HID bulbs in normal lights ...

... illegal?

autoexpress xenon test

Not really sure about this as my last car was a Megane and I fitted with HDI bulbs and it went through several MOT's with them in fine

Any badly adjusted lights can blind oncoming traffic. Stupid damn Range Rover Sports with crazy xenons are by far the worst offenders IMHO.
The HIDS on my Spider have always gone through MOT laser tests with no problems. I intend fitting them to the 159 too.
The Renault in the test clearly was never designed to have them fitted, with the large glass/plastic reflectors thus a poor beam pattern...

The Spider/GTV/159/Brera etc all have much smaller direct 'lense' lights which can take HIDs more effectivley.

I thought that video was a bit sensationalist. As I understand the law, Factory fit Xenons on new cars must incorporate head lamp washing and self leveling systems. Retrofitted systems aren't held to that.

I too find Range Rovers with Xenons terrible when facing them at night.

On my GTV I have HID's fitted, the beam pattern is correct, and I can use the beam adjusters to compensate for hight, and I'm had 3 MOT's now without a problem.

What the AE video glossed over was that it was the combination of bulb and reflector that lead to a light beam pattern on that particular car which was illegal. They didn't try HID bulbs from any different companies or in different cars.

On the subject of self-levelling, I have been in a few cars with OEM HID & self-levelling (BMW 760Li & Mondeo ST) on both the self-levelling is fine on a flat level road, but on any road with undulations it just can't keep up with the movements of the car. The result is that it is constantly blinding people coming the other way. So self-levelling isn't that great either!

Originally Posted by Chrispy

What the AE video glossed over was that it was the combination of bulb and reflector that lead to a light beam pattern on that particular car which was illegal. They didn't try HID bulbs from any different companies or in different cars.

Yup I've had HID's in my 156 for about 4 weeks now and there is no beam pattern at all it's just a mess rather then the proper \___ \___ pattern as the wrong bulbs came with the kit.

The solution apparently is to fit the H7R bulbs to the light as these are designed for non HID reflectors. Having mine fitted on Monday so I'll let you know how I get on.

Originally Posted by NeilB

The solution apparently is to fit the H7R bulbs to the light as these are designed for non HID reflectors. Having mine fitted on Monday so I'll let you know how I get on.

Not just any old H7R though but one based on a D2R burner ie one with the mask on the glass tube

Ive H7R bulbs in my 156 (well out for the minute for MOT I aint chancing it). pattern still a bit messy to be honest but not bad.

Well i know all the legalities but i plan to get a xenon kit for my Alfa come next months pay... From the recommended place as on here that has the shortened parts that fit in the headlamp casings properly.

Im told Alfa lights on the 156 arent brilliant anyway, but ive come from a 98 Omega MV6 with xenons and to be honest i find the lack of output, even with the front driving lights on scary!

Besides having my ICE installed next friday thats my first real mod planned. Then after that im going for a Supersprint manifold, a stainless centre replacement pipe (keeping the OE cat) and a remap and CDA. Ill be getting the full Cadamuro bodykit eventually and using the Ragazzon (or however its spelt! lol) twin rear stainless silencer to complete my exhaust system.

Mine were just the same on my Omega MV6 David C. For all its technical gizmo its useless when it comes to seriously uneven up and down road surfaces!

Used to find it would also cut the beam as it was trying to level, meaning if it stayed where it was it would light the road properly, but its constant releveling meant sometimes it lit further, and others so close to the nose of the car it blinded you with pure darkness.

In the end i disconnected one of the auto levellers and made it fault and the auto levelling stopped, was perfect then.