Change from standard to Zenons?

Hi All I want to change from Standard to Zenon/Lutron lights - I've been quoted £1,000 ? What do you think of this price or can you recommend anyone else? Cheers Rapid

note your question, have seen on american ebay.com the following light conversion listed at $90 + shipping? PREMIUM XENON LIGHTS - PORSCHE 911 (996) cant say one way or other but over 1000 feedback comments are positive. let us know what you think if you go ahead, as we may well be interested

What about a group Buy ?

Why do Porsche charge a grand, yet some bloke stateside can charge you $90 for the same thing (well, a couple of bulbs anyway)???? The other forum post (Re: 996 headlights) has an actor offering kits as well (Sorry, just noticed it was Paul M Newman from Surrey not the other bloke from Hollywood) which seem to contain a lot more than swapping over the bulbs. Can someone explain what is on offer here from the various systems???

Because it's not the same thing. Porsche supply the complete new housings, the loom, and trasformers needed to power the things. The Bulb kit is probably just that - a pair of bulbs. Some kits are closer to the real thing, by including the transformers to power proper "litronic" type bulbs, but you still have to cut and modify the original housings. Note. The only way to get the self-leveling lights is to spec the car from new with litronics. Event he Porsche upgrade does not include the mechanism for this - it is too complicated to fit aftermatket.

I have 'Xenon' bulbs in my 3.2 carrera, which are just standard H4 fitting, but they do give a brighter and whiter light, which means that they cast the light further. The ones in a 996 are special high-voltage lights, and need all the electronics/transformers etc. to produce this high-voltage, and control it - hence the price.

Aha.... thanks John Ninemeister have a kit, on offer at £469.00 btw

I'm not looking for a fight [ ] but would like a healthy discussion on this topic. Why do so many people want to make their headlights brighter???? I seriously believe that all these newer ultra bright bulbs are a danger and a distraction. I lose count of the number of times I have to squint or almost look away when a badly adjusted headlight or a Xenon Litronic dazzles me. Obviously it is safer for a driver to see the road clearer at night but that is what the main beam is for when the road is clear, not brighter bulbs that are on all the time and potentially distracting the driver that is coming towards you. I know the Highway regulations specify that a 55/60 watt bulb is the highest wattage but these new bulbs get around that by using newer technology that meets the wattage limit. I find myself flashing more and more cars thinking they have left their mainbeams on when in fact they are already dipped. The main culprits are Audi TT's, Vauxhall Senators and new model BMW's. I have seen a few overbright 996's and Boxsters but most seem okay so I am guessing the culprits have gone out of alignment. I have heard (but can't confirm the accuracy) that retro fitting Xenon Litronics is against the regs and an MOT failure unless they have the self levelling mechanism. Am I alone in this viewpoint and consigned to wear my sunglasses at night [8D] ........mutter, mutter, grumble, grumble - picks up soapbox

What a strange question. My Xenon dipped beam are slightly brighter than standard, so, if they are adjusted properly, then they will no more dazzle anyone who faces them than the standard. My main beams, on the other hand (and they don't dazzle either, as I do dip them for oncoming traffic !) are noticeably brighter/whiter/longer ranged. This means that I can see further down the road, can read road signs further away/earlier, I can anticipate bends/hazards earlier, or can drive faster with the same limitations as standard bulbs. Need I go on ? Safety first seems a good motto !

No you are certainly not! I have not ordered Litronic on my GT3RS. I find these new Litronic lights far too bright for my eyes when facing them in oncoming traffic. Of course brighter lights are safer for the driver with them. However the standard lights are fine and more than adequate for me. Perhaps if I did lots of night driving at high speeds then I might appreciate them more. My last 996 C4 had them but I rarely drove that at night!! Anyway I expect that the self levelling lights are heavier than the standard ones due to the extra equipment required to run them? So it had to be the standard " lightweight " ones for the RS!