HID Install

[adzify106]

Hi all,

I've got a Passat B6 that has stock 55w OEM Halogen globes for high and low beam.
Anyone know whether I should be selecting a 35w or 55w HID kit to upgrade?

Does 55w OEM = 35w HID ?

Done a Google but cant find anything helpful..


Thanks!

[team_v]

Please be aware of the legalities over installing a HID kit on a non HID equiped car.
There are many costs invovled in keeping it legal which ends up running into the thousands of dollars to have it done right.

Another cheaper option is to use uprated bulbs such as the Osram Rally 65W bulbs.

[adzify106]

Yeah aware of that thanks

[brad]

35W HIDs will produce lots more light than 55w halogens.

I assume that the Passat has projector headlights for the low beam & a reflector for the high beam?

If so then you should only do the low beam as the HIDs don't perform to well as flashers.

It's best to buy non-canbus HIDs and code them out with VCDS.

If you get canbus HIDs (basically a HID kit with an extra resistor) there's a slight possibility it will damage the controller (I can't remember which one).

I'd also recomend you don't go above 6000k. OEM HIDs are 4100k.

2nd best mod I ever did to my Octy. I've had 6000k (very grey/white light) for 4 years. One blew last week and I've bought a couple of 4300k (yellower light) to replace them as I'm trying to get as close to OEM look as possible.

[adzify106]

I assume that the Passat has projector headlights for the low beam & a reflector for the high beam?

If so then you should only do the low beam as the HIDs don't perform to well as flashers.

If you get canbus HIDs (basically a HID kit with an extra resistor) there's a slight possibility it will damage the controller (I can't remember which one).

I'd also recomend you don't go above 6000k. OEM HIDs are 4100k.

Yes you're right projector and reflector setup.

In terms of the reflector and using HIDs in them are you recommending not using them as flahsers because of the warm-up for the globes? I think they've overcome that with the digital ballasts?

Someone on another VW forum recommended these Blesk kits for European models..?
BLESK 6000K HID CONVERSION KIT

Yeah would always go the 6000K kits.. thanks for the info!

[donweather]

2nd best mod I ever did to my Octy. I've had 6000k (very grey/white light) for 4 years. One blew last week and I've bought a couple of 4300k (yellower light) to replace them as I'm trying to get as close to OEM look as possible.

Brad, where'd ya get your bulbs from? Do you have a mk2 occy? vRS or non-vRS? Easy plug and play?

[brad]

Yes you're right projector and reflector setup.

In terms of the reflector and using HIDs in them are you recommending not using them as flahsers because of the warm-up for the globes? I think they've overcome that with the digital ballasts?

Yes, the warm-up. Even with digital quick-start ballasts you're still looking at 1 second until a reasonable level of brightness is available. Personally, my high beam use is 90% flashing at people so I need instant on.

I know nothing about the blesk kit

Brad, where'd ya get your bulbs from? Do you have a mk2 occy? vRS or non-vRS? Easy plug and play?

yes I have a Mk2 Octavia

I got my original kit from HIDlighting.com.au (ARCO Imports). 35w slim canbus ballast & H7 6000k bulbs for $200 in July 2011.

Fitment was plug & play & I changed the VCDS setting to "xenon headlights" even though I didn't have to (apparently). I've since found out at Briskoda that canbus kits can damage the controller but maybe that's if you just plug them in and don't fiddle in VCDS?

A bulb blew last week after approx 1100 hours of use (Scandinavian lights enabled) which i thought was reasonable life. I was going to buy a new non-canbus kit but the stuff on ebay wasn't getting great reviews so i decided to stick with the devil I know. I bought a couple of 4300k bulbs for $15 from an eBay seller in Melbourne. We'll see how they go.

[adzify106]

I dont have access to the VCDS, and I'm not really interested in touching it..

I'd be interested in hearing more about anyone else having controller issues for CANBUS kits. Seems odd that they would design CANBUS kits to fix the flickering and the headlamp-out warning issues but damage the controller? Quick Google didn't reveal anything other than Birskoda.

Briskoda appears to be UK Skoda related and I'm not sure how similar the Skoda Octavia II is to my 2008 Passat?
I'm sure there are plenty of people here in AU that have changed their VW's over to HID's? Anyone gone the non-VCDS coding route?

Thanks again

Are there any other options?

[brad]

All these VW group cars are very similar under the skin. That's why you can get so much car for your money.

[adzify106]

I can't believe there aren't more people that have upgraded to HIDs in their VW's, I guess VCDS coding is the only way to go then..?

EDIT: One other thing that perplexes me is that when I changed my License Plate loom lamp over from Halogen to LED we fitted a 12V load resistor from Autobarn to prevent the warning and also to turn it on (because the VW automatically cuts power to the light if it thinks it has blown).

Is a CANBUS kit not just fitted with a resistor to do exactly the same thing?
One of the guys over at VWGolf.net.au has just upgraded his low-beam's and main-beam's to HID using a regular HID kit and adding on these leads: Low Beam Failure Fix - Resistor Pack ? It looks like they've just fitted some resistor's to the leads to do exactly what we did for the tail lamp light.