of normal reflector lights in every day cars very glary and end up with light spots in my eyes. I can't recall this happening with Xenon fitted cars, cars with projector lenses and halogen bulbs or cars with projector lenses and HID bulbs.

Phil

After market HID kits are not just a MOT failure but annoying when some **** comes towards you with them.

I presume you are talking about the chavs who fit HIDs to clear fronted lights designed for halogen bulbs?

I agree, they're a bloody menace.

However, if you fit HIDs to projector lamps, as on the MK11 Fabia, they give exactly the same beam pattern with no extraneous glare as the projector lights have a profiled metal shield inside to form the beam pattern.

When I fitted them to my bike I didn't even have to adjust the headlamps as the beams were in exactly the same position.

Edit... It passed the MOT twice with them fitted.

After market HID kits are not just a MOT failure but annoying when some **** comes towards you with them.

Another troll. What happened, people stopped ordering factory xenons because they, like myself, found out that Bosch self levellers do not work correctly? Or you do not like people having better lights than you do? Only reflector HID retrofits produce excessive glare, and MOT should have failed these on age old reason of wrong beam shape.

Read here, and here, and here, and in a lot of other places. HID retrofits into projectors are safe and pass MOT just fine at least until well into 2014, as neither MOT manual nor VOSA Special Notices mention lack of washers/levellers as a reason for rejection nor any upcoming change for it, you can get advice to get washers/levellers fitted at worst.

The confusion was created, I believe on purpose, by VOSA MOT changes guide, it was a guide, not a legally binding document, and some numpty put their opinion as a fact there. But it is the MOT Manual that is legally binding document.

Though I do wish MOT testers did fail every single HID reflector retrofit on grounds that beam shape is wrong... because it is. (excessive glare).

Edited 15 February, 201313 yr by dieselV6

philje123,

'so needed focusing more on the road in front of the car'

This will have been on dipped then as other drivers came towards you.

They must have been appearing to not be dipped or not adjusted away from focusing on the road in front of the car

and more at the other side of the road and into oncoming drivers eyes.

always good to try driving towards your own car in some other vehicle once flashed repeatedly, and see what it is that is bothering other drivers.

Then sort out your lights for see and not dazzle other road users, car, bike, lorry, van, cycle etc.

'See your self as others are doing',

or be blinded by your own car as others think they are being.

dieselv6,

it is seldom to do with giving a **** if others have better lights, its to do with ****'s that have no idea or give a t0sh how they are effecting other road users.

(no idea like you that they are faulty, or do nothing about it.)

Maximum Speed limits of 60 mph or 70 mph,

We hardly live on the Dark Side of the Moon.

even in towns at 20, 30, 40, 50 mph limits some think that they need Fogs, Driving lights, special people with special needs.

Slow driving in a car in town and as you turn a corner onto a street a Range Rover Evogue has some projector light shine direct in your eye.

Manufacturers fault when its a Standard or optional Fit.

But more and more common.

Most common is pillocks without a clue or care messing with look at me lights, and they need to try letting someone else drive their car towards them so that they can see how cr4p the lights actually look to others.

Not just test them against a wall.

Standard, as fitted Fabia mk 2 vRS Sidelights being the spawn of the Devil.

george