£157 for a Xenon headlight ?!?!?!?!?!

[Shaun!]

Just bought a clio 172 51 plate and the passenger side is dipped on normal driving lights (replacement bulb needed I assume?) phoned 2 of my local renault dealers and they want £157 + vat. They're having a laugh surely?

So I've had a look on ebay, and have found a couple of options (see links below) but I have a couple of questions to ask you guys as this is my first renault

here they are :

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Renault-Clio-...14&_trkparms=72:1683|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

and

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=230328906145

Now my questions are :

first of all will they both fit my car? (both the adverts state they are straight replacements?)

How easy are they to fit? the dealer said I had to pay them for 2 hrs labour (£100 + the bulb cost of 157+vat) as they had to remove the bumper to do it?

And finally, those auctions offer different "Colour Temperature". what does this mean?


Many thanks for your expertise people, from a very happy new 172 owner

 

[AK]

Colour temp basically means what colour light the bulb emits.

See above

 

[Shaun!]

Oh I see. So are all the options in those auctions legal? and will they pass an Mot ?

 

[AK]

Unsure about MOT's mate..
i presume if you've got projector headlamps then they will pass an MOT?

 

[Shaun!]

Sorry to appear really dim whats a projector ehadlamp? its just a standard Xenon lamp needing a new bulb I assumed ?

 

[joebristolgym]

Thought that if you got them too purple they could be illegal tbh.

Think the standard colour ones are fine - bright white with a tiny hint of blue at times.

I can't believe a bulb takes 2 hours to change on a 172...

 

[Shaun!]

Does anyone know if those bulbs in the ebay links will be fine and fit ok? (As long as I dont go silly bright ?)

 

[JCC]

Yes they fit fine. You should be fine legally with any colour 8000k or under. The standard Renault colour is 4300K.

 

[StevieP]

Should take about 20 minutes, if that. Bumper off, light out, replace HID bulb, fit it all back. JD.

The ones in those ebay ads look fine. I would go for the normal 4300k ones, they are bright enough and have a bit of a blue tint anyway. Do a search on here for it you'll find some older threads that will tell you more.

 

[Shaun!]

thanks guys, I just weren't sure whether either of the auctions would fit given that there was such a price difference compared to what the dealers wanted? I.e £157 ???

Do you really think I'll need to have the bumper off? seems a poor design if so (but its so much fun, whoc cares anyway )

 

[JCC]

On a 172/182 it's usually a bumper off job. On my car it's a 5 min job changing bulbs - the advantage of having a tiny 1.2 engine

 

[AK]

if you have small enough hands u might be able to do it without takin the bumper off?

agreed about the 1.2 engines! good for one thing lol !!

 

[StevieP]

You might be able to get into the back of the offside headlight if you don't have fat hands! But then you've got to get the bulb out and back in which is a bit fiddly as they are quite delicate. Think there is a bit more room behind that one, the nearside headlamp has aircon pipes behind it.

oh yeah it is a poor design, but then it IS French :S

 

[Shaun!]

so just to confirm, Im ok with either of those auctions and we thihnk up to about 800k?

 

[StevieP]

yes, and anything between 4000k, up to 8000k. standard is 4300k.

 

[AK]

.

 

[Shaun!]

one of the renault dealers tried to say to me it might not be the bulb, apparently they have some sort of balast/power pack and it could be that. What on earth is one of them? and could it be this ?

 

[StevieP]

it could be but i doubt it. its a metal unit i don't know what it does but only the xenon lamps have them. they are screwed to the base of the headlamp unit itself. when my xenon bulbs have gone its usually the bulb, the units seem pretty solid.

 

[Shaun!]

Yeah thats what I figures, just the Stealer trying it on I reckon. I'm well tempted to go with the 10000k bad boys, but think I may regret it if I get pulled or fail an MOT ? decisions decisions?

 

[StevieP]

The higher the K number, the further from white you are actually going, so that might put a strain on your eyes whilst driving at night. Also, bear in mind, to light up darkness, you need WHITE light, not purple or blue!

 

[Shaun!]

Cheers for that, I've done a search and actually been reading a thread that described exactly what you just said. Seems the general opinion is that 600k are the best for extra light and colour? Would you agree steviep ?

 

[JCC]

It could well be the ballast that has gone. I'd swap over the good bulb with the bad one and check first if it's actually the bulb that has gone. So you know, the higher up the K you go, the less light the bulb actually puts out.

6000K are about the best balance between look/light output, but I've got 8000k more for looks than light.

 

[Shaun!]

its only done 60,000 miles. Are these things so cheaply built that its fubar' d after just that milrage? lol

 

[JCC]

its only done 60,000 miles. Are these things so cheaply built that its fubar' d after just that milrage? lol

It's french, things fall off before you leave the forecourt.

 

[Shaun!]

haha. Im begginging to find that. Bloody cheap Tat (bloody "fun" cheap tat)

jsut found these also, would they fit? (£10 cheaper as well !!)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/D2S-6000K-Xen...14&_trkparms=72:1683|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

 

[StevieP]

Yeah good idea swap the bulbs over to see if the ballast has gone or not before buying a new pair of bulbs. the ones on that link should fit yes.

 

[Shaun!]

awesome. thanks for your help fellas !

 

[jack_davey]

I got mine from ebay, been in there a couple of months, no problems at all, as good as OE quality too

 

[Shaun!]

Jack, are yours 600k or what? whats your opinion on which ones to get?

 

[l18m me]

Dont make my mistake and pay out for new bulbs when its the ballast that had gone Id do as stated and check yuor other bulb on the side thats gone out and find out matey.

 

[Shaun!]

ok, maybe I shall do that then. How much is the ballast if thats fooked then ?

 

[BioHzrd]

if you have Projector Headlamps and no higher than 6k youll pass an MOT you could prob pass with 8ks but that be a slim chance!

 

[Shaun!]

cool thanksf ella. whats a projector ehadlamp? sorry to appear dim

 

[JB]

You should be able to replace the bulb without removing the bumper. I had to replace a sidelight and managed it in a halfords car park, in the dark, with my girlfriend holding the torch. I'm no pianist either.

 

[JCC]

You should be able to replace the bulb without removing the bumper. I had to replace a sidelight and managed it in a halfords car park, in the dark, with my girlfriend holding the torch. I'm no pianist either.

Sidelight yes, headlight no.

 

[maximinimus]

if you have Projector Headlamps and no higher than 6k youll pass an MOT you could prob pass with 8ks but that be a slim chance!

Depending on how much of a jobsworth the MOT tester is OFC as any aftermarket HIDs are illegal unless you replace the whole light unit