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DWillerton
Member Since: 06 Apr 2007
Location: In front of you - and pulling away!
Posts: 154
  
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I have a halogen-equipped, non-fog light D3.
Am wondering about upgrading the lighting, whilst keeping the front free of bolt-on appendages.
Quite tempted to fit something where the fog lights would be if I had any, ie. daytime running lights or xenon spots. I know that the cutting marks are on the inside of the bumper unit, however, not having anything to refer to I don't know what size lights would fit in the apertures. Anyone know? If I found something which fitted are there any wiring/switching issues?
Or would I be better to just keep an eye out for some cheap xenon headlight units on ebay?
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 9th Nov 2007 9:15 pm |
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CFB
Member Since: 02 Dec 2005
Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
Posts: 6100
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I would upgrade to Xenons, just sold my set yesterday sorry. 2020 BMW X1 18d XDrive X-Line Auto
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| 9th Nov 2007 9:16 pm |
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90BHP
Member Since: 18 Oct 2006
Location: Half way along the road on the right
Posts: 3706
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just bought a set today from a bloke in Bedford - damn good value for money upgrade . . . "To finish first, one first has to finish ...."
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| 9th Nov 2007 9:37 pm |
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simonsi
Member Since: 14 Oct 2007
Location: Auckland
Posts: 1264
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Xenons again, difference is literally night and day  Cheers
Simon
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| 9th Nov 2007 9:42 pm |
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DiscoDad
Member Since: 06 Nov 2006
Location: Beautiful Teesdale
Posts: 3003
 
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The xenons are rather good.
I was on the A1 quite late the other night. Not much traffic about. Saw oncoming car approaching and he gave me a long, hard, flash, you know, the flash that says 'Dip your fookin lights you tw*t'
He found out that they were already dipped! 8)
(They are set correctly I might add)!
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| 9th Nov 2007 10:39 pm |
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DWillerton
Member Since: 06 Apr 2007
Location: In front of you - and pulling away!
Posts: 154
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Having looked around previous posts on the subject, I'm now a little confused...
Are there any xenon headlight units which will fit my coil-spring D3 with manual beam adjustment switch and no headlight washer units and be legal?
I thought that maybe xbc500102 and xbc500112 (Ref: http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/post55065.html#55065 - aka Slimer's List) might be the ones, but another post makes reference to these being HSE-spec adaptives...
The LR website says that xenon units are N/A for 5 seaters - does that mean that it is not possible because of beam adjustment, etc? It also says the you can't have tinted windows on a 5 seater but there's no reason for that apart from getting people to upgrade to a higher spec model...
Also, if the D3 xenons are bi-xenon, ie. one bulb, two functions, what type of bulb (xenon or halogen) does the smaller inside light unit have in it and is it also a main beam unit like you would find on the halogen version?
And finally, doesn't anybody know how big the fog lights are?!
Thanks all,
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| 10th Nov 2007 9:34 am |
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simonsi
Member Since: 14 Oct 2007
Location: Auckland
Posts: 1264
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Thats a good point, don't know about having to have headlamp wash with Xenons but I believe you do have to have self-levelling suspension - which would be why they don't fit to the coilers. Cheers
Simon
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| 10th Nov 2007 9:39 am |
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countrywide
Member Since: 16 Sep 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 6019
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Legally apparently you have to have headlight washers and self levelling headlights if you have Xenon. There has been some confusion over xenon upgrades, but they did a report in Auto Express about the legality of adding your own and the majority were illegal. In reality you may be able to drive around for years without any problems or the MOT tester failing it. They did say it could invalidate your insurance though if you had the wrong lights fitted.
IF you buy the OEM versions and fit them to a car designed to have them, then there is no problem.
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| 10th Nov 2007 9:48 am |
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90BHP
Member Since: 18 Oct 2006
Location: Half way along the road on the right
Posts: 3706
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Does a packet of baby wipes in the top glove box count as headlight washer - doesn't say automatic
After last nights test drive and green lane, very impressed with the Xenons. Money well spent. Just going to play with some halfords Laser Blue side lights as they current ones look a little odd next to the blue / white of the xenons. Peeps seem to be having a bit of grief with LED's at the mo so looking for alternatives. "To finish first, one first has to finish ...."
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| 10th Nov 2007 10:40 am |
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countrywide
Member Since: 16 Sep 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 6019
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90BHP wrote:Does a packet of baby wipes in the top glove box count as headlight washer - doesn't say automatic
.
If you train SWMBO to jump out automatically whenever the lights look dim to give them a wipe, I reckon you would get away with it. 
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| 10th Nov 2007 11:20 am |
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DWillerton
Member Since: 06 Apr 2007
Location: In front of you - and pulling away!
Posts: 154
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According to Department for Transport:
Fact sheet: Aftermarket HID headlamps
December 2006
In the Department's view it is not legal to sell or use after market HID lighting kits, for converting conventional Halogen headlamps to HID Xenon. If a customer wants to convert his vehicle to Xenon HID he must purchase completely new Xenon HID headlamps. The reason for this is that the existing lens and reflector are designed around a Halogen filament bulb, working to very precise tolerances. If one places a HID "burner" (bulb) in the headlamp, the beam pattern will not be correct, there will be glare in some places and not enough light in other places within the beam pattern.
The following is the legal rationale:
The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 regulate the situation in the UK.
Under these Regulations, HID/Gas Discharge/Xenon headlamps are not mentioned and therefore they are not permitted according to the strict letter of the law.
However new vehicles have HID headlamps. This is because they comply to European type approval Regulations. The UK cannot refuse to register a vehicle with a European type approval. These are to ECE Regulation 98 (for the HID headlamps which are tested on a rig in a laboratory) and ECE Regulation 48 (Lighting Installation on the vehicle).
For the after market, a used vehicle cannot obtain type approval because it is only applicable for new vehicles. However we feel that saying "HID is banned in the after market" would not be reasonable. Instead we should make analogies with new vehicles. It would be reasonable to require HID in the after market to meet the same safety standards as on new vehicles. The same level of safety should apply.
Therefore a HID headlamp unit sold in the after market should:
1. be type approved to ECE Regulation 98 as a component.
2. when fitted to the vehicle should enable ECE Regulation 48 to be complied with (although no government inspection will take place).
3. Comply with RVLR as far as "use" is concerned.
In practice this means:
1. The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory.
2. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam.
3. The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly like any other headlamp.
Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.
In summary it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules stated above.
If you require any further information regarding the regulations covered by this fact sheet, please contact the DfT at the address below:
Transport Technology and Standards 6
Department for Transport
Zone 2/04
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DR
Telephone: 020 7944 2078
Fax: 020 7944 2196
Email: [email protected]
However, having read ECE Reg 48, it states that manually adjustable is permitted under certain circumstances. Though still  as I very much doubt that any of the LR xenon units would have the mechanisms required to permit cockpit adjustment. And I don't have the washers anyway, which are required for the dipped beams.
**
Ooh, first time I've been censored. Just in case you think I said " " what I actually said was " ", which really isn't so bad. Better be more -ing careful next time.
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| 10th Nov 2007 11:38 am |
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90BHP
Member Since: 18 Oct 2006
Location: Half way along the road on the right
Posts: 3706
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So I comply apart from the washers. - Never mind will keep them clean then ! "To finish first, one first has to finish ...."
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| 10th Nov 2007 4:37 pm |
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DWillerton
Member Since: 06 Apr 2007
Location: In front of you - and pulling away!
Posts: 154
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I take it, 90BHP, you are running on air springs which give the self-levelling function?
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| 10th Nov 2007 7:30 pm |
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