C2 HID xenon conversion kits?

jasonrobdun · Unread post by **jasonrobdun** » 05 Feb 2010, 23:16

Hi Guys,

I've been looking into buying an aftermarket HID xenon conversion kit.

I have been looking at kits on http://www.midnightstyling.co.uk has anyone used them in the past?

Is there anything i should look out for when buying a HID conversion kit?

Thanks
Jason

JohnD · Unread post by **JohnD** » 06 Feb 2010, 11:46

You might have trouble come MOT time with these fitted. Vehicles with HID lights have also got to have self-levelling lights and washers fitted.

Unread post by **myglaren** » 06 Feb 2010, 12:14

JohnD wrote:You might have trouble come MOT time with these fitted. Vehicles with HID lights have also got to have self-levelling lights and washers fitted.

There is some suggestion that hydraulic Citroens can overcome that regulation by being self-leveling.

Do the Xenons on your Exclusive have their own self leveling motors?

There is no mention of self-leveling or washers in that advert and a lot of the colours they offer are illegal in the UK.

Unread post by **xantia_v6** » 06 Feb 2010, 13:15

myglaren wrote:
JohnD wrote: There is no mention of self-leveling or washers in that advert

The web site says that washers etc are only required for factory-fit HID, not retrofit. Who knows the real story?
I am almost tempted, just to see what they are like...

Kowalski · Unread post by **Kowalski** » 06 Feb 2010, 14:16

The short version, don't buy them because they won't be legal and they're not likely to produce an acceptable headlight beam pattern.

From a legal perspective, there is still the need for the bulbs and lights to have the appropriate "E" marks, HID conversion kits won't have these so they won't be legal.

In terms of beam pattern, complex surface reflectors generally don't work well with HID, headlights that have fresnel lenses (you can spot these because the lenses have patterns in the glass) produce really bad beam patterns.

There are pictures on the internet of what the beam patterns look like with HID conversion kits, some are close to the original beam pattern with tungsten halogen bulbs while others have all sorts of problems, like no cut off, "hot" spots and glare etc. Hot spots can be bad in two ways, you can end up putting a load of light in one direction and less light elsewhere which means you'll not be able to see whats in the "cold" spots, worst case is that you'll blind oncoming drivers with hot spots. My car has factory fitted projector HID lights, sometimes glare coming back from roadsigns can be dazzling and thats without having random hot spots.

You're not going to find out what the beam pattern on your car is like with a HID kit until you buy and it install and most likely the result will not be good, bad for you and bad for oncoming drivers too.

Chris570 · Unread post by **Chris570** » 06 Feb 2010, 14:44

my last xantia flew through the MOT with its HID kit fitted.

I think the key to it is to make sure that it is E marked (you can get them) don't go for a stupid colour, go as close to OEM as you can (4300K i think)

As for self levelling i'm not sure if the hydraulic citroens class as self levelling as they might not react fast enough (irrelevant for a C2 i know) I had a focus with them fitted and when you put your foot down as the car squatted the headlights would level within a second.

I wouldnt say they are 100% legal but as long as they don't blind other road users and are fit for purposes the chance of getting pulled are slim.

Unread post by **Paul-R** » 06 Feb 2010, 14:48

My C5 has HIDs and the lamps are also self-levelling.

Kowalski · Unread post by **Kowalski** » 06 Feb 2010, 20:01

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/hidheadlamps

Does this clarify the legal situation?

JohnD · Unread post by **JohnD** » 07 Feb 2010, 17:03

Kowalski wrote:http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/hidheadlamps

Does this clarify the legal situation?

Thanks for that. It's the doc. I had in mind when I did 2nd post.

JohnD · Unread post by **JohnD** » 07 Feb 2010, 17:08

myglaren wrote:
There is some suggestion that hydraulic Citroens can overcome that regulation by being self-leveling.

Do the Xenons on your Exclusive have their own self leveling motors?

.

Self-leveling suspension is acceptable - and

No - the only movement on the beams is with the steering.

Unread post by **Paul-R** » 07 Feb 2010, 17:33

JohnD wrote:No - the only movement on the beams is with the steering.

Can you expand on that please? Is this on your C5?

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 07 Feb 2010, 17:47

Some facelift C5s (Standard on exclusive and optional on VTR spec) have xenon headlights, which turn with the steering (i.e. DS style). However they only turn a very small amount and nothing like a DS, they also turn main bean not full beam. These are also on C6s too and a few other manufacturers have this on their range toppers now. Steerable headlights. Its easy to tell if they have these, as they have a round light in the headlights, as apposed to normal looking lights on the more basic facelift C5s.

I almost bought a C5 with these, i was shocked when i noticed it had them fitted and they seemed to work well. Though im not sure how much advantage they really give?

I too thought you needed headlamp washers for HID kits and self-leveling on the lights. However hydraulic Cits obviously dont need leveling lights, as the suspension keeps the car level and so the lights level too.

All normal cars have a dial or wheel of some kind, so you can set the lights down onto the road when you have weight in the back of the car. As a big citroen levels again when weight is added, this is not needed. So that is one problem solved with fitting HIDs to them. Though this wont help with a C2.

Its reasonably popular to fit them to Xms, VSX cars have headlamp washers and obviously self leveling suspension, so they are a legal fit. In theory.

Unread post by **Paul-R** » 07 Feb 2010, 18:06

Citroenmad wrote:I too thought you needed headlamp washers for HID kits

According to the DFT link you do.

Citroenmad wrote:and self-leveling on the lights. However hydraulic Cits obviously dont need leveling lights, as the suspension keeps the car level and so the lights level too.

Again, according to the DFT link it can be either on the light assembly or the suspension. I'm surprised the bean counters allowed both on the C5

Citroenmad wrote:so they are a legal fit. In theory.

But only if the complete lamp assembly is replaced. Are they available?

uncle buck · Unread post by **uncle buck** » 07 Feb 2010, 20:38

My Laguna has HID xenon headlights (factory fitted) & to be honest I think the light produced by them is very poor....don't get me wrong they look nice & bright when the car is coming towards you but from behind the wheel they don't seem to light the road like a normal headlight does.

I often have to check that they are on when driving in street lit areas as you can't make out the light on the road unless you look closely.

Cheers.

wheeler · Unread post by **wheeler** » 07 Feb 2010, 22:15

The hydralic cits with xenons still have height adjusting motors in them, even the ones with directional headlights. The suspension just doesent adjust quick enough. The beam height correction is almost instant when the car body is moved up or down.