HID conversion results

Mods please feel free to move this, however I think It has a good technical content in terms of results.

Since the rather disappointing and abortive attempt to organise a group buy for high quality HID kits, sold in the UK by a major supplier for a retail price of over £500 a pair. I have made a small purchase to test the product for my self. My group buy was trying to achieve a price below £300 per pair for ten kits.

 

 

 

Fitted the kit last night and have been amazed by the improvement in night visibility my MKIV now has.

 

 

 

I decided to go for the 6500K bulbs which give a subtle blue tint to the light.

 

 

 

Unfortunately my camera is not low enough lux to reproduce the visible difference from the car, but I hope these pics taken in the pitch black tonight illustrate the difference between stock JDM bulbs and HID. When I started the lamp swap I was alone in the middle of nowhere, with just the sound of my engine ticking over and a burbling hiper. When I had finished the light swap I was accompanied by 40 large cows who were attracted by the sound of the car and the lights.

 

 

 

These kits can be seen on the Demon Tweaks website

 

Pics are as follows all dipped beam and taken from the same spot.

 

 

 

First JDM stock lamps at 50m

 

Second OS HID NS JDM Stock at 20m (zoom)

 

Third OS HID 50 m

 

Fourth Both HID 50 m

 

Fifth Both HID 20 m ( zoom)

Real shame more people weren't interested as my lights are shite and I was really keen for the group buy. :(

 

They look very impressive and those pics certainly give a good idea of how far the brightness stretches!

You're talking about just replacing bulbs with HID ones, not proper HID/xenon type kits?

I changed my bulbs a while back and like you, was amazed by the difference. Sad thing is I bought some from the US on import and now one side has blown I can't get a match so it's a little darker.

Also - these bulbs last no where near as long as the normal ones.

 

"The light that burns brightest, burns shortest"

You're talking about just replacing bulbs with HID ones, not proper HID/xenon type kits?

 

I think Termi is talking about proper HID kits not uprated bulbs.

 

Paul

I think most people are interested in getting HID's, I think they are brilliant but I think for a lot of people spending £300 on lights is still quite a lot of money. There is a good group buy going on at the moment for the Philips HID's.

Where?

Performa is doing a group buy in the traders section at the moment , i think they are around £275

 

Dude

Real shame more people weren't interested as my lights are shite and I was really keen for the group buy. :(

 

They look very impressive and those pics certainly give a good idea of how far the brightness stretches!

Unfortunately my camera is not good enough to show it, but the most impressive thing was the view down the road when I swapped one lamp over. So much more of the road surface was visible including pot holes, bushes in the NS hedge came into view that could not bee seen in the pitch black with the stock lamps. The new HID beam lit the road so well it looked brighter than the the two JDM bulbs together. As the HID kit is a direct plug and play with the stock lamp plug, it would not take many minutes to set up another pic trial with a better camera. I’ll try and get the cows to come along again;)

 

 

I will have an other go at a group buy in the new year, but it will have to be a quick one as I do not want to mess the supplier about, not like last time:(

You're talking about just replacing bulbs with HID ones, not proper HID/xenon type kits?

I changed my bulbs a while back and like you, was amazed by the difference. Sad thing is I bought some from the US on import and now one side has blown I can't get a match so it's a little darker.

Also - these bulbs last no where near as long as the normal ones.

 

"The light that burns brightest, burns shortest"

These are full kits not just bulbs. The kit contains a good size power pack and HID bulb for each lamp. The kits are made by Philips but badged Hella. Sold as Megatech HID kitsThey are sold by DT and can be found on their website. here

 

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/catalogue/product_detail.asp?PCODE=EARHID9005&GRP=MC040&PGRP=MP027&CLS=MSPORT&code=EARHIDKH1&from=search

 

My GB price was £285 to the door for a kit that retails at £556, top quality Philips Kit.

 

I agree that £285 is still alot of money, but now I have the dipped beam sorted I am looking into main and fogs as well as the difference is incredible and it is great to see what is in the road ahead without main beam. All my other cars I have converted my dipped beam bulbs to give me motor way driving capability on dipped beam. This HID conversion has given me this capability on dipped beam in the MKIV. So I am well pleased.

Ah - I'm with you now, I remember the thread a while back.

dan dan, yes we are currently organising a groupbuy for our Phillips HID kit, we are almost half way on the groupbuy, just need a few more ppl.

 

http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?t=30634

 

starting price is £275.00 all inc.

Guys after driving Nic Fullers car at night i can safely say that anyone getting a kit from either person here is gonna be more than satisfied with their purchase , it is well worth the money , the difference is astounding .

 

Dude

I'll second that. Although I haven't yet bought some, it's high on my list of future upgrades.

I've driven loads of cars with HID's fitted, some standard fit, some retro fitted, and whilst driving them, I always want a set... But then I buy something that makes tha car go faster...

Now I have got them I see them as safety upgrade, like bigger brakes and RLTC. If I do a GB it will take a few weeks to organise. So if you are in a hurry the Proforma traders deal may be what you are looking for.

Phil,

As I understand it, Philips do not make any HID kits but they do supply bulbs and balasts to other companies who them make their own kits. Is that the case here?

So the guarantee would be with Hella, would it?

 

Also, what color temps are these available in? I've read that Philips only make HID bulbs in 4100K, 5000K and 6000K.

 

http://faq.auto.light.tripod.com/hl-hid-bulbs.htm

 

 

 

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I am looking into main and fogs as well as the difference is incredible and it is great to see what is in the road ahead without main beam..

 

 

IMO the HID is not suited for main beam due to the start up time and the fact that switching on and off(flashing) will greatly reduse the life of the bulbs , its the same in the lights we use for diving !!!

 

Dude

I always want a set... But then I buy something that makes tha car go faster...

 

 

Buy a new clutch then!

Phil,

As I understand it, Philips do not make any HID kits but they do supply bulbs and balasts to other companies who them make their own kits. Is that the case here?

So the guarantee would be with Hella, would it?

 

Also, what color temps are these available in? I've read that Philips only make HID bulbs in 4100K, 5000K and 6000K.

 

http://faq.auto.light.tripod.com/hl-hid-bulbs.htm

 

 

 

.

As I understand it, the Megatec kits sold by DT are made by Hella with Philips parts. They are Hella ballasts and Hella bulbs , that is what I had stamped on my kits.

 

 

I also understand that Hella comes out of the same German factory as stuff made and supplied as Phillips products. The ballasts come with a one year GT through my supplier but not the bulbs. As I recall I was only looking into 6000K but there were others available 4100K, 8200K. Remember these kits are for the FE market not Europe. After market or HID conversion kits, are different from the OEM kits which come as complete units with the reflectors designed in a different way from conventional incandescent bulb driven units, hence the colour change at different angles on OEM HID cars.

 

 

I believe Philips only make the bulbs that they provide to car manufacturers and in standard OME cars these are 4100K 5000K and 6000K, not for conversions. Hence other companies using Philips products. There are other companies making bulbs to fill the demand for a bigger colour temperature range in the huge aftermarket sector.

 

 

There used to be a HID kit with a 5 years GT from the states, but this is no longer manufactured. If I remember correctly HID conversion kits can not be legally sold in the states anymore, however it is not illegal to use HID conversions over there.

Thanks for mine Phil - looks quality

 

Look forward to getting it fitted!

Guy's - it's not often I can add to these posts..... but,

Get a set of HIDs - they are the nuts..... I've had a set on mine for over a year ( originally from Paul Whiffin ).

If you live anywhere that has low light levels - or drive on country roads alot... these are superb. It's far better to see what you could avoid than rely on better brakes to stop when you cant see until the last moment!

I went for the 4000K set, and find that most of the time I don't need main beam. Also - if people are having lighting problems, get a MOT/garage to do an alignment check as originally mine were way off as well.

 

Steve.

When I first got my car the lamps were set at the lowest limit for MOT, I guess this was done for the SVA.

I have decided to go for mains as well. so I am organising a Group Buy, check out my thread in the Group Buy section.

As STEVEL posted, i too can highly recommend HID's for those in doubt (bought mine also from Paul Whiffin)

 

My post & pics:

http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showth...ighlight=lights

 

Good factual link:

http://www.intellexual.net/hid.html

 

There seems to be thoughts that higher up the temp scale the more tiring it becomes on the eyes (+ they also become duller).

 

To be totally legal (i beleive) in the UK HID's must be self-levelling & self-cleaning, but i've never had a problem with anyone nor an MOT. If there was, i'd just swap them around again and change them back when tested.

 

Hope this helps some.

 

You will be amazed at the difference.

 

Regards

Stephen

 

PS. Only problem i've found is trying to stuff 2 ballasts each side of the car, not that they are big, its just thats theres not much room.

Stephen , the link to your post and pics doesn't appear to work

 

Are these the pic's

 

http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?t=19502

Yup there the ones.

Cheers for that.

 

Regards

Stephen