Hi,

My first thread in this group - hello to all

I'm currently researching a new A3 as my next company car. The base
model will definitely be a 2.0TDI SE, but I'm currently deciding what
options to have. Obviously, in an ideal world I'd have them all, but I
doubt they're gonna go for that, so I have to decide what's most
important.

I've always thought Xenons would be nice to have, but they're rather
pricey just for "better headlights". I can't say I've ever found
standard headlights wanting on any recent car I've had, so are Xenons
really worth the money, or would I be better of using the cash
elsewhere.

All opinions welcomed, TIA
--
Toby

 

I can't believe teh brightness & coverage on my wife's 325i. Wen laying out
over $25k for a car, what's another $500 for better, safer night vision?

 

"Jimmy G" <jimmyg50@***.net> wrote in message
news:FdU1b.9843$Qy4.5246@fed1read05...
> I can't believe teh brightness & coverage on my wife's 325i. Wen laying
out
> over $25k for a car, what's another $500 for better, safer night vision?
>
>
Toby, I retro fitted my Xenon's/HID and they are amazing trust me, it's easy
to do, if you dont get them as standard

Ron

 

"Toby Groves" <news@iconia.org.uk> wrote in message
newsFTJ4uALGAS$EwRB@iconia.org.uk...
> Hi,
>
> My first thread in this group - hello to all

Hello, yourself )

> I'm currently researching a new A3 as my next company car. The base
> model will definitely be a 2.0TDI SE, but I'm currently deciding what
> options to have. Obviously, in an ideal world I'd have them all, but I
> doubt they're gonna go for that, so I have to decide what's most
> important.
>
> I've always thought Xenons would be nice to have, but they're rather
> pricey just for "better headlights". I can't say I've ever found
> standard headlights wanting on any recent car I've had, so are Xenons
> really worth the money, or would I be better of using the cash
> elsewhere.

I had doubts, which were swiftly removed once I had a car that had them.
It's no so much the coverage of the light pattern, more the colour - you get
excellent definition of the road ahead, making it much easier to see what
your approaching on (e.g.) minor roads.

Enough so that switching continually between dipped and main beam becomes a
lot less important.

The difference isn't the same as when switching from 55/60 sealed-beams to
halogens, but it /is/ readily apparent to the driver.

--

Hairy One Kenobi

Disclaimer: the opinions expressed in this opinion do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the highly-opinionated person expressing the opinion
in the first place. So there!

 

"Toby Groves" <news@iconia.org.uk> wrote:

> I'm currently researching a new A3 as my next company car. The base model
> will definitely be a 2.0TDI SE, but I'm currently deciding what options to
> have. Obviously, in an ideal world I'd have them all, but I doubt they're
> gonna go for that, so I have to decide what's most important.
>
> I've always thought Xenons would be nice to have, but they're rather pricey
> just for "better headlights". I can't say I've ever found standard headlights
> wanting on any recent car I've had, so are Xenons really worth the money, or
> would I be better of using the cash elsewhere.

I don't know how new A3 lights are, but the older one was crap!

When I replace my 1998 A3 with a new A3 last year I had Xenons fitted
and described it as 'driving in daylight'

Try a test drive at night, I know, difficult in August


W

 

Peter Bell <peter@bellfamily.org.uk> wrote in message news:<900107274c.peter@iyonix.earley.fourcom.com>. ..
> In message <pFTJ4uALGAS$EwRB@iconia.org.uk>
> "Toby Groves" <news@iconia.org.uk> wrote:
>
> > I've always thought Xenons would be nice to have, but they're rather
> > pricey just for "better headlights". I can't say I've ever found
> > standard headlights wanting on any recent car I've had, so are Xenons
> > really worth the money, or would I be better of using the cash
> > elsewhere.
> >
> > All opinions welcomed, TIA
>
> The improvement offered by xenon lights is very marked - the Bi-xenons
> on my current car are even better than the dipped-only xenons on my
> previous car.
>
> Whether they are the best value for you probably depends on how much
> night driving you do on country roads, and how 'enthusiastically' you
> drive in such circumstances. I wouldn't want to be without them.

I was able to get a set of Stock S4 xenons with levelling motors,
ballasts and bulbs, different components from different sources, for
about US$600, which I believe is about 40% of retail at an Audi
dealer. (Not necessarily 40% of the option cost, but 40% of buying
the parts from a dealer). You have to keep looking and be patient.

I don't have the levelling system sensors, just the motors. I have
been tweaking the headlight aim and alignment so as not to blind
oncoming drivers. I have never been flashed by someone thinking my
high beams are on.

If anyone knows of a source for a manual levelling system (i.e.,
perhaps a servo switch to control the levelling motors manually)
please post here. I'd love to set up my car that way.

Has this thread really been around since 1/17/2002?

 

Peter Bell <peter@bellfamily.org.uk> wrote in message news:<d4f09b284c.peter@iyonix.earley.fourcom.com>. ..
> In message <ad68da8c.0308270711.3fc423af@posting.google.com >
> avantium@munich.com (Avantium) wrote:
> > Has this thread really been around since 1/17/2002?
>
> No, this thread appears to have started with Toby Groves' post on 24
> August 2003. There may well have been previous postings with the same
> subject header.

Actually it was not so much a question but a statement of disbelief.

This thread *has* been around since that Jan 2002 date. Look at this
thread on the Google presentation of this newsgroup rather than your
Usenet mail server.

Cheers.

 

In message <ad68da8c.0308290628.3de8ed64@posting.google.com >
avantium@munich.com (Avantium) wrote:

> Peter Bell <peter@bellfamily.org.uk> wrote in message
> news:<d4f09b284c.peter@iyonix.earley.fourcom.com>. ..
> > In message <ad68da8c.0308270711.3fc423af@posting.google.com >
> > avantium@munich.com (Avantium) wrote:
> > > Has this thread really been around since 1/17/2002?
> >
> > No, this thread appears to have started with Toby Groves' post on 24
> > August 2003. There may well have been previous postings with the same
> > subject header.
>
> Actually it was not so much a question but a statement of disbelief.
>
> This thread *has* been around since that Jan 2002 date. Look at this
> thread on the Google presentation of this newsgroup rather than your
> Usenet mail server.

Very strange! I wonder what criteria Google uses to tie these two
separate sets of postings together.

Toby's post on 24 Aug has a different Subject line ('Xenons' instead of
'XENONS'), and has no References header. There is absolutely nothing
to tie Toby's post to those two posts in January 2002. Unless you have
some other evidence, other than the fact that Google has decided to
link them, I am convinced that these are two entirely independent
threads, and Google is messed up.

--
Peter Bell - peter@bellfamily.org.uk

 

In article <d4f09b284c.peter@iyonix.earley.fourcom.com>, Peter Bell
<peter@bellfamily.org.uk> writes
>In message <ad68da8c.0308270711.3fc423af@posting.google.com >
> avantium@munich.com (Avantium) wrote:
>> Has this thread really been around since 1/17/2002?
>
>No, this thread appears to have started with Toby Groves' post on 24
>August 2003.

It was indeed, and many thanks to all those who've replied, I think I'll
try hard to get the Xenons if I can.
--
Toby