[s-cars] Lighting poll - McCullough HIDs vs HIR bulbs

[Dave Forgie]

Sean:  I can't disagree with your list.  However, to put it in context,
can you provide any costs (for the things you know about)?  I think the
e-code lenses are now about $120 a pair.  The HIR bulbs are about $25
each and the McCullough HID kit is about $200 (requires minor wiring).

Dave (in Vancouver with SNOW!! but without snow tires mounted on his S)
F.

>>> "Sean Douglas" <quattro20v at telus.net> 11/26/06 10:46AM >>>


> -----Original Message-----
> From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:s-car-list-
> bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of chris chambers
> Sent: November 26, 2006 9:37 AM
> To: Dave Forgie; s-car-list at audifans.com 
> Subject: Re: [s-cars] Lighting poll - McCullough HIDs vs HIR bulbs
> 
> > Sean D. may disagree but I think, for the money, the McCullough
HIDs
> > with the Euro lenses are VERY close to the factory HID set up, at
> > least
> > to my eyes.  Certainly, for the cost difference versus the
lighting
> > difference, personally, I can not see a reason to go beyond the
> > McCulloughs

I'd say that the HID kit (McCullough et al) with the e-code projector
*and*
lens is probably very close to the factory HID setup. I say probably
because
I have not seen a side-by-side comparision. And besides just looking at
a
beam pattern on a wall is not a fair test. It would take a test drive
on a
dark road (subjective) and some kind of objective light measurements.

The projector is responsible for 90% of the beam pattern, the lens is
just
for fine tuning. If you put a HID kit in a DOT projector, the amount
of
light is increased, but the quality (focus) is not.

In my opinion, from best to worst:

e-code OEM HID
e-code halogen projector (H1) and e-code lens with HID kit
DOT halogen projector (900x), e-code lens, HID kit
DOT halogen projector (900x), DOT lens, HID kit
DOT halogen projector (901x), e-code lens
DOT halogen projector (901x), DOT lens
DOT original stock

For the price, Dave, I agree. The OEM HIDs are crazy expensive, last
time I
checked was about 2 years ago and they were over 2000 euros. Albeit
that
included the motors and clear markers too. I was lucky to find a set
on
ebay.de for about 800 euros. The other downside to the OEM ones are
that if
a bulb fails, the replacement is like 400 euros - ouch!

Sean D. - OEM HID with leveling motors and clear markers