30 replies to this topic

[Stella87]

I went for some relatively cheap ones off of ebay..worlds apart from the standard sealed beam!!

[lsto]

If your looking to upgrade your lights then go the full 9 yards and get yourself some HiD's. I bought some halogen style headlamps to replace the sealed beam units then bought a Phillips Xenon kit off fleabay. Comes will full fitting instructions, I secured the extra wiring behind the headlamps so its out the way, most of it is plug and play, just needs an extra pos which I took off the starter live and a neg which you can connect anywhere.

 

Runs through its own electronics so no need for extra relays or complicated electronics. And it looks the tits.

 

 

 

No comparison to traditional bulbs.

 

[1984mini25]

Was recently looking at the P700 halogen conversion that Minispeed are selling as I like the look : http://www.minispeed...-conversion-kit

Anyone have any opinions/knowledge on quality of light and ease of fitting/wiring? I'd be swapping them for the standard lights fitted to my '90 Cooper (original I think, although one may have a flat fronted Lucas lens as mentioned by Dan but they're not Halogens)

 

 

  The tripod on the front of a P700 blocks out a bit of the light, especially when companies stick a badge with their logo in the middle of it!  They weren't originally designed for H4s so the tripod was needed to mask the filament but H4s do that internally.  They are good period looking lamps though.

 

  Are you sure your '90 Cooper with the Lucas lenses doesn't run H4s?  90 Coopers are supposed to have them, but it may have been optional.

 

 

Thanks Dan - good point, had always assumed because the light is not that strong, and has yellow cast, that they weren't H4s, but I must confess I've not investigated that closely. My perception of the feeble output might be compounded by the fact that the reflector bowls have started to deteriorate, taking on a rusty look in large areas - which is one of the reasons for wanting to replace them. So, I shall take a proper look and report back! 

 

The p700's as far as know aren't e-marked and one of mine on my other mini has somehow cracked, so I'll now be needing a new set of headlamps.

[Mrpeanut]

Was recently looking at the P700 halogen conversion that Minispeed are selling as I like the look : http://www.minispeed...-conversion-kit

Anyone have any opinions/knowledge on quality of light and ease of fitting/wiring? I'd be swapping them for the standard lights fitted to my '90 Cooper (original I think, although one may have a flat fronted Lucas lens as mentioned by Dan but they're not Halogens)

 

 

P700's with halogens are superb.  They were fitted to mine when I bought it.  They look brilliant and light the road very well.

[Kellym]

If your looking to upgrade your lights then go the full 9 yards and get yourself some HiD's. I bought some halogen style headlamps to replace the sealed beam units then bought a Phillips Xenon kit off fleabay. Comes will full fitting instructions, I secured the extra wiring behind the headlamps so its out the way, most of it is plug and play, just needs an extra pos which I took off the starter live and a neg which you can connect anywhere.
 
Runs through its own electronics so no need for extra relays or complicated electronics. And it looks the tits.
 
 
 
No comparison to traditional bulbs.
 

Where did you get these from and how much please?? This is what I will be after when it's at that stage of needing lights :) x

[Dan]

  All aftermarket HID upgrade kits are considered illegal by VOSA / Ministry of Transport, no matter whether or not you go the the trouble of adding automatic beam adjustment and headlamp washers as are required to be installed with HIDs.  I believe an aftermarket HID kit has become an automatic MOT failure this year too.

[F1L8EY]

  All aftermarket HID upgrade kits are considered illegal by VOSA / Ministry of Transport, no matter whether or not you go the the trouble of adding automatic beam adjustment and headlamp washers as are required to be installed with HIDs.  I believe an aftermarket HID kit has become an automatic MOT failure this year too.

 

 

Oooooh CONTROVERSIAL!!!

[[email protected]]

Not sure what they're called but got some from Northwest minis, have a yellow tint to them, look awesome and ridiculously bright. 

[[email protected]]

Not sure what they're called but got some from Northwest minis, have a yellow tint to them, look awesome and ridiculously bright. 

Talking of northwest minis, their websites got nothing on it anymore....what's happened to them? Had a cracking customer service, bought loads from them 

[lsto]

  All aftermarket HID upgrade kits are considered illegal by VOSA / Ministry of Transport, no matter whether or not you go the the trouble of adding automatic beam adjustment and headlamp washers as are required to be installed with HIDs.  I believe an aftermarket HID kit has become an automatic MOT failure this year too.

HID upgrade kits are NOT illegal.

 

VOSA manual (issue April 2013) states;

 

'Vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) or LED dipped beam headlamps may be fitted with headlamp washers and a suspension or headlamp self levelling system.

 

Where such a system is fitted, they must work...'

 

Please note is says may be fitted, not must be fitted. Items only become testable if fitted.

[lsto]

 

If your looking to upgrade your lights then go the full 9 yards and get yourself some HiD's. I bought some halogen style headlamps to replace the sealed beam units then bought a Phillips Xenon kit off fleabay. Comes will full fitting instructions, I secured the extra wiring behind the headlamps so its out the way, most of it is plug and play, just needs an extra pos which I took off the starter live and a neg which you can connect anywhere.
 
Runs through its own electronics so no need for extra relays or complicated electronics. And it looks the tits.
 
 
 
No comparison to traditional bulbs.
 

Where did you get these from and how much please?? This is what I will be after when it's at that stage of needing lights :) x

 

 

Came off ebay, item no was 330853548148, but I bought mine a while ago. £50ish for the kit including postage, I hid the ballast resisters in the wings out of the way, took about half hour to fit. Please note that you'll need H4 bulb headlamps as this kit wont work on the sealed beam units.

Edited by lsto, 25 August 2013 - 01:45 PM.

[Kellym]

Thank you very much for that :) x

[Sam]

If your looking to upgrade your lights then go the full 9 yards and get yourself some HiD's. I bought some halogen style headlamps to replace the sealed beam units then bought a Phillips Xenon kit off fleabay. Comes will full fitting instructions, I secured the extra wiring behind the headlamps so its out the way, most of it is plug and play, just needs an extra pos which I took off the starter live and a neg which you can connect anywhere.

 

Runs through its own electronics so no need for extra relays or complicated electronics. And it looks the tits.

 

 

 

No comparison to traditional bulbs.

 

 

Those lights aren't designed for HIDs. Apart from looking chavvy, they are incredibly annoying and dangerous for other road users.

 

Projector type HIDs (the type you find fitted as standard/type approved cars) are fine as the light is focused properly and levelled. The aftermarket HIDs just scatter light everywhere and blind all oncoming traffic.

[Tamworthbay]

All aftermarket HID upgrade kits are considered illegal by VOSA / Ministry of Transport, no matter whether or not you go the the trouble of adding automatic beam adjustment and headlamp washers as are required to be installed with HIDs.  I believe an aftermarket HID kit has become an automatic MOT failure this year too.

HID upgrade kits are NOT illegal.
 
VOSA manual (issue April 2013) states;
 
'Vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) or LED dipped beam headlamps may be fitted with headlamp washers and a suspension or headlamp self levelling system.
 
Where such a system is fitted, they must work...'
 
Please note is says may be fitted, not must be fitted. Items only become testable if fitted.

It would,appear VOSA does NOT agree with you:


"In the Department's view it is not legal to sell or use after market HID lighting kits, for converting conventional Halogen headlamps to HID Xenon. If a customer wants to convert his vehicle to Xenon HID he must purchase completely new Xenon HID headlamps. The reason for this is that the existing lens and reflector are designed around a Halogen filament bulb, working to very precise tolerances. If one places a HID "burner" (bulb) in the headlamp, the beam pattern will not be correct, there will be glare in some places and not enough light in other places within the beam pattern.
The following is the legal rationale:

The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 regulate the situation in the UK.
Under these Regulations, HID/Gas Discharge/Xenon headlamps are not mentioned and therefore they are not permitted according to the strict letter of the law.

However new vehicles have HID headlamps. This is because they comply to European type approval Regulations. The UK cannot refuse to register a vehicle with a European type approval. These are to ECE Regulation 98 (for the HID headlamps which are tested on a rig in a laboratory) and ECE Regulation 48 (Lighting Installation on the vehicle).

For the after market, a used vehicle cannot obtain type approval because it is only applicable for new vehicles. However we feel that saying "HID is banned in the after market" would not be reasonable. Instead we should make analogies with new vehicles. It would be reasonable to require HID in the after market to meet the same safety standards as on new vehicles. The same level of safety should apply.

Therefore a HID headlamp unit sold in the after market should:

1. be type approved to ECE Regulation 98 as a component.
2. when fitted to the vehicle should enable ECE Regulation 48 to be complied with (although no government inspection will take place).
3. Comply with RVLR as far as "use" is concerned.

In practice this means:

1. The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory.
2. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam.
3. The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly like any other headlamp.
Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.
In summary it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules stated above."

If you are found to be using lights which don't comply, in all likelihood, you may be reported to the Procurator Fiscal and may end up with a fine.

The above seems to be a precursor to the new MOT criteria slated to come into existance on New Years Eve 2011 (for 2012), this is from the MOT Testers VOSA bullitin explaining the new EU MOT regulations which were ratified this year, and includes amongst other things, the testing of wiring harnesses, the testing for illegal HID kits and, wait for it, chipped ECU's, whatever that means The article is quite long, but here is a small extract .....

"As far as changes to the test content are concerned, VOSA has already been analysing the requirements of the new Directive and working out how to implement them. We started this earlier in the year by talking with representatives of the MOT trade at our regular Trade User Group and VTS Council meetings. Both VOSA and the Department for Transport (DfT) are keen to ensure that any changes to the test are introduced in as practical a way as possible, keeping the burden on the trade to a minimum and ideally keeping the changes cost neutral.

In many cases, the changes shouldn’t necessarily lead to an increase in average test times. A good example is the malfunction indicator lamps on the dashboard that indicate defective electronic power steering, electronic stability control and secondary restraint systems. Testers already check the dashboard for other lamps, so no extra time would be required for this addition to the test.

Electrical wiring and batteries are now included in the test’s scope, but testers already check the vehicle structure where wiring is secured – often along the same routes as other testable items, such as brake pipes in the engine compartment. So again, this doesn’t look like an additional burden on the tester. In the pre-computerisation days, testers often (wrongly) failed vehicles for insecure batteries, so they must have been looking at them then! Now, it means that when we implement the new Directive, vehicles can legitimately fail for battery insecurity, for no extra tester effort.Other items – such as headlamp bulb and unit incompatibility, headlamp levelling devices and illegal engine ‘chipping’ – will need further thought before we can get a workable solution for MOT stations."

[jaydee]

Xenon is just crap, go halogen with decent bowls..