HID conversion - Legal or Not?

[Al Massey]

The Supra came with an optional HID kit.

 

And surely the oem equipment would have everything needed to pass a law of that time?

Aftermarket ones don't abide by the current law

[Scott]

And surely the oem equipment would have everything needed to pass a law of that time?

Aftermarket ones don't abide by the current law

 

Aftermarket ones CAN abide by current law. Have you read the link you posted or did you just scan over the first paragraph that agreed with your point of view? Here's a quick copy and paste from your link...

 

For the aftermarket, a used vehicle cannot obtain type approval because this

only applies to new vehicles. However DfT does not think it reasonable simply

to ban HID in the aftermarket. Instead the Department makes analogies with

new vehicles. It seems reasonable to require HID in the aftermarket to meet the

same safety standards as those for new vehicles. The same level of safety

should apply.

Therefore a HID headlamp unit sold in the aftermarket should:

1. be type approved to ECE Regulation 98 as a component;

2. when fitted to the vehicle should enable ECE Regulation 48 to be

complied with (although no government inspection will take place); and

3. comply with RVLR as far as "use" is concerned.

 

With regards to the Supra, the kit was mearly bulbs and ballasts.... exactly like the aftermarket ones we buy. You will not see a LEGAL HID setup in a non-projector lens. The Supra was made for it.

 

You will be pulled/prosecuted/fail an MOT if you try to put HID bulbs into a non-projector lens. Projector lenses don't have this problem.

[Al Massey]

Aftermarket ones CAN abide by current law. Have you read the link you posted or did you just scan over the first paragraph that agreed with your point of view? Here's a quick copy and paste from your link...

 

 

 

With regards to the Supra, the kit was mearly bulbs and ballasts.... exactly like the aftermarket ones we buy. You will not see a LEGAL HID setup in a non-projector lens. The Supra was made for it.

 

You will be pulled/prosecuted/fail an MOT if you try to put HID bulbs into a non-projector lens. Projector lenses don't have this problem.

 

Yeah I read the whole lot.

And I'm not trying to argue just my point or any specific point.

I'm just asking the questions.

 

If our lights are fine for it then so be it, I'm just curious at the fact there is so much speculation and doubt about aftermarket HID's.

[Abz]

Yeah I read the whole lot.

And I'm not trying to argue just my point or any specific point.

I'm just asking the questions.

 

If our lights are fine for it then so be it, I'm just curious at the fact there is so much speculation and doubt about aftermarket HID's.

 

That's because most people don't know the facts about them, read a little on the internet & assume the rest. Though to be fair it is quite easily done on the subject of HID's.

 

I remember the same subject being discussed on the FTO forum and one chap pipped up saying what does he do then as his car came factory standard with HID's but it doesn't have washers or self levelling headlights. As Scott say they were an optional extra on the Supra too.

[Al Massey]

That's because most people don't know the facts about them, read a little on the internet & assume the rest. Though to be fair it is quite easily done on the subject of HID's.

 

I remember the same subject being discussed on the FTO forum and one chap pipped up saying what does he do then as his car came factory standard with HID's but it doesn't have washers or self levelling headlights. As Scott say they were an optional extra on the Supra too.

 

But even after reading a lot there is still so much speculation.

Guessing it's ok if you have projection lenses like the supra, but how many cars have that?

 

How many cars are actually using HID's illegally.

[Abz]

But even after reading a lot there is still so much speculation.

Guessing it's ok if you have projection lenses like the supra, but how many cars have that?

 

How many cars are actually using HID's illegally.

 

A lot of newer cars have projector lens BUT you do have a lot of people that are using them in halogen style head lamps still but I am sure this is reducing on the roads, well it seems like it is.

[Scott]

But even after reading a lot there is still so much speculation.

Guessing it's ok if you have projection lenses like the supra, but how many cars have that?

 

How many cars are actually using HID's illegally.

 

This is what actually makes this particular feature so hard to police. If your lights aren't projector lights then there is no way to legally use HIDs or pass an MOT with them, it's literally that cut and dry as the dazzle and glare from reflector lenses is just insane (these are the idiots you see blinding you completely on the roads).

 

My guess is that the figure of illegal users is massive, I see them pretty much daily and they stick out like a sore thumb. You can also see people who have improperly fitted the kits to reasonable headlights, with one light looking at the road and the other one having a look at the moon

 

Even legal HIDs can fail the MOT and be classed as illegal if they are setup improperly. There are so many caveats to having them that it's just as hard to police as it is to get right.

[Jord]

I don't really want to start another HID thread and this is the most recent. I'm looking for either a 3400k or 6000k HID kit and have UK headlights.

 

After reading: http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?142251-Which-headlight-bulbs-for-JSpec-and-UK-Spec&highlight=9006

Am I right in thinking I'll be needing 9006/HB4 for dipped lights and 9005/HB3 for main beams?

 

From the thread I read it seemed that 6000ks seemed to be the most popular to give a white light rather than yellow or blue. I've been looking at ebay kits but I'm unsure of quality. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330789047472

 

The other 2 places that seem a popular place to get the kits from are:

http://www.knightracer.com/shop/index.php?route=product/product&path=42&product_id=4

http://www.hids4u.co.uk/hb4-9006-xenon-hid-conversion-kits/

 

Both seem pretty pricey compared to the ebay kits.

 

Is it worth spending the extra on a kit from Knight Racer or hids4u or are the ebay ones fine?

[Si_s Supe]

I normally plump for the 'better quality' more expensive kits, but after advice from a few members here, I've recently fitted an eBay HB4 kit to my UK headlights. £26 delivered and they're fine! I normally use 4300k as they give a pure white light but in this case I've gone for 6000k as they exactly match the colour of some SUPERB LED sidelight bulbs I use!

 

 

This is the HID kit: http://bit.ly/Vnwc1d The bulbs don't FEEL totally snug in the holders, but they don't rattle around or cause dodgy light beams.

 

The LED bulbs are these: http://bit.ly/SLJeza They're great and since you get 4 in a pack, you can put the other 2 in your number plate lamps!

 

[Elmo]

My car passed the MOT yesterday with HID's, I watched them check the headlights without concern.