facelift non xenon upg

[storminmike]

[quote=""sonnyred""]I've just done this upgrade a couple of weeks ago, I did quite a bit of research so here goes:

I got mine from hids-direct and after emailing the guy he recommended this kit:

http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/hid-kits-3 ... p-505.html

I know it's for a mk5 Astra but this kit includes a free bulb holder with the split in to feed your wiring through, he was kind enough to tell me to use the code REPEAT for 10% off.

Regarding the fitting, the instructions said to drill a 21mm hole in the plastic bulb cover but I found this wasn't big enough to feed the bulb through or the plugs through so had to make it a bit bigger. Also I found the split bulb holder pretty weak but I suppose with a split in that is always going to happen.
Apart from that all went fine and no warning lights on the dash.

You get brackets and screws for the ballast and they fitted exactly in some holes, you can see the location in this picture.


Not the neatest of jobs cutting the hole in the plastic cover, I specifically bought a 21mm cutter to make a perfect job, then had to bodge it bigger. I sawed some of the lugs off to get clearance for the grommet and also filed the back (you can see the filing marks) to ensure a good flat seal.



I also bought some new led's from ebay because the hid's make the angel eyes look really yellowy orange, I think they were about £18 and they were a really simple swap, again no problems and no warning lights.





My car is a facelift so same as yours.

Hope this helps, if you need any more pics or info just let me know [/quote]

That's almost the same install as mine except I hung them on the ear off the inner wing (1st pic just to right of earth bolt)

The kit is the same too

The hole in the back....yes the instructions are for a hole that's a wee bit small.....but be careful...you can take material out easier than put it in so go easy with the hole. Also....seen on the pictures above the back plate has a ridge on it Depends how you drill it but the grommet is obviously slightly bigger than the hole so the ridge (or the gap in it) should be a bit wider

The clips supplied....were although split a bit weaker IMO than the original and trying to rotate them when putting the bulb in had the clip trying to collapse

[jbutterfill]

I have upgraded my halogen lights on my e70 to xenons, the dipped beams are H7 size, they are a real pig to fit and had to squeeze my iPhone in there to take a photo to ensure I had fitted them correctly. Originally I went to http://www.car-mod-shop.co.uk/ and bought the kit from there, they didn't focus too well so kept the ballasts and went for the ones called focus kings from the same place - I am really pleased with these. I have read that they are better than factory xenons, not sure myself but the results are great. The most fiddly bit was to remove the retaining clip, put the new bulb in and then refit the retaining clip around the wires, very tricky when you can't see anything!

I dont get any errors and am very happy with them. Go for the focus kings that they sell to ensure the best beam pattern, as far as I know no one else sells them yet, but the kit only costs around £80.

I also wanted to get angel eye upgrades and was incorrectly advised by them that I needed the H8 type bulbs, this is incorrect on the standard halogen lights, I'm not sure what the bulb is but it is buried in between the main and dipped beam and is behind a square box held in by three screws, I think you have to take out the headlights to do that.

The main beam is an H1 bulb and I haven't changed that but will do for an uprated halogen light as xenons warm up slowly and are therefore no good to flash. But my experience is that the xenons are well worth fitting, you can go for really expensive kits but I don't reckon they are any different. Go for the 5000k lights, I felt the 6000k kit I initially got was too purple, the 5000k look like original BMW lights.

I think there is an issue with the MOT as they are not self levelling, from 2012 this is a new requirement, but I'll take my chances, I've kept the original bulbs and will swap back temporarily if it fails

[Denis O]

One last question from me on this. Once you've changed to the HID's do the levers still work to change the beam direction from left hand lane driving to right hand lane driving on the continent,

[sonnyred]

[quote=""Denis O""]One last question from me on this. Once you've changed to the HID's do the levers still work to change the beam direction from left hand lane driving to right hand lane driving on the continent,[/quote]

I don't know if that question is aimed at me but I don't know the answer to that one.

[Denis O]

Anyone who knows really Sonny

[X5Sport]

Edited - only the latest generation BMWs have no adjustment, or Dealer only adjustment. Certainly on my X6 the light units are so buried in the front wings that they are almost impossible to get at without some major disassembly! Xenon HID beam patterns used by the current BMW Projector Type System are called the 'European/American' type which does not have the 'wedge' of light up to the left (on RHD Cars) but instead has a slightly stepped but otherwise flat beam pattern. There are no adjustments required on the latest models' units, or at least no references to such in the Owners Manual. Reflector type lights will still need to be adjusted, and also use different HID bulbs (D2R - Reflector) which have a paint dipped tip for anti-glare as against D2S (Standard) which don't.

Non-OEM units may not use the same beam pattern so may need levers/adjustments. If you're fitting to existing lamps though, the levers should be fine.

[Denis O]

OK. Ordered the Astra Kit from HIDS Direct so look forward to fitting it in due course.

I have to say that HIDS Direct have been exemplary. I had ordered some H7 MTEC bulbs from them last year which turned out to be rubbish. They refunded everything without question and have been equally good with questions on the HID kit.

I've dealt with HIDS4U and now HIDS Direct and even if the prices were not so good from Direct I'd still deal with them for their superb customer service.

[storminmike]

[quote=""Denis O""]OK. Ordered the Astra Kit from HIDS Direct so look forward to fitting it in due course.

I have to say that HIDS Direct have been exemplary. I had ordered some H7 MTEC bulbs from them last year which turned out to be rubbish. They refunded everything without question and have been equally good with questions on the HID kit.

I've dealt with HIDS4U and now HIDS Direct and even if the prices were not so good from Direct I'd still deal with them for their superb customer service.[/quote]


did you ask them to throw in some (split) bulb clips

ps....by far the hardest bit of install will be making a hole in the backing plates...and it's not hard to do if you have a spade drill bit or similair. Stanley kife to remove burrs from hole and chop a bit of the ridge across the back out of the way

big enough for the plugs to go through
small enough that the grommet doesn't fall through

don't touch the bulbs with your fingers either

I'd be wary of leaving the cap off too for very long risking moisture and steaminess effects. Was a pain on the e36...dunno if these lights suffer but it was warm when I did mine

[sonnyred]

[quote=""storminmike""][quote=""Denis O""]OK. Ordered the Astra Kit from HIDS Direct so look forward to fitting it in due course.

I have to say that HIDS Direct have been exemplary. I had ordered some H7 MTEC bulbs from them last year which turned out to be rubbish. They refunded everything without question and have been equally good with questions on the HID kit.

I've dealt with HIDS4U and now HIDS Direct and even if the prices were not so good from Direct I'd still deal with them for their superb customer service.[/quote]


did you ask them to throw in some (split) bulb clips

ps....by far the hardest bit of install will be making a hole in the backing plates...and it's not hard to do if you have a spade drill bit or similair. Stanley kife to remove burrs from hole and chop a bit of the ridge across the back out of the way

big enough for the plugs to go through
small enough that the grommet doesn't fall through

don't touch the bulbs with your fingers either

I'd be wary of leaving the cap off too for very long risking moisture and steaminess effects. Was a pain on the e36...dunno if these lights suffer but it was warm when I did mine[/quote]

The split bulb clips are included with this kit

[jbutterfill]

[quote=""Denis O""]One last question from me on this. Once you've changed to the HID's do the levers still work to change the beam direction from left hand lane driving to right hand lane driving on the continent,[/quote]

Yes they work fine, just done it to mine as going to France on sunday

[redz]

igot a response that the 50w supervision kit is the correct one! lol

[storminmike]

[quote=""redz""]igot a response that the 50w supervision kit is the correct one! lol[/quote]


link?

[redz]

http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/hid-kits-5 ... p-279.html

[storminmike]

[quote=""redz""]http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/hid-kits-5 ... p-279.html[/quote]


Cheers....that's the one I linked earlier....now is 50w nearly 40% better than my 35w....who knows as it will be almost impossible to measure I guess

Hmmmmm....I wonder if I could upgrade the bulbs on my 35 w kit or perhaps the ballast is different???

Be interesting to see when you get it what the ballast says

[redz]

fitted today in a little under an hour..

no warning msg/noise and pretty easy to do.

Best upg i have done so far!