Cars with halogen headlights
Discussion
Both of my cars have xenon headlights, though oddly, they're not that great in my M5 when compared to my 4 years younger Mini, but whatever. I am looking for a new car to join the fleet and it is very likely that the car will have halogen headlights. Now I am spoiled with xenon I suppose, but the thought of going back to halogen and driving at night concerns me, probably stupidly.
I know you can buy better halogen light bulbs, but do those make a difference in the real world?
Does anyone else get put off by cars with halogen headlights these days?
I know you can buy better halogen light bulbs, but do those make a difference in the real world?
Does anyone else get put off by cars with halogen headlights these days?
Modern headlights are great at lighting the road - adaptive & laser options.etc
However they seem to be at the peril of other road users, I'm regularly dazzled by oncoming vehicles especially by slightly higher cars / SUV's
Therefore I find you need decent headlights in order to compete or at least see some of the road in front of you whilst being dazzled.
If it was a car I wanted and liked, halogens wouldn't put me off. I've recently purchased an older Z3 with halogens, didn't put me off and have survived so far.
On the other hand, the cars main beams are also halogen and they are fantastic - throw plenty of light down the road when needed.
However they seem to be at the peril of other road users, I'm regularly dazzled by oncoming vehicles especially by slightly higher cars / SUV's
Therefore I find you need decent headlights in order to compete or at least see some of the road in front of you whilst being dazzled.
If it was a car I wanted and liked, halogens wouldn't put me off. I've recently purchased an older Z3 with halogens, didn't put me off and have survived so far.
On the other hand, the cars main beams are also halogen and they are fantastic - throw plenty of light down the road when needed.
Phillips do an LED bulb replacement for halogens. I had them in my old Porsche. Technically they don’t pass an MoT but never had a single issue with it. I waited for ages until a proper company started making them, as I didn’t want to put a random unknown brand in the headlights for fear of a fire risk. The Phillips ones are well made and made a huge difference.
Probably the best mod I did to the car, aside from Porsche Sports Exhaust, and would be the first thing I did to a car if I bought a halogen model.
Probably the best mod I did to the car, aside from Porsche Sports Exhaust, and would be the first thing I did to a car if I bought a halogen model.
You can get Nightbreakers etc that do make a bit of a difference, but as mentioned in a previous post they won't last as long as normal bulbs. My old Landie has the flat faced Lucas headlights that I lusted after as a young driver and Nightbreakers which are ok, but you do notice when someone with better lights comes up behind and casts a shadow around you. The adaptive LED headlights on our CX5 are almost too bright and I regularly get flashed as people assume I'm on high beam when I'm not.
TheAngryDog said:
Both of my cars have xenon headlights, though oddly, they're not that great in my M5 when compared to my 4 years younger Mini, but whatever. I am looking for a new car to join the fleet and it is very likely that the car will have halogen headlights. Now I am spoiled with xenon I suppose, but the thought of going back to halogen and driving at night concerns me, probably stupidly.
I know you can buy better halogen light bulbs, but do those make a difference in the real world?
Does anyone else get put off by cars with halogen headlights these days?
Funny you mention a M5. I've got an E39 M5 and it came with halogen projectors. I tried a couple of LED bulbs but they instantly generated a bulb error-even though they were supposed to be canbus error free ones. I tried to get someone to code the LCM so it wouldn't do the headlight check defeating the check headlight bulb error on the dash-failed as their laptop couldn't communicate with the LCM due to not having the right lead. I know you can buy better halogen light bulbs, but do those make a difference in the real world?
Does anyone else get put off by cars with halogen headlights these days?
Gave up in the end and as a temporary solution I replaced the original-albeit the aged Osram nighbreaker-bulbs with some brand spanking new Philips GT200 bulbs.. The lights are much brighter and has improved night time vision. While they're not as bright as LED or HID set up they do work well for the odd time the car is used in inclement weather and in the dark of winter.
In short - yes they do work and make a difference.
Phillips do an LED bulb replacement for halogens. I had them in my old Porsche. Technically they don’t pass an MoT but never had a single issue with it. I waited for ages until a proper company started making them, as I didn’t want to put a random unknown brand in the headlights for fear of a fire risk. The Phillips ones are well made and made a huge difference.
Probably the best mod I did to the car, aside from Porsche Sports Exhaust, and would be the first thing I did to a car if I bought a halogen model.
Probably the best mod I did to the car, aside from Porsche Sports Exhaust, and would be the first thing I did to a car if I bought a halogen model.
There are some very good halogen bulbs out there that you wouldn't find are worse in terms of giving off light than Xenons.
Osram Nightbreakers are one option, the other is Ring Automotive who now do some 200% brighter long lasting bulb. The last of the latter which I've used was 120% brighter and was a really good bulb.
My other halfs dad was struggling with nigh driving and we swapped his bulbs out for Halfords own brand which claimed a percentage brighter and even in the daytime you could see they were whiter and brighter than stock bulbs.
In short, you won't be lacking light, they usually just don't look as blue/white as Xenons.
Osram Nightbreakers are one option, the other is Ring Automotive who now do some 200% brighter long lasting bulb. The last of the latter which I've used was 120% brighter and was a really good bulb.
My other halfs dad was struggling with nigh driving and we swapped his bulbs out for Halfords own brand which claimed a percentage brighter and even in the daytime you could see they were whiter and brighter than stock bulbs.
In short, you won't be lacking light, they usually just don't look as blue/white as Xenons.
Over over under steer said:
Phillips do an LED bulb replacement for halogens. I had them in my old Porsche. Technically they don t pass an MoT but never had a single issue with it. I waited for ages until a proper company started making them, as I didn t want to put a random unknown brand in the headlights for fear of a fire risk. The Phillips ones are well made and made a huge difference.
Probably the best mod I did to the car, aside from Porsche Sports Exhaust, and would be the first thing I did to a car if I bought a halogen model.
I’ve fitted Phillips LED bulbs and don’t have an issue with passing MOT’s. They’re a massive step under from halogens.Probably the best mod I did to the car, aside from Porsche Sports Exhaust, and would be the first thing I did to a car if I bought a halogen model.
TheAngryDog said:
Both of my cars have xenon headlights, though oddly, they're not that great in my M5 when compared to my 4 years younger Mini, but whatever. I am looking for a new car to join the fleet and it is very likely that the car will have halogen headlights. Now I am spoiled with xenon I suppose, but the thought of going back to halogen and driving at night concerns me, probably stupidly.
I know you can buy better halogen light bulbs, but do those make a difference in the real world?
Does anyone else get put off by cars with halogen headlights these days?
I do, especially if it’s a car that’s going to get used every day. Even older xenon’s are better than halogens.I know you can buy better halogen light bulbs, but do those make a difference in the real world?
Does anyone else get put off by cars with halogen headlights these days?
119 said:
Gotta be honest I have driven a few cars with factory LEDs and they were f
king awful compared to some halogens with decent lamps.
Bad LEDs can be awful, especially on main beam. I had a VW hire car in Canada (I think it was a Jetta), and the LED low beam were acceptable at best, main beam were dreadful and barely added any light. king awful compared to some halogens with decent lamps.On the other hand I had an E Class hire car here with the matrix stuff, and low beams were great, but full beam was like having actual daylight ahead of you.
I have halogens on my car, and I do use Nightbreakers, but they burn out in about 10-12 months. I would say my halogens are better than the LEDs in that VW, but nowhere close to the E Class.
Over over under steer said:
Phillips do an LED bulb replacement for halogens. I had them in my old Porsche. Technically they don t pass an MoT but never had a single issue with it. I waited for ages until a proper company started making them, as I didn t want to put a random unknown brand in the headlights for fear of a fire risk. The Phillips ones are well made and made a huge difference.
Probably the best mod I did to the car, aside from Porsche Sports Exhaust, and would be the first thing I did to a car if I bought a halogen model.
You haven't has a problem yet, but worst case is you cause an accident and it turns out you're not insured due to unapproved mods. Been discussed a few times. Probably the best mod I did to the car, aside from Porsche Sports Exhaust, and would be the first thing I did to a car if I bought a halogen model.
In my experience, some cars with Halogen lights are decent, some awful - a lot seems to be down to the headlight design itself. eg my VW Transporter is well known for having awful lights regardless of whether you put (legit) bulbs like Osrams/Phillips in them but I've had plenty of cars with halogen lights like Fords and Skodas and they were absolutely fine on unlit roads.
DaveyBoyWonder said:
In my experience, some cars with Halogen lights are decent, some awful - a lot seems to be down to the headlight design itself. eg my VW Transporter is well known for having awful lights regardless of whether you put (legit) bulbs like Osrams/Phillips in them but I've had plenty of cars with halogen lights like Fords and Skodas and they were absolutely fine on unlit roads.
It's exactly the same now with LED - some are great and some terrible, down to the design.With HID there was much less scope to create terrible ones, because you had basically the exact same HID capsule used in every car, very similar design andf optics in the (99% of the time...) projector lenses etc.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff