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Thread: HID Kits

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    HID Kits

    With prices of HID kits now sub £200 Im seriously thinking about taking the plunge with my S60.

    Are there any problems with installation on the Volvo headlamps I should be aware of? Is fitting easy?

    Any recommendations for make of kits?
    Last edited by aeroresh; Monday 19th September 2005 at 22:05.

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    I have a kit on my R and on my Rica'd Passat.

    On the R is the first kit (most expensive) I bought a few years ago from autolamps online. That was a quality kit, proper Philips ballasts and nice harness. Bulb colour temperature is great too. However I have broken two ballasts by shaking them to death, I fitted them in a stupid place and bits fell off the circuit boards. They were replaced under warranty so their customer service is spot on.

    The second and much cheaper kit I got off Ebay. His store is on http://www.hids4u.co.uk
    That is a simple plug'n'play kit that was much easier to fit and I've had no issues since installed.
    Colour temperature is noticeably 'bluer' and if I was to do it again I'd request a 'whiter' coloured bulb.

    Couldn't live without them now! Go for it

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    Got mine when i bought the car from Phillips HID ONLINE, Best mod on my car once fitted no going back to driving with 55w parking lights.
    V40 2.0T Sport Lux Titanium grey,(03) 133k,standard
    Yamaha R1 5VY,(06) 180bhp/165whp,100nm

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    I'm glad this has come up, I was just about to ask! As winter comes, I know a few of you did this to the 850 series - any recommendations? I'm not doing with the standard ones any more; they're totally useless!!
    As for the MOT situation, how have people got round/solved this? Regarding self levelling etc.
    Cheers
    Martin
    Martin


    2 strokes, 10 horse power and 8,000 miles. Read my story.
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    I have clear headlamps and wipers on my headlamps and it has passed the last 2 MOTs no questions asked,
    V40 2.0T Sport Lux Titanium grey,(03) 133k,standard
    Yamaha R1 5VY,(06) 180bhp/165whp,100nm

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    Cheers guys,

    Regards the MOT, you dont need self levelling on a retro fit sytem. Its only on new cars that its a requirement.

    Im not sure what colour to go for either....4000k seems too white to me and 8000k looks great but its fairly blue..too blue maybe?

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    Quote Originally Posted by aeroresh
    Cheers guys,

    Regards the MOT, you dont need self levelling on a retro fit sytem. Its only on new cars that its a requirement.

    Im not sure what colour to go for either....4000k seems too white to me and 8000k looks great but its fairly blue..too blue maybe?
    I dont think its a requirement to have self levelling on new cars either, as some new (3 year old) cars do not have them fitted. Its certainly not an M.O.T requirement either, as long as the lights are at the correct height at the time of test.
    Got no volvo anymore, just got a Fix Or Repair Daily as a run around....

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    So nobody sees issue with installing a HID kit into an old 850, with no levelling or clear housing? Just i've heard conflicting stories and want to be as informed as I can be before buying!!
    Martin


    2 strokes, 10 horse power and 8,000 miles. Read my story.
    Mongol by Minsk 2007: www.mongolbyminsk.com


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    Quote Originally Posted by pzorb
    So nobody sees issue with installing a HID kit into an old 850, with no levelling or clear housing? Just i've heard conflicting stories and want to be as informed as I can be before buying!!
    In a word NO. I've sailed through three MOT's no problem.

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    Mine are 4100k and are really white but the do flash blue on start up,
    Pics are on my car domain page.
    V40 2.0T Sport Lux Titanium grey,(03) 133k,standard
    Yamaha R1 5VY,(06) 180bhp/165whp,100nm

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    Well, took everyones advice on board and bought at 6000k HID kit from hids4u.co.uk/ via Ebay...very reasonable £189.99 inc registered next day delivery.

    Arrived yesterday and Ive just finished the install.

    What can I say? Ive not tested it at night yet but it certainly looks the part in the daytime. Here are before and after photos:-

    Before



    After



    Excellent value although a little fiddly to fit, well worth the effort. Took me about 2 hours all in. Could just do with checking the alignment now. I have a sneaking suspicion the nearside lamp is point upwards a little bit.
    '96 855 T5 auto ...GT30 and everything uprated!

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    Nice job there, but oh boy you wait untill you go out at night big grins all round, you wish you had them fitted a longtime ago.

    Gary
    V40 2.0T Sport Lux Titanium grey,(03) 133k,standard
    Yamaha R1 5VY,(06) 180bhp/165whp,100nm

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    i want some, anyone know what type of bulb fitting and 850 is, i think its h1? just wanna be sure

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    I think that you might find that it is one of these (called an H4):

    But you can get two-bulb installs on some fancy 850's so check your fitment. If you replace the H4 with HID you have a normal high-beam filament that usually costs extra on top of the HID price.

    OK, some fancier HID installations have a mirror that is repositioned by an electro-magnet.

    If you have an H1 it looks like this, (two bulb installation):
    Last edited by Paul ABZ; Saturday 24th September 2005 at 21:57.
    Stock manual 854 T5 in Red ... at the moment!

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    Quote Originally Posted by mike 850
    i want some, anyone know what type of bulb fitting and 850 is, i think its h1? just wanna be sure
    I just know my '96 850R is H1 but please check your car.

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    My '96 855 has two bulbs in each headlight unit (I just looked). As far as I can tell, the H1 (smaller) is for high beam and the H4 (larger) for normal dipped - is this right?
    So if I want to improve my night time driving, then I should get the H4 kit right, as I don't use full beam enough to get an H1 HID kit as well.
    What's confusing me is I've got day running lights that I can't switch off, so how will these be affected by the H4 HID upgrade? Will they know to be only slightly lit until I actually turn the lights on from the dash?
    Martin


    2 strokes, 10 horse power and 8,000 miles. Read my story.
    Mongol by Minsk 2007: www.mongolbyminsk.com


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    Funny, my 96 855 has H1 for both main & dipped. Are you sure you can't turn off the day-running? I can on mine (little screw in the main light switch).
    Cheers, Chris.

    2 Kings 9.20

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    Mines a '94 T5 and has H1 (the slim chappy) for dipped and main beam.
    I've so far just upgraded to 70w bulbs, any more powerful and they are illegal and will involve the fire brigade!

    Mike
    WARNING! Some of the above may be my unbiased opinion, sarcasm, or just total bo****ks.

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    Thumbs up

    Quote Originally Posted by pzorb
    My '96 855 has two bulbs in each headlight unit (I just looked). As far as I can tell, the H1 (smaller) is for high beam and the H4 (larger) for normal dipped - is this right?
    So if I want to improve my night time driving, then I should get the H4 kit right, as I don't use full beam enough to get an H1 HID kit as well.
    What's confusing me is I've got day running lights that I can't switch off, so how will these be affected by the H4 HID upgrade? Will they know to be only slightly lit until I actually turn the lights on from the dash?
    STOP STOP STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Lets clarify the point once and for all. If you have a pre '94 850 then you have H4 bulbs because you dont have seperate dip and main beam units. '94 models on have TWO seperate reflectors in each headlight unit, each with H1 bulbs...one for main beam the other for dipped. .
    Hope this answers your question!!

    "What's confusing me is I've got day running lights that I can't switch off, so how will these be affected by the H4 HID upgrade? Will they know to be only slightly lit until I actually turn the lights on from the dash?"

    In answer to this question..YES you can turn dayrunning lights off. Look at the bottom of your headlight switch and you will see a small screwdriver slot. using a small flat head screwdriver, push and twist to the left or right (cant remember which way) and the lights should go out. Consult the handbook cos it tells you in there aswell!!! I have a '96 855 T5 so i know it works. If you dont have the screw hole then buy a new switch from the main stealer (about £30) with one. Then you can get your H1 HIDS set.
    2014 V60 Polestar 6spd Auto :: Polestar map peak boost 17.4psi :: IPD 3" DP + 150cel :: Polestar 2.5" exhaust :: Paddle Shift Geartronic :: Black glass :: Maxton Splitter :: K+N Filter :: IPD Aluminium Top engine mount :: Brembo 6 pots :: 20" Polestar rims :: Brembo 371mm floating discs :: Sensus RTi + DAB + BT + WIFi :: D3S XENARC 6000k Active bending headlights

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    I don't think that you will be using HID for your high beam (unless the H4 HID fitment has both integrated with a mirror system). HID takes a while to get going once switched on, and won't cope with the constant low/high/low selections during normal driving. Watch for some HID kits, if you have bulb warning they may make the bulb fail circuit think that the headlight is blown. HID takes less power than a normal bulb.

    There is a small screwdriver slot switch next to the main light switch for changing the modes for the headlights for different countries. If you read the car manual it will give more info. Not sure if this is all 850's but it does come on the GLT's and T5's.

    On my first 855T5 CD there was an option to have dim/dipped mains during normal driving, but on my current 96 GLT 854 T5, this is not the case, it's dipped lights on all the time except in park position.

    Having just checked on my car, it has two H1's fitted. Sad but true at 22:00 on a Sunday night! I notice that the early 850's are meant to be H4's but some bulb sellers seem to think that all 850's are H4's. Check your first.
    Stock manual 854 T5 in Red ... at the moment!


 

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