c The mounting hole is already stamped into the fender so there is no drilling required. All you have to do is remove the Volvo emblem and adhesive on the fender and you’ll find the odd shaped hole that was originally intended to accept these nifty European turn signal indicators.

Both light meters I used noted a dramatic change in light levels. More importantly there is a noticeable increase in light that can be seen. In the images below the HIR is on the passenger side of the vehicle. While the light it not as intense or as white as an HID bulb, it also did not cost 600 dollars. HIR were never intended to compete with HIDs. If you want the HID look, buy HIDs. If you want more light with no modifications buy HIR.

People often ask me about my favorite modification, and I always tell them it is the xenon headlights. This kit runs a close second though. The look of true bi-xenon lighting is something that cannot be mistaken. So if you already have HID headlights, this is a great supplement. These lights will get you as many looks as any other modification I can think of.

These bulbs are much brighter than the standard incandescent bulbs. They also warm up quicker , which means they reach their maximum light output almost immediately. The down side to these bulbs is due to differences between incandescent bulbs and LEDs. These LED bulbs have different electrical specifications which triggers a warning light in Volvos. The bulb indicator lamp located on the dash comes on whenever the brakes are applied, despite the fact all bulbs are functioning. APC's LED bulbs are a potentially great product, but they get rated low due to their incompatibility with Volvos diagnostics.

These gauges are bright!. Initially, my biggest concern was how bright they would be. A nice tip is to switch to LED bulbs when you install this kit. The LEDs will give your needles a nice orange glow as shown below.

Their performance is hard to rate. Based on a beam pattern test, the lenses throw more light to the side of the car. When driving, it is clear the pattern is altered. From an illumination stand point, there is no additional light output from just adding lenses. If you are looking for a modified look, or are not interested in HIDs this is the way to go. The e-code lens does look different, but do not expect miracles from just a lens. The lens upgrade is a great one if you want to change the look of your Volvo.

The Piaa HID bulbs do produce light that is closer to white. There are many people that desire to eliminate the yellowish looking lights from their cars. These bulbs do a good job of that, but are a little on the blue side. A lot may depend on the color of the license plate in your state as well.

The concern I hear voiced the most with these kits is glare. There is a marked improvement in both the amount of light and the quality of light. As for the glare issue and on coming drivers, there should be minimal concern if installed properly. With properly aligned headlights the beam pattern remains the same only the amount of light is altered. If you are looking for better visibility on dark roads, or have a hard time driving at night, then this is the upgrade for you.