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[sjwsize8]

Hi, this may sound like a dumb question but, what type of headlight is fitted to my car. its a 1996 2.5td CD it looks like its a projector type (not xenon), the headlight bulb fits into a lens that seems to be magified and is circular. And the front of the unit is clear plastic. but not sure. I have heard the name poly-oliptic? Can someone help because im tottally confused. Thany you. Scott :-/

[unlucky alf]

youve got projectors by the sounds of it, as xenons involve having headlight wash amongst other things & would be a pain to fit, think yourself lucky as your car would have had naff halogens as standard like mine [soon to be changed!]

[ngrainqey]

youve got projectors by the sounds of it, as xenons involve having headlight wash amongst other things & would be a pain to fit, think yourself lucky as your car would have had naff halogens as standard like mine [soon to be changed!]

to get technical the term "xenons" actually relates to the gas the bulbs are filled with (xenon filled are brighter)

i think you mean elipsoid headlights

an easy way to tell is that if you have the HID's or normal projectors is you'll have washers and you wont have the headight adjusting slider on the dash (under the headlight switch) on the HID's whereas you will have the manual adjuster with the projectors

[unlucky alf]

as you say ngrainqey but as his is an older model it would have projectors if anything as the "posh ones with a box on" would be a pain for somebody to fit them to legal requirements , & im awaiting arrival of my xenon bulb set so i can at last see where im going & i do go near rotherham so you should be grateful im fitting them

[FREDSTA]

You have projector headlights by the sound of it. Xenon and HID refer to the actual bulbs which are fitted. You may have (judging by the age and model) aftermarket headlight units. If your bulbs are crap (i would think they are the 55w, pointless, waste of time, dangerous, what bend? aaaaaaagh!!! ones) fit a HID conversion kit (£60 ebay, works with any model, plug and play, so easy my grandma could do it (well, if she wasn't dead, that is)) to get bright blue/white lights which really help with not dying so easily.

Fredsta (seen the light)

[ngrainqey]

lol iv got a pair of hids goin spare atm!

[Turk]

youve got projectors by the sounds of it, as xenons involve having headlight wash amongst other things & would be a pain to fit, think yourself lucky as your car would have had naff halogens as standard like mine [soon to be changed!]

Ha...don't you believe it !  I have 2.5TD CD ('00) with projectors and they are absolutely pants.

[Turk]

fit a HID conversion kit (£60 ebay, works with any model, plug and play, so easy my grandma could do it (well, if she wasn't dead, that is)) to get bright blue/white lights which really help with not dying so easily.
Fredsta (seen the light)

Ok, now I'm confused. How come to fit OEM Vx HID's requires the headlights and a stack of electronic giggerypokery and yet these on flea-bay are under £50 and fitting is pretty much as easy as changing a bulb ?    
One thing to bare in mind tho'...two sets required as each kit only has two bulbs.  

[RobG]

fit a HID conversion kit (£60 ebay, works with any model, plug and play, so easy my grandma could do it (well, if she wasn't dead, that is)) to get bright blue/white lights which really help with not dying so easily.
Fredsta (seen the light)

Ok, now I'm confused. How come to fit OEM Vx HID's requires the headlights and a stack of electronic giggerypokery and yet these on flea-bay are under £50 and fitting is pretty much as easy as changing a bulb ?    
One thing to bare in mind tho'...two sets required as each kit only has two bulbs.  

That`s one for the n/s dipped beam and the other for the o/s

IIRC retrofitting of HID`s is illegal but there`s been enough said on that subject

[Turk]

fit a HID conversion kit (£60 ebay, works with any model, plug and play, so easy my grandma could do it (well, if she wasn't dead, that is)) to get bright blue/white lights which really help with not dying so easily.
Fredsta (seen the light)

Ok, now I'm confused. How come to fit OEM Vx HID's requires the headlights and a stack of electronic giggerypokery and yet these on flea-bay are under £50 and fitting is pretty much as easy as changing a bulb ?    
One thing to bare in mind tho'...two sets required as each kit only has two bulbs.  

That`s one for the n/s dipped beam and the other for the o/s

IIRC retrofitting of HID`s is illegal but there`s been enough said on that subject

What about the Main Beam ?

[Andy B]

.....
What about the Main Beam ?

Main beam are normal tungsten, HID aren't fast enough for use in the main beam. Bi-xenons are a completely different animal.

[feeutfo]

during a recent insurance repair, it has transpired, i had a made in taiwan pattern light fitted. It is going to be replaced with a genuine item item as the lever to change the beam for continental driveing is inaccessable behind the hid electrics. BUT,  i am quite impressed with the beam on the road, and they only cost 87 ish pounds each according to the repairer who read it to me over the phone to prove not genuine. For the money and improvement over lights fitted from factory, which must deteriorate to some extent, worth a go? Depends how often you drive in europe i guess, but most people dont bother changeing the beam anyway.

When the genuine is fitted, i will let you know the difference.

Sj, you have halogen  projectors, and are an improvement over the ordinary lights fitted on early models, but imho, as they age, are still not up to modern halogen stuff. Hid upgrades, without self levelers and washers are said to invalidate your insurance. Hth

[sjwsize8]

Cheers for your help people and thank for the info on HID's, the headlights are really bad i must say all yellowy and not a very large beam.

[Turk]

Why the emphasis of having h/l washers with HID's ?

[ngrainqey]

Why the emphasis of having h/l washers with HID's ?

because something as minor as a fly splattered on the headlight cover will impair the hid lighting (even though with halogens they're not too fussy and just put out candlish power light regardless) ok a fly splatter is taking the piss but they really dont like dirt