HIDs - Tempted to try again

jdp1962

jdp1962

Grumpy Old Man
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About this time last year, I bought an entry-level HID conversion kit from HIDs-Direct

They were very helpful, but despite trying a number of different capacitor/resistors, I kept getting numerous random bulb failure warnings and, on several occasions, ABS failure warnings. After a while, I lost confidence in the kit, and removed it. This was a shame, because the lighting itself was fantastic.

As winter has come on and I find myself once more driving in near darkness with the standard H7 halogens, I'm tempted to look at HIDs again, but only if I can get a kit that will not interfere with the car's DIS/warning systems. After browsing the net, I came across HIDS4U. They do an "Ultimate" kit, which they make themselves, and is apparently designed to work with the electronic systems of post-2002 cars. It's obviously a bit more expensive, but that could, of course, be for a good reason.

Here's the link to the kit. Has anyone had experiences of this company or the Ultimate kit?
 
1210tech said:
after having trouble with a third party kit blowing bulbs all the time i decided get this kit: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VALEO-OEM-D2S-H7-HID-XENON-CONVERSION-KIT-A4-S4-4300K_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ36476QQihZ015QQitemZ250332127387QQtcZphoto

its an oem valeo xenon kit. these are the parts that are fitted from factory to the projector headlights. it has been fitted since November last year and I have never had a problem with it
Click to expand...

Looks good, but at current exchange rates, that's nearly £300 delivered!
 
yeah i know its a lot more, but i was having so many problems with bulbs with the first kit i bought i decided to bite the bullet.

the first kit i bought needed 3 new bulbs within 10 months which i got replaced under the guarantee but i was getting fed up with going through the process of removing & changing bulbs and then sending them away to be checked before a replacement would be sent.

the valeo kit has not given me one problem since installing
 
I got a cheap and cheerful kit from **** last January and their still going strong with no bulb warnings!
 
jdp1962 said:
About this time last year, I bought an entry-level HID conversion kit from HIDs-Direct

They were very helpful, but despite trying a number of different capacitor/resistors, I kept getting numerous random bulb failure warnings and, on several occasions, ABS failure warnings. After a while, I lost confidence in the kit, and removed it. This was a shame, because the lighting itself was fantastic.

As winter has come on and I find myself once more driving in near darkness with the standard H7 halogens, I'm tempted to look at HIDs again, but only if I can get a kit that will not interfere with the car's DIS/warning systems. After browsing the net, I came across HIDS4U. They do an "Ultimate" kit, which they make themselves, and is apparently designed to work with the electronic systems of post-2002 cars. It's obviously a bit more expensive, but that could, of course, be for a good reason.

Here's the link to the kit. Has anyone had experiences of this company or the Ultimate kit?
Click to expand...

i have the excat same problem, i just switch on the lights (HID) before starting the engine and nothing comes up, not ideal but i cant be ***** removing the headlights again :)
 
Well, I've just been round to Sanspeed, my local indie who do everything on my car. They have a kit retailing at £117.50, which they say never gives any problems with the warning check system. They're doing a supply and fit deal at £185, which includes checking and re-setting the headlight alignment afterwards. The car is booked in for tomorrow lunchtime.
 
1210tech said:
after having trouble with a third party kit blowing bulbs all the time i decided get this kit: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VALEO-OEM-D2S-H7-HID-XENON-CONVERSION-KIT-A4-S4-4300K_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ36476QQihZ015QQitemZ250332127387QQtcZphoto

its an oem valeo xenon kit. these are the parts that are fitted from factory to the projector headlights. it has been fitted since November last year and I have never had a problem with it
Click to expand...

did you get stung for any import duty on these? if so, how much please?

i might shell out the circa £300 for the kit, but dont want any nasty customs based surprises.

cheers :salute:
 
audi upgrades
OK, my HIDs are in.

Before:

P1000139.jpg



After:

P1000143.jpg


Ok, so the second pic was taken at dusk, so not entirely comparable, but I think I will have to go for a drive after dinner tonight, just for the joy of being able to see in the dark.

I also had PIAA white sidelights & H7 main beam bulbs put in at the same time. All in, with realignment, it came to £273. A lot of money, I know, but having it done professionally gives me peace of mind, plus I don't have to worry about them not passing the MOT, as I take it to the same place for the MOT.:happy:
 
What K are they Jdp???
Also do your sidelights match the hids???
 
Has the OP had any more problems with the ABS warning coming up? I have aftermarket (big ballast) HID's on mine and have just started getting the ABS fault warning flash up on the dash every time I fire up the HID's
 
Garfie said:
Has the OP had any more problems with the ABS warning coming up? I have aftermarket (big ballast) HID's on mine and have just started getting the ABS fault warning flash up on the dash every time I fire up the HID's
Click to expand...

No problems at all.
 
I think after various goes at this my self its as much todo with where you put the ballasts as with what ones you use ,
i use hid direct ones but they where only really happy when i mounted them in the bumper area as far away from the light and cars wiring looms as possible .
 
If I remember rightly, the problems caused are down to the type of ballast. Over the last few years a so called digital ballast was developed and apparently doesn't give any problems with warning lights etc. I don't want to scare people, but the worst case I've heard of is the ballast rendering the ABS useless, it kinda turned it off. I personally have never had any problems with the cheap-ish kits from fleabay though.

Chad.
 
paul20v said:
I think after various goes at this my self its as much todo with where you put the ballasts as with what ones you use ,
i use hid direct ones but they where only really happy when i mounted them in the bumper area as far away from the light and cars wiring looms as possible .
Click to expand...
Which ones did you get the standard or canbus pro ones?
 
I used standard ones ,
i also tryed the can bus ones from HIDs4u and they didnt work where ever you put them
i was also close to giving up glad i didnt thou as the standard light are just downright dangerous.
 
do it. i brought a kit from hid direct about 3 weeks ago the 55w one.no problems so far and a doddle to fit.
 
There doesn't seem to be any differences in the actual product although you can choose the colour temperature on the more expensive ones.

I'm still not sure about getting a set of 50W rather than the tried and tested 35W.
 
That was another question.......35w or 50w ? I thought 55w were what standard factory xenon's are. Is this not true ?
 
35w is standard and oem , 50w is a newish ballst size and can cause even more trouble with the can system due too the higher start voltage
55w is the halogen wattage .
 
Can you post some pics up of where you have fitted the ballasts

dansansome said:
just fitted this kit to my a4 cab

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230355552757&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

with these sidelights

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370217586878&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

so glad i did the conversion. wish i did it last winter when i first thought about doing it. i now have a silly grin when driving at night. what a fantastic upgrade.
Click to expand...
 
i'll try and get some pics for you soon. but in the meantime, i can describe where i fitted them.

i used some approx 0.5" thick high density foam stuff as an anti-vibration mount base. just behind the n/s headlight there is a plastic mounting structure, which looks like something is actually missing from my car. the ballast and decoder unit seemes to fit on there nicely, although the amount of zip ties i used makes it look FUGLY.

on the o/s light, when the headlight is out, you can get access to where the wing attaches to the inner arch, and there is enough room to get the ballast hung on there with zip ties, but again a pretty fugly installation.

will get pics up soon for you
 
Hi
i put my ballast on the bumper bars ive since made brackets that clamp round them and hold the ballsts properly
but you get the idea also this keeps all the high voltage wiring away from the crash sensors / abs etc .

Photo0250.jpg
 
dansansome said:
just fitted this kit to my a4 cab

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230355552757&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

with these sidelights

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370217586878&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

so glad i did the conversion. wish i did it last winter when i first thought about doing it. i now have a silly grin when driving at night. what a fantastic upgrade.
Click to expand...


I remember when I was at that stage, thinking ill do it but never got round to it then as others on here kept saying they were doing the upgrade I thought yeah about time I did it too....and like you mate, I wished id done it from day one.One of the best upgrades! Soon as I got the blue one I had the hids in within 2 days.A defo recommendation to all that still havnt done it!
 
dansansome said:
i'll try and get some pics for you soon. but in the meantime, i can describe where i fitted them
Click to expand...

Just out of interest....where did you have to drill the light ? just in the back cover ?

And one more question. Shall I get 4300 or 5000 ?
 
I drilled mine underneath in the apeture for the genuine ballast its up and out the way there and not visible .
 
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