has anyone fitted HIDs to their MK2 golf and have they had any problems getting an MOT due to not having self levelling headlights?
ohh lord no please dont! I have looked a few HID kits in detail and their beam pattern... every time its cocked up! the reflect reflector lense as found on crystal lamps, and the glass refraction lense as found on the oe lamps do not work with HIDs! you ended up with masses of light in the wrong place! ie loads above the cut off blinding on coming drivers. this is due to the filament (or arc in this case) being in the wrong place.. all lamps are designed to work with a bulb approved to Reg 37, and this has very tight control over the saze and placing of the fliament in relation to the mounting face... HIDs never get this right and the arc is too big compared to a filament in a bulb.. so the light rays hit the reflector in the wrong place and reflect at the wrong angle... and then with H4 you have the added problem of the high beam filament being in a different location... HID kits cant cope with this, I have looked at a number... ones with 2 arcs, ones with a seperate high beam provided by a small filament bulb, ones with a moving sheild... all get odd reflections and light in completley the wrong place! they are illigal unless the lamp and car have been approved to use them, ie oe fit... it your stopped you could well be fined and points for it and it should fail an MOT too, so the tester thats passed them could get in trouble with VOSA unless then can prove the beam patterns correct (which it wont be) my advice is fit good bulbs, ie Philips Xtreme and use a relay loom, job done. the other warning is if you get hit at night and the other driver claims to have been dazzled by your lights you could be in a whole world of fun with the insurance! ie null and void
I was looking to go for these cos my lights are cack and are not bright at all. On unlit roads its a real struggle and it the rain its even worse. Does anyone have a sticky for fitting a relay loom (I would ahve thought it already had this tbh)?
Never had a problem with mine. Been through a couple of MOTs (different stations), and been stopped by the police (not for the lights) http://www.clubgti.com/forum/showthread.php?t=150526 I know what you are saying Karl, re; refraction/odd reflections, but lens choice and correct setup is critical, IMO. Standard lens are a big no-no. You can only really get away with them with crystals. Having the headlights setup absolutely spot-on is the most important point. Friends of mine have said mine are bright, but certainly don`t dazzle (whereas others` do). I`ve also never had a single adverse reaction from oncoming traffic, whereas I have experienced people flashing at out of adjustment standard lights. Just my tuppence, based on my experience with them, but there are of course legal implications since their aftermarket use in still very grey, so only proceed with their use when you are aware of all the facts.
not on a mk2, but I did fit them to a old BMW with very similar reflector type headlights. End result was complete cr@p. They're designed to work with projector type lights so, whilst they'll fit and be very bright, don't expect to be able to see much if you fit them to older technology headlights. I took them off the BM in the end and put them on a 911 with projector headlights, much much better result. The 911 doesn't have self levelling headlights btw. ....and to answer the question, no never had a problem with the MOT. But still don't do it
I had HIDs on my last Golf and properly set-up. No issues with oncoming traffic or MOT. But you do get light scatter. Very good at night and cover a good distance. My current Golf has an upgraded loom and Osram Nightbreakers.
Yes, this is what I have done to all of my previous mk2s and will be doing to my new purchase. In my experience this is much better result than the HID route, plus it's legal, and cheaper too.
These bulbs are worth a look: http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/h4...2v-60-55w-pair-with-free-battery-charger.html
I've ordered some philips xtreme. Whats involved in the loom upgrade? any chance of a detailed sticky or something?
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/relays/relays.html details on there ...same idea for any car , just make sure its mouted where it doesnt get wet
just read that link. I had no idea it didn't use relays, no wonder they are so cack. Looks like I'll be getting the soldering iron out tomorrow then.
sorry Stu but I have to dis agree... cyrstals will only work if they are designed to use them from day one. ie old laguna and the honda civic have reflector style head lights and use HIDs but you need a certian type ie the DS2R version with the anti dazzle spot and even then the quality control has to be very very tight!! hence why most oe systems are projectors... they will cope alot better with variance in the position of the light source. and the cut off is normally very sharp (which some people dont like but thats the price you pay)
What I meant was, if you are going to do it (because many will regardless of the legalalities) then the crystal lens are the only ones you can `get away with` ie; not perfect, but, if done correctly with a bit of thought can be acceptable. Projector lamps are of course the ideal, and you`ll see from my FAQ thread that I am/will be looking at solutions along those lines...
projectors are big things, I have a set of projectors and balasts from a toyota avensis sat on my bed side table... the idea being use a set of mk2 crystals and butcher the insiders and re mouling them to take the projector... gave up as it was too much like hard work. as for crystals vs glass moulding for the beam pattern, they should both be about the same, if anything the crusyal maybe more sensitive to the filament location as it relys purely on the reflections to make the beam pattern
Yeah, I`ve tried a couple of options and gave up, but I have other avenues to try... I found that standard lenses spray the light everywhere, except the straight ahead, where as the crystals, whilst of course not as `focussed` as a projector, gave good forward spread with only minimal `leakage` outside of acceptable parameters. There`s so many variables to getting it `right` that it`s probably too much work for some. I`m at a half-way house with the Mk2, but I will come up with the ultimate solution eventually! The Mk3 could do with them too, but the options of projector lamps out there are just a bit too chav for me, so I`ll have to put up with the crap output for now (even with uprated bulbs...)
I've been trying to find projector headlights and I think I might have found a site that sells them. http://www.streetbeatcustoms.com/1986/VW/Golf-GTi/Headlight/Projection-Lights/ do these look like they would work?
in a word no... im guessing you mean these: http://www.streetbeatcustoms.com/Sp...adlights-_-with-H4-Bulbs-_-LHP_5RNDJM/773203/ they are not a projector in the true sense, they basiclly have a dodgy dome in front of the bulb thats all they still rely on the reflex reflector to make the beam pattern. also note you will need a projector with a moveable sheild also know as a bi projector other wise you will only have dip and will need somethinglike the inner fogs or another projector / lamp to make the full beam light.
could you use something like these with cyrstal headlight units to make a projector style unit for a mk2? http://www.carparts-sale.com/h1h7-b...0-p-228.html?zenid=vrlp0nv6qj8ieqsobto4qmood7
