1999 A6 avant. Standard ( as far as I know) headlamps. Absolutely rubbish on dipped beam. They look like they should be some sort of projector headlamp, but they are very dim and project nowhere! The circular lenses look grey and cloudy, is this normal? Any advice greatfully recieved!
hopeless headlamps
- Thread starter Bayleaf
- Start date
matt_o121
2.8Q
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2006
- Messages
- 84
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 6
i found my dip beams poor compared to previous cars i have owned.
i have installed various bulbs in an attempt to make them better - silverstars etc.
i have now installed an aftermarket HID kit and the improvment is amazing!
try VVME.com
i have installed various bulbs in an attempt to make them better - silverstars etc.
i have now installed an aftermarket HID kit and the improvment is amazing!
try VVME.com
maxlbrown
Deep Blue
i changed my bulbs to the phillips high output these are a vast improvement and at 20 quid a pair a lot less than paying for hids.
the two best are the OSRAM (siemens) or the phillips 50% brighter.
Well recommended.
Max
the two best are the OSRAM (siemens) or the phillips 50% brighter.
Well recommended.
Max
maxlbrown
Deep Blue
http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/hid-products.html
For H1 hid kit this seems asteal at 79 quid. i'm tempted to give it a try
Max
For H1 hid kit this seems asteal at 79 quid. i'm tempted to give it a try
Max
Just fitted a set of `50% brighter ` bulbs, what a HUGE improvement. The old bulbs looked blackend when I took them out, but still working. Perhaps deterioated with old age? Driving Volvos until a year ago this was never a problem as headlight bulbs only lasted 6 months at the most. On all the time!!
maxlbrown
Deep Blue
no the standard bulds in the projectors are just poor. glad you are happier with the better bulbs i have had mine in just under a year and no probs.
Max
Max
hi guys,
I had the same problem with my 2000 a6, they were not as good as the dipped beams on my brothers 2000 octavia!!
I bought some of the vvme hids (4300k) and they are great, such a difference to the standard lights. And they cost 45 inc postage unlike lots of the uk kits which seem to be around the £100 mark!
I had the same problem with my 2000 a6, they were not as good as the dipped beams on my brothers 2000 octavia!!
I bought some of the vvme hids (4300k) and they are great, such a difference to the standard lights. And they cost 45 inc postage unlike lots of the uk kits which seem to be around the £100 mark!
maxlbrown
Deep Blue
The only thing i did not like about the vvme kit was the fact you have to connect direct to the battery. other UK kits do not require this and operate directly from the bulb loom connection.
However i am happy with my philips 50% brighters for now as i have other problems which are not showing on vagcom and techs are not able to repair
so hids will have to wait a while longer.
Max
However i am happy with my philips 50% brighters for now as i have other problems which are not showing on vagcom and techs are not able to repair
so hids will have to wait a while longer.
Max
thats odd, my kit plugs straight into the bulb wiring loom and not battery,
they seem really good for the money and really well made, i have also not been flashed once so the projectors must be doing their job properly....time will tell of course!
they seem really good for the money and really well made, i have also not been flashed once so the projectors must be doing their job properly....time will tell of course!
maxlbrown
Deep Blue
sweedish
interesting as the connection diagrams on the site show battery connection required as additional. but you have the kit so may be worth lookin into. you cant always trust the info on suppliers sites there you go. cheers for that
interesting as the connection diagrams on the site show battery connection required as additional. but you have the kit so may be worth lookin into. you cant always trust the info on suppliers sites there you go. cheers for that
quattroa6
Registered User
Mine are rubish too, just brought some philips hid's of ebay are they any good i hope so they aren't as cheap as alot. I have wanted them ever since audi gave me a load car while doing my rust and cam belt. it was the only thing better then on my 99 quattro a6 avant 2.8 cheers paul happy x mas all (well most)
maxlbrown, the kit i had def did not need any splicing, the only cutting required was through the back of my headlamp casing to fit the wiring harness, it comes with a decent sealed grommit to fit in after. The prob with all these kits is the crappy english translations and emails contact should you have the necessity to speak to someone in china. Still i paid £45 sterling to the uk inc postage etc so a bargain overall. Seen some guys on the golf forums paying up to £250 and i just dont understand why for what looks like basically the same kit!
Incedently, i dont suppose anyone knows where i can get some self leveling sensors for the a6 as a retrofit, ie a kit, i am sure i had a link to a german company but i cant find their details now...hmmm!
Incedently, i dont suppose anyone knows where i can get some self leveling sensors for the a6 as a retrofit, ie a kit, i am sure i had a link to a german company but i cant find their details now...hmmm!
matt where do you live ? uk ? if so how much was shipping for the vvme kit if you dont mind me asking please ?
matt_o121
2.8Q
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2006
- Messages
- 84
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 6
yeah i am from leicester, it worked out around £48 total, i think the postage was about £9 of that.
you order from the american site, and they are shipped from china, not quick - about a week to 10 days, but they are good quality with sealed metal ballasts, and full instructions for the looms and bulbs.
the ballast cages (supplied) fit in to the factory position with the supplied screws underneath the headlamp.
i got the 4300k h1 set, they are said to be the brightest colour and i was very impressed - i have had them in for some time now and still love them.
the bulb out warning works as before.
the only downside i could see was with a lack of customer support reported on some forums, but if the worst happens they sell spares which are also cheap and most likely cheaper than the return postage!
i have pictures of mine but don't understand how to post!
matt
you order from the american site, and they are shipped from china, not quick - about a week to 10 days, but they are good quality with sealed metal ballasts, and full instructions for the looms and bulbs.
the ballast cages (supplied) fit in to the factory position with the supplied screws underneath the headlamp.
i got the 4300k h1 set, they are said to be the brightest colour and i was very impressed - i have had them in for some time now and still love them.
the bulb out warning works as before.
the only downside i could see was with a lack of customer support reported on some forums, but if the worst happens they sell spares which are also cheap and most likely cheaper than the return postage!
i have pictures of mine but don't understand how to post!
matt
quattroa6
Registered User
Finish fitting my philips kit and they work:icon_thumright: But it tells me that there is a bulb out any ideas cheers Paul
matt,
Out of interest...where did you mount your balasts? did you have to do anything with the adjustment of the headlamps after and are you dipping your lights with the manual adjuster in the car. I have mine set to zero and seem to have no problems from oncoming cars.
Mine worked out same price basically about £48, really worth it, only downside is dont expect aftercare, and their delivery is slow. Still consensus is, if something goes wrong, you can just buy the part again at that price without it breaking the bank!
thanks
Out of interest...where did you mount your balasts? did you have to do anything with the adjustment of the headlamps after and are you dipping your lights with the manual adjuster in the car. I have mine set to zero and seem to have no problems from oncoming cars.
Mine worked out same price basically about £48, really worth it, only downside is dont expect aftercare, and their delivery is slow. Still consensus is, if something goes wrong, you can just buy the part again at that price without it breaking the bank!
thanks
matt_o121
2.8Q
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2006
- Messages
- 84
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 6
on the bottom of the headlamp unit is a cut out in the casing which is the right size for the ballast and holder to fit.
i have an old headlight kicking around i can email the picture of this cut out if required.
i have not touched the adjuster - left on 0 but had the alignment checked - the projector lens does its job and the cut off has not changed - i does not dazzle its just brighter than before!
i have never been flashed by oncoming cars since having it fitted.
i have an old headlight kicking around i can email the picture of this cut out if required.
i have not touched the adjuster - left on 0 but had the alignment checked - the projector lens does its job and the cut off has not changed - i does not dazzle its just brighter than before!
i have never been flashed by oncoming cars since having it fitted.
I fitted mine behind the units but would prefer to fit them under the units, were they easy to take out?
Does anyone have any ideas if the units are the same as the ones fitted to cars with hid as standard, i cant seem to find a conclusive answer, some people say they are the same, and others say the projector units are bigger on hid standard fit units?
Still the 4300k light emitted is so much better than what i had before, frankly I always felt the lights really let the car down!
I spent the summer in the Italian countryside/mountains where there were no lights at night on the roads, coupled with the local drivers and the wildlife driving was always.......well...challenging! One night after nearly hitting a deer I decided that the first thing i would do when i got back would be to sort the lights out...so i did!:icon_thumright:
Does anyone have any ideas if the units are the same as the ones fitted to cars with hid as standard, i cant seem to find a conclusive answer, some people say they are the same, and others say the projector units are bigger on hid standard fit units?
Still the 4300k light emitted is so much better than what i had before, frankly I always felt the lights really let the car down!
I spent the summer in the Italian countryside/mountains where there were no lights at night on the roads, coupled with the local drivers and the wildlife driving was always.......well...challenging! One night after nearly hitting a deer I decided that the first thing i would do when i got back would be to sort the lights out...so i did!:icon_thumright:
Similar threads
imported_bobbinz