Upgraded headlights on MK5?

I recently purchased a 2010 Jetta TDI. I love it, but I want to upgrade to the GTI and GLI HID headlights. If someone could help me out I would appreciate it. I have been looking around, but I do not know much about headlights. I have a few questions about doing this. 1. What headlight should I buy? I have seen alot of OEM GTI headlights around 300 dollars. Would these be plug and play? I saw a set of United States Bi-Xenon headlights for around 1,200 dollars. I would not mind paying more if these were actual HID headlights and were not a PITA to install. 2. Has anyone who has bought these and installed them or know anything about them? Feedback on how they work, and how hard it was to install would be appreciated. Well, that is all the questions I can think of. I have been looking at www.ecstuning.com. Basically if someone could point me in the right direction of headlights to buy, and how to install them, I would appreciate it. Here are some of the headlights I have been thinking about. If you know of a better pair I am open to ideas. http://www.ecstuning.com/Volkswagen-Jetta_V--TDI/Lighting/Headlights/ES240951/ http://www.ecstuning.com/Volkswagen-Jetta_V--TDI/Lighting/Headlights/ES6476/

Yes, I want something that looks like that. I want something that performs correctly and is not illegal also. Any Ideas?

If I remember correctly EU and USA agreed back in 2002 on a headlight standard for both places. these are probably what you are looking for:

http://shopping.boraparts.com/product_info.php?products_id=237

I just bought a ton of stuff form him for my wife's car and doing business with him was great! saw these and it almost made me want a MK5! (I think they fit the MK6 too)

Thanks, these definitely sound like what I have been looking for. I just have one more question, on the bora parts website they also list dynabeam headlights.http://shopping.boraparts.com/product_info.php?products_id=500 It looks like they are usually 600 dollars more than the ones you suggested but right now they are on sale. What are the differences between the two?

the dynabeam are the ultimate in MKV/MKVI Lighting! Call Borapars. Aaron will be able to tell you everything you need to know. My wife and i just ordered a HUGE amount of stuff from him and he was very helpful.

If you're looking for OE or OE-like HID headlights, you have a few options.

One, you can get the OE bi-xenons (U.S.-spec or E-code). However, and I'm not certain about the '10 cars and their updated electronics, but on the '05-'09 cars, you had to upgrade to the highline CECM to obtain full functionality. Without this, you are not able to use the HID highbeam and only the halogen highbeam will function.

Two, you can go with the Hella DynaBeam-look HID lights. This is an actual HID version of the DynaBeam-look lights. The problem with this, and with all DynaBeam and DynaBeam-look lights, is that Hella stopped producing them a long time ago so resellers cannot order them anymore. The only way you're getting these lights is used or if a reseller happens to have a set in-stock.

Three, you can get the Hella DynaBeam lights with a HID retrofit. You'll run into the same problem sourcing the lights as above.

Four, you can get the Hella HID-look lights with a HID retrofit. These lights look exactly like the OE bi-xenons but they are a halogen-based system.

There are other aftermarket lights available for the MkV cars, but in my opinion, they look aftermarket and that's not for me. Me personally, I've had the Hella DynaBeam-look HID lights (past setup) and the Hella HID-look lights with a HID retrofit (current setup). The latter are just as goo, or better than, the former in terms of beam pattern, glare, and cutoff. It helps that they're both E-code lights.

For reference, here are a couple pics of my car, first with the DynaBeam-look HID lights and then with the HID-look lights with a HID retrofit.

Pelican18TQA4

What color temp are you running in your current HID setup? I plan on getting the Hella OEM Look projectors in a few months. Like you, I, too, want to keep my car looking as close to OEM as possible. Do you think aftermarket HID kits at 4200K - 4800K would be close enough to OEM? You wouldn't happen to have any night time pics showing the cut off with your current setup would you?

Thanks!

stampsosu said:

Pelican18TQA4
What color temp are you running in your current HID setup? I plan on getting the Hella OEM Look projectors in a few months. Like you, I, too, want to keep my car looking as close to OEM as possible. Do you think aftermarket HID kits at 4200K - 4800K would be close enough to OEM? You wouldn't happen to have any night time pics showing the cut off with your current setup would you?
Thanks!

Click to expand...

I actually don't know the exact Kelvin rating, but they are actually slightly more white than the OE HIDs I've had in other VWs so I'm guess somewhere in the neighborhood of 4200k-4500k. I don't have a pic of the beam pattern/cutoff but I'll try to snap one tonight and post it up here after.

Please see my post here for a beam pattern pic.