Why don't you just buy from overseas? Autolamps is a UK based business and last time I looked they were still selling the kits.

 

AFAIK, RM is no longer in business - which is good. Its owner was a friend of Pierre's (Toronto). Anyway, I would not recommend any HID conversion that physically alters the oem bulb mount. As Graham said, the Autolamps kit has proven itself. I recycled my RM modified headlights for another Renlister's project & installed the Catz H1 conversion kit. It seems well made, permits a very clean "oem" installation & its re-manufactured bulb is from a reputable company, but only time will tell.

With price drops & the recent US regulatory changes, Litronics is a much more attractive choice, which takes us back to Sachin's thread. Sorry for the diversion.

 

I have been trying to find info on the ban of HID lights in the US. This information seems very difficult to find. Additionally I have been thinking about converting my wife's BMW to HID lights also and have been doing some research. From the little bit of research I have done it appears that CATZ may have gone out of business and/or sold the rights to their HID systems to another manufacturer. Almost every efront store I have looked at that sold CATZ systems do not have them available but still sell another HID kit. Some stores provided information that the kits were discontinued by the manufacturer and that there are other kits as good available. I could find lots of stores that seemed to be based in the US selling HID kits. Just none with CATZ kits. It just has me wondering about the ban?

Information on this link: http://www.enjoythedrive.com/content/?ID=25405

seems to say there is no federal regulation in effect yet. It indicates that the NHSTA is still looking into the matter and has the time table for sometime in 2004 to take a stand. Hmmm?

Is the death of HID being over hyped? Can someone provide me with a link to governmental or legal authority stating HID kits are any more illegal to sell than before 2003 and some type of enforcement by authorities?

No flame intended to anyone, I am just seeking answers and the cynic in me and my questioning nature is confused by alleged laws that I can't verify and a manufacturer that appears to no longer do business. Just curious.

 

Brian
Catz/FET is still in business, but no longer lists HID kits on its site. If you want Catz, you might try some of the listed Canadian Catz dealers. Catz link

I've not fully researched the "ban" issue, but it appears there is no general governmental ban of HID conversion kits. According to the NHTSA, replacement lights must meet the same standards as the oem lights they replace. Manufacturers (& sellers) are responsible for self regulation subject to NHTSA requests for verification. It seems Catz was hit w/such a request about its "non-complying" lights (i.e., HID conversion bulbs) & pulled its offending product line. I don't know if they're for sale outside the US. Apparently the feds are targeting the big guys in the business on an individual basis.

APC hit w/fine for non-complying lighting.
NHTSA opinion letter re: replacement headlights.
NHTSA formal draft opinion re: replacement lighting.

 

hmmm I was not aware that RM was a friend of his....oh oh....now there's a name we haven't seen around here lately (funny thing as his "deals" seem to pop up every few months on a regular basis)

 

Sooooooooooo. How many do we have so far ?

PS: I checked in to AutoLamps and here is the response I got back from them.

"Hello Sachin
We are sorry for the delay in replying and assume you received the
auto-responder to explain we were closed last week.
There has been a great deal of change in the prices since the original
Rennlist group buy and although we were able to honour the discounts for
over a year this is no longer possible.

The legal situation has also changed when selling to a customer who is
buying from the USA and although we tried to alter the ordering system so
that we had a separate buying section for visitors from the US it was more
practical to make the legal purchasing agreement for the US part of the
ordering system on the new site and this now includes an extra charge for
shipping because we cannot sell or ship to the USA ourselves the customer
has to buy from us in the UK . The import is then the personal
responsibility of the purchaser.

There is full detail of the prices and the purchasing agreement before you
actually complete your payment so you can go through this and decide before
actually completing your payment, and if you decide to buy then you will be
offered a choice of a free pair of bluevision halogens for your high beam
and side lights which hopefully will compensate a little.

If you have any questions please contact us again and thank you for your
patience."

 

Perhaps UK Rennlisters can do a groupbuy followed by a groupship?

Boy, I'm glad I got my Catz earlier in the year!

 

Whoever is interested...

$1395 + shipping. Ask for Dayton Emerson at 1-818-388-7197 (www.departstop.com) or email him at dayton40@sbcglobal.net.

Let him know you are from Rennlist and you are asking for the price that was quoted to me. I'll be placing my order in the next day or two.

Good Luck

 

There have been some very good points made about other options, certainly can save a buck or two. I still beleive howver, Genuine / OEM replacement on this mod. is the way to go...
Cheers
Dayton

 

Check this link for Catz HID kits...
http://www.visualdynamics.ca/