2019 - xenon headlights

[eribaMotters]

I'm collecting my new car in March. I've collected lots of bits but now need to update by spare bulbs. It has xenon headlights which are a new thing to me. Does anybody know what replacement bulbs these take so I can get a spare to carry.

Thanks - Colin

 

[AlS3BE]

I'm collecting my new car in March. I've collected lots of bits but now need to update by spare bulbs. It has xenon headlights which are a new thing to me. Does anybody know what replacement bulbs these take so I can get a spare to carry.

Thanks - Colin

I think it d3s. Why do you need to carry a spare? Driving through Europe?
These bulbs from Audi are expensive!! Think I was quoted £2-300 about 5 years ago for one. Eventually got to them under warranty.

 

[Rideen]

I believe they are D3S and I doubt you'll need spares. Genuine ones are extremely expensive.

Edit: Lol, I feel like I copy pasted the post above as it was written during the time I was writing mine.

 

[eribaMotters]

Yes I drive in Europe, probably about 3,000 miles each year for the coming years.
Judging by the price I will not be carrying a spare. I am assuming they are a unit to order and not a replaceable bulb.

Colin

 

[AlS3BE]

Yes I drive in Europe, probably about 3,000 miles each year for the coming years.
Judging by the price I will not be carrying a spare. I am assuming they are a unit to order and not a replaceable bulb.

Colin

They are a bulb and can be changed like any halogen bulbs. Only the led units are a complete sealed unit.
My mate drives through Europe a lot and he just carries a light bulb kit from Halfords,£10-15, knowing fine well that non of the bulbs fits his car.
Modern cars just isn’t meant to be serviceable by the drivers even light bulbs.

 

[Ormesome]

I drive in the EU (Europe is the continent!!), i do not carry spare bulbs. I used to when i had rubbish cars and the bulb kit was only 5-10pounds. Now i don't because of the cost, the fact that i have Audi Assist for all of Europe (the continent!!) and the fact that its probably so complicated that i would need to study an electronics degree before fitting it.

 

[msdmjb]

^^ similar to O I live and drive in the EU.
Never carried spare bulbs, xenon should last the lifetime of the car.

In France les flic are far less bothered by blown bulbs nowadays, never used to see any cars in that condition whereas now it is reasonably common.

 

[Jassyo06]

Oem bulbs are either Osram or Phillips and are easily sourced online for around £160 a pair Hid4u.co.uk

 

[eribaMotters]

Sounds like I will wait until I get the car and have a look at exactly what is fitted.

Coln

 

[Rideen]

I'm paying ADAC about 40 Euro per year plus Audi Assist and I think that's more than enough. When Audi Assist terminates, ADAC is the way to go for me for cases like this. They would tow the car to the nearest Audi dealership where the bulb will be replaced under warranty from what I understand.

After the warranty expires (if I still own the car), I will just continue using ADAC, it's still cheaper long-term than buying a genuine bulb.

 

[Ormesome]

I'm paying ADAC about 40 Euro per year plus Audi Assist and I think that's more than enough. When Audi Assist terminates, ADAC is the way to go for me for cases like this. They would tow the car to the nearest Audi dealership where the bulb will be replaced under warranty from what I understand.

After the warranty expires (if I still own the car), I will just continue using ADAC, it's still cheaper long-term than buying a genuine bulb.

Whats ADAC?

 

[airbus319]

£52 on amazon for an ozram nightbreaker D3S bulb. Your problem is fitting them is a real pain, the minimum you’d need is a jack, axle stand and various screwdriver bits to remove the wheel liner.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[eribaMotters]

I'm paying ADAC about 40 Euro per year plus Audi Assist and I think that's more than enough. When Audi Assist terminates, ADAC is the way to go for me for cases like this. They would tow the car to the nearest Audi dealership where the bulb will be replaced under warranty from what I understand.

After the warranty expires (if I still own the car), I will just continue using ADAC, it's still cheaper long-term than buying a genuine bulb.

I will obviously have the Audi cover, but as I tow a caravan then the UK Caravan & Motorhome Club have a special package available through Green Flag. This works out at about £120 for two cars including home call etc. When abroad I take out there continental package for the duration of my time away. This is typically £120 for 6 weeks. It sounds expensive but has a lot of add-ons and unusually covers the caravan if it is damaged/breaks down. Towed vehicles are not typically covered unless they are attached to the car that has broken down, and it could cost £2K + to get a caravan back from the south of France.

Colin

 

[KenL]

Make sure you are not getting mixed up between Halogen and Xenon headlights.

The FL SE and Sport have Xenon bulbs that should last the life of the car. The standard Xenon bulbs are good quality.

 

[msdmjb]

I need to be an idiot for a bit here..........I have an PFL S3 with standard xenons.
If one no longer works I thought I was in for a few hundred quid to replace it but are we actually saying that it is a bulb replacement, albeit a specific more expensive bulb than normal? I do expect the xenons to last for a loooong time but curious.
Ta

 

[Jassyo06]

I need to be an idiot for a bit here..........I have an PFL S3 with standard xenons.
If one no longer works I thought I was in for a few hundred quid to replace it but are we actually saying that it is a bulb replacement, albeit a specific more expensive bulb than normal? I do expect the xenons to last for a loooong time but curious.
Ta

Fitting the new bulb is the difficult part, bulbs have a shelf life like everything else and abusing longevity ie having xenon lights on constantly in all weather conditions will indeed reduce performance ie brightness and most of all durability, if l where to replace a xenon bulb well its recommended to replace both at the same time also l would upgrade them to a more daylight tone ie something around 5800k which give out a far better light

 

[ZipZap01]

I need to be an idiot for a bit here..........I have an PFL S3 with standard xenons.
If one no longer works I thought I was in for a few hundred quid to replace it but are we actually saying that it is a bulb replacement, albeit a specific more expensive bulb than normal? I do expect the xenons to last for a loooong time but curious.
Ta

HID ("xenon") bulbs are readily available - good quality OEM spec (e.g. Philips, Osram) ones cost around £50-100 each. As has been said, you need to look for "D3S" bulbs. Beware of cheap bulbs (and counterfeits), I've used them before and they tend to be of poor quality - dim, don't last long, and could potentially damage the electronics in the headlamp unit.

You should expect around 2000 hours of use from good quality HID lamps. However, you can get aftermarket ones designed for ultra-long life, which can last 2x-3x as long as that.

HID lamps change colour as they age, so if you only change one, then you are likely to have different colours. Changing both at the same time is suggested, especially as replacing them is a pig of a job. The "proper" way is to remove the front bumper, which allows you to remove the headlamp units to get to the bulbs. The cost of labour to change the bulbs if done by a dealer will dwarf the cost of the actual bulbs.

If you don't have facilities to remove the bumper, then if you have very small hands, it is possible to remove the front wheels and the wheel arch liners, and get access to the bulbs that way.

 

[Svenedin]

Whats ADAC?

German AA/RAC equivalent

 

[eribaMotters]

HID ("xenon") bulbs are readily available - good quality OEM spec (e.g. Philips, Osram) ones cost around £50-100 each. As has been said, you need to look for "D3S" bulbs. Beware of cheap bulbs (and counterfeits), I've used them before and they tend to be of poor quality - dim, don't last long, and could potentially damage the electronics in the headlamp unit.

You should expect around 2000 hours of use from good quality HID lamps. However, you can get aftermarket ones designed for ultra-long life, which can last 2x-3x as long as that.

HID lamps change colour as they age, so if you only change one, then you are likely to have different colours. Changing both at the same time is suggested, especially as replacing them is a pig of a job. The "proper" way is to remove the front bumper, which allows you to remove the headlamp units to get to the bulbs. The cost of labour to change the bulbs if done by a dealer will dwarf the cost of the actual bulbs.

If you don't have facilities to remove the bumper, then if you have very small hands, it is possible to remove the front wheels and the wheel arch liners, and get access to the bulbs that way.

I getting depressed.

Colin

 

[ZipZap01]

Just remember you do not have to carry spare bulbs in Europe if they are not user replaceable.

For avoidance of doubt, HID lamps are not user replaceable. Quite apart from difficult access, they operate on high voltage (up to 25,000 volts) and therefore pose a serious safety hazard if handled by someone who has not been trained in their installation.