HID lights on a FL1?

'Ello chaps!

Im thinking about getting some HID lights for my FL1 (2002/3 pre-facelift) because the stock lamps seem to be a bit crap, got a few questions.

Now, I dont know much about HID lights, but from what Ive gathered it seems SOME halogen headlight units can use them, but others cant. Because of the projector/lense spread or something like that.

There seems to be loads of aftermarket HID kits including lense & projector for the FL2 and even some for the facelift FL1, but I cant find anything for the original FL1. Does anybody here have HIDs fitted to their hippo? Does anyone know if I need a new headlamp assembly or are the standard ones ok to use with HID lamps?

Also the self level/washer rules seem to have been changed too, it says they only need to be tested IF theyre fitted. Not having them fitted is NOT a reason for an MOT failiure, the worst they can do is give you an advisory for not having them.

Basically, anyone got em fitted to their FL1? If so, did you need to do any work to them or are they fine? Whats the MOT opinion on them?

I have looked into this, albeit for a facelift FL1.

HIDS4U do a conversion that can be used without projector headlamps. It costs slightly more. It has a metal bit over the top of the bulb to stop the glare.

You can always tell when somebody has fitted a HID conversion the their car because it almost always looks wrong Shen they are driving towards you. The whole of the front headlight is lit up, whereas form experience of having cars with factory setups, the light source should be concentrated. Generally if fitted to projector headlights, this overcomes it.

Legality wise it is a grey area. It they are fitted by the factory then they need to self level and have headlight washers.

The HIDS4U ones just replace the H7's on my FL1 facelift, but not sure what bulbs the pre-facelift ones have. Google them and ring them. They are very helpful.

The complete kit is about £110 for the H7 setup suitable for the facelift.

Fit Phillips Extreme Vision bulbs instead. That way you will see better and not blind people all around you. 'White' light colour bulbs do not give out more light, in fact they give less due to the colour filters. HID bulbs are not designed to use in an H4 light no matter what you do. The light waves are just wrong.

Epicuser said:

I have looked into this, albeit for a facelift FL1.

HIDS4U do a conversion that can be used without projector headlamps. It costs slightly more. It has a metal bit over the top of the bulb to stop the glare.

You can always tell when somebody has fitted a HID conversion the their car because it almost always looks wrong Shen they are driving towards you. The whole of the front headlight is lit up, whereas form experience of having cars with factory setups, the light source should be concentrated. Generally if fitted to projector headlights, this overcomes it.

Legality wise it is a grey area. It they are fitted by the factory then they need to self level and have headlight washers.

The HIDS4U ones just replace the H7's on my FL1 facelift, but not sure what bulbs the pre-facelift ones have. Google them and ring them. They are very helpful.

The complete kit is about £110 for the H7 setup suitable for the facelift.

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Yeah I had a look at HIDS4U, theyre not too bad, they do a kit for the pre-facelift with H4 bulbs for £85. I wasnt sure if I needed a new projector/headlight assembly or not

Fit Phillips Extreme Vision bulbs instead. That way you will see better and not blind people all around you. 'White' light colour bulbs do not give out more light, in fact they give less due to the colour filters. HID bulbs are not designed to use in an H4 light no matter what you do. The light waves are just wrong.

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I refuse to believe it "cant be done", I like the look of HID lights Ive always wanted some and there has to be some way to do it, probably just a question of whether I can afford to do it or not! It does however seem like Ive picked the only car in the world that doesnt have a full HID unit available off the shelf!

Ive looked at Phillips and Osram Nightbreakers etc but I dont really want to be spending megabucks on a simple lightbulb thats just going to go pop after 6 months anyway.

I suppose if all else fails I can get some of those cheapy "painted blue" faux Xenon bulbs off eBay

They don't pop- I've always fitted them and not had any go pop. My last Golf did 40k miles in the 10 months I had it and I drive with lights on all the time. Those Phillips are really good IMO.

Yes you can physically fit HID bulbs to H4 lights but they simply do not work right as they are not designed to work in that kind of light reflector. They won't work in H7 (facelifts) either but will be a lot better than in an H4 reflector. I have fitted them to BMWs with projector lamps and they still weren't that good as a proper set factory fitted. It's all to do with filament orientation at the reflector focal point. HIDs give off light in a different way and direction than H4 twin element bulbs, and the reflectors are not designed for this. I know it 'can fit' and it will give of more lumens, but the light will be all over the place and not focused in the right place to be of actual use when night driving. The Phillips are more focused than the Osrams so work better despite the same lumens output. Buy them off ebay for less than £20 and I'm sure you'll be happy. They're not as yellow as normal bulbs but not blue/white as the crap seen on spotty youths' saxos. The blue tinting REDUCES lumens and might look niice but doesn't translate into visible light on the road, where you need it. I've done a lot of reading up on this over the years and that's what I have found on grown ups' forums whereas spotty youth forums, once you have used Google chav translate, will just say how white they are innit?

I know what you want, and I wanted it too, but it can't be done properly but as long as you don't drive anywhere near me at night time, then go for it!

:mil88:

bear in mind that it is also illegal.

Spacemonkey... said:

They don't pop- I've always fitted them and not had any go pop. My last Golf did 40k miles in the 10 months I had it and I drive with lights on all the time. Those Phillips are really good IMO.

Yes you can physically fit HID bulbs to H4 lights but they simply do not work right as they are not designed to work in that kind of light reflector. They won't work in H7 (facelifts) either but will be a lot better than in an H4 reflector. I have fitted them to BMWs with projector lamps and they still weren't that good as a proper set factory fitted. It's all to do with filament orientation at the reflector focal point. HIDs give off light in a different way and direction than H4 twin element bulbs, and the reflectors are not designed for this. I know it 'can fit' and it will give of more lumens, but the light will be all over the place and not focused in the right place to be of actual use when night driving. The Phillips are more focused than the Osrams so work better despite the same lumens output. Buy them off ebay for less than £20 and I'm sure you'll be happy. They're not as yellow as normal bulbs but not blue/white as the crap seen on spotty youths' saxos. The blue tinting REDUCES lumens and might look niice but doesn't translate into visible light on the road, where you need it. I've done a lot of reading up on this over the years and that's what I have found on grown ups' forums whereas spotty youth forums, once you have used Google chav translate, will just say how white they are innit?

I know what you want, and I wanted it too, but it can't be done properly but as long as you don't drive anywhere near me at night time, then go for it!

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Thats a shame Ill have a look for those phillips ones and see what theyre like then.

The Mad Hat Man said:

bear in mind that it is also illegal.

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Seems it depends on who you ask, what exactly you ask and when you ask.

The official DfT statement (found here if you fancy a long boring read: http://webarchive.nationalarchives....ormation-sheets/aftermarket-hid-headlamps.pdf) says aftermarket HID lights are illegal to use in a standard halogen unit, BUT it is fine to fit E marked HID units that have a proper HID reflector/projector beam pattern thingy to an older vehicle that doesnt have them as factory standard.

Which is really what Im looking for, the entire headlight assembly thats designed for HID lights for a FL1, I dont want to just slap some HID bulbs in a halogen unit, but I cant for love nor money find a HID unit for the FL1, which is what Im asking about mostly.

Ah, gotcha, so you do want to do it properly... AFAIK no such beast exists. Certainly never as standard, not even to the facelift. Normally if such a beast exists it is because the factory made them as an option. Many people fit them to their Golfs and BMWS for example as they use either new factory parts or retrofit used parts. But you must have self levelling headlamps and lense cleaners fitted too to be legal.


Try the Phillips. Honestly, I've never had any blow and I do a high mileage in all my cars and always have lights on and have used the Phillips in them all for the last 5 years or so since I discovered them. My BMW 328 had projectors so I fitted HIDs but eventually took them out and put the Phillips H7s back in as they weren't as bright as my mate's genuine HID equipped BMW (both 35w). At least with the advent of compulsory DRLs, people don't flash me any more to tell me I've got my lights on. (No ****?? I turned them on myself on purpose Sherlock..) The Phillips always come tops in the reviews. My facelifft has the Phillips Extreme Vision +100% in H7 on dipped beam and Osram Rallye 65w H7s on main beam and I don't need HIDs... The other option is to eat more carrots.

If you've got H7 bulbs then look for aftermarket HID kits marked H7r, they have a partial sleeve on the bulb that gives the correct pattern and doesn't dazzle on coming traffic.

I've used both on a previous vehicle and 6000k h7's got me flashed at all the time, with 6000k H7r's I never had one flash from an oncoming car.

Mine uses H4 bulbs. Though I've heard people say the same thing about the sleeves for the H4 kits from HID4U. Dont really wanna splash out on something that might not work properly though!