gordie1979

Hi guys my wife has a Mk4 GTI and her standard lights are crap. Just wondering what lights you guys with Mk4 R32's have in your cars. Cheers.:biggrin:

  Slapbladder

you will need to buy mk4 r32 xenon/HID headlights which are NOT cheap and also install the headlamp washers/r32 bumper! If you don't and use one of these HID upgrade kits from ebay etc which will not pass the MOT.

  DWolfUK

My previous cars have all had aftermarket HID kits and they all passed without issues. my dads car also has these kits and has passed MOTs. I know they are supposed to fail but most arent bothered.

If youre going to be installing them yourself then go for a projecter light (Ive used FK ones on my previous mkiv gt tdi) and fit an aftermarket hid kit. As you've fitted the kit yourself it will be easy to just stick standard halogens in should the MOT tester have an issue.

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  OllieR32

My Mk3 show car had HIDs in and went through loads of MOTs no probs. As long as the beam pattern is ok they aren't too bothered. As dwolfuk said if they're that bothered put normal bulbs in for the MOT.

I've generally found the independent MOT places to be more lenient on the MOT than the main dealers, you often get an advisory but they still let it through

  DWolfUK

Ive never even had advisory's. they even had to adjust them on one of my cars with aftermarket HIDs and didnt say anything.

Im guessing they dont bother as it is a simple job to swap the bulbs over and they would then have to pass it eitherway knowing youre gonna change them back as soon as you leave.

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  gordie1979

thanks for the input guys. But im still a little puzzled. This HIDS are the whole new headlamps or just the bulbs. Its really just the bulbs i am looking to upgrade. Cheers.

  blistex

Is it possible that gordie's wife has a mk4 gti with factory option hid's and he wants to change the bulbs? Were they an option on the gti?

  DWolfUK

the hids ARE just the bulbs. but if used in a reflector housing (the standard halogen type) may get you noticed by the police and as they are reflectors they tend to dazzle other road users. The police will likely ask you to change them with a fix it ticket. If youre going to do it you should do it with projector housings.

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  DWolfUK

nope lol. no HIDs could be classed as crap. Halogens are crap by comparison though hehe.

He has xenons, she doesnt hence why he said they were crap

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  blistex

Sorry I didnt explain myself properly. Is it possible that the gti had the same lights as the R fitted as an option from the factory? ie the same set up as ours? and all he wants to do is put better bulbs in?

  DWolfUK

i dont think it was an option on the GTI. but i didnt know it was an option on the 4mo either untill somebody told me.

Im 99% sure he means upgrading from halogen to xenon otherwise they would be the same colour, light output as his mkv. unless he upgraded his in which case he would already know the answer.

Hopefully he will let us know either way hehe

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  blistex

Slightly off topic and sorry for hijacking gordie, but if Im correct in what you meant from your post, then you might be interseted in the answers to this.
Can the bulbs on ours be changed for ones that are bluer? What I mean is that I think that our ones are 4000k, and the bluer lights you get on mercs etc are 6000k ( excuse my ignorance here as Im going from memory, which isnt good on the best of days)....... anyway back to my point, if ours are 4000k, can we replace them with 6000k bulbs? or will the ballasts not be able to handle them?

  DWolfUK

Ok the colour on mercs & bmws is a common misconception - they are ALL 4200k as this provides the safest night time driving. If you see an R oncoming next to a merc they will look identical.

As the bulb temperature increases you get less usable light and more dazzle for oncoming traffic.

The different colour bulbs will all work in the factory lights (D2S or D2R fitting). Yes the higher temperatures look nicer close up (5000k more white 6000k slight blue tint and 8000k deepish blue tint) but using higher temp bulbs WILL make vision worse. I upgraded mine to 5000k as i felt they were a good comprimise but i did notice the difference when in an .:R convoy with the others lights reflecting more off other cars and signs etc.

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  blistex

dwolfuk, thanks, a very good explanation and good to get your first hand experience of changing them. i think i will leave well alone then.

  TwoCollieForThirty

They can fail you if your not emitting enough white light. Like the ones that are almost purple but not for the normal colours.

I bought a set off ebay too and the quality was superb. They were 6000k and i fitted them to my 25th Anniversary when i had it. It passed the MOT's no probs and they were really good.

The R's are factory 4300k or something like that and look much better than my old 6000k i had in the Anni.:biggrin:

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Loads of mods but i cant be arsed to type them...........oh but its got a 3.2 V6!