Has anyone ever fitted a HID kit to a facelifted 996?

I'm trying to now, but have come across a bit of a problem when it comes to fitting the new bulb and I was wondering if anyone had overcome it. In bulb doesn't fit. It physically fits into the hole in the headlight mounting, but there's nothing to hold it in place, so it will just rattle around. My understanding is that this is different to how the 996 Mk1 is setup. With the facelift you've got to plug a H7 bulb into a connector and then this connector secures it in place - which won't with with HIDS and the HID doesn't fit into the connector.

For future reference, in case anyone searches for this. It is possible, but you need to use the bulb mount that held the old H7 bulb in place. Pull apart the wiring from the mount (they just clip together). Identify the thinnest section on the mount, and cut here. Slip the wires of your new HID bulb through the cut, and wha-la, you have a mount (which still holds tightly, despite the small cut).

Be aware that Xenon conversion kits (from as little as £40) are illegal. By law, only units with cleaning and self-levelling systems will pass an MOT if your tester knows his stuff. More info at; http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/hidheadlamps

That is not quite true. The auto-levelling and washers are irrelevant. If they are fitted, they must work. If not fitted, not assessed. Like rear wipers. The reason aftermarket HIDs are illegal is that the parabolic reflector built with the focal point of the glowing incandescent element (halogen bulb) is not appropriate for HID bulbs. They should have purpose designed/manufactured housings and ideally projector lenses. Because of this rule, swaping out entire OEM xenon (Litronic) unit ("e-marked") will be MOT legal, irrespective of the fact the vehicle has auto-levellers and/or washers or not.* The static beam pattern is all that matters. *Technically type-approval will not now be given to a manufacturer without standard fitment of levellers and washers. However, previous models (pre-2006) are not required to have washers and levellers as the law is not retrospective. Like seatbelts and indicators (trafficators) etc. Older cars are not tested on these. Pre-2006 are not tested for ABSENCE of washers or levellers. However, no post-2006 standard production vehicle will have passed type-approval ("e-marked") without development design and production models including standard washers and levellers.

Thanks for the info Andy. I did do my research beforehand, and I'm quite comfortable with them falling into a legal grey area, or even been outright illegal. I've taken care with my fitting to ensure that the bulbs are correctly positioned and do not dazzle other motorists (any more than ordinary Xenons do!). If I were to be stopped and fined for them then I'd be extremely unlucky, because I've looked and it doesn't appear that anyone else, on any other car forum, has ever been in this position. More people get hassle over poorly formatted registration plates than lights, so I'm not too worried about the boys in blue! Plus, if I was *that* worried about the law, then I would have never seen my rear spoiler rise

Location of ballast on face lift 996 Guys, on the face lift 996, where did you locate the ballast? I have started to do this to my 996 and am confused on where it place it. If I put it on the back of the removable plastic cap, I think it may touch the brake pipes located within the wing. Your help would be useful. Thanks.

hi all, yes im new. just fitted them to my c4s facelift today. yes just unclip the plastic bulb holder slice it in the thinnest part and slip over the wires and use it that way. i used some heavy duty velcro to the left of the drivers side headlight mounting and to the right of the pass headlight mounting both in the inner wings,just give the area a good clean with some thinners etc. before you stick the one side of the velcro to flat surface and the other side of the velcro to the back of the ballast.good luck.cheers mark

The reason the HID bulbs that fit in lights intended for halogen bulbs is simple. Headlights in the UK have to be approved. Before the ECE standard there was the BS standards. Unless your vehicle pre dates these standards you have to comply with them. In so its illegal to fit any other type of bulb then the one approved for the headlight. Its also impossible for any HID bulb with a base to fit in to a light housing that takes halogen bulbs to be ECE or BS approved and in so there all illegal. Odds are most would get away with fitting such bulbs as long as the beam can be set right and the colour is standard white but it does not change he fact that it would be illegal to use on the road.

The problem is that the halogen parabolic reflectors are designed to have the incandescent coil at the focus. HID bulbs are not at this focus and hence misaligned by definition. Here is the DoT view: http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/hidheadlamps