Hola all, well I am pleased to introduce myself as a new owner of a jaguar xtype. My name is SSG Luis Lopez and I just returned the the states after after a deployment to Iraq. So to welcome me back my wife told me I should go buy myself something nice, so I bought a Jag! Now I have a question that I hope someone can help me with. I immediately got online and ordered upper and lower mesh grill inserts. The top one was pretty easy to install due to step by step instructions found everywhere online. The trouble is I cant find anything about how to install the lower one(even on this site). If anyone know something, drop me a line. I also want to know about either changing the bulbs to some really bright lights or going with a HID kit. I want all my lights to match though.

 

Luis, congrats on the X-Type. They are a fun car to own. As for the lower grille mesh, can't help you there as I am not familiar with those.

As for lighting, if you are after better lighting, then HIDs are the only way to go. But, at the same time, they are going to be a bit more expensive and require some wiring modification. With that being said, wiring up the HIDs can be done 1 of 2 ways. You can get the HID system from another X-Type and install that, but you are probably looking at about $300 or more to get the new headlight assemblies. Even then, that is going ot be hit and miss because most of the headlight assemblies you are going to find are broken (the interior supports for the self leveling feature are easy to break and a lot of people try to pawn off the broken units on E-bay and whatnot). So, if you do anything, make sure to take it easy with the headlight assemblies.

As for installing HIDs, I have done the fog lamps and matched them up to the factory HIDs. I installed some 6000K HID bulbs. All that you really need to do is to remove the wire for the DIP beam (this is what you call the low beam) and then use that to power the ballast for the HID. The factory wiring already has a relay inline to ensure maximum power for the initial start of the HIDs (can pull upwards of 20 amps per bulb). The hard part will be mounting the HID bulb to the headlight assembly. This requires a little bit of "arts and crafts" to make it work. A lot of people simply use a 1/2" drill bit to hollow out the factory bulb housing and then mount the HID bulb with some silicon that way. I'm sure there are other ways of doing it too.

Like I mentioned earlier, HID bulbs are rated 2 ways: 1) power and 2) heat temperature. As for power, all the HID system you should be looking at are the 35W systems. DO NOT!!! use the 50 W HID bulbs as these are not DOT legal and opens you up to tickets. Now for the temperature rating. All this is truely referring to is the color of the light coming out of the bulb. Below is a break down of the color that you can expect:

3000K-very yellow
4300K-mostly white with a slight yellow halo to the light
5000K-mostly white with a very faint yellow halo
6000K-almost pure white, may have a slight blue halo to it
8000K-a light blue looking light
10000K-a light purple looking light
15000K-even more purple than the 10000Ks
30000K-very purple/blue in color

If you are after more light, then either the 4300K, 5000K, or 6000K bulbs are what you are after. Standard halogen bulbs output about 1300 lumen of light. the 4300K (brightest) bulbs output 3300 lumen of light. The 5000K bulbs output 3200 lumen of light and the 6000K bulbs output 3100 lumen of light. Essentially, for every step away from the 4300K bulbs you go, subtract 200 lumen of light. Not to mention that when you start getting into the 8000K bulbs and higher, you are opening yourself up to tickets because of running "blue" bulbs (cops don't like to be impersonated).

Something that you will find is if you go with HID bulbs, the running lights (inside bulbs that come on with the low beams) are more of a yellow color and will give you a difference in color. In my case, they were a yellow while the low beams where a bright white. If you are looking to match these bulbs, then you are going to need to convert the running lights over to LED bulbs. Most of these are going to be running in the 7000K range. You have a few options with this, if you want to know more, just hollar.

ENjoy.

 

Welcome to the forums

 

Welcome Luis. Where did you get your lower grill from? Should have come with brackets and instructions. If not go back to them and ask for them. Most will tell you to mount the lower mesh grill, you need to remove the bottom front plastic pan and others will say take off the bumper cover as well. Either way, the plastic insert and tow hook cover that the horizontal splitter piece clips on to has to come off/out. Then you should be able to slip the mounting brackets into the bumper cover and attach the grill with screws.

I did it another way as I didn't plan on putting the original back in. So, I snapped all the plastic out and slipped in the brackets. I also predrilled the brackets so I could attach the grill with stainless steel screws to avoid any future rusting.

 

thanks for the welcomes! I will do some research and check into the HID's more, as for the mesh grill I got it off of Ebay and it didn't come with any brackets or instructions. I got from the seller greatgrills out of Barrie, Ontario Canada.

 

You may have to fab some of your own brackets. An "L" shape with one side shorter than the other should work. Or contact them and ask how they suppose you are to install it before you leave feedback.

 

Welcome to the forum, and thank you for your service. Enjoy that new car, hope it brings you many smiles.

 

Welcome to the jag family Luis!

 

Howdy Sarge

Thank you for your service and glad you are home. Welcome to the forum!