Changing low beams

[AudiMike]

Hey guys I have a 2003 1.8T and I was just wondering if we need a kit to change to HID? Im looking at going to 6000k for my low beams and I just wanted to know if we can just put a diffrent bulb in or do we need to order a complete HID kit with new bulbs?

Thanks

[yung turbo]

search is your friend, but complete hid kit if u have halogens. then plug-n-play from there.

[AudiMike]

Thats what I figured, thanks anyways!

[El_Chapusca]

www.vvme.com >hid Kits >single Beam Model > Pick Your Desired Temp.
Bulb Fitting Is H7

[mxrz]

Hey guys I have a 2003 1.8T and I was just wondering if we need a kit to change to HID? Im looking at going to 6000k for my low beams and I just wanted to know if we can just put a diffrent bulb in or do we need to order a complete HID kit with new bulbs?

Thanks

You should first buy the proper headlight housings or at least the proper HID projectors. Your halogen projectors are not suitable (let alone legal) for HID use.

Educate yourself: http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...nversions.html

[05A$SE]

i put HID's in my stock halogens and its perfectly fine. the cut off line is crisp and doesn't scatter the light. you'll be fine.

[AudiMike]

Ok so do I need a new housing or will it be fine with the stock housing? And when you say housing you mean like E-codes and such right?

[mxrz]

Ok so do I need a new housing or will it be fine with the stock housing? And when you say housing you mean like E-codes and such right?

All the HID ricers will tell you that you don't, but there is a reason the halogen projector and xenon projector are not the same. The two light sources are fundamentally different. If you put HID bulbs in a halogen projector, it will throw a wrong pattern, with hotspots and improper distribution of the light projected. (cutoff shield has nothing to with this). Just read the link I posted.

[AudiMike]

So I need a new housing then like E-codes? Before I can use HIDs? Any reccomendations on good housings for HIDs?

[mxrz]

I got my mint Bi-Xenon DOT spec housings from a fellow AZer for 250$. You don't need to spend 560~800$ on new ones from places like ECS or AWE. Check the classifieds.

[AudiMike]

Ok cool is there a certain label I should look for? Like your Bi-Xenon... ones? I'm pretty new to this changing headlights thing so im not sure what exactly im looking for in housings for my situation. Any reccomendations to look for within the classifieds?

[ApexIt]

would the single beam model from vvme.com work with the fog lights? anyone have any experience with this?

[Four Play]

So I need a new housing then like E-codes? Before I can use HIDs? Any reccomendations on good housings for HIDs?

Only people like MXRZ who do quite a few conversions will be able to tell the difference. I have an RS6 kit in mine and couldn't be happier, oncoming traffic isn't blinded by my lights, and there are no noticeable hot spots. They aren't perfect, but if you want to be able to see 1000x better and don't have the cheddar for new housings, a basic H7 kit will work fine until you get the money to upgrade...

[Four Play]

would the single beam model from vvme.com work with the fog lights? anyone have any experience with this?

You'll blind the shit out of EVERYTHING within a 100 mile radius if you do that. Fog lights shouldn't be that bright anyways, they are supposed to have a modest light output and be pretty low to the ground.

If you put an HID kit in your fogs it would be no different than running your brights in thick fog, YOU WON'T SEE SHIT!

[El_Chapusca]

Just did mines today. perfect light output and leveling. Drove around for a while (buzy roads btw) and only one person flash their high beams at me. True story will post pics 2mm

[mxrz]

Ok cool is there a certain label I should look for? Like your Bi-Xenon... ones? I'm pretty new to this changing headlights thing so im not sure what exactly im looking for in housings for my situation. Any reccomendations to look for within the classifieds?

There are single xenon and bi-xenon housings. Both kinds also come in two versions, the US version (DOT) and European version (ECE/E-Code). Bi-xenon housings are always grey inside, however single xenon housings are either grey or chrome inside (like your current halogen housings). Just look for the description, the seller must specify if the housing is for xenon (HID) or halogen. You can easily recognize the difference between DOT housings and ECE housings when you look at the turn signals. ECE/E-Code housing turn signals are round, and DOT turn signals are oval with an orange reflector on the side, something a lot of people remove (that's the clear-corner mod). Here is some more information:

http://www.lltek.com/PRS_bin/PRS_69_...sts_claire.htm

What you want is either one of these variations, sorted by popularity:

E-Code single xenon housings (grey inside)
E-Code Bi-Xenon housings (grey inside)
DOT Bi-Xenon housings (grey inside) <--- I have these
DOT single xenon housings (grey inside)
E-Code single xenon housings (chrome inside)
DOT single xenon housings (chrome inside)

Just FYI, Bi-Xenon projectors are not brighter, despite the larger 3” lens (single xenon lenses are 2.5”) Their only advantage is superior high beams, since the low beam projector is also used as high beam (the cutoff shield flips down) but the high beam reflector is still there and works, so it’s basically two high beams. Bi-Xenon doesn’t mean better in terms of low beam light output, and actually, many people prefer the projected pattern of the single xenon low beam, but it isn’t any brighter, just more uniform and not as textured as the Bi-Xenon low beam. The grey/chrome finish on the inside of the housing is obviously personal preference. Also, other than the turn signal, there are two additional important differences between E-Codes and DOT housings. First, E-Codes have an additional bulb, a city light, and it’s located in the bowl of the high beam reflector (single xenons have it bellow the halogen bulb, bi-xenons have it to the side, near the projector). Then there is the lens, DOT lenses are always Fresnel type lenses, that appear to have circular grooves etched inside the lens (in reality the lens if fused from two parts, and the grooves are angled steps). E-Code lenses are for the most part crystal clear, however I have seen E-Codes with Fresnel lenses before, especially the bi-xenon kind. Basically, the grooved lenses make the cutoff look a little fuzzy and allow for a small amount of light to bleed above the cutoff line. The clear lenses make the cutoff appear very sharp and overall the clear lenses make the beam pattern appear brighter and more defined, which is usually very desirable.

All xenon housings use D1S HID bulbs, except for few rare examples (early 2002 models) that use the older, more common D2S kind, however the projector itself is identical, only the bulb holders are different.

[agart]

You'll blind the shit out of EVERYTHING within a 100 mile radius if you do that. Fog lights shouldn't be that bright anyways, they are supposed to have a modest light output and be pretty low to the ground.

If you put an HID kit in your fogs it would be no different than running your brights in thick fog, YOU WON'T SEE SHIT!

Not true at all. I did this over the summer and it has been one of my favorite mods to the car. Granted it is brighter and yes it is noticeable for oncoming traffic but I would under no circumstances call it blinding(I actually had a friend drive my car as I drove in front and from the opposite side of traffic to test this out for myself). They are low enough to not be as blinding as HIDs in a halogen housing in a headlight enclosure. As far as fog goes I have had to run them in fog already numerous times and I can say without a doubt that they improve visibility. I'm sure that getting true projector housings within the fogs would create less glare and be a better beam pattern but I really do not think it is necessary.

I got my mint Bi-Xenon DOT spec housings from a fellow AZer for 250$. You don't need to spend 560~800$ on new ones from places like ECS or AWE. Check the classifieds.

I'd LOVE to get bi-xenons.

[llau515]

I'm also looking to get HIDs for my 02 a4. My friend has a Rav4, and he put in HIDs for his low beams. When he turns on high beams, it has way less output than the low beams and it looks pretty weird, is this gonna happen if i get single xenons?

[Rommulus]

^^^^^ Great info Mxrz! ^^^^^

[Four Play]

Not true at all. I did this over the summer and it has been one of my favorite mods to the car. Granted it is brighter and yes it is noticeable for oncoming traffic but I would under no circumstances call it blinding(I actually had a friend drive my car as I drove in front and from the opposite side of traffic to test this out for myself). They are low enough to not be as blinding as HIDs in a halogen housing in a headlight enclosure. As far as fog goes I have had to run them in fog already numerous times and I can say without a doubt that they improve visibility. I'm sure that getting true projector housings within the fogs would create less glare and be a better beam pattern but I really do not think it is necessary.




I'd LOVE to get bi-xenons.

Whatever floats your boat...

[05A$SE]

get the plug and play kit. if you dont like it in the stock housing. get different ones. its your car get what you like

[AudiMike]

Thanks guys for all of the great information. I think I might be heading in the wrong direction for what I essentially want to do with my headlights. I would like to be running 6000k bulbs, now is it possible to just switch out the bulbs I have now and buy 6000k bulbs without going through all hassel of kits and diffrent housings and such? Im hoping it would be just an easy switch of the bulb in the stock housing and not need a kit or to buy new housings just to change the heat of the bulb... Thanks!

[ApexIt]

well you cant just buy the HID bulb and put it in place of the normal halogen. You need a ballast. If im not mistaken, HID bulbs need more power to start up but once they are on, they need less power to stay on. Without the ballast, you wouldnt be able to turn on the HIDs.