Xenon bulb change

[iaincherry]

Hello all. Apologies if this one's been posted before. Front nearside xenon bulb turned a funny purple colour yesterday, and today faded out completely. Audi want £93+VAT+fitting ( ouch! ) to change the bulb, but have also said that it's very unusual for xenon bulbs to go - and it's more likely to be the headlight unit (£450+the+'s). They have also said that I shouldn't attempt to fit the bulb myself because of the high voltage etc etc...? So,

- what do you make of the dealer's feedback &
- do I really have to pay a dealer to change a bulb...?

Cheers, Iain

[MarkB]

I would do it myself. Depends on how confident/competent you are doing the work...

[dr_wimpkins]

This has been covered recently:

http://www.rs246.com/index.php?name=PNp ... ic&t=56481

[iaincherry]

This has been covered recently:

http://www.rs246.com/index.php?name=PNp ... ic&t=56481

Thanks doc

[kevinw]

Bought my bulbs from this fella, fantastic value, excellent service.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0034298990

[iaincherry]

Thanks. But I'm confused now - xenon bulbs seem to range from £9.99 (ebay) to £115 (Audi). There has got to be a difference between them in performance, surely? Also, the genuine stock bulb (looking through the front of the lens cover) seems to be much bigger - almost the size / shape of a small domestic bulb, which is different to all the other cheaper versions I've seen...?

Gone for a half way house - ordered the audi stealer version & will fit myself i think

[iaincherry]

Thanks. But I'm confused now - xenon bulbs seem to range from £9.99 (ebay) to £115 (Audi). There has got to be a difference between them in performance, surely? Also, the genuine stock bulb (looking through the front of the lens cover) seems to be much bigger - almost the size / shape of a small domestic bulb, which is different to all the other cheaper versions I've seen...?

Gone for a half way house - ordered the audi stealer version & will fit myself i think

[Dr-Al]

Also, the genuine stock bulb (looking through the front of the lens cover) seems to be much bigger - almost the size / shape of a small domestic bulb, which is different to all the other cheaper versions I've seen...?

You are looking at the projector lens when you look at the front of the headlight. The actual bulb sits behind this.

[dr_wimpkins]

I think the £10 bulbs are not real xenons. A search for HID might be more accurate, kast time I looked the cheapest was about £65 (poss for a pair).

I wouldnt spend much less than that.

Also you can get different colours or 'temperatures'

standard is 6000K I believe, the higher number you go, the fancier the colour, but the less the overall useable output.

[stimp]

I've got a bulb out as well. Sometimes it will blink on in the morning, flash rapidly and then no more. Just changed the bulb which took about ten minutes but still no joy. Can I buy a discharge unit anywhere or has anyone got any damaged (facelift)headlights I could salvage the bits from. I also got bulbs £28- a pair from that chap of ebay. They are identical to the one I took out. Unfortunatley I still have no lights.

[kevinw]

Iain

I think the cheaper bulbs you are referring to are Xenon effect bulbs (H7 fitment). You need to get the D2S fitment, which is a genuine xenon bulb. The Philips website is a good help.

[stimp]

I bought the D2S bulbs as per KevinW link:-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0034298990

Top bloke, arrived the next day. All of the numbers are the same as the one I replaced. These ARE the ones you need.

[kevinw]

Stimp

Might be worth a look, although description is not too pleasant (broken!!):
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Genuine-Audi-S4-X ... dZViewItem

[stimp]

Hi Kev, I saw those but they are for prefacelift. The ballast unit for the later cars is in the bottom of the light. Got it all to bits so currently looking for a suitable alternative unit.