Blind at night

[Horse_Apple]

My T350 has the same ability to see in the dark as a 99 yr old woman with glaucoma.

It ain't good. Completely bind against on coming traffic or anything more than 50 ft away.

Has anyone changed the bulbs in theirs or found the same problem?

[Antrocks]

I don't have the same experience at all. With headlights dipped I can happily drive around the countryside in the dark. Full beam gives fantastic coverage. Only xenon lamps would be better, but for standard halogen these are way better than my new golf....

[Horse_Apple]

Thanks. Very strange as these ones are appalling, I've never been so blind in all my life.

[hollowpockets]

my dipped headlights are pretty crap also, want to get some fancy bulbs but not sure where to start looking, full beams are great though.

[s99ane]

Have been susssimg this out and have been informed that the bulb of choice is the phillips gt150 (retail at £29.99)

After this its a hid conversion at £230 approx.

[rev-erend]

Dr Darren was talking about the same thing on Saturday .. Racing Green do a Xenon install on the dip beam.. and I think Joolz does something similar.

The area of MOT worthyness is a ? area though.

[Horse_Apple]

hollowpockets said:

my dipped headlights are pretty crap also, want to get some fancy bulbs but not sure where to start looking, full beams are great though.

Dipped are the main issue. Full beam wouldn't miss a bit of an improvement.

Another concern is how much drain higher wattage bulbs could effect the battery. I could kill the Griff battery in no time at all if not careful.

[rpa.janwell]

Spec savers??

Noticed a massive difference between the lights on the late '05 Sagaris and the March '05 demonstrator models, also the Rio Prestige '06 Sagaris. The demo models had a really good light setup, the others were as painfully crap as you are talking about.

[Horse_Apple]

rpa.janwell said:

Spec savers??

Noticed a massive difference between the lights on the late '05 Sagaris and the March '05 demonstrator models, also the Rio Prestige '06 Sagaris. The demo models had a really good light setup, the others were as painfully crap as you are talking about.

Not so funny, I did think about that Not going to be that easy as I have no issue with the other cars.

Does sound typical TVR

[TheArb]

the lens are clean aren't they? Inside as well as out and correctly adjusted, pitch & yaw?

[Horse_Apple]

TheArb said:

the lens are clean aren't they? Inside as well as out and correctly adjusted, pitch & yaw?

Had the car resprayed before buying it and the lights were way off. They have been properly adjusted and the lenses are clean.

Main beam is bearable but the dip is a shocker.

Maybe a rack of fogs on the nose?

[rpa.janwell]

Horse_Apple said:

Maybe a rack of fogs on the nose?

Blasphemy. But nice. Post up a few pics when you get em stuck on!!

[scotty1]

I have to say that I don't have this problem my lights are good (whey hey a problem with a Tivv I don't get, now that's a first

good luck getting it sorted

[doctor_darren]

As the reverend mentioned I am toying with getting the Racing Green upgrade of full HID on dipped beam. I recall it's £400+vat fitted. My T350 is attrocious on dipped beam and got worse after the first MoT, where the driver's side was found to be too high. Suspect the previous owner might have had it raised to improve things.

However, I was talking to some (now) ex-factory workers over Christmas and they questioned whether a HID upgrade on dipped beam would be MoT legal. Apparently a few cars delivered to Japan, perversely had HID on dipped and normal main beam to meet their regulations but the opposite is true for all T350s.

Would be useful if anyone can, ahem, shed some 'light' on HID upgrades.

Darren

[johnFairfield]

Anyone thought of fitting some driving lights into the air scoops either side of the number plate?

[jerrytlr]

Horse_Apple said:

My T350 has the same ability to see in the dark as a 99 yr old woman with glaucoma.

It ain't good. Completely bind against on coming traffic or anything more than 50 ft away.

Has anyone changed the bulbs in theirs or found the same problem?

My T350 was also terrible, esp. on main beam.

I asked the local dealer to take a look - the report back is that the bulbs were loose or incorrectly fitted, and the problem should now be solved! I don't have the car back yet so cannot report positively or negative, but it might be worth you taking a look at the bulbs to check they are seated OK etc.

Good luck - it is awful driving at night with loads of transit vans on your rear bumber because you cannot see where you are going ;-)

Cheers

Jerry

[grumbledoak]

Horse_Apple said:

Maybe a rack of fogs on the nose?

johnFairfield said:

Anyone thought of fitting some driving lights into the air scoops either side of the number plate?

You sick, sick bunnies. That nose is already perfect.

If you do go that way, please also strap an ironing board to the rear and post a photo, you Heathens.

[johnFairfield]

I know the front's perfect - I'd like to keep it that way by not running into anything at night!

I do think the poor lighting restricts the ability to make progress at night. If some small auxiliary lights were fitted at the back of the air scoops I don't think it would upset the looks.

PS Paul, what colour is your car?

Edited by johnFairfield on Tuesday 9th January 12:48

[Paul V]

On some of the earlier cars like the Griff a poor earth connection could cause problems with lights being too dim, also running an extra live in with a relay to making sure they are getting full voltage can be another cure.

[doctor_darren]

johnFairfield said:

Anyone thought of fitting some driving lights into the air scoops either side of the number plate?

Funny you suggest that, the folks I spoke to suggested exactly that, saying that HIDs might be legal there because they would be classed as driving lights, not dipped headlights. If it was done well, I'm not sure it would detract too much from the current looks.

Darren