Improved lighting

[TheSebringOne]

These seems like a good upgrade without any more mods (wiring/fuses). I know some guys here had the full HID system JDM type, but thought these might be cheap option (4.95+3.45 p&p) to give improved visibility with the onset of Autumn!? Anyone tried em to improve the X's rather poor pre 02+ lights?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Honda-NSX-1991-xenon-40-bulb-HB3-with-free-501_W0QQitemZ130049068476QQihZ003QQcategoryZ10386Q QrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

[dan the man]

for that sort of money i cant see them being amazing.

Nothing will be as good as HIDs or xenons.

My DC5 was so good at night, i miss those HIDs :(

[gsuds]

Hmm - the "before & after" photo shows a LOT more than 30-50% improvement...:no:

There are Phillips bulbs around at present, apparently a lot better than than average "blue light upgrade" according to the muttering rotters...

...but yeah, you're better with an upgrade kit.

G

[Senninha]

Nothing will be as good as HIDs or xenons.

My DC5 was so good at night, i miss those HIDs :(
My S2k OEM set up was by far the best I've ever had. I have the upgrade on the NSX which is better than OEM, but no S2k.

[TheSebringOne]

I knew they were far too cheap to be of any real improvements. Paul, so you have the HIDs upgrades then? Would you say visibilty has improved by 25% or more or less? I thought after market HID systems can fail MOTs? Thats no real surprise the OEMs on S2K are better as its a much newer car model. My partner had Xenons on her 225 TT, they were amazing and now they standard on the humble mini hatches, like Clios! No justice!

[gsuds]

James,

Percentage improvement difficult to say; subjectively they are just better with more natural light colour & better coverage. Mine has certainly passed MoT with HID fitted, they do need to be readjusted after fitting however.

Graham

[dan the man]

James our cars are legal with HIDS as we have headlampo washers.

Also as our lights are projectors the light can be focussed correctly. Reflector lights with an aftermarket HID pack can sometimes be scattery and not very good.

DC5 integra lights are are HIDS but reflectors, but as built for that purpose as OEM work amazingly. But no headlamp washers, BUT everyone still has the HIDS as far safer..

the british car system is a joke.

[TheSebringOne]

Thanks Graham, DTM I did'nt know you're so knowledgable pal on lights and I've just learnt that we have projector head lights! Must be a daft British rule that we can have HID upgrades simply because we have head lamp washers! Madness! How often will we go off road and get mud on them and then use the jet wash to clean em!? :rolleyes:

[dan the man]

its about dirt on the lense being re-angled towards oncoming cars incorrectly. and as HIDS/XENONS are so bright it could cause accidents.

1. WHAT IF WE NEVER WASHED THE LIGHTS ANYWAY?

2. what does that matter when people drive round with fogs on and main beams?

3.only the UK could have a silly rule..

[mart155]

Some interesting points here.
I understand that you did the HID upgrade on my car Dan (previously owned by Paul Williams). Does that mean it will fail the next MOT as she is a JDM without the headlamp washers.

If so, the questions that come to mind are:
1. How easy is it to swap them back to OEM for the MOT. (I have all the old bits)
2. Is it possible to retrofit headlamp washers to a car that doesn't have them.

[TheSebringOne]

Dan man, you are a handyman! I did'nt know you fitted HIDs! Martin, depending on if you have a friendly MOT man, he may pass the HIDs!?

[dan the man]

Some interesting points here.
I understand that you did the HID upgrade on my car Dan (previously owned by Paul Williams). Does that mean it will fail the next MOT as she is a JDM without the headlamp washers.

If so, the questions that come to mind are:
1. How easy is it to swap them back to OEM for the MOT. (I have all the old bits)
2. Is it possible to retrofit headlamp washers to a car that doesn't have them.


No i didnt you must be confused with someone else.

As for MOT they wont even realise, they check beam alignment and operation etc..
But the headlamp washer rule is not in the masses, the MOTS nor the Police check it as probably dont even know or dont have to care.

Its only when a car is imported that the VOSA guys check. It must be a rule in the UK when new cars are sold too as everycar with hids has washers etc.. just look and u will see.

Every DC5 owner uses normal bulbs to get the car passed then swaps back to HIDS after and passes MOT every year so..

and lets face it HIDS are awsome, onb the DC5 they are amzing at night- so much safer.

But if the PC brigade got hold of it they would have DC5s with normal lights and less safe.. idiots.

I dont think an NSX or DSC5 would ever get stopped for having HIDS/XENONS as high end cars and good headlights suit the nature of the vehicle and spec etc..

a 20 year old rusty nova with piercing blue lights set at wrong angle would probably get stopped if u get what i mean..

[Paul]

Some interesting points here.
I understand that you did the HID upgrade on my car Dan (previously owned by Paul Williams). Does that mean it will fail the next MOT as she is a JDM without the headlamp washers.

If so, the questions that come to mind are:
1. How easy is it to swap them back to OEM for the MOT. (I have all the old bits)
2. Is it possible to retrofit headlamp washers to a car that doesn't have them.
The 'Dan' that fitted my HIDs was ... DTA-Motorsport (http://nsxcb.co.uk/testvb/member.php?u=238) ... which I think I remember making a note of on the HID box I passed to you with the original bulbs, orange side repeater covers, etc. ... as far as I recall he is called Dan ... his contact details are in his profile which can be found at the link above ... he's s decent chap and I'm sure would be happy to help, or answer questions etc.

Your NSX went through her MoT in September with the HIDs in place and didn't fail for it ... so maybe it also depends on whether the person carring out the MoT ... is on the ball, easy going, or only worried about the aim of the beam.

As long as you are reasonably good with your hands I suspect that it would be easy enough to remove the HID parts and put the car back to standard OEM spec for the MoT if you really wanted to ... or had to if it fails the MoT on this point in future ... although the HID components that have a heatsink on them (which are attached just behind the headlamp unit) are only stuck down with double sided sticky foam strips if I recall ... this would probably be the most annoying part of changing between HID and OEM setup as it would be fiddly and time consuming to clean off the old bits of sticky foam strips as they would probably not be any good to reuse after removal.

As for retro fitting headlamp washers ... I'll leave that to someone else ... as I haven't got a clue.

HTH

[mart155]

:embarassed: Ooops, my mistake. I remembered they were fitted by Dan and jumped to the wrong conclusion. I shuda checked the box - Doh!

Anyway thanks for the advice dan the man and thanks Paul for putting me straight

[Nick Graves]

There's a lot of this confusion around;

If the car was type-approved with headlight washers for EU, it needs them. JDM S2000s don't have them & still pass the MOT's, because they're SVA'd.

Xenon bulbs will most likely not focus correctly with reflectors; you might as well try relly bulbs & just get glare.

I cannot see a problem of swapping-in a later OEM instal.

I just wish it were that easy on the 'Lude & Civic!

I am so spolied by the S2000's lights!

[Senninha]

I am so spolied by the S2000's lights!
+1, I really miss those lights!

[dan the man]

Xenon bulbs will most likely not focus correctly with reflectors; you might as well try relly bulbs & just get glare.




DC5s are reflectors but designed for HIDs froim the start so focus the beam correctly. barry bots nova with 2ok hid kit does not so gets scatter.

NSXs being projector eyeballs should have no problem in focusing HIds kits etc..