Anyone had any experience with these lights or carbon upgrades?

[hilts uk]

http://www.umnitza.com/index.php?ma...rch_in_description=1&keyword=maserati&x=0&y=0

The LED lights look good value.

Here they are fitted

https://www.facebook.com/MaseratiGr...pcb.1506436779612876/1506436736279547/?type=1

 

[safrane]

Try Maserati life, the US site as members there have fitted them. You will need to remove your own and split the units open.

 

[hilts uk]

Try Maserati life, the US site as members there have fitted them. You will need to remove your own and split the units open.

Thnaks. Have you fitted HID's or do you have xenons already?

 

[CraigWaterman11]

how can I help?

What do you want to know about them? I put them in a few years ago. No need to go to ML, I am also a member right here on this forum which I also really appreciate. I think I can give you any pointers that you need, including wiring.

I purposely paid for these because of the durability, and waterproof nature they have. They are more expensive than other brands, but I went for quality. Once you see how hard it is to split these lights without tearing them up you will be glad that you did so......on that note I should add. If you don't know what you are doing to split the lights you are either going to destroy the lenses or you will always have condensation in them.

I have had these in for two years now without a flicker. I have them wired to my side marker lamps so I can light them when the park lamps come on. I included the photo below to show you how bright they are in broad day light with the sun shinning on them. You could use them for running daylights if you wanted, they are that bright.

The second photo is to show you what they look like before installation. They need to be centered correctly, or you will have a gap around them.

The third photo is at night with NO head lights that's just the LED rings.

The last photo was before I put the face lift bumper on. Again the headlights are not on.


As far as durability they are advertised being hit with a hammer and then thrown into a bucket of water. I can attest they are that durable. Again even in the winter time they always have lit so far.

 

[hilts uk]

Many thanks, just to make sure I understand these are not replacements for headlights but sit around the headlamp bulb and act as running lights? Sorry for the stupid question. I have normal halogen lights and they are really poor and I am looking at my options. I have bought some Philips HID lamps but I am now not sure they will pass an MOT in the UK

 

[safrane]

Re HID and MOT.

HID must conform to EU regs for them to be fitted as a factory item. This includes self leveling and wash system.

Aftermarket units SHOULD be the same but the MOT still has not caught up...and many cars are now moving to full LED.

 

[CatmanV2]

Many thanks, just to make sure I understand these are not replacements for headlights but sit around the headlamp bulb and act as running lights? Sorry for the stupid question. I have normal halogen lights and they are really poor and I am looking at my options. I have bought some Philips HID lamps but I am now not sure they will pass an MOT in the UK

Running lights.

C

 

[safrane]

Thnaks. Have you fitted HID's or do you have xenons already?

HID was the only extra that was none negotiable for my three Maser purchased

 

[outrun]

I've had a few chats with these guys..

http://www.headlightretrofits.org.uk/

They're experts in breaking lights down properly and designing what you want into them.

Maybe they're of use?

 

[hilts uk]

Thanks all. I've been looking into the issue of MOT and HID's and I think its not totally clear. It seems that some places say if you dont have a wash / level facility then its a fail but others say that they will only test these things if they are installed.

Here is the official MOT guidance which contradicts many of their statements about washers / levellers
http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s01000701.htm

The bigger issue seems to be beam quality and whether if it is safe to use them.

 

[outrun]

I've had 2 cars with aftermarket HID kits installed (993 turbo and VW Touareg), neither had any MOT issues. I think it's a bit like worrying about the very unlikely.

 

[hodroyd]

Still a very grey area with the MOT, if the beam is set accuratley I think they just pass the car and don't seem to bother about levelling or washers..?? Saying that you would probbaly get some MOT station who had just had a visit from an inspector and he would carry everything to the enth degree and fail it..??

 

[zagatoes30]

As Robert says a very grey area, there are lots of cars running round with aftermarket HID conversion that don't meet the MOT regulations (levelling and wash) but I don't know of anyone to date who has had a car fail an MOT because of them.

But that might change

 

[hilts uk]

Here is the text from the MOT guidance

Vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) or LED dipped beam headlamps may be fitted with headlamp washers and a suspension or headlamp self levelling system. Where such systems are fitted, they must work; however, it is accepted that it may not be possible to readily determine the functioning of self levelling systems. In such cases, the benefit of the doubt must be given. Headlamp washers may work in conjunction with the windscreen washers (when the dipped beam headlamps are switched on) or by a separate switch.

Seems to clear to me that you can fit HID's without washers etc but if you have them they will test them if they can.

 

[hodroyd]

Sounds about right to me..!!

 

[MAF260]

As Robert says a very grey area, there are lots of cars running round with aftermarket HID conversion that don't meet the MOT regulations (levelling and wash) but I don't know of anyone to date who has had a car fail an MOT because of them.

But that might change

I wish they'd fail the tw@ts that fit HID bulbs to halogen reflectors and blind oncoming drivers! That's about as annoying as the idiots who insist on driving with their fog lights on everywhere!

 

[Ian3200]

I wish they'd fail the tw@ts that fit HID bulbs to halogen reflectors and blind oncoming drivers! That's about as annoying as the idiots who insist on driving with their fog lights on everywhere!

I have fog lights on because my dip beam is THAT bad!

 

[CraigWaterman11]

I think these are more designed for sport lighting than driving at night. They will light the road in front of you but I would not use them for replacing headlights.

Being in the U.S. I think the rest of the guys in the UK are more qualified to tell you about MOT.

If you plan to use aftermarket HID lighting.I would use AC digital ballasts. I have always had issues with DC ballasts, even when I used antiflicker capacitors. In cold weather they really have a difficult time.

Self leveling.......not sure if you are speaking specifically about the solenoid within the headlight that calibrates your headlamp when you turn it on, bouncing the beam. I will tell you an interesting fact about them in the early model 4200's for the U.S. They left them unplugged.
It's something someone suggested to me when I modified the lights. If you reach inside our headlamps the plug is sitting there from the factory. You need to plug it in. Now every time I turn on my headlamps the beam goes down then up like it's supposed to. But originally it did not. Why they did this I will never know, or if it's like that in the UK I don't know. You can check though.....at night, when you turn the headlamps on does it bounce the beam towards the ground and then level back to normal or does it just turn on like a normal head lamp?

 

[CatmanV2]

UK ones should bounce as well. The push rod on the wishbones are prone to corrosion, but only cost a few pounds each.

C

 

[safrane]

Yes the rods on the wish bone compensate for acceleration lift and brake dive.