So before I fork-out £150+ for Xenon upgrades to replace the current 7 y/o OE units (which are still fine AFAIK), could anyone who’s made the leap and upgraded, post their experiences and if they’re happy/disappointed/overjoyed etc.? I’m looking at the Osram Xenarc Nightbreaker Gen 2, which seem to be fairly new to market. 
 

Thanks in advance everyone 👍🏻

I upgraded the factory xenon bulbs to Phillips xTremeVision Gen2 back in 2019.

They're great n still going strong.

 

I've got some vision of it here, from a yr ago....

 

 

 

 

Yep, they look excellent; thanks JR RS.
 

So it’s definitely a wheels off and arch liners out, to get to the headlights to change the bulbs? If so, I wonder if it’ll be possible to cut flaps - a la Audi - into the liners so their removal would not be required again? 

4 hours ago, numskull said:

Yep, they look excellent; thanks JR RS.
 

So it’s definitely a wheels off and arch liners out, to get to the headlights to change the bulbs? If so, I wonder if it’ll be possible to cut flaps - a la Audi - into the liners so their removal would not be required again? 

Wheels off and arch liners out 100%, check the “what have you done to your superb today thread” I’ve updated recently with my fun at changing the bulbs.

 

Does your car have SLA headlights? If so it should be a breeze with anti clockwise release, clockwise lock. If not be prepared for hell…

@numskull - if u can fabricate a flap opening in ur wheel arch liner - that would b ideal long term.

 

here is wat they look like when removed.

 

 

this is the view behind the headlight, with the wheel arch liner removed.

2 hours ago, Danoid said:

Does your car have SLA headlights? If so it should be a breeze with anti clockwise release, clockwise lock. If not be prepared for hell…

Yeah, it does.
Interestingly, last week, JR RS explained what SLA is. I was confused, as I’d previously tried to find this abbreviation in the manual without luck, because it’s referred to as Dynamic Light Assist in the printed and online manuals I have. 

what a nightmare to replace these bulbs...took me 3 hours .The metal clips that secures the bulb are insanely stupid.

 

 

Just thank your lucky stars you don’t have a new Audi. Takes 6 hours in labour to replace their bulb!!

I thought regulations came in to say lightbulbs should be able to be changed in 5 minutes at the roadside, guess not.  My facelft Focus was wheel arch liner out job.  I was able to reach through the gap to do it, but it scraped my arm and it was just a halogen bulb so probably a lot simpler.

 

My bulbs are probably 5 years old as the car is an 18 plate so I guess that will be a time consuming, or expensive job at some point.

Thanks everyone who’ve replied.
Well, given the updates from Danoid here in the WHYDTYS3T thread, I’m not going to bother to update the OE Xenons, as the hype doesn’t match reality. Frankly, there seems to little or no difference in illumination, so I’ll just hang on to my £150 quid for now. 

Upgrade to LED. Much better than xenon in all conditions.

 

More than a year of use with automatic lights (parking lots, tunnels...) and without problems driving at night for hours,

 

https://es.aliexpress.com/item/1005001334556236.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.25.4c6a194dvQuvdL&gatewayAdapt=glo2esp

 

New model.

15 hours ago, Gabrielem said:

Upgrade to LED. Much better than xenon in all conditions.

 

More than a year of use with automatic lights (parking lots, tunnels...) and without problems driving at night for hours,

 

https://es.aliexpress.com/item/1005001334556236.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.25.4c6a194dvQuvdL&gatewayAdapt=glo2esp

 

New model.

Not legal in UK (yet) that’s the issue

On 25/11/2023 at 01:11, Danoid said:

Not legal in UK (yet) that’s the issue

Never will be. 

2 hours ago, numskull said:

Never will be. 

I don’t believe it’s too far away. A lot of other European countries you can use the road legal Osram and Philips LED.

 

If you had a Superb in say Germany or France (many other countries but closest so just listed them) with reflector (maybe projector lenses too) headlights it’s legal to use.

 

Many other cars on the approved list too and seems to be growing all the time I look, so legal there no reason why not legal here but DVSA is slow, they’ve recently allowed motorbikes to retrofit LED so it is coming 😁

Edited 26 November, 20232 yr by Danoid

On 26/11/2023 at 11:16, Danoid said:

I don’t believe it’s too far away.

Really? I suggest you don’t hold your breath. They can’t even agree on the specifications to allow private electric scooters on the roads which, I think, have been legal in most EU countries for years, yet you can now legally ride a bike on the pavement here in Kingston! Seriously, “Shared Use” they call it; idiotic I call it….