is there anyway to make the mk4 escort headlights more HID friendly such as projector type lights? i have hids on mine now but they just dazzle so have taken them back off

Thanks

 

as of the 1st of jan HID's without auto leveling and washers became illegal and fail the MOT so just get yourself some good bulbs.

 

Not strictly true mate, the rules now state if they weren't fitted they can't be tested, nothing to say you couldn't fail them on having a poor beam pattern as its all over the place. Had in in depth conversation with my MOT tester at the weekend there about it as I had read the new rules!

P.s please don't do it to an RS turbo. It's just wrong imo.

 

i did my refresher course recently and it was understood that HID had to have one or the other fitted but i agree reading the MOT bible new rules it really states what paul said its not very clear at all so i will get in touch with vosa and find out for sure

 

Yeah that is the impression I got when I read about it, bit of a contradiction on the old rules.

 

New rules say cars with HIDs MAY have washers and or self levelling systems and if they do have, they must work. It doesn't say they must have them.

Before the new rules were published, there was talk of HID equipped cars having to have a washer system, self levelling lights or suspension and that the light units must specifically designed for HIDs. They also said that when switching from dip to main, the dip had to stay lit. This would have outlawed the H4 bi-xenon systems.

I have a feeling that they intended to implement these points but have worded it so badly that they have ballsed it up. Win for us folks who have fitted aftermarket HID systems!

 

Ive got aftermarket HIDs, they are a massive improvement and after some minor adjustment they will be fine in terms of dazzling oncoming cars!

 

is that adjustments as in pointing the headlights more downwards?

 

Just to update this section thier has been some confusion over what passes and fails in the HID lamps new criteria. I posed the question to vosa and this is the official reply (shortened)
HID lamps that are above 2000 lumens have to have a washer or self leveling system to be legal
those below 2000 lumens do not require any cleaning or leveling system to be fitted
As the MOT test does not have any way of measuring light output, Vehicles fitted with the washer or leveling devices are presumed to be above 2000 lumens
and vehicles without, are presumed to be below 2000 lumens and do not require any washer or leveling devices.
so home fitted HID kits will be presumed to fall into below catagory and would pass ( with advisory ) not needing any devices to be fit

 

Nice one Jan!

Yeah by adjustment i meant angling them down a bit!

 

i've never seen a HID conversion on any car that doesn't dazzle. i was followed on the m25 by a seat ibiza that had it done and i was being dazzled in broad daylight so god knows how bad it'd be at night!


in my honest opinion i think they are a waste of money and really do nothing for older cars like rs turbos. they just look chavvy so why bother? money is better spent else where in my opinion like on the brakes or suspension.


regards

Tom

 

So seeing where you are going at night time doesnt rate highly on your priority list?

Since fitting mine i seldom use my full beam, as the spread of light goes so much further... Do new cars, mondeo's merc's and BMW's dazzle with their factory fit HIDs? No because they are aligned properly. Just because you've seen 1 or 2 cars with poorly fitted HID kits it doesnt mean they are all bad and pointless!

Think about it, they project the light further and have a wider spread of light than standard bulbs so at the same beam angle they will dazzle, if you spend some time to align them properly, using the proper equipment if available then they will project light further along a required beam path, therefore allowing you to see further. Also they are a crisper white light, which brings things to your attention sooner than the off white/yellow light produced from standard bulbs!

 

mate say what you like, fact is they look shit and the beam pattern from a standard reflector is no where near that of standard bmw, merc, whatever else you want to mention. the fact is rst's were never designed to run hids and as such they just don't work correctly.

oh and i can see fine at night thanks very much. if you can't i suggest you slow down a bit so you have longer to react to events as they unfold

 

each to thier own as we say no point in argueing about it thiers a lot of mods i don't like but then its not my car so its all down to personal choice at the end of the day

 

Lol @ Homer J, "Fact is they look shit" What you mean is, in your opinion they look shit...
Why would i bother making my car faster to then slow down?

Like Jan says, each to their own. The FACT is if they didnt improve your vision at night there would be no point in manufacturers making them, in either OEM fitment or aftermarket...

 

really? the fact is aftermarket ones are designed purely to improve vision not make money? i hardly think so mate. each to their own. go ahead and fit them if you so please. i'll steer well clear thanks mate.

 

I have thank you and you do that...
At the end of the day we all own our own cars, and its what we do to them that make them our own personal projects.