Nice article, I think the problem with the Xantia lights is too sharp a cut off, this might mean that HIDs fitted might not dazzle other road users but its a gamble, I will fit conventional bulbs and hunt for the relays (if fitted).
Stewart
Xantia Headlamps
Moderator: RichardW
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- x 31
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I've just fitted an H.I.D. conversion kit, with 6000K bulbs, to the dip lights on my XM, it cost me £82 with free delivery from Hong Kong. The kit arrived five days after I placed the order and four days after an e-mail telling me it had been posted.
I found it best to remove the headlamps to make fitting easier, the only difficulty was finding the best place to site the ballasts. The kit replaced a pair of Osram Silver Star bulbs that I'd fitted a year ago.
Took the car for a test drive last night. The light given out is noticeably blueish and is much brighter than the Silver Stars. When I turned into the main road (A16) into a line of approaching rush hour vehicles I was sure I was going to get flashed and was prepared to turn off at the first opportunity, but nothing.
It was noticeable that the cut off is very sharp with no visible upward scatter, this is borne out by the fact that there is no reflection from road signs outside the visible spread of the lights. On the back country roads where I was able to use main beam, the main beam light falling on the road looked yellow!
So would I recommend them? Absolutely. They have transformed driving on dip for me, although I would suggest that the whiter light of 4300K bulbs would be preferable.
Would I recommend buying them from Hong Kong? Definitely. They look good quality, are well packaged, the instructions are clear (you do have the occasional funny, like "Install the lamp at a good circumstance and let the gear neutral or parking".), they are available in a choice of colour temps, they carry E24 certification and you get some very nice Hong Kong stamps. Oh, and my car has self levelling (of course) and headlamp wash so I should be legal.
Derek
I found it best to remove the headlamps to make fitting easier, the only difficulty was finding the best place to site the ballasts. The kit replaced a pair of Osram Silver Star bulbs that I'd fitted a year ago.
Took the car for a test drive last night. The light given out is noticeably blueish and is much brighter than the Silver Stars. When I turned into the main road (A16) into a line of approaching rush hour vehicles I was sure I was going to get flashed and was prepared to turn off at the first opportunity, but nothing.
It was noticeable that the cut off is very sharp with no visible upward scatter, this is borne out by the fact that there is no reflection from road signs outside the visible spread of the lights. On the back country roads where I was able to use main beam, the main beam light falling on the road looked yellow!
So would I recommend them? Absolutely. They have transformed driving on dip for me, although I would suggest that the whiter light of 4300K bulbs would be preferable.
Would I recommend buying them from Hong Kong? Definitely. They look good quality, are well packaged, the instructions are clear (you do have the occasional funny, like "Install the lamp at a good circumstance and let the gear neutral or parking".), they are available in a choice of colour temps, they carry E24 certification and you get some very nice Hong Kong stamps. Oh, and my car has self levelling (of course) and headlamp wash so I should be legal.
Derek
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- x 31
I fitted my Phillips vision plus bulbs yesterday, a definite improvement, whiter, more light and it seems to go further in front, I think I can put off the HID conversion for a while yet.
Stewart
Stewart
BXs since 1993 built 1.9 TZD turbo, got a S2 Xantia estate, brilliant car! 2013, Xantia HDI LX 110 2000 new car with 122,000, l C2 HDI Rusty rocket, C3 Picasso HDI new to me.
- Kowalski
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Ex 94 Xantia Dimension 1.9TD 199k
How many times have you been driving at night and been able to see your head casting a shadow on the sun visor in the light from a following car's badly adjusted headlights? I find glare from badly aligned headlights more of a problem than from HID headlights. Last night I overtook a car that appeared to have his full beams on, in traffic on a dual carriageway....Peter.N. wrote:My own personal experience is that I get far more hastle from ordinary headlights that are not correctly adjusted, probably on 10-20% of cars, than I do from HIDs, but I can appreciete there could be a problem with badly fitted/aligned HIDs especially on non self leveling cars.
I presume that HID headlights have some sort of variable resistor measuring the height of the suspension, some stepper motors in the lights themselves to maintain their level and presumably an ECU too. One thing nobody has mentioned is what happens when the self levelling mechanism fails? What happens if it fails intermittently? No doubt we'll find out when cars with these lights become old and badly maintained.
No problem for me with my auto dimming rear view mirror .When i got the car,i thought it was just a gimmick.But it really is a great idea.Would be lost with out it now.No more shinning in your eyes.I find Range Rovers to be the worst for dazzling with their HID`s.Kowalski wrote: How many times have you been driving at night and been able to see your head casting a shadow on the sun visor in the light from a following car's badly adjusted headlights?
Just fitted some Osram Siver Stars to mine,on the main beam & headlights.Vast improvement.
53`406 est SE Hdi 140,110k
- Kowalski
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Ex 97 Xantia 1.9TD SX 144k
Ex 94 Xantia Dimension 1.9TD 199k
Range Rover headlights are just at the right height to dazzle in your mirrors aren't they, the part of the beam thats supposed to light the left hand curb of the road is really good for dazzling other motorists via their mirrors, its also really good for for dazzling oncoming traffic when you're going around left hand bends. I often see my car casting a shadow in that part of the beam of other people's HID lights, which is worrying considering that my low beams are shining in that direction too, it just goes to show how much better HIDs are than the Xantia low beams.np wrote:I find Range Rovers to be the worst for dazzling with their HID`s.
I want HID lights, if / when I get a C5 I'm going to try to get one with them!
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- x 31