HID Conversion Kit for w124

[shirubaby]

HI Folks,

Has anybody converted the headlamps on a w124 to xenon discharge bulbs.
I've seen a lot of them being advertised.

Any recommendations?

I am looking for a h4 dual high and low beam bulb kit. Seen some on Ebay. But they keep giving me the wrong advice (I think).

My 300ce bulbs are H4 and I'm sure I need H4 replacement HID bulbs.
But most ebay sellers advise me to buy 9004 HID bulbs. HOw come?

I'm trying to find someone who's done it before.

Cheers
shirubaby

 

[aashish_c]

HID kit

Removed Since advertising is not allowed in this section

 

[shirubaby]

HI Aashish_c

I am interested, but what type? H4?

How much shoudl I expect to pay for a kit like this?

 

[Bolide]

HID needs a different type of reflector and lens to focus the beam properly as the lamp has very different properties to an H4 bulb. For that reason I gave up on trying to find Xenons for W124s

There's an almost infinite amount of disinformation available on this topic

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[shirubaby]

HID needs a different type of reflector and lens to focus the beam properly as the lamp has very different properties to an H4 bulb. For that reason I gave up on trying to find Xenons for W124s

There's an almost infinite amount of disinformation available on this topic

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

True Nick,
But there are HID bulbs which have a mini reflector on them (equivalent to a standard dual filament H4) that moves linearly when high - low beams are selected.
I was wondering whether you considered those...in your research

 

[shirubaby]

For example,

 

[Bolide]

I can't find the link to some great beam pattern photos I've seen but this link may be informative:

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/conversions/conversions.html

Personally I'd love a properly engineered HID kit for a W124 and would buy one in an instant. IMHO the dip beam performance of these cars is their only real failing and a bad one at that. Trying to drive fast on a winding country road at night is a real challenge and it shouldn't be

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[shirubaby]

I am waiting to speak to an expert from the Department of Transport (vehicle Standards Agency...???). So hopefully he'll be able to shed some light (pardon the pun).

 

[carabind]

basically, there's two ways - the cheap way is to relace the bulbs to ones that contain an amount of Xenon - apparently they burn a bit brighter and some are coloured blue to give you the look of true Xenons. cost around £20 for 4 if you trawl ebay, there are other recent threads about this.
Or for the full Xenon HID - these are a different bit of kit costing at least 12 times more . Here's a link http://www.hids4u.co.uk/products.asp?cat=1 which gives an example of what's available - you'll find other alternatives through any searc engine (try xenon hid)

 

[shirubaby]

Yup,
I'm talking about the true HID Xenons..Got some places lined up to buy from (when I know fer sure these things are legit)

 

[shirubaby]

HID Xenon kits are illegal...

Hi guys,

Just been on to an expert from the Vehicle Standards Agency. Gave me loads of useful information.

And there is no 2 ways about it.

AFTERMARKET HID KITS ARE ILLEGAL..no matter what the packaging says.

The only way they can be legal is, if the complete unit (including the refelctor, bulb and mechanism) is designed for Xenon. And that's the only way they can be 'E' marked/approved.

ALSO

With the HID you NEED automatic self-levelling AND headlamp washers fitted...irrespective of whether they are aftermarket or not.

so a big disappointment, but at least we know now.

Shiru

 

[shirubaby]

Sorry

Meant to say that the expert I talked to was from Transport Technology and Standards section of the Department of Transport, UK. ....just in case someone was wondering....

 

[Bolide]

EU laws require new cars fitted with HID lights to have self-levelling and washers, the former to reduce dazzle through height variations and the latter to reduce back scatter (and dazzle) caused by dirty lenses. There are other laws applicable to new cars and what is retrofitted to them. Parts need to conform to Type Approval

I'm told, by someone who should know, that older cars like the W124 probably escape Type Approval. There is no requirement on them for self-levelling or washers and, as far as I know, no legal restriction, EU or UK, on retrofit HID bulbs

So retrofit HID may be illegal on new cars but is probably not on older cars. AFAIK the MOT test only tests headlamp aim and not brightness or bulb type. So retrofitting HID may be legal but may produce poor results that create more dazzle for oncoming motorists if the bulb & reflector combination doesn't work well

Like I said before, I'd buy a properly-engineered HID kit in a heartbeat. eBay prices range from £60 to £300 for bi-Xenon H4 kits (actually one bulb with a solenoid-operated dip/main moving cap) that claim to be a suitable retrofit for cars with H4 bulbs. So it'd be fairly cheap to buy a set and do some tests to establish if this light unit gives acceptable results. The evenings are drawing in...

basically, there's two ways - the cheap way is to relace the bulbs to ones that contain an amount of Xenon - apparently they burn a bit brighter and some are coloured blue to give you the look of true Xenons

Like I said, there's plenty of disinformation around on HID



Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk