Bold sport replica MK6 HID Integrated DRL Projector Headlights

[Pld118]

Hi, a DRL thread on this forum interested me from the link to the Bold sport headlight units perspective but also confused me a little, more so when I read the below link relating to someone called spyder from another forum who seems to have bought a set of replica LED headlight units couple of years ago.

I'll bullet point some numbered questions if anyone can please hopefully answer them (didn't want to hijack the DRL thread which seemed more to do with grill mounted DRL's).

1. Are these non Chinese Bold sport 15 LED replica headlights really so well done you couldn't tell the difference side by side with the real deal OE unit?

2.  If so and if buying a pair of these headlights to replace factory halogen units (am I right in thinking that is viable/ the point of such a replica unit?), what HID ballast gives the best performance and nearest to OE look (I would happily use greater than 4300K)?

3.  How does the preferred for the UK market HID ballast mate with the aftermarket headlight unit (can a DIY novice easily do it)?

4.   What items are required to do this conversion and is it all simply plug the HID ballast to the replica headlight unit and then plug the headlight unit in to replace the existing OE halogen headlight unit?

5.   Re lower grill factory fit DRL - I wouldn't want to add any additional DRL in the grille but would want to replicate the way that OE xenon/integrated LED headlight units and other front end lights perform, so how can that be achieved?

6.   Are specialist tools required to get these Bold sport after market headlight units mated with the HID ballasts and to get the lights up and running?

7.   What's VAGCOM and other reference to coding that I keep reading about and if not owning such kit, how much do Indy specialists/ main dealers charge for using their kit, if required with this aftermarket headlight conversion?

8.   What's the total cost of this headlight conversion to ensure it is UK MOT compliant and road legal and done properly?

Sorry for all and any stupid questions and if I've missed an idiots guide somewhere, but they're only stupid questions if you already know the answers to them!

Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction.

Thanks.

http://www.vwgolf.net.au/showthread.php?10123-Product-Review-

http://www.bold-sport.com/store/

[RedHP]

My personal opinion is that you should stay away from replica's especially with HID's. IIRC HID's aren't/won't be MOT legal soon, if not already.
If you're set on LED DRL's then, if possible, spend extra cash on the OEM LED DRL's with Bi-Xenon conversion for RHD vehicles and which comply with our motoring laws.

Red

[golfhappy]

We did the retrofit on my golf. OEM kit from Carsystems pl. Have had a few problems. If you go the OEM route you'll have to install the AFS kit as the lenses point to the left...and i mean way to the left. Good for seeing the cows in the fields.

[RedHP]

We did the retrofit on my golf. OEM kit from Carsystems pl. Have had a few problems. If you go the OEM route you'll have to install the AFS kit as the lenses point to the left...and i mean way to the left. Good for seeing the cows in the fields.

Can I ask why? As you fitted RHD OEM's, shouldn't they fit and function correctly...?
I was contemplating these from the same supplier, hence my queries pal !

Red

[golfhappy]

The headlamps are OEM part number ends in D. They were got complete from Carsystems with bulbs ballasts and AFS motors. The price at the time 999 euro. 2 harnesses were also purchased the ones with the trigger wires. The tech had them fitted and running in 2 hours. We had a problem that the CCEM was a midline, not a highline with the connectors 48 and 49 for the high beam trigger wires. So being desperate i got one from VW dealer at £263. This was coded and all went well until the test drive. He took the car to the garage and set the beams manually. In the dark the projector lenses point way too the left. This is where some people accept due to cost where the retrofit ends. He then said he would finish the job so i bought the AFS kit from Carsystems and he fitted this, comprised off rear levelling sensor, harness and AFS module and 2 headlight harnesses as spares! Programmed up work a treat.
THE ONLY THING IS A BULB OUT ERROR!!!!!  he checked the coding, wiring etc. Sent the coding to Ross Tech, they said Possibly the lefthand headlight. I never had VCDS at the time. I had the 2 spare harnesses made longer so i could run the left hand side to the right if you see what i mean. problem stayed on the left. Swapped the headlights over. Changed the DRL module inside the headlight. still there! swapped the headlight switch for one that hasn't got the auto feature! problem better but still there. Got all long coding off website and stuck them into a spreadsheet checking to see which bytes are possibly wrong! Bought a dongle from Kufatec which has the coding for the retrofit which up loads the correct bytes, another new CCEM with later software. These haven't been used as yet as my VCDS is out on loan. Everything works fine, but you get "check left hand side light" The only thing that seems to keep the bulb out away is to start the car and let the electronics talk to each other and then switch the non auto headlight switch to side lights. Hope that all makes sense. Link to my auto scan..http://www.vwgolf.net.au/showthread.php?20733-Coding-for-the-bulb-error-problem-help-please  WELL YOU DID ASK....and i'm grateful and wait for it to the 2 VW MASTER TECHNICIANS that did the retrofit that lost many a sleepless night, pulling their hair out at the problem...any help welcome

[dubber36]

My personal opinion is that you should stay away from replica's especially with HID's. IIRC HID's aren't/won't be MOT legal soon, if not already.
If you're set on LED DRL's then, if possible, spend extra cash on the OEM LED DRL's with Bi-Xenon conversion for RHD vehicles and which comply with our motoring laws.

Red

Or just accept that it's too much of a ball ache to get them to work properly and make sure that the next car you buy has them from the factory. That's what I'm going to do.

[JayGTD]

I was under the impression that Bold sport no longer sells these headlamps. Do you have a link to them?

[golfhappy]

Looked at the ED35 and i'm a tight b******d on fuel i'll spend thousands on everything else. I'm not too keen on the mk7s. I've learnt a lot tho. Until the retrofit i never knew the canbus existed. Spent youth wiring spotlamps on mk1 escorts into the main beam circuit with a scotch connector and sod a relay

[golfhappy]

Plus there is someone else whom has the same fault on the right hand side. It's one of those things that you've got to get to the bottom of. The next action plan is to upload the coding from the Kufatec dongle, see how the lights work and if it gets rid of the error bulb scan the car and see how the long coding has changed. Then i'll post it on here. Then sleep at night 

[Pld118]

@JayGTD... Bold sport link was at foot of the OP and here it is again:
http://www.bold-sport.com/store/

@golfhappy... As per dubber36, your experience would be an over complicated step too far for me... And the cost, if my arithmetic is correct, seems to be a tad towards the high side.

Thanks for sharing your experience.