Headlight upgrade options?

[rcx106]

I'm finally looking at upgrading the headlights on my Vitara. A few years ago I used the car in the Carpathian mountains and the headlights we so bad they were just dangerous.

I think HIDs are out. They p**s people off, and I can't find any aftermarket self levelling ones, plus I've been told that the Police around here have been clamping down on them.

There's not upgrade headlights available that I can find.

I've found some universal projector headlights. I'd need to make brackets for them. Maybe this is the route to take?

I'm fitting some flood lights on the roof, they are for off roading, to light up around teh car. I don't see the point of fitting axillary spot lights because isn't that what the headlights are for?

[andyiley]

I don't see the issue with HIDs.

When white (not blue) ones are fitted they are perfectly legal so BiB have no argument, provided your headlights are correctly adjusted they don't annoy anyone else.

I have them on both of my cars & would never go back to halogen.

[DVandrews]

For HIDs to be legal you must have working headlight washers and working levelling equipment.

Dave

[okie592]

You DO NOT need to have headlight washers and self leveling for hids it's been covered a million times. It says if fitted they must work correctly, if they aren't there they can't be tested and the car can't fail it's mot.

I have had various cars pass the mot with after market hids and no fail.

do you have h7 bulbs? You can just get a h7r kit which causes no glare to other road users. Go for 5000k and that is pure white, 4300k is slightly more yellow and what oems tend to use.

I've had a h7r 5000k and never had any problems! Not a single flash etc

[rcx106]

I know that legality is being argued by some people, but I really don't want to go for HIDs. I don't want to be arguing with police. My vehicle is questionable enough already without giving them more reasons to pull me over.

I'd rather get tips on other alternatives that could work.

[andyiley]

The legality will only be argued by those who are misinformed.

They are (assuming correct colour) 100% legal, I have had them on both of my cars for many years now with not a single mention for MOT, pull by Rozzers, or flash from other drivers.

[DVandrews]

I too have HID kits fitted to two of my cars (H7R kits) , my local MOT place passed them this year , but have warned me that next year they may fail. The relevant passages in the MOT manual which states that washing systems and levelling systems must be in working order (if fitted) will be revised to remove the sub clause 'if fitted'. There is a degree of ambiguity in the wording such that a friend had to decommission his in order to pass the MOT, his were in projector headlights too.

Dave

[rcx106]

Despite all arguments, I've heard of Police stopping HID users and DFA have issued an advisory saying that HIDs need to be self levelling to be legal. That's enough for me not to fit them. Also I'm constantly being pulled over and I don't want to give them more ammunition.

Note also an MOT test is not a full legal check. There are loads of things that are illegal but still pass the MOT test.

I've just ordered a pair of Hella 90mm universal fit projector modules like these:


Need to make a simple bracket:



Then fit the parking light, and turn signals.

Edited by rcx106 on Friday 11th July 23:51

[alock]

Could those who say aftermarket hids are legal let me know where they bought them from?

The main retailers disagree.

Hids direct
"Please also note that under UK regulations HID kits are not yet approved road legal"

His 4 u
"In the UK, fitting an aftermarket HID kit is not technically road legal as you are replacing a halogen bulb with an HID bulb, because of this the HID bulb cannot be E marked, which is a requirement for it to be road legal. Therefore our HID kits are sold for off-road use only."

[rcx106]

Over the weekend I found that Hella do an affordable (£200) universal self levelling kit which uses an ultrasonic sensor and motor attached to the original manual level adjusters. So this allows HIDs to be retorfitted while meeting the legal advice given on the .gov.uk website regarding retrofitted HIDs.

Edited by rcx106 on Monday 14th July 19:32

[CaptiV8ted]

Hope this isn't too remote from what you're trying to achieve, but a while back I had a Transit based camper and the headlights were about as effective as two glow worms selotaped to the front. I replaced these bulbs with some Xenon blue ones from a motor factor and the difference was night and day (pun intended).

This depends upon how pants your lights are as standard. Just thought I'd mention it because it worked very well for me for under £20, with no changes to fittings or circuits.

[rcx106]

I've been using high performance light bulbs and they do make a big difference. I'm basically looking at fitting work lights on the roof of my 4x4 and figured I'll properly sort the headlights while I'm at it which is why I'm going all out.

Edited by rcx106 on Monday 14th July 21:41

[sospan]

I replaced my standard H4 halogens with Nightbreaker bulbs.
Gave a definite improvement.
My mate asked me what lights I had as he noticed how bright they were when following him.
It's a cheap upgrade and worth trying first as the result may be sufficient..
So ram were manufacturer as they came out well in a comparison test.

[sospan]

Thats's Osram not So ram !

[ecotec]

i've used the nightbreaker plus's and they defiantly produce a whiter light and do seem to be a bit brighter, also run philips ecovision (not quite so bright but supposedly last longer). For the cheap price of £15ish its well worth getting upgraded bulbs.

[S0 What]

Try testing the voltage at the bulb plug, bad earths, corroded crimps and cracked solder joints can drop it a fair bit, my old Mk3 transit was woefull, tested the voltage at the bulb plug and found 8.4V !
2 relays and some wiring later i had 13.2 with the engine running, way better and new lamp units increased it again, never underestimate how faded chrome reflectors can become over time.
All the above is doublely of interest in a vehical that's been used off road especialy if it's been wading! my last disco was total ste, till i fitted 2 new headlamp units and chrome pianted the reflectors in the spot lamps.