HID Kits (again) Phillips kit any good?

[Jozi]

Been browsing a little for HID kits and most see mto have gotten them from ebay but don't say whom the seller is or links have gone dead.

I've had a look on ebay and prices seem to range from 20 upwards. Found this set http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PHILIPS-Xenon-HID ... 58835297f1

They are a Philips set. Anyone used them, would they be a good set being produced by Phillips?

There's so many to chose from it's hard to decide on one without knowing what they are really like.

[12345kevin]

As they are being shipped from China I would have my doubts about them being made by Phillips.

I would save some money and go for these :

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/55W-XENON-HID-CON ... 27ac2ed6b7


Probably exactly the same thing. I have used a kit which I bought for about £40 shipped from China and they worked OK.

[Jozi]

They are 55W. Can the eletrics handle the higher wattage, much difference? Not seen anyone mention 55W

[daimlerman]

Just bought/fitted two kits that I paid about £30 each for.
Very simple and most worthwile upgrade.
Your current H1's are 60 watt,so no problems with a 55watt kit!

[Jozi]

Ok, I assumed 35 W was the normal rating. Are 55W brighter or better or does it not make a difference which of the 2 you get?

Daimlerman: could you post a link to where you bought them?

[caneswell]

I've had "Bosch HID","Made In Germany" ......cheapo knock offs from China on my M3 for nearly 3 years now, I run with them on nearly all the time and have had no problems at all from them. Amazing really, they do cause some radio interference but then I have an Ipod player.

[Jozi]

Was thinking about sticking hid's into (DIY) smoked lights, 55W won't melt anything or burn the paint?

[caneswell]

Was thinking about sticking hid's into (DIY) smoked lights, 55W won't melt anything or burn the paint?

HIDS run cooler than standard bulbs. Hence why they make more light with the same power, physics init.

[Jozi]

Ok fair enough. They are more efficient with the energy they use then, hence lower heat?

35-55W makes no different then, do the 55w ones give of more light?

[Hellbound]

How some some kits are super expensive?

http://www.monstermodz.co.uk/list_produ ... category=4

Hmm...me thinky me likey...

http://www.hidfitting.co.uk/bmw/bmw_e30 ... t17.0.html

[Chris]

55w are significantly brighter than 35w. Not needed though.

My 35w's are more than bright enough to reflect off of road signs in bright daylight.

The main benefit of these HID's is that the light from your headlights is very clear and bright right out to the edges of the beam.

Mine are the ebay specials from 'OMG so cool car' (cheesy i know) have been fitted for a good few months now and no problems. Only about £40 delivered.

Good luck.
Chris

[Morat]

+1 for the 35W kit from omg so cool car.
Been working well over a year now, and passed the MOT too

[Jozi]

I had come across his for sale items before and noticed the odd name.

Was looking at his sales last nite and him getting two tumbs up, think I'll go ahead and get a set of him. Works out about 50euro delivered, which is pretty good, might even get a 2nd set for the high beams.

Did you have any problems with customs getting hold of it and looking for more money? How long was delivery time?

[Jozi]

Just ordered a set, hopefully it doesn't take to long for it to arrive and then I can enjoy better light while driving at night

[XRMike]

Ive had a few kits now fitted to my cars. The cheapie ones seem to have problems with the ballast's packing up after a few months. Mine died the other day on me

[Morat]

Don't put them in your high beams, they don't like being switched on and off rapidly - plus it takes a couple of seconds for them to get to full brightness so its kinda pointless.

[Chris]

Dont fit them to the main beams. Not needed and they dont like being switched off and on regularly. just fit some of those funky super clear white light main beam bulbs.

Dont fit 100w bulbs though unless you upgrade the wireing first.

Chris

[Jozi]

What funky super clear whith lights are these you speak of?

I had read about the warm up times and some saying it's not an issue for them. Main thing is that my driving lights should be improved, high beam is already good enough. You've put me of getting them for the high beam. What about hid fogs thou...

[Jozi]

1 set on the post Got an email with a tracking code, that doesn't work this morning, hopefully it won't take to long

[Jozi]

Lights arrived today. Got a pair of bright led bulbs put in also, they look like they fit in above the main beam light but are slightly longer.

No I just need to get these lights smoked and put back together and the hid's fitted

[Morat]

You'll love the HIDs, guaranteed

[Jozi]

I hope so Morat. I was shocked at how bad the lights were when I got the car, not nice driving at night.

[Brianmoooore]

I was shocked at how bad the lights were when I got the car, not nice driving at night.

The HIDs are a very worthwhile upgrade, but the original lights shouldn't be at all bad.
The design creates a very sharp beam cut off, and if they are aimed too low, then they will appear to be poor.

[Jozi]

Mine were a bit more dim compared to a mates E30 and maybe not aimed properly. Couldn't adjust one of the driving lights either when I tried to set them a bit better. Between the 2 set of lights I have I'll have the 2 air adjusters working (by hand) and non rusted adjusting screws. Can't for the life of me get the back of the driving lights of thou.

Is that a Mauritius blue touring you have brian?

[Brianmoooore]

Laser blue (2 of).
Laguna green (2 of).
Zinnobar red (1 of)
plus a couple of brilliant red, a couple of malachite green, a diamond black, and a couple of silver.

[Jozi]

Thats quite a collection. And me thinking you had the 3 in your sig

[Brianmoooore]

That's just the tourings........

[sk712]

Interesting read here about HID kits: http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech ... tages.html There's some really good halogen bulbs these days. Put a Philps Xtreme bulb on my bike recently & it made a huge difference.

[Brianmoooore]

Interesting article! The colour bit in the first part of the article is well known, and is why I'd never recommend anything other than 4300K for HIDs - not that far away from the 3500K of a typical halogen lamp.
The second part of the article is why HIDs should only be fitted to proper projector lamps, like those fitted to E30's since 1987, and not to pre facelift reflectors or the hordes of Corsas, Saxos and other rubbish out there.

[Jozi]

Fitted the kit last weekend. Easy as to get it fitted.

The light from them is better but my alignment is very very badly of so not much of an improvement in lighting up the road ahead of me.

I'm in the middle of smoking a set of lights and will be trying to get the alignment fixed then.

Someone mentioned to me if I had European lights, how do I know that the lenses, light units are on the correct side of the car? It might just be that I couldn't get them right because of the limited adjustment because of corrosion, will be using the best of both light sets and cleaning them up for the smoked lights.