halogen / xenon headlights?

[gareths quattro]

Hey all

I have an A4 2.0 Quattro 220bhp S-Line Special Edition... I'm sure I have halogen bulbs fitted at the moment (standard?). Just looking on ebay to see what replacements are available - something slightly brighter. I came across some Xenon bulbs. They appear to be the same fitment. Are Xenon brighter? If so, are they ok as a direct replacement? Any particular brand good to go for? Some have a blue tint, are these any good? I think the standard ones are slightly yellowish, and also the sidelights appear to be yellowish. Do the white look any better?

are these any good?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AUDI-A4-XENON-...item3a5606d199


many thanks in advance!

[keemaklan]

You can get xenon bulbs which are halogen with xenon gas inside them, making them brighter and whiter but its not the same as HID kits which give a lot more light but are illegal without auto washers / levelling.

Then again, i have HID xenon bulbs on my dipped beams and fog lights and they look the mutts nuts. (without auto levelling/washing)

The xenon bulbs alone are better than standard, but not great imho.

You can buy plug and play HID kits with the decoder for the bulb warning light from around £50.

[gareths quattro]

Thanks mate for your quick reply... not sure how you managed to type that so quickly! Only just clicked submit! LOL

Any chance you can post a pic of your hids? I wasnt too keen on going down the hid route in case i get caught. I like the idea of having bright lights, but worried in case the pattern isnt right, or get stopped. I assume the retrofit is fairly easy to do though?

thanks mate!

[keemaklan]

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[gareths quattro]

crikey! They look bright!! Is that amount of light legal? Is that the 35W or 55W? HIDS 4u seem to sell two ratings.

Very nice!!! I want some!!! Did you notice an improvement straight away?

[keemaklan]

if i recall correctly they are 55w dipped beams and 35w fogs (or the other way round), but if you put your registration number in, it tellts you which one you need on the site.

It takes around 10 seconds for the full power of the HID's to come on, and then its lights away!!

I never get flashed, only RARELY if im going UP hill but even then its only happened once. whereas a OEM Xenon kit would automatically adjust the light downwards whereas mines is fixed so blinds the poor person in the opposite direction a little. But saying that, thats only happened once in the month since i've had them on.

Obviously with my car, its not as obvious that its not OEM because its not a 20 year old car but a new car so it seems ok. Though having fog light xenons does give it away a little that its not OEM.

P.S the 1,2,3,4 option you have on the right hand side next to the light switch (which adjusts the lights up and down a little. I have on the lowest setting at all times because you can see everything just fine. Helps not blinding others)

[kodkod.84]

If going the HID route- be sure to get projector style headlights as the normal halogen units throw the light out incorrectly so I am told, hence making them look brighter to oncoming traffic.

[SC03OTT]

If going the HID route- be sure to get projector style headlights as the normal halogen units throw the light out incorrectly so I am told, hence making them look brighter to oncoming traffic.

Yeah I was always under the impression that this was the main issue with retro-fit HIDs.

[Speshal]

Fitting HID lights into a halogen housing is completely Illegal and blinds on coming traffic. Don't install HID's unless you have projectors!!!

[big jase]

Fitting HID lights into a halogen housing is completely Illegal and blinds on coming traffic. Don't install HID's unless you have projectors!!!

im looking at ordering the same headlight's as what you have fitted ( november ) , so would the hid's be ok ( road legal ) fitted to your style light's ?