now that i finally have the cash to buy my headlights both the GB for DEPO's, and prolumens are closed, and to top it off, umnitza's website doesnt have anything even listed for ProLumen's, or any HID's for the e36 for that matter....what gives?!

i want a set of DEPO's w/ 6000k ProLumen's, thats all i ask...

and PnP

I'm guessing they just stopped buying them?

*EDIT*
PM'd you

It's illegal to import aftermarket HID systems. It has been for a while, but apparently there's a crack down on it.

^WTF?! That sucks! I guess I'll just have to dig in junkyards and retrofit mine.

so are they illegal to have installed???

Ask Matt, i'm sure he'll give you an answer...

Sounds Fishy, i dont like what i am hearing :shifty

I really wanted a set of prolumen in 3000k, and 4500k

We need MORE details!!

Yes more details!!! You cant be telling me I can no longer dream of the day I have the money to get my HID 6000k setup in my E36.... :(

That would be a pretty serious blow for them, I'd feel very sorry for him.

Hopefully they aren't illegal because I find my car much better to drive at night due to the increased light output. I always make sure that I keep em out of ppl's rear view mirrors and so far (knock on wood) I've driven past a few cops with 'em on with nothing being said. I think I've got the Australian Design Rules somewhere have to have a read.

As far as I can tell they are all good in Aus. Here's the Design Rules

http://notes.nt.gov.au/dcm/legislat/legislat.nsf/0/8fd9ee44ea33367869256d1a000b3c86/$FILE/Repm020R7AVSR(NT).pdf

Headlights are Part 8 Division 2

Extract:

81 Performance of headlights
(1) When on, a headlight, or additional headlight, fitted to a
vehicle must:
(a) show only white light; and
(b) project its main beam of light ahead of the vehicle.

(2) Headlights must be fitted to a vehicle so their light does not
reflect off the vehicle into the driver’s eyes.

Hopefully you can track down the USA/Canada rules and they are similar.

That is definitely not cool, I want to know whats going to happen to our "ProLumen LIFETIME warranty". Where are we supposed to get replacment bulbs or parts if anything goes wrong with our ProLumen kits?

huh? i just got a set of prolumens from them a few weeks ago.

There is no legitimately good reason for the crack down.
If you need any assistance, please contact us directly - info@umnitza.com
ANY, yes, ANY warranty assistance (what very little there is) is being handled directly by Prolumen to any of you that may require it (in the very unlikely scenario).

Again, ANY information, please call us first.
925 922 5777

There is no legitimately good reason for the crack down.
If you need any assistance, please contact us directly - info@umnitza.com
ANY, yes, ANY warranty assistance (what very little there is) is being handled directly by Prolumen to any of you that may require it (in the very unlikely scenario).

Again, ANY information, please call us first.
925 922 5777

so thats it? no more HID? :(

Again, if you have specific questions of this type, it's best to contact us directly.

I feel a lawsuit coming... :shifty

wtf? thats crazy!

so thats it? no more HID? :(
i think he is asking you to read between the lines

Does this article look legit?
http://www.abrn.com/abrn/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=282111

Another interesting article.
http://www.aftermarketbusiness.com/aftermarketbusiness/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=140844

i think he is asking you to read between the lines
Seems like something to think about ;)

wtf? thats crazy!
+1

holy fock, crackdown list

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1003&highlight=umnitza

+1

holy fock, crackdown list

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1003&highlight=umnitza
here's the list so you dont have to register:

RM Racing
Astex USA
Kmax International
FET, Inc.
J. Liu LLC
Gourmet Garage
JC Whitney
Lighting Research
SPW Industries, Inc.
Pacific Micro-lite
McCulloch Motors, Inc.
Santeca Electronics
JF Manufacturing
Streetglow, Inc.
Outback Products, Inc.
Nu Performance
GR Motorsports, Inc.
Global Premier
New Clor
Importhookup.com
DG International
MTC Lighting
Umnitza
Liteglow
American Products Company

wow.

That list is OLD news, maybe new to many but it was a list created largely when we sold Xtec products.

That list includes our name as well as some pretty big players in the market - some of which still continue to sell HID.

The rules regulating this are very obscure and unclear and anyone with at least 200K in attorney credit can fight this and win. No one wants to until there is enough of an industry backlash.

The backlash will likely never happen as lighting is not considered by anyone to be as high a safety concern as say "brakes". So, when all the industry gets on board, this law will disappear. That's my prediction, no different than what happened with halogen replacement bulbs in the mid 80s.

That list is OLD news, maybe new to many but it was a list created largely when we sold Xtec products.

That list includes our name as well as some pretty big players in the market - some of which still continue to sell HID.

The rules regulating this are very obscure and unclear and anyone with at least 200K in attorney credit can fight this and win. No one wants to until there is enough of an industry backlash.

The backlash will likely never happen as lighting is not considered by anyone to be as high a safety concern as say "brakes". So, when all the industry gets on board, this law will disappear. That's my prediction, no different than what happened with halogen replacement bulbs in the mid 80s.

is there anything we can do as individuals?? I am serriously not happy about this, and I have several friends who are attorneys/lawyers...

There will be a petition started online that may help, but it's not clear how at this stage.

Umm FYI Pro Lumen HID's have NEVER been sold on the Umnitza website :)

so i guess purchase from here now?? (i believe you posted this link a few days ago)

http://thexenonstore.com/index.htm

$40 extra :(

That is th ebest place to get the best HID kit on the market, yet. I'm pretty sure they have some H1s in stock.

Wow, NHTSA has wildly overstepped their bounds on this one, and to what end? It is just dumb. The 'safety engineer' is just smug as all get out in the article. I'm sure SEMA is going to come at them hard.Why would NHTSA want to waste time, energy and lawyer fees on something that is going to get them nowhere and ruin a small industry? I guess one should never underestimate the stupidity of people in government.

So what happens now on the lifetime warranty. Since Prolumen has a 1-year warranty and you were adding to it for all the customers, does that mean that its only a 1 year warranty for everyone now?

I'm thoroughly impressed how you are always able to veil your jabs against Umnitza with feeble, feigned, and utterly transparent attempts of "caring" for your fellow bmw owner :rolleyes:

Prolumen and Umnitza had an agreement, nothing has changed for that agreement.

Your concern should be with a certain "factory" that already has shown to use inferior parts having issued no fewer than 3 known recalls.

were you not told to butt out of ALL UMNITZA threads? do you not get it? why dont you mind your own business and for once disappear? was Kevlar not clear enough? do you need more clarifications? consider this your last warning. So what happens now on the lifetime warranty. Since Prolumen has a 1-year warranty and you were adding to it for all the customers, does that mean that its only a 1 year warranty for everyone now?

were you not told to butt out of ALL UMNITZA threads? do you not get it? why dont you mind your own business and for once disappear? was Kevlar not clear enough? do you need more clarifications? consider this your last warning.Did I strike a nerve Ouri, I didn't mean to, just had a simple question. I am installing a set of Prolumen HID's for a friend tomorrow night and wanted to know if because of this any problems he has a year down the road would be covered or not. He doesn't get on the boards much, doesn't have time, so I saw this and figured I would see what was up for him. I don't think its such a hard question to answer. I didn't say anything bad about you guys or rip on you, just asked a question that pertains to a friend of mine. I'm sure I am not the only one who wants to know the answer.

Moreover, if there is a crackdown on your products its not of your making, it doesn't make Umnitza any better or worse, and persoanlly I think it sucks. Its brought on because people don't know anything about the "bright blue lights" and are complaining, the NHSTA doesn't have enough "testing" or bickering to actually make up there minds, and it leaves enforcing the not so set in stone rules an iffy procedure at best. Not good for business's who depend on revenue from sales, and for manufacturers who lose a fair amount of market share, although I'm doubtful its anything compared to OE applications.

You need a refresher.
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=443230&highlight=%22umnitza+threads%22

im pretty sure someone must have informed the proper authorities that HID kits were still being sold. I don't see why all of a sudden a whole bunch of vendors would stop selling them.

Looks like Karma finally caught up to Umnitza. NHTSA Recalls Certain Lighting Capsules Date: 1/20/2006 Reason: Oncoming traffic may experience higher than normal amount of glare which could diminish visibility, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash. Distribution: Nationwide. Certain Umnitza replaceable lighting capsules are being recalled by the NHTSA. Component: Exterior lighting Potential Number Of Units Affected : 230 Summary: Certain Umnitza replaceable lighting capsules branded as prolumen hid kits, p/nos h1, h3, h4, 9006, and 9007. The replacement kits may put out a higher than allowed amount of glare to oncoming traffic which fails to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment. Consequence: Oncoming traffic may experience higher than normal amount of glare which could diminish visibility, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash. Remedy: Customers who purchased the noncompliant kits will be notified and a full refund will be provided. The recall is expected to begin on January 20, 2006. Owners may contact Umnitza at 925-922-5777. Notes: Customers may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to safercar . gov.