Disappointed

[imported_ANNANBHOY]

Was driving my car the other night and got to say the visibility was really poor ! Have had the car since March 04 (from new) and have never been impressed with the night time visibility !

anyone had this opinion ?

 

[imported_DSGSport]

I share the same view as you. So much so I have been talking to Ian at Hids4U about an after market xenon kit for the A3. I have Piaa Xtreme White bulbs in at the moment but they still do not have the reach/ coverage I would like. (think i may have to adjust the height)

If you are interested I have included a link for the kit Ian recommended for our cars.

http://www.hids4u.co.uk/product_details.asp?id=14

 

[Amchlolor]

I tried changing the bulbs.
It did make a difference,but not as much as I'd hoped for.
I raised the height of the lights myself.
That made a good difference.
Can't say I get flashed excessively.
It's happened once or twice lately,but that happened before I raised them as well.

In my opinion,the lights are set too low,with the dip beam cut off being especially poor.
I used to find myself having to slow down all the time,merely because I could only see about 10 yards in front.

That's about as much as I can do really.I'm not spending dosh on HID units in a company car.

 

[imported_migzy]

yep totally agree

migzy

 

[cosmicblue]

I'd agree too - and when you have had a car with factory fit Xenons you can't go back to coventional headlamps.

I have a new Vectra hire car whilst my A3 is on order..(only 5 more weeks) and the headlamps are appaling.

 

[marriedblonde]

I have the Xenons and they're pretty good. I did adjust them myself though....

J.

 

[Amchlolor]

[ QUOTE ]

I have the Xenons and they're pretty good. I did adjust them myself though....

J.

[/ QUOTE ]

So the Audi settings are too low,regardless of the lights used ?
How much did you raise yours by ?
I only went a fraction on the wee white knobs.
Equal adjustments on both sides,although I was tempted to raise the RH one more.

 

[marriedblonde]

I kinda played around with them as the range did seem a little limited...

Not a great deal. It was kinda a case of driving to a car park and a couploe of twists here and there until they seemed better. Test drive to make sure people wheren't getting blinded...

J.

 

[imported_DSGSport]

Think I will try adjusting the lights first before spending £260 on xenons (still have reservations about installing xenons with out having projector lenses) Or should I just go down the xenon route? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Amchlolor]

Always take the cheapest route.
5 minutes with a screwdriver might make you happy enough.

 

[marriedblonde]

[ QUOTE ]
Always take the cheapest route.
5 minutes with a screwdriver might make you happy enough.

[/ QUOTE ]

Some secrets you can keep to yourself /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[imported_DSGSport]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Always take the cheapest route.
5 minutes with a screwdriver might make you happy enough.

[/ QUOTE ]

Some secrets you can keep to yourself /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif Think I will give the screwdriver method a go first. Hopefully it will improve things enough.

Bowfer, how many turns (and which direction) did you do? Just want to try and get it right first time and not blind too many people out there!

 

[Amchlolor]

Wasn't much at all in my case.
Honestly,as MB says,it's so blindingly (sic) obvious it's great.
Equal adjustments on each side at least keeps the alignment right,as there's nothing worse than someone behind you with one light pointing higher that t'other.

 

[bacardi]

just fitted a set of dippable (Is that a word?!?) Xenon's from MadCatz to the missus car over the weekend, they're not projector but they work superb!!!

Did the same to my scoob and saved the kit, moved it over to the next car ,then swapped it for these ones so its not a total waste of cash.......

 

[imported_DSGSport]

Had a go at adjusting the lights last night. What a difference!! Still not as clear as I would like, but its the best the Halogen units & PIAA bulbs can do.

Made me realise how low they had been set from the factory! Took it for a test drive and didn't get flashed /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/groovy.gif

 

[miketweed]

Rememer that non-factory xenons or regular lights (i.e. fixed range) are set so that with a full boot load the lights will still be at a legal level.

If you wind them upwards, then when you load the car (i.e. your mates fat bird in the back) they will be too high as the back end goes down (the cars, not hers)

The factory xenons use height sensors on the front and rear suspension to work out vehicle angle and constantly adjust the beam height via motors in each headlamp to compensate for loading etc.

I don't think your cheapo after market kit does that?

 

[simonl]

who cares, blind the fecks with white light!!!

 

[Amchlolor]

[ QUOTE ]
Rememer that non-factory xenons or regular lights (i.e. fixed range) are set so that with a full boot load the lights will still be at a legal level.

If you wind them upwards, then when you load the car (i.e. your mates fat bird in the back) they will be too high as the back end goes down (the cars, not hers)

The factory xenons use height sensors on the front and rear suspension to work out vehicle angle and constantly adjust the beam height via motors in each headlamp to compensate for loading etc.

I don't think your cheapo after market kit does that?

[/ QUOTE ]


We all have a headlight height adjustment button in the cabin.
If you have a load,you turn it from zero to 1,2 or 3.

That'll be the end of that then.

 

[bacardi]

Exactly bowfer - I the height adjusters for the HID kit (Cheapo?!) i've installed, to be honest though, the missus car is driven by her on the own for 99% of the time so no big deal eh

apparently its an MOT failure though, so in 3 years time if we still have the car, i'll stick the stock bulbs back in for a couple of hours /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[RHODIE]

Can someone please show me where I adjust the height of the lights. I have xenons but don't know where the adjusting screws are.

 

[Amchlolor]

White plastic knobs on the top of the headlights,under the bonnet.
They look like they need a special tool but,in reality,you can turn them either with your fingers or with any old screwdriver.
Turning them anti-clockwise (as you're facing the windscreen) raises them.

 

[Karcsi]

LOL! It doesn't matter which way you face (as long as it is not up-side-down) anti-clockwise is the same direction!

I get drivers flashing at me quite regularly to dip my headlights, even though they are. Dumb feckers don't realise that if you're approaching a brow of a hill and so are they, they will get dazzled no matter how dipped they are.

 

[Amchlolor]

[ QUOTE ]
White plastic knobs on the top of the headlights,under the bonnet.
They look like they need a special tool but,in reality,you can turn them either with your fingers or with any old screwdriver.
Turning them anti-clockwise raises them.

[/ QUOTE ]

Dunno what you're on about mate...

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[Karcsi]

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