so the nights have drawn in and the weather has turned and i am now starting to see or not see should i say with my standard bulb firment on the headlamps.

can anybody recommend a good bulb replacement for my mk 2 octavia? thankyou.

All the high output bulbs on the market (night breaker etc) are only marginally better than standard bulbs, and are not worth bothering with in my opinion.

 

On an Octavia (which has projector headlights), I would go down the route of an HID conversion. It only costs slightly more than a pair of high output standard bulbs, and the difference is literally night and day.  

iIRC unless the HID conversion includes automatically self levelling and headlamp washers would be technically illegal and a potential MOT failure later on?

My partners Polo had very poor dipped beams as standard on H4 bulbs, we changed to Phillips Xtreme and they are much, much better

iIRC unless the HID conversion includes automatically self levelling and headlamp washers would be technically illegal and a potential MOT failure later on?

My partners Polo had very poor dipped beams as standard on H4 bulbs, we changed to Phillips Xtreme and they are much, much better

For the mot the requirement is for self levelling and washers IF FITTED to work. If not fitted and the hids are aftermarket it can't be failed.

I got these. I didn't bother with dipped beam, just got the mains. Well worth it IMO

http://www.amazon.co.uk/BREAKER-UNLIMITED-halogen-headlamp-64150NBU-02B/dp/B00FQ8AT3E/ref=au_as_r?ie=UTF8&n=248877031&newVehicle=1&s=automotive&submodelId=26623

Taken from an aftermarket bulb company re: legality

http://www.phoenixautobulbs.co.uk/tp/hid-kits-new-legislation-2012/

I have taken the relevant sections

"The latest directive from VOSA includes their view that unless strict criteria are met, after-market HID kits may not be legal.

There is some confusion regarding the change in legislation towards HID kits.

Here is the relevant text -

"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 fitment"

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.

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."

Regarding MOT it seems that there may be a problem:

"The above seems to be a precursor to the new MOT criteria slated to come into existance on New Years Eve 2011 (for 2012), this is from the MOT Testers VOSA bullitin explaining the new EU MOT regulations which were ratified this year, and includes amongst other things, the testing of wiring harnesses, the testing for illegal HID kits and, wait for it, chipped ECU's, whatever that means The article is quite long, but here is a small extract .....

"As far as changes to the test content are concerned, VOSA has already been analysing the requirements of the new Directive and working out how to implement them...........

.......Now, it means that when we implement the new Directive, vehicles can legitimately fail for battery insecurity, for no extra tester effort.Other items – such as headlamp bulb and unit incompatibility, headlamp levelling devices and illegal engine ‘chipping’ – will need further thought before we can get a workable solution for MOT stations."

Quoting acres of dross from the DVLA has not helped anyone here. Least of all the OP. My recomendation would be an aftermarket HID kit. Got the londoncolour kit fitted and coded on mine and have not once regretted it. "Upgraded" halogen bulbs are a waste of time and a total rip off, as the real issue is inherent in their construction......

They are halogen....

They are ****e....

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

MOT and legality are two entirely different things, please don't confuse them.

HIDs pass MOTs but are not legal for the reasons outlined by Bristolf2b. In the UK, the only legal headlights are filament bulbs or setups that have met EU type approval. Aftermarket HIDs fall into neither category, which is why no large seller is stupid enough to say they are road legal. Infact they almost all say 'offroad or show use only' for exactly this reason.

Whether the police care or not is an entirely different matter.

Even with the nightbreaker type bulbs in both dip and main, driving on unlit country roads is hazardous. No light throw, invisible verges, not nice at all.

I too have the Londoncolour HID kit. Been in for 4+ years now so 3 MOT's. Transforms night time driving.

A quick adjustment to the coding and a check for headlamp adjustment and all become light and easy.

The kit has been 100% reliable, but if it blew today I would replace it with the same tomorrow.

So the consensus seems to be:

Are they legal? No

Will they pass MOT? Yes, probably for the moment

Are you likely to be stopped by police? Probably not.

Would I fit them? No

You pays your money and takes your choice

Regardless of bulb type I am convinced it's the lamp assembly that's at fault.

There seems to be an M shaped beam pattern where the sides of the road are illuminated and a great deal of sky but straight down the middle where the important bit is, the road, there is a dark void which has seen me jinking left and right to bring the two points of the M to bear on where I'm actually going.

I miss my old pug which had searchlight like headlights.

@mikeholroyd

Without going out to check I think you'll find it is the dipped beam lights which use the projector design and the mains use a conventional reflector type.

It is the main beam to which I was referring which gives the M shaped beam pattern, the dipped projectors give a so so illumination with a sharp cutoff in beam pattern and a noticeable height increase on the left which although helping roadside illumination can dazzle pedestrians and the like.

@prewy

If you're looking for VFM I've found the Cobalt II bulbs to be a good replacement for the standard bulbs.

I'm sure there are higher output and more expensive options but remember the old saying "the light that burns twice as bright lasts half as long", £20 every 6 months for bulbs isn't my idea of progress.

I'm stating that on experience with Halfords Extreme bulbs or whatever they're called.

 

As I said earlier, this thread must not descend into a discussion yet again about whether the kits are legal and what is acceptable, morally or otherwise. The many other threads on here and other forums have done that very subject to death and nothing more can be said that hasn't already been pointed out.

 

 

Purpose of thread -- ask a question and hopefully receive a reply or replies with suggestions. Suggestions duly received  and the OP makes a decision for himself as to how he treats those suggestions -- purpose of thread fulfilled. Let's keep it that way please.

 

Mike

 

Are you a moderator on this forum? A genuine question

Well, I could play devils advocate and suggest that the OP had not seen any of the previous posts or he wouldn't have asked the question, nor had I ever seen one of the discussions so it was new to me.

I was genuinely trying to help determine what the situation was. 

 

Mike, for all those of the forum you obviously feel you are spokesman for, I apologise if this has not been of use.

As I said earlier, it's not exactly the lamp assembly that is at fault. What is an inherent problem with the light output is the fact that halogen bulbs are fitted behind projector lenses designed for xenons, rather than in front of reflectors which are designed for halogens

 

Purpose of thread -- ask a question and hopefully receive a reply or replies with suggestions. Suggestions duly received  and the OP makes a decision for himself as to how he treats those suggestions -- purpose of thread fulfilled. Let's keep it that way please.

 

 

Mike

 

Mike

 

 

Are you a moderator on this forum? A genuine question

 

Not sure what point you are trying to make Bristolf2b with your question?

 

Moderators are in RED under their avatar,

Mike has made a valid point, the facts have all been stated (in this thread), so lets not derail this thread like they all seem to go when HID’s are mentioned.

 

Read the facts and make YOUR choice.

Place your bets here for who has the last say!

Haha, sorry just spent 3 hours on the M90 getting home from Edinburgh airport due to roadworks and congestion so feel a bit irritable, should only take 45 minutes.

Let's hope the OP finds a solution to their lighting issue.

There was a post a few weeks ago regarding poor light output on a MkII Octavia.

 

It turned out the previous owner had at some point replaced both dipped headlight bulbs and refitted the new ones upside down.

 

Apparently entirely possible, although I haven't tried it myself.

 

Might be worth a quick check?

 

P.S. if you are thinking of exploring fitting a HID kit then all you need to know can be found here...

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/264447-hid-aftermaket-kit-help-for-definitive-how-to/page-1?hl=+hid

 

I tried the brighter standard bulbs from the likes of Philips and Osram etc. but found that whilst they did offer additional light output they generally failed in half the time of the conventional bulbs. Probably not an issue for most but I cover high mileage and during the winter I was replacing them in pairs every 10 -15,000 miles.

 

I then bought a 4300K HID kit from London Colour on eBay and haven't looked back. I fitted them to projectors (on my MkII Superb) and had them aligned by my local Skoda retailer - the difference is literally night and day.

Edited 12 October, 201411 yr by silver1011

I tried the brighter standard bulbs from the likes of Philips and Osram etc. but found that whilst they did offer additional light output they generally failed in half the time of the conventional bulbs. 

 

I replaced the dipped bulbs in my Fabia with the latest Osram nightbreaker unlimited bulbs back in April. One blew last week after only 6000 miles of use......not even during winter months. The previous Nightbreaker Plus bulbs lasted about 18 months.

 

I am giving up on 'uprated' headlight bulbs and going back to standard bulbs. Unfortunately, I don't have the option of an HID conversion on the Fabia as it has reflector headlights, but my Octavia has factory Xenons and I wouldn't hesitate to fit a conversion to an Octavia with standard bulbs as the headlight units are exactly the same.