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Don't get a Passat, get the M. You won't be disappointed.
I still have to concur with the last FAQ which asks "is HID legal" and the answer posted is "...please check with your local authorities on questions of legality when purchasing...
FWIW, I'm not trying to be a wet blanket on this project, actually I think it's great that you've arranged a super deal for members to enjoy the benefits of HIDs. I'd just hate to hear of any negative repercussions afterwards, slight as the possibility may be.
Man oh man!! See what happens when you ASSUME!! It's all your fault for not asking the right questions. Must be harder to open synthetic oil cans, thus the higher labor charge! Like I said- WHAT will they surprise you with next?
Christine II??? How soon we forget? beach15 had Christine II. I know you meant to say Christine III! ;-))
fastdriver
PS I THINK the "priest" left the priesthood AFTER doing the exorcism on Christine! ;-))
Sounds like a good deal if I could stomach sitting around Wal-Mart - and the culture shock - while they change my oil;)
The only retrofits I know that are DOT approved are the Sylvania XENARC retrofit systems where you get a compete headlight and bulb assembly.
If a bulb is DOT approved it will be clearly labeled. If the maker waffles about it then it isn't.
Silver
I'm not saying my 5* is unsatisfactory, but a little more of that kind of proactive attitude would make me feel more like a valued customer. Carl Sewell is a famous local dealer for many different makes (Lexus, Infinity, GM, etc.)and he wrote a book called "Customers for Life". Sewell has a reputation for going the extra mile to help customers with problems. People pay a premium for their cars, but have a secure feeling about after-sale service.
Silver
In case you aren't aware of it, NHTSA has been drowned by complaints about glare from all the various lights being use on vehicles. Fog, auxiliary and HID. They've been taking public statements by mail and internet for several months and will be holding hearing on this subject shortly.
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/rulings/glare.html
Don't be surprised if there are changes in the lighting laws as a result. One obvious one may be making sales of non-conforming aftermarket lighting illegal.
I'm hoping they'll change the outdated lighting standards but this is the U.S. Government we're talking about so I don't hold out much hope.
the engine speed sensors failed twice but it was an easy fix under warranty. Even without warrany it would be pretty inexpensive.
Also my A/C started acting up right before the lease ended. Probably there was a leak somewhere. I just refilled the A/C refrigerant a few times, did not feel like taking it to the dealer to find and fix the leak.
Other than that - no problems.
Unlike my current Honda-based product that required a complete transmission replacement after 6,100 miles, which took a couple of weeks to complete during which time I enjoyed the "loaner" rental Dodge Stratus.
Needless to say, I won't be one of the 20 who will be retro fitting their Ms with HIDs.
-vman......squinting at night
OEM headlight assemblies will have DOT approval so no issue. 300 Specials are definitely legal.
>Is this more of an issue in Canada? (wire2)
Probably not. Although I have seen the local police stop a car with the HID wannabees that go blue to green to orange as they pass. He was given 48 hours to replace them or face a ticket for non-white lights.
The most likely scenario of a problem would be after a serious accident, when cars involved are gone over with a fine tooth comb.
How's the new car holding up? Do you like it?
drpixel-
Been thinking of you and the Mrs. How are you? Hope things are improving for both of you.
sdmike2-
How's the new job? As good as the old one? WHAT in the world are they SMOKING out there? Did I hear of ANOTHER kid that was kidnapped out there? Man, this is nuts!
fastdriver
If folks are not concerned about the legality of throwing HID bulbs inside inappropriate housings, then they should at least be concerned about blinding other drivers. Even if the chances of you being "caught" are slim, the chances of you causing an accident are pretty good.
Check out this site: http://lighting.mbz.org/
Dan Stern shines some common sense about automotive lighting.
This is just my 2 cents....not trying to rain on anyone's parade......
Stop by and see us. http://www.300mclub.org/chat.htm
After reading the link toms99 provided I'm doubtful of the Eaglite HID retrofit. Keep in mind this is the same outfit making those "bad" blue bulbs. It's been noted here already that the Eaglites have a tendency towards early death so a concern about quality is in order.
The big gotcha, as I see it, in HID retrofit to lights made for halogens is control of glare. The reflectors just aren't designed to contain the glare causing component of HID's.
I also erred in saying DOT "approved" earlier since DOT doesn't approve anything but set's performance standards. The term compliant is more correct.
I think that HID's will become more regulated, but not eliminated. Too many car manufacturers have spent a lot of money on these already, hence there will be too much lobbying out there for the government to get rid of them. (except maybe some local gov'ts)
I personally think they're wonderful. Since Halogen bulbs are still around after years of people complaining of them, I'm sure HID's are here to stay as well.
I wouldnt alter the bulbs or lighting setup of the LH cars unless you want to do the full conversion to factory oem HIDs. Using HID bulbs in the standard reflector setup is inviting problems with glare as well as possibly failing vehicle inspection. But that is just my opinion. I would be curious to see results of the conversions mentioned. But I myself do not see the need to convert.
Hopefully they can work on standardizing windshields with processes to eliminate the glare. I have little knowledge in this area, but if they can create sunglasses that eliminate glare without eliminating natural daylight, they should be able to do the same with windshields.
Personally, I've never had a problem seeing the road with standard headlights when driving at 75 mph at night. And, after 40 years of driving, my eyes ain't what they used to be!
The issue most of us are talking about isn't the OEM, approved lighting. It's the aftermarket bench engineered retrofit kits that might do more harm than good if installed.
Well, that inncodent has stuck with me all these years and even though I'm sure the salesman doesn't work there any more, I will never ever ever ever ever buy a car from that dealer.
-vman
My LTD just passed 2000 miles and I still love it. It is stylish, the trunk is CAVERNOUS, and it cruises very comfortably (I still think it has one of the most attractive cockpits of any car on the road). The engine in smooth and peppy, although I think it would benefit from variable valve timing, as it is pretty gutless in the bottom half of the rev range.
I've decided to tolerate the stereo and unfortuantely, I collected a few scratches and dings on the trunk lid when the tech installed the covert siren and strobes. Otherwise, it is flawless.
I do have a short list of issues that I'll bring to the dealer when I get the oil changed at 3000 miles:
* Driver door speaker grill buzzes.
* Rear passenger side door panel buzzes on textured roads (only 1st thing in the AM for about 10 minutes).
* Drivetrain has a slight vibration felt in the gas pedal when loping below 1800 RPM.
Overall, it is a wonderful car that offers the performance, style, and comfort of imports costing thousands more. I would be pleased to own one myself.
Glad it's treating you ok. Not sure what they can do about the buzzing door. They've had that problem since 1999. They'll probably change the setup in 2004 when the new models come out. I think the US Govt. has a lot of these cars because of their size. I sometimes see them on the news when they show cars going in and out of the White House. What else falls into this size category- Ford/Mercury? That wouldn't do with their gas tank problems.
"I collected a few scratches and dings on the trunk lid when the tech installed the covert siren and strobes. Otherwise, it is flawless."
I would have slapped the cuffs on him so fast!! ;-)))
Man, WHO ever said that Japanese cars were reliable??? After ONLY 18 months and 18,000 miles, I have my first problem- a water leak on the passenger door side, wetting the cloth on the speaker from the bottom up- about 1/2 inch! We have had no rain for months, but today we got it all at once! ;-)) It poured buckets!
I immediately drove to the dealer to have them check it out. They took it right in and looked at it. Since it was close to 4:30 PM, they said that they would need it for a day or so to see exactly where the water is coming from. They ruled out the drain for the moonroof. Since I'm going away for the long weekend, I told them that I would call them next week to make an appointment. They said that they would give me a new Acura-TL to drive. ;-((( Bet it won't even be an S type! Imagine. Everyone thinks these cars are so reliable. Mmmm.... seems more like "perceived" reliability to me!
Have a safe weekend.
fastdriver
http://www.manassaschrysler.com/Chrysler/290023.html
2003 Concorde Limited:
http://www.manassaschrysler.com/Chrysler/280013.html
2003 Concorde LX:
http://www.manassaschrysler.com/Chrysler/280023.html
http://www.playboyscramble.com
-vman
;>)
Silver
I see Daniel Sterns name has made it to the list. He's grumbled over many of the lighting mods I've done to my car over the years. But also helped me with some. He is the one who recommended the Daytona stock fog lights for my reverse lights.
Anyway, I wanted to share what I know about HID conversion systems. I emailed a company once, about such a kit. They were kind enough to go as far as measuring how far the "arc" of the bulb is from the mount. Result is, the "arc" is in the position of the "high" filament of a standard H4 bulb. That means it wasn't going to work for me. I suggest someone asks how they compare to the standard bulbs for the 300M as well.
You mentioned making a glare reducing windsheild like they do sunglasses. This was done back in the 1950 or so. They polarized the headlight lens one direction, and the windshield of another car, in the opposite direction. Anyone with a digital watch and polarized sunglasses can tell you what happens. The display on your watch goes black due to the opposing polarities. In the case of the headlights, they look like they have a strong tint on them. They still light up a bit, but are very dark.
Why did they drop this idea? Mainly cost. But also, as you may imagine, it was very distracting, moreso than a set of HIDs coming toward you in a sea of Halogen.
Rick/Geezer300M