It's not just the cost of the lamps.

Add on the extra cost of the projector headlamps' date=' washer jets, self-levelling sensor & even a bigger washer bottle.

It still won't be £500, but a percentage of that will be profit.[/quote']

It shouldn't even cost £300 as far as i'm concerned and on an OctyII that's 45% profit. They install these quickly on the production line with parts they buy or manufacture very cheaply in bulk. Easy installation+cheap parts = maximum profit. Skoda charge about 1/3 of VW for many of the equivalent options but not xenons because everyone thinks they are getting a good deal at £550 when VW charge £750 not realising that they are being ripped off either way.

I agree - it is a rip off.

I work for a company who supply parts to OEM's. I know for a fact that we add on our profit margin then sell onto the customer (in this case the OEM) Then the OEM adds on their profit margin & then sells onto the customer (in this case us!).

In the case of Xenon headlamps, you will have 4 or 5 different suppliers all adding on thier own profit margins.

BUT - that's business & I won't bore you with ammortisation & tooling costs!

I paid 300 quid for mine - ex VAT - so it will be up to you

I paid 300 quid for mine - ex VAT - so it will be up to you

Did you have to put them in yourself

you have no idea how close you are - actually due to the number of toys we ended up buying we kinda managed to get a much lower price 'per option', helped by having the options priced up (separately) from several online places

(just wondering how much those small LEDs cost that a few cars round here seem to have puncturing through their bonnets :P )

you have no idea how close you are - actually due to the number of toys we ended up buying we kinda managed to get a much lower price 'per option'' date=' helped by having the options priced up (separately) from several online places

(just wondering how much those small LEDs cost that a few cars round here seem to have puncturing through their bonnets :P )[/quote']

My lease company paid the full price for my car (so they say) but got 10% off all options so I added a few.

....:pants:

.... Driving with front fogs on is IMO a safer alternative

:orb_no_no Its ILLEGAL !!!!!:orb_no_no

Oh please, don't start the argument about using fog lamps ! :( I thought the thread asked 'How much better are Xenons'. The answer is they are MILES better. What the need to go into all this technobabble about luminence etc. etc is beyond me. It seems that most people knock Xenons cos they didn't spend the

I wouldnt have if he hadnt said that Jon

Chris, I didn't mean you, I thought my thread was the next one. I echo your statement.

The OEM H7 bulbs for my main beam where made by GE & the Xenon D2S bulbs were made by Philips.

I now have Silver Stars for main beam.

They look pretty but apparently the range is no better.

The light spread is TOTALLY different. The beam is concentrated exectly where it's needed and they're a country mile better than standard. Trust me.

Woudn't worry about the price either, you get your moneys worth for sure. (see other threads, it's been done to death)

I can't recall anybody who bought a Xenon-equipped Skoda (and had the lights aimed properly) regretting getting them. I certainly wouldn't buy another car without them.

I agree completely. The range is better over standard or even uprated H7's if adjusted properly.

You will notice that cats eyes, signs, road lines, Coppers etc. are visible far further away than they normally would be.

Sorry add my few pence to hating the things.

I found that silverstars in standard H4's are good, but not quite so blindingly bright for other traffic (Father had me following him)

Having them come up behind you, esp on a bumpy road, you can't see a thing :(

Ditto when they are comming towards you.

Saying that better than the gits driving around on dark blue lights that y ou can't see on the road. It's about time the police did something about people with silly flashing light, blue LEDs and all the other illegal lighting on cars. They are even worse than xenons.

Sorry add my few pence to hating the things.

I found that silverstars in standard H4's are good' date=' but not quite so blindingly bright for other traffic (Father had me following him)

Having them come up behind you, esp on a bumpy road, you can't see a thing :(

Ditto when they are comming towards you.

Saying that better than the gits driving around on dark blue lights that y ou can't see on the road. It's about time the police did something about people with silly flashing light, blue LEDs and all the other illegal lighting on cars. They are even worse than xenons.[/quote']

Xenons aren't all that dazzling to other road users if they are adjusted properly. The only time you'll blind people is as you crest hills and the like, but then you'd do that with normal lighting, just to a lesser extent.

Far more annoying are the cockjockeys who drive around with their fog lights on 24/7. I wish all cars had the same setup as the fabia whereby you had to physically switch them on every time you wanted to use them and you can't use the old "sorry officer, must have left them on from when it was foggy last week" BS that the bell-ends who get pulled over for this normally use

Sorry but the perma-foglight brigade really get my back up and I actively tell people a) they're breaking the law and they're d1cks for doing it if it's anyone I know.

But I digress... Xenons are worth it IMO. Having driven cars with both, I believe it's the best cost option you can get. Some people here are happy with the non xenon setup, I found it comparably dire to the dulled 17-year old lighting on my 3 series... Just wish I'd taken ESP instead of the sunroof on my Furby... oh well

Xenons aren't all that dazzling to other road users if they are adjusted properly. The only time you'll blind people is as you crest hills and the like' date=' but then you'd do that with normal lighting, just to a lesser extent.

[/quote']

Yes but Xennons tend to be blueish, which leaves the eyes desensitised to light far more than other colours of light and hence leave you blind for longer.

Eitherway, I'm totally with you regarding the ****-jockeys with fogs on 24/7.

Tends to be to compensate for the broken normal headlight and the ultra-bright remaining dipped headlight on the other side... Which btw is blinding too

Actually the light from xenons is very much whiter than normal bulbs, the blue tinge is what you get under certain angles, certainly not 'from the car equipped with them'

ESP+sunroof on mine, SWMBO insisted on a sunroof for some reason :confused:

My friend is a copper, and if he sees anyone with foglights on just for show, they're nicked - instantly - no arguments.

He says it's just his little crusade in life!

Tends to be to compensate for the broken normal headlight and the ultra-bright remaining dipped headlight on the other side... Which btw is blinding too

I've got a theory on that - I reckon they're so tight that when the first light blows, they adjust the remaining light higher to compensate rather than spending a couple of quid on a new bulb... tight f*ckers...

Of course the only problem with threads like this is that opinions are like ars*holes, everyone's got one.

If anyone wants to know what the difference is between cars with and without xenons, then rather than taking anyone's opinion, the best idea would be to go to a meet, and talk to people who have each option, and see it for yourself. Then make your own mind up. At least that way you won't have any doubt about which one is right for you.

Indeed - and on that note I wholeheartedly agree with 'JUT' and recommend you go for the type of lights you prefer

Far more annoying are the cockjockeys who drive around with their fog lights on 24/7. I wish all cars had the same setup as the fabia whereby you had to physically switch them on every time you wanted to use them and you can't use the old "sorry officer' date=' must have left them on from when it was foggy last week" BS that the bell-ends who get pulled over for this normally use [/quote']Well said. I agree completely.