[Ravenswood]

I am after some advice re. Xenon vs conventional lamps on the XF. I am looking to purchase an XF in the new year (probably 2nd hand) and have noticed that most seem to not have the xenon option. As I am used to having xenon's on my present car I have the following questions:

Can xenon's be retro-fitted? Cost?
Has anyone any experience of both conventional & xenon on the XF? i.e. are the conventional ones good enough?

Any information gratefully recieved.

 

[Ravenswood]

Further to my question above I have opened my eye's and seen the thread concerning headlights that answers my conventional vs xenon question pretty completely.

I would still be interested to know if anyone has upgraded to the full xenon units though as the used examples all seem to have the standard lights.

 

[pekem]

Welcome to the forum Ravenswood
It seems that you have discovered most of which you wish to know.
In your last question are you referring to kit similar to the factory fitted Bi Xenon units?

 

[sodgob]

I reckon it speaks for itself... go for the jaguar optional extra of factory fitted xenon & problem solved for life... i soon learned after the pantomime i had without xenon on my previous X type,

 

[XFCAT]

I have Xenons on my XF and to be honest they are an absolute nuisance. They appear far too bright for oncoming motorists (even in the dim daylight) and consequently I am getting flashed ALL the time.

Dealer says he will have a look at them in the New Year.

 

[sodgob]

I think i have heard this comment before, although have had mine for 8 months now & not a problem.
could it be a problem in the setting ???.

 

[Ravenswood]

Thanks for your advice, I think I will try to seek out a used model with xenon's as I do a lot of night driving. Just got to pick the rest of the spec to look for now...........

 

[Shaun]

I have Xenon lights on my car and would be the first extra on any new car as they really help down dark lanes. I have been flashed a few times but I believe this occurs on all cars with Xenon fiited.

 

[flanker]

Just finished a road trip from Iowa to California, significant amount of night driving (it's winter, it gets dark at 5) and I haven't been flashed even once. For those who are flashed, can it be the setting? Or your fellow drivers?

 

[pekem]

Just finished a road trip from Iowa to California, significant amount of night driving (it's winter, it gets dark at 5) and I haven't been flashed even once. For those who are flashed, can it be the setting? Or your fellow drivers?

Warm welcome to the forum flanker
It is interesting that you mention the setting because only recently did I discover the rheostat controlling the mood lighting. I have to say, when I did, the interior was transformed, being so much brighter than hitherto. Wonderful :!:
However, at the same time I discovered the light elevation switch, if that is the correct
term, and thought that it lacked "click stops". Since first finding it I have noticed that the switch required centering again; obviously it had been moved by accident or perhaps vibration :?:

 

[penultimateblack]

Just finished a road trip from Iowa to California, significant amount of night driving (it's winter, it gets dark at 5) and I haven't been flashed even once. For those who are flashed, can it be the setting? Or your fellow drivers?

Since first finding it I have noticed that the switch required centering again; obviously it had been moved by accident or perhaps vibration :?:

Xenon headlamps
Headlamp levelling is adjusted automatically if
Xenon headlamps are fitted, to account for
vehicle load conditions, to avoid dazzling
oncoming drivers.

 

[Steamdreamer]

Pekem, might you feel like saving an old man a few minutes leafing peevishly through the manual and tell him/me where the 'light elevation switch' is? Cheers

John

 

[penultimateblack]

Pekem, might you feel like saving an old man a few minutes leafing peevishly through the manual and tell him/me where the 'light elevation switch' is? Cheers

John

Here you are old chap.

John

 

[pekem]

Pekem, might you feel like saving an old man a few minutes leafing peevishly through the manual and tell him/me where the 'light elevation switch' is? Cheers

John

Well, there you are Steamdreamer, job done by Vapourgrey.
If you have not explored those controls before, hidden away under the dash, you will find the mood lighting control switch, the other wheel in the picture, and if it is presently turned down as mine was, you will find when turned up, it will give your car a new look for the new year.

 

[Steamdreamer]

Thanks, (relatively) young man!

 

[SuperchargedSteve]

For me the Xenons are a must. Excellent light on unlit roads. The Xenons do not have the facility for the driver to adjust the height as they are auto levelling. However when my SV8 was delivered the headlamps were not adjusted correctly and people did flash me. Once the dealer set the lights up correctly eveything was fine. No flashing but well lit roads !!

Regards and happy Xmas to all.

 

[pekem]

I think a distinction should be made between Xenons being fitted by a number of users and adjusted via the rotary switch illustrated above and the Bi-Xenons, as fitted by the factory and adjusted automatically.
Is it thought that the Bi-Xenons are superior in terms of light output?
Also, Service wrote recently that “The biggest and most important difference would have to be the auto adjustment you get on factory fit Xenons. This is important as if not adjustable can be very dazzling.” Is the rotary switch levelling of Xenons not up to the job? I know that zx10ben and rclifford have both replaced their Halogens and, so far, have not reported issues with regard to dazzling other motorists.

 

[penultimateblack]

I think a distinction should be made between Xenons being fitted by a number of users and adjusted via the rotary switch illustrated above and the Bi-Xenons, as fitted by the factory and adjusted automatically.
Is it thought that the Bi-Xenons are superior in terms of light output?
Also, Service wrote recently that “The biggest and most important difference would have to be the auto adjustment you get on factory fit Xenons. This is important as if not adjustable can be very dazzling.” Is the rotary switch levelling of Xenons not up to the job? I know that zx10ben and rclifford have both replaced their Halogens and, so far, have not reported issues with regard to dazzling other motorists.

Definitely far superior. They produce a more intense and even light using high Intensity electrical discharges. HID's also produce ultraviolet together with visible light, which makes reflective signs glow more brilliantly. After market incandescent "xenon" bulbs have normal filaments and are filled with xenon rather than halogen gas for marketing reasons. Some are tinted blue. The 55W "xenon" replacement bulbs I fitted in place of the dull factory halogens were advertised as giving out 60% more light, which I think is a bit over optimistic, but I have never had anyone flash me.
PS. There is no manual headlight adjuster in my bi-xenon XF.

 

[pekem]

Definitely far superior. They produce a more intense and even light using high Intensity electrical discharges. HID's also produce ultraviolet together with visible light, which makes reflective signs glow more brilliantly. After market incandescent "xenon" bulbs have normal filaments and are filled with xenon rather than halogen gas for marketing reasons. Some are tinted blue. The 55W "xenon" replacement bulbs I fitted in place of the dull factory halogens were advertised as giving out 60% more light, which I think is a bit over optimistic, but I have never had anyone flash me.
PS. There is no manual headlight adjuster in my bi-xenon XF.

I can understand that the often recommended replacements for the Halogen bulbs, the Philips Xtreme H7's, the same type I think were fitted by zx10ben and others, uses a different technology to the HID Xenons. However, I did think that HID Bulbs were fitted by the factory when a car was built with the Bi-Xenon option, but it seems that if you replaced "dull factory halogens" that is not the case, or are you referring to another car and not your present XF?

 

[penultimateblack]

However, I did think that HID Bulbs were fitted by the factory when a car was built with the Bi-Xenon option, but it seems that if you replaced "dull factory halogens" that is not the case, or are you referring to another car and not your present XF?

Regardless of whether or not bi-xenons are fitted the inner pair of headlights have H7 halogen bulbs, which only come on when full beam is selected. These are the bulbs that don't seem to give out enough light. The dippable bi-xenon HID units are installed in the outer pair of lights. Hope that makes it clearer.