# HIDs



## beginner101 (Jan 19, 2010)

hello all

do direct line class HIDs as a modifacation?

i want to find out before i put a kit in

thanks

*beginner101*


----------



## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Phone them and ask? As far as mods go anything different from the way the car left the factory needs to be declared.


----------



## Has390 (May 21, 2010)

im 95% sure they do.


----------



## Mini 360 (Jul 17, 2009)

Ye. They arent standard and mroe than likely are illegal to fit to your car too. :thumb:


----------



## who45 (Feb 8, 2008)

even with a projector lens to control the light there still illegal to fit unless the car left the factory with them.

which leads me into this: if you ring the insurance and tell them what you want to do would they invalidate the policy as your fitting illegal stuff to the car - curious to know this now


----------



## Mini 360 (Jul 17, 2009)

who45 said:


> even with a projector lens to control the light there still *illegal to fit unless the car left the factory with them*.
> 
> which leads me into this: if you ring the insurance and tell them what you want to do would they invalidate the policy as your fitting illegal stuff to the car - curious to know this now


Incorrect. They can be fitted as long as you have self levelling headlamps, headlamp washers and projector lenses. Miss one of those elements and its illegal. :thumb:


----------



## TheGooner84 (Jun 29, 2010)

just one thing guys you are saying projector lenses. it actually need to be projector lenses that are designed for HID beam pattern. buying your cheap aftermarket projector lights are still likely to be designed for filament lamps rather than gas discharge ones - ohh and some companies will say they are fine for both. most are talking out their rear as said the beam patterns are different so it will be fine for one or the other.

in short if they dont take DC2 lamps as standard then the probably wont be suited


----------



## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Mini 360 said:


> Incorrect. They can be fitted as long as you have self levelling headlamps. headlamp washers and projector lenses. Miss one of those elements and its illegal. :thumb:


Wrong! They need a lamp designed fir hid bulbs which only come in D2S or D2R, anything that needs a conversion kit isn't legal projector or not. There's plenty of cars that have hid reflectors fitted as standard, it's not a condition to use projectors.


----------



## TheGooner84 (Jun 29, 2010)

sorry looks like i named the lamps wrong


----------



## *Das* (Aug 9, 2010)

TheGooner84 said:


> just one thing guys you are saying projector lenses. it actually need to be projector lenses that are designed for HID beam pattern. buying your cheap aftermarket projector lights are still likely to be designed for filament lamps rather than gas discharge ones - ohh and some companies will say they are fine for both. most are talking out their rear as said the beam patterns are different so it will be fine for one or the other.
> 
> in short if they dont take DC2 lamps as standard then the probably wont be suited


Vectra C headlights units are exactly the same for both Factory HID's and Factory Filament bulbs.

And the whole HID debate rumbles on..............


----------



## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

DasArab said:


> Vectra C headlights units are exactly the same for both Factory HID's and Factory Filament bulbs.
> 
> And the whole HID debate rumbles on..............


No they're not, the bulb fitting and placement is different.


----------



## TheGooner84 (Jun 29, 2010)

DasArab said:


> Vectra C headlights units are exactly the same for both Factory HID's and Factory Filament bulbs.
> 
> And the whole HID debate rumbles on..............


doubt it the Lamps themselves are different the holders will be different


----------



## *Das* (Aug 9, 2010)

bigmc said:


> No they're not, the bulb fitting and placement is different.


Sorry, was telling, not asking. Post #5

http://www.vectra-c.com/forum/showthread.php?t=121721


----------



## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Care to tell us how a halogen lamp fits in a hid lamp holder or vice versa then? Find the part numbers for the vectra lights, I'll wager my months salary they're not the same!


----------



## *Das* (Aug 9, 2010)

Why do you not ask the guy that posted the part numbers he has obviously went to the trouble of researching the headlights for their part numbers. Hes very knowledgeable when it comes to things like that.


----------



## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Obviously not that knowledgeable, the regs from the dft are available in plain English for everyone to read, it clearly states the lamp needs to be designed for a hid burner, you can't design it for both hid and halogen due to the fitment plate and the focal point.


----------



## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

i have been told HID's are going to be an automatic m.o.t. fail in the future.


----------



## TheGooner84 (Jun 29, 2010)

DasArab said:


> Why do you not ask the guy that posted the part numbers he has obviously went to the trouble of researching the headlights for their part numbers. Hes very knowledgeable when it comes to things like that.


what age of vectra is it ? could be that it isnt new enough to fall under current regualtions ? i know around 97 audi were releasing HIDs without washers and i dont think they had level sensors as well.



james_death said:


> i have been told HID's are going to be an automatic m.o.t. fail in the future.


im guessing you mean aftermarket ones ? ether that or theres going to be a hell of a lot of fairlure.

re aftermarket ones, yes they should be an auto fail - and can be failed depending on the beam test - infact the tester should be allowed to take a lump hammer to the headlights of the said car !! they are stupidly bright, which would be fine if the beam actually went onto the road rather than glaring everyone else


----------



## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

TheGooner84 said:


> what age of vectra is it ? could be that it isnt new enough to fall under current regualtions ? i know around 97 audi were releasing HIDs without washers and i dont think they had level sensors as well.
> 
> im guessing you mean aftermarket ones ? ether that or theres going to be a hell of a lot of fairlure.
> 
> re aftermarket ones, yes they should be an auto fail - and can be failed depending on the beam test - infact the tester should be allowed to take a lump hammer to the headlights of the said car !! they are stupidly bright, which would be fine if the beam actually went onto the road rather than glaring everyone else


yep aftermarket, if the ballancers were fitted properly they should not glare but do.


----------



## Dixondmn (Oct 12, 2007)

Mini 360 said:


> Incorrect. They can be fitted as long as you have self levelling headlamps, headlamp washers and projector lenses. Miss one of those elements and its illegal. :thumb:


You need collision power cut off / isolation too. The voltages involved can kill which is why in the even of a colision the power needs to be cut to the lamps.


----------



## fuzzer (Feb 28, 2009)

xenon headlamps are illegal in the UK full stop. Factory , aftermarket etc.

An install whether done at the factory or retrofitted using 100% OEM kit in a car that had them as part of the standard or optional spec is allowed in the UK under european type approval. End of. Nothing outside of this is legal .


----------



## TheGooner84 (Jun 29, 2010)

Knew i had posted some info somewhere a while back on them on another forum

covering what fuzzer has said - although i didnt release the were only legal because of european leg

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/hidheadlamps

and another one on insurance
http://www.hid.moonfruit.com/#/conclusion/4529675873


----------

