C5 headlight upgrade(s)

[Paul-R]

Facebook equally useless. An effing great box entreating me to join (no chance!) covering half the screen.

click the "Not Now" or behind that box.

Clicking on "Not Now" simply brings up a replacement, slightly smaller, box without the "Not Now" option. Pathetic!

Anyway, all academic now with the YouTube post. They seem all right but you can't help seeing the difference in colour temperature between the two different types of bulb. Personally, I feel that manufacturers shouldn't mix types of bulb on a car.

Which brings another thought to the fore. We know that you can't legally fit an HID bulb in place of a halogen bulb on an ordinary headlamp assembly as it needs to have washers and a built-in level adjustment. But these are already there on the Mk1 with HID dipped beams so could you legally fit an HID aftermarket replacement bulb assembly on the main beam? I'm not concerned in this case with the, probably wrong, beam pattern due to the different light source, I'm talking about the legality.

[GiveMeABreak]

The beam pattern surely affects the legality though.
There's an interesting article here that pulls a lot of info together (but bear in mind that the MOT has been updated since the article was released).
http://greyhead.co.uk/are-aftermarket-h ... -in-the-uk

[Paul-R]

Well I did say disregarding the beam pattern! And even then I'm not sure that the beam pattern for main beam is as critical as for dipped.

No, what I was getting at is that the accompanying hardware is already there so I think that they would/should pass the MOT.

[GiveMeABreak]

Appreciate that Paul - but assuming the light pattern was correct and all the requirements for passing the MOT were met - that won't necessarily make them legal, which was part of your question (talking about some Halogen to HID kits generally now and not the OP's setup specifically). I mean if they were too bright, or the beam pattern dazzled an oncoming driver resulting in an accident - the fact that they passed an MOT wouldn't factor into it. If it was determined that an after-market kit was not approved by a headlight OEM or not e approved, then I suspect that would bring its own set of legal problems - especially with regard to liability and validity of insurance cover.

At the end of the day, it will be for people to make their own decision and accept any possible consequences. As has been suggested, sticking with the legal higher output bulbs is probably a safer option, or get a car with Xenons or LEDs in the first place.

[RichardW]

I've got HID bulbs in the dip beams of my 307. I drive about 5k a year in the dark on unlit country roads, and got fed up of replacing ordinary bulbs every few months. The 307 has projector lamps and I suspect that the heat was killing them - especially when running Night breaker or similar. The arc location in the bulbs is the same as the filament location in the halogens, so the beam pattern is unchanged. They are brighter (and whiter) no doubt - but I only went for 4000k and 35W so not crazy. No washers or auto levelling; no trouble from the Police or at MOT time (twice), nor do I get flashed - mind you given that about 1:5 cars has a headlamp out these days, that's not really surprising. Each to their own as to what they fit.... Interesting that Paul notes that the mains look yellow compared to the dips - find the same on my car; except when they're really dirty, then they look the same (and that is cue to get them cleaned!). I also need to fit a new NS lamp as it has steamed up inside

[waynedance]

Can not fail an mot for having aftermarket hid kit without washers and self levelling as long as the correct beam pattern is present. I work at an MOT station.

But as already said an MOT pass does not make it legal or not.

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[Paul-R]

I mean if they were too bright, or the beam pattern dazzled an oncoming driver resulting in an accident - the fact that they passed an MOT wouldn't factor into it.

A considerate driver wouldn't have main on when driving behind or approaching another driver anyway. You don't need HIDs to dazzle!