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Xenon headlights for Cars


mint
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Apologies in advance for harping on about cars the last few days.

I've seen many adverts for xenon conversion kits (complete with ballasts, wiring, etc) for replacing traditional headlights.

Would xenon fitted headlights be compliant with French law and enable your UK car to pass its CT?  Just occurred to me that converting the headlights, if they are legal, would be rather cheaper than changing them?[I]

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Unless things have changed since my motor trade days the xenon part applies to the bulb and not to the headlamp unit.  It is the glass (or whatever passes for glass nowadays) on the headlamp unit that throws the dipped beam to the side of the road.  It is for that reason the headlamp unit needs to be changed when bringing a UK car to Europe.

Now if all that is tosh I will stand corrected.

 

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[quote user="Weedon"]

Unless things have changed since my motor trade days the xenon part applies to the bulb and not to the headlamp unit.  It is the glass (or whatever passes for glass nowadays) on the headlamp unit that throws the dipped beam to the side of the road.  It is for that reason the headlamp unit needs to be changed when bringing a UK car to Europe.

Now if all that is tosh I will stand corrected.

[/quote]

I am with you on this weedon, I believe that some of the conversions have to replace the whole unit and I seem to remember from a previous post the latest ones are pan european producing a flat beam neither right or left.

My car has just and only just passed the MOT headlights too dim (like it's owner I said sucking up to the MOT man) so I am on the puter having a look at the very subject.

 

P.S. car is registered in O/H name [Www]

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Don't buy them.

They are very expensive and annoy other road users as they are focussed badly and blind other road users on uneven roads. They are for people with too much money and flashy unpaid-for cars.

They may be brighter but you should never be travelling faster than your dip-beam at night.

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Yes, Xenon headlights do provide a flat dipped beam and, as such, UK registered cars do not need beam deflectors. In fact, there are an increasing number of non-Xenon lights that do not need deflectors. For example, I have a UK registered C4 Picasso and that does not need them.

As for changing ordinary headlamps to Xenon, I am not a technician, but I believe it is an expensive operation that could require changes to the wiring...

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I dont know the laws here, but the xenon HID upgrade kits are NOT legal in UK on most cars. They are very common and now very cheap to buy on ebay, and are a direct replacement for the standard bulb, with the ballast being mounted in the engine bay somewhere. No changes are made to the lense unit.

They are only legal in UK if they are fitted to lamps that have self-levelling systems fitted and lense cleaners, either wipers or water jets. Few MOT places pick up on this though, so their use is spreading, which is unfortunate, as many are very badly fitted and poorly aligned, causing hassle for other road users at night.

I couldnt tell you whether the same rules apply in France. Given that Uk lights have to be "E-marked" as standard, I personally suspect it might be a europe-wide thing.

Although, if you have the option to buy a car with them fitted as factory standard, you should do so, as they make a huge difference to night driving. I drove 2 BMW Minis in rapid succession, one with standard halogen bulbs and the second with HID xenons. The difference was outstanding.

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[quote user="Dog"]

Don't buy them.

They are very expensive and annoy other road users as they are focussed badly and blind other road users on uneven roads. They are for people with too much money and flashy unpaid-for cars.

They may be brighter but you should never be travelling faster than your dip-beam at night.

[/quote]

As the finnish rally drivers practice high speed driving on side lights not much help there.

My dip beams travell at the same speed I do cos their fixed to the body work

Dave on my old cooper S I had super oscars on the top rail and oscars on the lower total 425 watts that made a differenc too.

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In my defence the Yamaha fazer probably had the worst headlights in the World and I had a couple of years of steering by tilly lamp before I bought the HIDs. They are set low but throw out an incredible amount of light which permits 'progress' to be made at night.
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[quote user="teapot"][quote user="Dog"]

Don't buy them.

They are very expensive and annoy other road users as they are focussed badly and blind other road users on uneven roads. They are for people with too much money and flashy unpaid-for cars.

They may be brighter but you should never be travelling faster than your dip-beam at night.

[/quote]

As the finnish rally drivers practice high speed driving on side lights not much help there.

My dip beams travell at the same speed I do cos their fixed to the body work

Dave on my old cooper S I had super oscars on the top rail and oscars on the lower total 425 watts that made a differenc too.

 

[/quote]

 

My point entirely - if Swedish rally drivers do not need them you don't either.

You cannot have been much cop in your mini if you needed 425 watts to see - probably slowed the car down all that drag on the alternator.

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I'm really only interested because I'm trying to avoid changing UK headlights for French use and CT.

It cost me just under 500 euros to have the lights changed on my previous car.  The most galling thing is that I've just had a new battery, service, CT and then pranged the damned car..........

Because I've already spent so much money on a car that I can no longer drive, I'm trying to economise a bit, if possible, on the next one.

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It's a long, complicated story, Dog.  I did so much damage to it that it is not driveable at present.

I have been looking out for a front bumper as well as various tubing.  One of the headlamp units has also been damaged.

I know someone who cannot afford but needs a car.  So, I might just sell it to him in its present condition.  I believe he has connections with people in the motor trade so I am very much hoping that the poor old car will still be seeing some years of life yet.

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I have never trashed a car or motorcycle it must be a very sad event.

I can sort of understand a bumper but - tubing? What is that about?

Back to the lights as you are probably not a rally driver or a speed freak just bulbs would do you.

You do not even need lights legally for a daytime vehicle - do you drive at night?

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Yes, it is indeed a very sad event.  I bought her when she was barely 2 years old and she is now nine.

I'm not sure what sort of tubes or pipes but I have been told that it's to do with the feed for the liquid in the steering mechanism, which has all leaked away because of the damage.  The steering is therefore very stiff and is not safe.

In fact, the lights still work but the bump has broken some connecting thingy and the bonnet is so distorted that you can just about open it.  An acquaintance is trying to get me some new parts to try some repairs.

I wouldn't like not to have lights because it can rain and be dark enough to require lights even in daytime!

It would be good if she could be made roadworthy again as I am really glum looking at her sitting in the drive.  Then, if she could be sold to this person who really needs a car for work, I wouldn't feel quite so bad about everything.

 

 

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[quote user="Dog"][quote user="teapot"][quote user="Dog"]

Don't buy them.

They are very expensive and annoy other road users as they are focussed badly and blind other road users on uneven roads. They are for people with too much money and flashy unpaid-for cars.

They may be brighter but you should never be travelling faster than your dip-beam at night.

[/quote]

As the finnish rally drivers practice high speed driving on side lights not much help there.

My dip beams travell at the same speed I do cos their fixed to the body work

Dave on my old cooper S I had super oscars on the top rail and oscars on the lower total 425 watts that made a differenc too.

 

[/quote]

 

My point entirely - if Swedish rally drivers do not need them you don't either.

You cannot have been much cop in your mini if you needed 425 watts to see - probably slowed the car down all that drag on the alternator.

[/quote]

When you are rallying through the forest you need everything on your side especially at 90mph. thankfully the competition also had the same drag on the alternators [:)]

Sweets, what car is damaged? I must have missed your post.

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[quote user="Dog"]

If the Swedes do not need them why do you?

I had no trouble doing 90mph through the forest with puny lights and that was on a motorcycle - you car drivers are wimps.

[/quote]

We car drivers used to be motorcyclists [:D]

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It sounds like if you are not too bothered about what your car looks like it will live again.

Have you asked a local garage to bodge it? Just do the minimum legally to get it back on the road.

A battered bonnet and a few pipe that need replacing does  not mean the end of the road. Good luck.

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I'm sure for a innocent mere nine year old, replacement bonnets, lights and pipes are available at basement prices from your local car recycler (Scrapyard[:)]) New light units don't have to Original equipment, some factors do excellent deals, Valeo or others, see this thread; [8-|]http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1554234/ShowPost.aspx

I'm believe many manufacturers of RHD cars also offer a switch facility to change H/lamps to LHD, I know BMW, Audi, and Opel do, I believe this was in another post by Ern who is no longer with us[;-)], but A N Other may remember, (or more likely, Clare the Oracle)[8-|]

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Thank you, all you kind, sympathetic people.

She is a Hyundai Lantra Estate 1.6 GS reg 2000.

Big Mac, I will take a picture and see if I can manage to post it on here.  My knowledge of computers is nearly as abysmal as my knowledge of cars.

Your typical clueless, dead in the water dodo, that sounds a lot like me![:(]

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Some Xenon lights have a simple switch system to provide a flat beam which is acceptable as a dipped beam. Others do not so the lights have to be changed. Be very careful to establish which is which as they are very expensive - 600 euros for a Ford S Max without bulbs or power packs!

 

Peter

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