HID / Xenon Bulbs - Whats the truth? - Saxperience

Marcus000 · 14th June 2009, 21:55

Right, have been sat here reading loads of different threads relating to HID conversion kits, people using HID bulbs with angel eyes and the possible problems of doing so.
Also the big question about if it's legal / illegal to use them etc.

So, I've just bought a 99 VTR (Mk1) and i'm looking at changing the bulbs / units over to a HID kit.

Option 1 - Virtual Daylight - Xenon Headlight Conversion - £169.95 - £197.09

Option 2 - eBay - Xenon HID conversion Kit, CITROEN SAXO

Option 3 - Upgrade the standard bulbs, cheapest option but won't be as good?

Whats the main difference between the 2 kits I linked to, the prices aren't exactly similar?

Would it be worth grabbing a set of the cheap replacment bulbs to use for now whilst I pull the cash together for a full HID conversion kit?

Thanks in advance, I'm new to all this kinda stuff, it's a steep learning curve!

JRC1 · 14th June 2009, 22:04

Best place for hid kits imo = http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/

That's where I got mine from.. tbh, i don't really know the truth about whether they are legal or not.. But as long as you get a respectable number of "k" either 4,000, 6,000 or 8,000 (nothing more as they will be too blue) you won't have a problem.. They will just look like all the new audi's bmw's lexus' etc.. Mine are 6,000K and passed an MOT no problem. Have had them in for ages now and never had any problems

They improve night driving so much and look the part too..

I've heard that they will melt the inner casing of angel eyes though.. I have smoked standard lights so not a problem for me..

redsaxo22 · 14th June 2009, 22:06

as far as i'm aware as long as they are E marked they will be legal

Marcus000 · 14th June 2009, 22:36

@ JRC1

Cheers for that link mate, the site looks alot better than some others I found with them on. Which kit have you got?

Is the £100 kit worth getting over the standard £65 kit, can't really see what the differences are apart from it uses more bulbs and ballasts?

JRC1 · 14th June 2009, 22:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus000

@ JRC1

Cheers for that link mate, the site looks alot better than some others I found with them on. Which kit have you got?

Is the £100 kit worth getting over the standard £65 kit, can't really see what the differences are apart from it uses more bulbs and ballasts?

No worries mate..

This is the kit you want - select 6000k, you won't be disappointed..

H4-3 ULTRA HID conversion kits Hi & Lo beam - £74.99 inc VAT

It has high and low beam you see rather than just low beam, and between the £74.99 and £99.99 there isn't much difference and it isn't worth the extra £.. I remember asking on here when I was debating which one to go for.. If you would like to see some pics of my kit fitted, pm me and i'll send you some

Chr15 · 14th June 2009, 22:41

Would HID's need to be declared btw?

Im considering this too but it wont be until the latter part of the year as i dont exactly need lights atm!

JRC1 · 14th June 2009, 22:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris261287

Would HID's need to be declared btw?

Im considering this too but it wont be until the latter part of the year as i dont exactly need lights atm!

99% sure they wouldn't mate, at the end of the day it's a bulb.. so no, wouldn't have thought so at all

Marcus000 · 14th June 2009, 22:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRC1

No worries mate..

This is the kit you want - select 6000k, you won't be disappointed..

H4-3 ULTRA HID conversion kits Hi & Lo beam - £74.99 inc VAT

It has high and low beam you see rather than just low beam, and between the £74.99 and £99.99 there isn't much difference and it isn't worth the extra £.. I remember asking on here when I was debating which one to go for.. If you would like to see some pics of my kit fitted, pm me and i'll send you some

Wicked, will add them onto the shopping list then!

How big a job is it to fit them, do I need to go to a garage or as someone with a bit of technical know-how, reckon I could figure out how to install them myself? (I build watercooled computers as part of my job so i'm not a total electrical noob, lol).

If you could PM me some pics that'd be sweet.

Chr15 · 14th June 2009, 22:47

Marcus, there's spot on guide here (by Mark51) which shows you exactly how to do it step-by-step with photos to help.

Im sure he would help if you had any problems (as would anybody on here)

btw, whats the 'k' of the standard bulb?

Mcinabout · 14th June 2009, 23:24

Ive just bought some black angels for my saxo,,and included are free xenon bulbs for £125,,are they noticable difference?,,coz aparently there a fair bit brighter,,my bruv has xenon's on his Honda Integra DC5 and they are min;t..but are the buls alot better than normal bulbs?(Sorry its a naff question)
cheers

Mc

Marcus000 · 15th June 2009, 00:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris261287

Marcus, there's spot on guide here (by Mark51) which shows you exactly how to do it step-by-step with photos to help.

Im sure he would help if you had any problems (as would anybody on here)

btw, whats the 'k' of the standard bulb?

Standard halogen bulbs are rated at 2300k, standard HID's are rated at 4300k and I'm looking at getting a HID conversion kit with 6000k bulbs.

Chr15 · 15th June 2009, 00:10

Quite a noticible difference then lol

mtpagey · 15th June 2009, 01:58

thought you could only get away with hid's in the mk2 saxo cause the standard lights have glass lenses rather than the mk1's plastic ones

TU-Tuning · 15th June 2009, 04:14

Both marks have glass lenses dude

HID kits rock, I love mine. Dont expect them to last long though

mtpagey · 15th June 2009, 05:04

all the mk1's ive had (3) have had plastic lenses on the standard headlights

Marcus000 · 15th June 2009, 09:30

Yeah I've been reading up on the problems of using HID conversions with standard Angels, there's no clear answer though at the moment.

Are there any lights out there that are made specifically to be used with HID bulbs rather than standard halogens?

Marcus000 · 17th June 2009, 03:01

Have just ordered a set of Osram Night Breaker bulbs to try out before upgrading to a HID conversion kit.

My mate uses them in his 4x4 and said they're spot on for the money, will get pictures up comparing the standard halogens to the Night Breakers asap (weekend).

TU-Tuning · 17th June 2009, 03:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtpagey

all the mk1's ive had (3) have had plastic lenses on the standard headlights

Odd, Ive had about 4 sets now Ive smoked and sold on and theyre all had glass lenses?

digital · 17th June 2009, 21:05

HID conversion kits are illegal unless you have washer jets on the head lights...

liam46 · 17th June 2009, 23:43

There is a thread on here guys that someone did. A very detailed Sticky and quotes of DVLA etc on legality.

On reflective lenses (STANDARD SAXO) They are ILLEGAL. I have found that you can get bulbs with reflectors around the HID lense, Used on Volvo's atm. H7R's.. Standard saxo are H4 Hi-Lo.So these new reflective ones dont fit standard headlights. HID's are legal as long as they are in a projector and if they have a auto-washer system. And if you have Angel Eyes, I recommend not using HID's. Ive gone through 4 sets of headlights with HID's. They melt the angel eyes them selves and melt the outer lense of the headlight. Starts cracking like swirl marks then eventually a straight hole where it is projected..

Hope this clear's things up. Will try and find the thread that was made.