Hello! I'm just curious about the idea of fitting a HID lights kit to my 01 XJ8 Sov, and would like to know if this is possible or will the decrotive chrome blade fitted to the inside of the crystal lights prevent the fitting of HID bulbs?

I would like the HIDs because I do a lot of driving on dark country roads, such as Snake Pass between Glossop & Sheffield, and have tried some of the "Super Power" bulbs but found them to be not much better than Standard ones. Thanks Guys! S.

 

An HID kit will fit but the two cars that I know that had this mod required a lot of work to make the HID bulbs fit the existing H7 bulbholders. They do throw out a lot of light but aiming then correctly is also difficult since HID lights were meant to work in projector type and not in reflector type headlight housings.

One of the owners who installed the HID's is very happy with the end result and the other says it wasn't worth all the trouble so.........I assume you tried the PIAA xTreme White bulbs which in my opinion is the only aftermarket bulb that's worth a darn.

 

Thanks For Your Info, the Kit I was looking at is designed to fit into the bulb type socket you have, so it comes ready to fit H7 and you can get H1 too and all the other ones. So the kit will fit with the chorome blades left in place then? Thanks Again! S.

 

The headlight housing itself shouldn't require any modifications, but even if the kit comes ready to fit a H7 bulb, the bulbholders require some drilling and filing from what I've seen. Also the bulbs sit lower in the holder so the headlight need to be aimed again.

 

DO NOT DO IT.

HIDs MUST be in projector housings with cutoff shades, or special reflector housings designed with proper cutoffs built into the reflector design.

Without cutoffs, you can't aim the HID lights properly without spraying a ton of blinding light into other drivers' eyes.

Brutal is a member here who retrofitted projectors into the housings. It wasn't easy and I think he told me he messed up a couple housings. That is the ONLY way you can get HIDs.

 

I did it with NO problems. The install did take some creativity to get the bulbs mounted into the location of the stock ones, but once I did that, they worked great. Have had them over 2 years now with no problems at all. Just my opinion.

 

I'm still toying with the idea to be honest, but I've heard more Worked Good Stories than I have Horror ones. One Idea I'm thinking about is keeping the standard H7s in the Head Lights, but put HID in the Main Beam unit instead because these don't need to point a certain way, just straight ahead so would light up the road great, but obviousy switch to Heads when a vehicle comes my way. Anyone got any photos of a before & after HID swap? Ta, S.