Headlights

ModifiedMadness · Post by **ModifiedMadness** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 3:00 pm

Does anyone know how much the Xenons cost if they go, mine are still working but after just phoning Audi for my dad, I thought I'd check.

A new Xenon Bulb for an A4 Cab is Â£96 + Fitting which gave a total of about Â£160 I think. Is the GTi about the same?

JWC · Post by **JWC** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 5:59 pm

I can get the philips and osram oem bulbs for about 80 quid/pair

Try this guy http://www.hids4u.co.uk/product_details.asp?id=8

He is always happy to do anything he can to help. Suggest you buy HID's in pairs as they age differently. I have the 4,300K ones listed here in the GTi lights. They start off very blue, but end up a pleasing bluey pinky white depending on how you look at them.

He has stupidly blue ones, but 4,300k and 5000K are the brightest, the cheap non approved 6000K are not as bright and the 8000K are dimmer still. On top of that your eye is most sensitive at 4500K.

Del_GTi · Post by **Del_GTi** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 6:53 pm

The Xenon bulbs are actually designed to last the life of the car. In theory you shouldn't have to replace a bulb.

Unless it gets smashed or they start letting in water.

PhilGTi · Post by **PhilGTi** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 7:21 pm

Yeh they are supposed to last 25 years i heard.

ModifiedMadness · Post by **ModifiedMadness** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 8:48 pm

Don't know why there's has gone then, it's an 03 plate, so they haven't been used that long.

JWC · Post by **JWC** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 9:05 pm

Their lifetime is shortened dramatically by power cycling, switching on when they are still hot is a no-no, basically, you need about 3 minutes between turn off and on, and they don't like being turned on at all, so they would last forever if you never turned them off.

They can fail for a number of reasons, such as the ballast not regulating the voltage correctly, rough handling before fitting or even a manufacturing defect.

I have seen one that exploded in the most spectacular way spewing molten steel and glass all over the inside of the unit which needed to be replaced.

They should last more or less forever, but in reality they won't and usually replacing one will result in a funny missmatch in their hues.

ModifiedMadness · Post by **ModifiedMadness** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 9:08 pm

Im suprised actually that they have the yellowy looking ones, still mine are better

thing is, at about Â£320 for two to be replaced I don't think they'll mind a mis-match