Swapping halogen for LEDs

[sabian1992]

Hey guys,

So I've been upgrading my V70 to all LED in the cabin, which has turned out pretty well - definitely much, much brighter and looks much more modern.

Here's a link if you're curious about the difference!

Now... legality aside (as apparently it's illegal to fit LEDs into a housing for halogen bulbs for some strange reason) has anybody upgraded to LED for their headlights? OSRAM do a direct swap bulb that seems to be a plug and play solution for H7 and so on, so I wondered if anybody had and what their experiences were with it?

I'd like to get more light out of my headlights but I don't really want to spend a fortune on Nightbreakers for them to go pop in a year or 6 months as they're prone to doing.

Thanks guys.

[Tannaton]

There's not "strange reason" about it - most LED retro fits for halogen lamps don't work well and some dazzle other motorists and create a danger.

The quality of retro fit kits is improving rapidly but you need to be at the expensive end of the market to get acceptable results.

[sabian1992]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

There's not "strange reason" about it - most LED retro fits for halogen lamps don't work well and some dazzle other motorists and create a danger.

The quality of retro fit kits is improving rapidly but you need to be at the expensive end of the market to get acceptable results.

I was looking at the OSRAM LEDs so I’m guessing that’s what’s you mean by expensive end?

I thought as they were a straight swap they wouldn’t dazzle incoming traffic? They can’t be as bad as those LEDs you get in some cars that are like having the sun strapped to the front of them...!

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by sabian1992

I was looking at the OSRAM LEDs so I’m guessing that’s what’s you mean by expensive end?

I thought as they were a straight swap they wouldn’t dazzle incoming traffic? They can’t be as bad as those LEDs you get in some cars that are like having the sun strapped to the front of them...!

This might be of interest : https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FPcE-fWHmww

[sabian1992]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

This might be of interest : https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FPcE-fWHmww

Very much so, thank you for the link.

I'm even more confused than I was before, but definitely food for thought!

[october37]

I swapped my previous 57reg P3 V70 H7 main beams for led bulbs bought off Ebay, and had no trouble when the MOT was carried out at the Main Dealer.
The lighting was very much better with the led Bulbs and still ok when I changed the car a year later. The Lights on my present XC70 are standard H11 I think, and very compatible to the led ones on my previous V70.

Now 2010 xc70 D5 205 SE Geartronic