mx5cartalk.com

Looks like TRS have 7" sealed beams with Bi-xenon projectors in the works, something for the NA guys to keep an eye on.

Reasonable price also @ $450us



http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151765900351881&set=a.10150185362256881.304039.167001111880&type=1

Dapper lighting also have options I found the other day (through miata roadster)

Their options keep a stockish looking headlight when not turned on. Also good to see the offer left and right hand drive variants.

www.dapperlighting.com/collections/projector-headlights


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I have used TRS in the past and have been very happy with them and their products.

This is indeed good news.

sailaholic wrote:Dapper lighting also have options I found the other day (through miata roadster) Tapatalk

I have these and had no problems, simple to install and the light is fantastic.

Magpie wrote:

sailaholic wrote:Dapper lighting also have options I found the other day (through miata roadster) Tapatalk

I have these and had no problems, simple to install and the light is fantastic.

Haha it was your build list that lead me to them.


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Only issue with the Dapper ones is that the power plug to the balast can be put on two different ways. One works and the other does not. I know this because I thought a balast had failed so got a new one, plugged it in no light. Pulled it all apart tested what could be tested like swapped lights and yes the non working headlight worked on the other balast so blown light ruled out, yes there was power to the dubious balast. Getting pissed off!

Then a look at the plug showed that it could go in two ways. So turned the plug around and bingo headlight worked. I have not tried the suspect balast as I don't want to find out I did not need a new one.

If people want some feedback on the Dapper ones I'm happy to do a review and post the results. I love the light from HID's, however they do need to be aligned correct so they don't blind other drivers. Also as pointed out LHD projector style are not suited for here and will blind on comming traffic.

I liked the look of the gen 2 with the larger projector (larger is always better right?) and the halo Parker that way I could still have Parker's with my TSI.

Price was a bit eye watering though.


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the point is that you cannot always align the aftermarket cheap HIDs correctly because photometrically they are not capable. There is simply no reason apart from fashion to change from a good quality 7 in insert with a equally accurately made H4 bulb- none at all. Those that cannot see the road should spend some money and buy spectacles- there are many drivers who are not legal as far as sight is concerned for driving . A OEM designed HID meets ADR and will perform well and a bonus on some cars but the majority of vehicles still use halogen light sources though the current vogue are projectors. Incidentally the title is wrong- a sealed beam is a fully sealed i.e. all glass insert and the light source is not replaceable. Also if your car has an electrical fire as a result of a dodgy non legal light its not a smart look- as they say "just saying"

I thought that all aftermarket HID installs were illegal in Aus as there are strict requirements under the ADRs for this type of headlight.....
Namely, they must be 'self-leveling' and there must be a washer nozzle for each headlight lens fitted in the bumper.

People with Toyota 86s have been having this problem when installing GTS HIDs in GT model cars without the washers and being defected.

Nev, I believe you are essentially correct, they are not illegal but do require the washers and levels but only for low beam.

High beam lights are not regulated in the same way (ie spotlights).

There is certainly a lot to be said for a good HID light over a halogen globe morlock. The light output for the power draw is far better.

Projectors are just a requirement for HID to control cut offs.


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Nevyn and Sailholic are correct. No one seems very interested in legality but its been around from day one regarding self levelling and wipers- the latter is to avoid dust on lenses which can cause light distortion.
Projectors are certainly a fashion - back in the early 90's these were fitted to Fairlanes etc but were not part of the standard offering on subsequent vehicles. . I clearly remember that the lights were so clinically accurate that the cut offs were like knife blades- light one side and dark the other. The main reason for projectors is that they are a small package. You can get very good control of cut offs with more conventional lights i.e. using a reflector after the Euro model . As an example Territories had a conventional large reflector with low beam and high beam sitting behind the same lenses ( quite conventional). The high beams on those lights are fantastic and nothing wrong with low either. The Escape / Tribute had the same set up but not nearly as good a lamp- much smaller reflector and not as well designed. I agree that a good OEM HID headlamp would be a top light. At one stage these were offered as options on some vehicles but many would not pay the extra. I don;t think Mazda ever offered them here on the MX5.

If you aren't an idiot with 12,000K purple/green/blue globes, and stick to the oem 4200 temperature colour, you won't have a problem fitting HID globes in.

Should go inside a projector housing, as otherwise the light bounces everywhere and blinds other drivers.

Dapper offer a RHD kit, so should be perfect alignment etc.


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As I posted previously I have the Dapper RHD kit and I have had no complaints or flashes from other drivers that the lights are badly adjusted.

my take is that people bandy about colour temperature etc and have not the foggiest notion about what any of it means. Auto lighting is a science and expensive business and back yard operations I doubt either have the expertise or the equipment or know to produce quality products.Thats not to say OEMs do not charge too much for replacements but that applies to nearly all spare parts. Its easy to make claims but not so easy to know that they accurate. Daniel Stern in USA has a "dim" view of cheap HID set ups - easy to google.

I've read Daniel sterns view on hids but the dapper and similar kits are hardly backyard. They have a supplier that makes projector housings, that supplier makes the housing that fit in a housing that looks like a 7" reflector housing and comes with the correct design to account for differences in left and right hand drive.

given how many vehicles use a 7" housing there is a large market for light upgrades using that form factor. Some companies have done the R&d to make a correct housing (which really shouldn't be that hard if your business is making light housings.


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