Are xenon headlights illegal in South Africa

BMW's ultra premium Laserlight headlights on the 7 Series are beautiful. No way they're illegal, so blueness can't be a metric used to determine such things.
 
Bryn said:
BMW's ultra premium Laserlight headlights on the 7 Series are beautiful. No way they're illegal, so blueness can't be a metric used to determine such things.
Click to expand...

Are they pretty blue or are they white?

Blue lights are illegal on a non police vehicle...
 
supersunbird said:
Yes, but this bulb needs to be in special reflectors for xenons (you know the shiny stuff in the headlight), different focal point and all that.
Click to expand...


The ONLY way to produce xenon lighting (effect) is by 1. Buying a car with factory fitted HID headlights or 2. Retrofit the HID headlight.
 
Nicholas Lisse said:
You can't put Xenon lights into Halogen reflector. That's not only illegal, because you blind oncoming traffic, it also doesn't improve your lights, at all.

Xenon needs a lens to focus the lights. Normal reflectors just bounties lights all over the place.

Get yourself Siemens globes. I'm running the OSRAM nightbreaker unlimited for the past 18 months, no problems.
Click to expand...
How much of a difference did those globes make over stock?
 
I drove my sister in her car to the pharmacy last night and oncoming cars kept flashing me. I started to get really irritated and she told me it is because they think I have the lights on bright because the car apparently has Xenon lights. If a car came with Xenon (she actually had to have the one replaced last year at a astronomiacal cost) and the lights are not legal as per this thread, then what? Why did BMW replace it with Xenon if it is not legal here? :confused:
 
Ockie said:
I drove my sister in her car to the pharmacy last night and oncoming cars kept flashing me. I started to get really irritated and she told me it is because they think I have the lights on bright because the car apparently has Xenon lights. If a car came with Xenon (she actually had to have the one replaced last year at a astronomiacal cost) and the lights are not legal as per this thread, then what? Why did BMW replace it with Xenon if it is not legal here? :confused:
Click to expand...
Xenons are legal. Illegal installations are not.
 
Xenon has reached the end of its life and cars now come with LED lights
 
Shubz26 said:
I recently changed my car headlights to xenon types as I was tired of constantly having to replace the original halogen bulbs. I was pulled over by a police officer who said that the lights were not allowed as they were too blue. He even threatened to mark my vehicle as unroadworthy because if this. So what is the story here? Everyone is selling and promoting these headlights but are they even legal?
Click to expand...

I'm guessing here you fitted a ****ty conversion of the bulbs only in an original halogen reflector housing...in which case yes it's very illegal. Or you even ****tier you didn't really fit Xenons at all.

If you did the proper full beans conversation then it's perfectly fine.
 
Ockie said:
I drove my sister in her car to the pharmacy last night and oncoming cars kept flashing me. I started to get really irritated and she told me it is because they think I have the lights on bright because the car apparently has Xenon lights. If a car came with Xenon (she actually had to have the one replaced last year at a astronomiacal cost) and the lights are not legal as per this thread, then what? Why did BMW replace it with Xenon if it is not legal here? :confused:
Click to expand...

The driving headlights on these fancy vehicles can generally be adjusted up and down by a button or roller, she probably has it adjusted up to the highest level...
 
Last edited:
Ockie said:
I drove my sister in her car to the pharmacy last night and oncoming cars kept flashing me. I started to get really irritated and she told me it is because they think I have the lights on bright because the car apparently has Xenon lights. If a car came with Xenon (she actually had to have the one replaced last year at a astronomiacal cost) and the lights are not legal as per this thread, then what? Why did BMW replace it with Xenon if it is not legal here? :confused:
Click to expand...

Does she have the optional high-beam assist option? Should not blind people as it adjust the lights for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDWV6j7R86c
 
Gtx Gaming said:
Does she have the optional high-beam assist option? Should not blind people as it adjust the lights for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDWV6j7R86c
Click to expand...

mmm. I am really not sure. I am not all that familiar with her car. It is a Mini Countryman S. She told me to put it on bright as we turned into a residential street with no cars coming. It was like fcking daylight.

I have to say, I also hate those lights as someone that has been blinded on many occasions. It really is not pleasant being on the receiving end.
 
I think what most people have a gripe with is people who retrofit HID "Xenon" kits into halogen bulb headlight fittings. These fittings are not designed to distribute the high intensity of xenon correctly, thus dazzling oncoming traffic.

You will notice that cars equipped with xenon lights will have a round shroud (looks like a crystal ball) in the headlight which is what focuses the xenon beam properly. They can be retrofitted to halogen housings (a few friends have done so successfully) and the result is much better then simply fitting the hid kit and dazzling everyone.
 
Ockie said:
mmm. I am really not sure. I am not all that familiar with her car. It is a Mini Countryman S. She told me to put it on bright as we turned into a residential street with no cars coming. It was like fcking daylight.

I have to say, I also hate those lights as someone that has been blinded on many occasions. It really is not pleasant being on the receiving end.
Click to expand...

Best bet would be to check in the Mini owner's manual as to just how the height of the Xenon headlights can be adjusted upwards or downwards electronically (if available).

My Indica has a dial to the left just below the steering wheel with settings from 0 to 3, 0 is for driver only (highest setting) and 3 is for 4 passengers and luggage (lowest setting), your Bolt should have the headlight adjustment on the right-hand stalk that operates the head-lights, which also has 0 to 3 settings (highest to lowest)..

Tata Bolt - Headlight Levelling.jpg
 
Ivan Leon said:
Best bet would be to check in the Mini owner's manual as to just how the height of the Xenon headlights can be adjusted upwards or downwards electronically (if available).

My Indica has a dial to the left just below the steering wheel with settings from 0 to 3, 0 is for driver only (highest setting) and 3 is for 4 passengers and luggage (lowest setting), your Bolt should have the headlight adjustment on the right-hand stalk that operates the head-lights, which also has 0 to 3 settings (highest to lowest)..

View attachment 456968
Click to expand...

Ooooooo what does this button do!? lol

lightbeam.jpg

I will play around with it tonight. Will look in my sister's car for something similar.
 
Ockie said:
I drove my sister in her car to the pharmacy last night and oncoming cars kept flashing me. I started to get really irritated and she told me it is because they think I have the lights on bright because the car apparently has Xenon lights. If a car came with Xenon (she actually had to have the one replaced last year at a astronomiacal cost) and the lights are not legal as per this thread, then what? Why did BMW replace it with Xenon if it is not legal here? :confused:
Click to expand...
It's possible the beams are not aligned properly.

I manually adjust my beam to light up the road a little more. Sometimes I get on-comers going wild, I readjust a little lower thereafter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter