MY04 Headlight & Tail light Upgrade Choices?

[BibbsOnTour]

I've recently bought an old '04 A3 and it's got projector headlights which are really good however the sidelights are the horrible old yellowy colour lights which I'd light to change. I know the easy option is to just change the bulbs however I thought while I'm looking about for new bulbs I'd try broaden my searches and see what options there are for upgrading the whole headlight unit...

I really like the newer style headlights with the daytime running LED eyebrows as pictured here:

Are they an option for my style headlamp fittings?

Also I would assume they'd require having the VCDS played with to enable the daytime running lights so I can imagine after all that it'd cost quite a sum as the lights are a fair amount to buy anyway!

I've found them on the following site with a HID kit which apparently doesn't mess up the wiper motor which isn't an issue for my rear wiper as I did a wiper delete already

http://www.welldonehid.com/en/a3/313-drl-headlights-audi-a3-hid-look-with-a38p-hid-kit.html

Would this be suitable for my A3?

If not I'd love to see some other suggestions or if there's any HID or Xenon kits that'd be better than my current projectors!

Also if there's any decent tail light options you guys have I'd love to see them! I do like the current ones however always worth taking a browse through my options as I plan to do a fair old bit of work on my Audi throughout my ownership!

Current lights:

Thanks in advance
Ben

 

[Nessy]

If those headlights are original to your car then you already have factory-fitted Xenon headlamps i.e. Xenon D2S outer bulb for dipped and a conventional inner H7 halogen bulb for main beam.
These headlamps are also known as single Xenon .
The Xenon headlight for later A3 models (06? Onwards) was the bi-Xenon which as the name suggests uses a Xenon bulb for both main & dipped beam in the same projector housing and has such fancy features as being able to turn as you corner etc....
Given that you already have a good set-up I'd keep them as you are and just sort out the sidelights.
If you are intent on changing the headlights you might want to read the Welldone page on this website as it makes very interesting reading......
I used a set of LED sidelights from Halfords (they're actually Ring brand ones ) which put out a very strong beam of very white light and give no OBC errors.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?rlz...30k1j30i10k1.qXRlixx2ogE#imgrc=jj_EHTPxqu7SPM:
They've been on the car about 6 months with no issues.
For DRL's with VCDS you can change the coding so that the front fog lights come on during the day (obviously all other front lights will be off) and you can reduce the light intensity too.
I've done this on my car and with the fogs at 70% and using Osram Cool Blue Intense bulbs they look really good.
Regarding the rear lights, as you have a 3 -door there isn't much you can do, except perhaps fit the 2011 (think it was 2011!) model rear lights which have a darker tint.
There was never an LED upgrade for the 3-door rear lights like the 5-door Sportback received.

 

[hollows wife]

the lights youo have put up are for the face lift 09 onward , you would reqiure the upggraded front end wings bonnet bumper etc to make them fit , plus the conversion loom for the lights ,then they need wiring into the car and coding with vcds

 

[BibbsOnTour]

If those headlights are original to your car then you already have factory-fitted Xenon headlamps i.e. Xenon D2S outer bulb for dipped and a conventional inner H7 halogen bulb for main beam.
These headlamps are also known as single Xenon .
The Xenon headlight for later A3 models (06? Onwards) was the bi-Xenon which as the name suggests uses a Xenon bulb for both main & dipped beam in the same projector housing and has such fancy features as being able to turn as you corner etc....
Given that you already have a good set-up I'd keep them as you are and just sort out the sidelights.
If you are intent on changing the headlights you might want to read the Welldone page on this website as it makes very interesting reading......
I used a set of LED sidelights from Halfords (they're actually Ring brand ones ) which put out a very strong beam of very white light and give no OBC errors.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?rlz...30k1j30i10k1.qXRlixx2ogE#imgrc=jj_EHTPxqu7SPM:
They've been on the car about 6 months with no issues.
For DRL's with VCDS you can change the coding so that the front fog lights come on during the day (obviously all other front lights will be off) and you can reduce the light intensity too.
I've done this on my car and with the fogs at 70% and using Osram Cool Blue Intense bulbs they look really good.
Regarding the rear lights, as you have a 3 -door there isn't much you can do, except perhaps fit the 2011 (think it was 2011!) model rear lights which have a darker tint.
There was never an LED upgrade for the 3-door rear lights like the 5-door Sportback received.

Hi Nessy,

Thanks for the info!

Is it possible to have bi-xenon for my headlights & xenon for sidelights? Like you say, I already have a decent setup so may as well keep the headlight unit the same and just change the bulbs.

Thanks

 

[BibbsOnTour]

the lights youo have put up are for the face lift 09 onward , you would reqiure the upggraded front end wings bonnet bumper etc to make them fit , plus the conversion loom for the lights ,then they need wiring into the car and coding with vcds

Ahh... Sounds very expensive!

I think I'll stick to the bulb upgrades then!

Thanks

 

[Nessy]

Hi Nessy,

Thanks for the info!

Is it possible to have bi-xenon for my headlights & xenon for sidelights? Like you say, I already have a decent setup so may as well keep the headlight unit the same and just change the bulbs.

Thanks

There's not much you can really do about the sidelights tbh, in stock form they only produce a small amount of light (after all,they're just marker lights really) but as you mention, the stock bulb is a horrible yellow colour.
Trying an LED bulb in there is about the only way to get around it.
The Halfords/Ring ones I used put out a good white light and cost about £15 IIRC, I'm more than happy with them and no OBC errors at all.

 

[BibbsOnTour]

There's not much you can really do about the sidelights tbh, in stock form they only produce a small amount of light (after all,they're just marker lights really) but as you mention, the stock bulb is a horrible yellow colour.
Trying an LED bulb in there is about the only way to get around it.
The Halfords/Ring ones I used put out a good white light and cost about £15 IIRC, I'm more than happy with them and no OBC errors at all.

Alright sounds good, will give LEDs a go!

Thanks for your help Nessy

 

[Nessy]

Alright sounds good, will give LEDs a go!

Thanks for your help Nessy

Glad to help!
Just make sure you get LED ones compatible with Canbus wiring systems (like the Halfords/Ring ones I used) as other types simply won't work.
When I first bought my A3 last summer I transferred to the car some very nice PIAA brand LED sidelights that I'd had on my old A4 , but would they work on the A3?
No they wouldn't !!
It was then I discovered the joys of Canbus wiring systems!

 

[BibbsOnTour]

Glad to help!
Just make sure you get LED ones compatible with Canbus wiring systems (like the Halfords/Ring ones I used) as other types simply won't work.
When I first bought my A3 last summer I transferred to the car some very nice PIAA brand LED sidelights that I'd had on my old A4 , but would they work on the A3?
No they wouldn't !!
It was then I discovered the joys of Canbus wiring systems!

Have seen the word 'canbus' thrown around a lot on all the sites I've looked on and did mean to ask what it meant but you just answered that for me!

Cheers!