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[Simon270172]

Are those DEPO aftermarket units any good or should I just keep polishing the old ones every 9 months or so?
I do a good job and they come up crystal, but even with Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited's fitted they're not what I'd consider good.
Mine are the original type with the wedge pattern in the lens not the projector ones, is it worth spending 100 notes on aftermarket projector type units or would I be better putting it the tank?
Cheers,
Simon

[Simon270172]

I do seem to remember reading on here years ago that the original units were deemed poor even when new.
Simon.

[joff]

I put a Depo HID on the MV6 today. £94 off the bay of flea

[alank46]

You do not say what age your car is, but I have a pair of mini-facelift HID headlights with bulbs and ballasts.  These are the original fitment lights on the Elite spec cars.  £80 the pair.

[lee4206]

In my opinion they're s**t every one I've fitted has either been a poor fit, poor beam image or failed to adjust correctly. ( I've fitted quite a few to all different makes of car ).
I think you would be better off polishing them like you are or upgrade to the projector type.  If you still want to replace with the same type I'd get hella ones if you can.

[05omegav6]

Buy the cheapest Depo ones you can, and strip them for parts, using the new lenses to refurbish your existing lights and be sure to fit a set of aluminium adjusters whilst you're at it

Just be aware that pre and post facelift lights are a slightly different shape

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Heard nothing but 'ok' or 'bad' about the Depo lights, as it goes  And when you look at what £s you can get a good used pair for, and if you really want, strip them down and repaint he insides to 'Depo-ise' them, not worth the money, imo.

[Simon270172]

You do not say what age your car is, but I have a pair of mini-facelift HID headlights with bulbs and ballasts.  These are the original fitment lights on the Elite spec cars.  £80 the pair.

Its a '97 fitted with the very first type lights with H1 bulbs. I don't think my car would be suitable to your headlights unfortunately, thanks all the same.
Simon.

[Simon270172]

In my opinion they're s**t every one I've fitted has either been a poor fit, poor beam image or failed to adjust correctly. ( I've fitted quite a few to all different makes of car ).
I think you would be better off polishing them like you are or upgrade to the projector type.  If you still want to replace with the same type I'd get hella ones if you can.

Hi, that's exactly what I'm worried about, spending my hard earned for no appreciable gain.
I was looking at buying the projector ones made by DEPO as a potential upgrade to my original hellas, sorry if I didn't make that clear. Would they be better than what I've got fitted or would it still be a waste of time?
Simon.

[alank46]

Simon
Your car is a preFL.  The PFL and MFL cars used the same shape headlight, so my lights would fit and they are the later and much better projector lens type, factory fitted with HID bulbs.  I bought them to go on my 96 car but sold the car before fitting.
Alan

PS Just to be clear, the FL headlights are a different shape to the PFL/MFL ones.  The original equipment HIDs are the way to go in my opinion.

You do not say what age your car is, but I have a pair of mini-facelift HID headlights with bulbs and ballasts.  These are the original fitment lights on the Elite spec cars.  £80 the pair.

Its a '97 fitted with the very first type lights with H1 bulbs. I don't think my car would be suitable to your headlights unfortunately, thanks all the same.
Simon.

[Simon270172]

Buy the cheapest Depo ones you can, and strip them for parts, using the new lenses to refurbish your existing lights and be sure to fit a set of aluminium adjusters whilst you're at it

Just be aware that pre and post facelift lights are a slightly different shape
[/quote
Would that work? being that mine have patterned lenses and the Depo ones are just clear .
My thoughts were that the reflector design is crap to begin with and the lens issue just highlights the problem.
At the moment my lenses are beautiful and look new, and as I said in the first post I've got nightbreakers fitted, but even so I might as well be using a davy lamp for all the good they are .
Simon

[Simon270172]

Alan,
As I understand it projector units take standard type halogen bulbs and HID units are something all together different again. When I said my car wasn't suitable, I should perhaps have said is not fitted with the self levelling gear I thought was required to safely use HIDs. Then again I may be wrong about that, and I know that HIDs give out a lot more light so may be a route to consider .
Cheers Alan,
Simon.

[TheBoy]

Get some projectors from a breaker, and clean them up

[biggriffin]

Alan,
As I understand it projector units take standard type halogen bulbs and HID units are something all together different again. When I said my car wasn't suitable, I should perhaps have said is not fitted with the self levelling gear I thought was required to safely use HIDs. Then again I may be wrong about that, and I know that HIDs give out a lot more light so may be a route to consider .
Cheers Alan,
Simon.

Only needed if factory fitted hid, retro fitted doesn't need it or washers.

[MonzaGSE]

Depo/tyc lights are worthless in my opinion. Have come across quite a few omegas fitted with them, and they dont fit as well as original, there is often poor connection to the car wiring, and the overall quality is crap. Plastic gets brittle and cracks fast. I bought a new pair of hella original projector lamps(not xenon) to my 94 estate. The difference in light was really huge from the original 94 lamps. Stay away from depo. Just my two cents:)