MK5 Golf Xenon OEM Headlights

[First VW]

Hi Guys,

As I found it really difficult to get a golf with Xenon option in WA, what are the options I have to go for aftermarket? I looked at TMTUNING, it cost 2100USD for the oem conversion kit, including the switch.

[faisan]

You cannot fit any aftermarket Xenon kit that will be legal.

It is also almost impossible to retrofit OEM HID parts and have the lights legal. The biggest issue apart from cost would be the headlight washers.

[Maverick]

You cannot fit any aftermarket Xenon kit that will be legal.

It is also almost impossible to retrofit OEM HID parts and have the lights legal. The biggest issue apart from cost would be the headlight washers.

And the two sway bar sensors as well. Swapping the light housings to the bi-xenons and the wiring work required is big enough, start having to get bumper inserts sprayed and fit the new washer bottle, run the sensor back to the controllers and so on and it becomes a multi day job or longer if it's the first one you do.

Best thing you can do is to upgrade the globes to a better quality globe.

[First VW]

I didn't know that. Heaps of thanks guys.

[Greg Roles]

I'll second that a set of better bulbs, and even some 70 watt fogs over the stock 50-ish ones makes quite a difference. Not Xennon, but a pretty easy upgrade! Buy overseas, here is rather expensive!

[gregozedobe]

My preference for better halogen globes is Philips X-treme, but they don't make a H1 fitting, so for H1's I'd recommend Osram Night breaker.

Neither give the claimed +80% or +90% improvement in most headlights, but are noticeably better. I have heard that they don't last as well as the stock globes for some people. Being the std wattage, they are perfectly legal, don't overload your wiring and don't increase the dazzle for oncoming vehicles.

As Cogdoc says, look at overseas suppliers for the best price (just remember to add in the freight cost).

[comfortline]

Whatever you do, stick with the standard wattage. 90/130's may work in old falcons and commonwhores but in the golf the canbus will go mental.

My preference for better halogen globes is Philips X-treme, but they don't make a H1 fitting, so for H1's I'd recommend Osram Night breaker.

Neither give the claimed +80% or +90% improvement in most headlights, but are noticeably better. I have heard that they don't last as well as the stock globes for some people. Being the std wattage, they are perfectly legal, don't overload your wiring and don't increase the dazzle for oncoming vehicles.

As Cogdoc says, look at overseas suppliers for the best price (just remember to add in the freight cost).

[Russ59]

Depending on how difficult they would be to wire in, would a decent set of driving lights be an option I have a pair of Hella's that I wouldn't mind fitting to the Golf but I'm not game to go near the wiring on these things

Russ

[richardnau]

My preference for better halogen globes is Philips X-treme, but they don't make a H1 fitting, so for H1's I'd recommend Osram Night breaker.

I have Philips X-treme Power in my Mk V GTI: H7 globes in both high and low beams. I find them to be noticeably brighter.

Best place to buy seems to be Powerbulbs -- www.powerbulbs.com. They are in the UK. Currently 20% off Nightbreakers (I have bought a set to use when the Philips globes fail), and shipping is free to anywhere.

[dodgey]

You cannot fit any aftermarket Xenon kit that will be legal.

It is also almost impossible to retrofit OEM HID parts and have the lights legal. The biggest issue apart from cost would be the headlight washers.

It is possible. It's just expensive. Kufatec sells the washer kits as well as the autolevelling kits. Lots of online shops sell the OEM headlights, or you can do something like the Hella Dynabeams which comes with it's own autolevelling system, so you only need the washer kit.

Also note that in the Philips range, only the Vision Plus, and Blue Visions have ADR approval. Crystal, Diamonds, X-Treme, and even the Osram Nightbreakers are not ADR approved (Although they are all DOT and ECE approved)

So technically, they are also illegal, even though they actually help you...

[Greg Roles]

You CAN run higher wattage in your fogs though, my 70W's have been fine, no melting, as the guys on the USA sites have indicated, but go over this and you'll melt plastic according to the reports. They add nicely to your lighting out of town, mountains etc. although I'm not a fan of fogs on "just to be cool" around town.

[Maverick]

You CAN run higher wattage in your fogs though, my 70W's have been fine, no melting, as the guys on the USA sites have indicated, but go over this and you'll melt plastic according to the reports. They add nicely to your lighting out of town, mountains etc. although I'm not a fan of fogs on "just to be cool" around town.

I'd buy the projector ones instead, they're around $129 (USD) delivered from parts4euro.com

[gregozedobe]

Also note that in the Philips range, only the Vision Plus, and Blue Visions have ADR approval. Crystal, Diamonds, X-Treme, and even the Osram Nightbreakers are not ADR approved (Although they are all DOT and ECE approved)

So technically, they are also illegal, even though they actually help you...

I'm guessing the ADR 51 standard (filament globes) is functionally the same as the ECE R37 standard (but wasn't able to track it down definitively in a quick search).

So you are saying that ECE R37 is NOT accepted (in Oz) as meeting the ADR 51 standard ?

And we wonder why everything in Oz costs much more than the equivalent (or better) goods sourced overseas !!!!

I dislike being illegal even on minor (non-functional) documentation-type technicalities, but sometimes you've just gotta make an exception.

[Greg Roles]

Yes, yes, give in to your anger...come to the dark side Dobie....

I find it hard to imagine I'd ever get in trouble for my Nightbreakers, which are another 10-20% at best. Hardly going to blind the RTA guy...

[dodgey]

I'm guessing the ADR 51 standard (filament globes) is functionally the same as the ECE R37 standard (but wasn't able to track it down definitively in a quick search).

So you are saying that ECE R37 is NOT accepted (in Oz) as meeting the ADR 51 standard ?

And we wonder why everything in Oz costs much more than the equivalent (or better) goods sourced overseas !!!!

I dislike being illegal even on minor (non-functional) documentation-type technicalities, but sometimes you've just gotta make an exception.

Functionally and engineering wise, I would doubt there's any difference between ECE and ADR. Heck, if you read through the ADR specs, some parts are taken word for word.

In this case, it just means that that particular item has not been submmitted to get ADR approval. (Probably because it costs money, and we are too small a market) So yes, it can be argued that something that is ECE compliant is not ADR complaint in Australia, no matter how silly that sounds, and how stupid it actually is. It is just a technicality. (Just like ISO-FIX stuff)

As mentioned previously, personally, I think this is just stupid and as you mentioned, sometimes, you gotta make an exception (Considering, Xtremes, and Nightbreakers are much better than the stock bulbs)