Worst Headlights...

[red_dog]

Well I think Holden Commodores are right up there on the top of the list.
Farkin terrible!!!!!!!
I often find myself driving along wondering if I really have the lights on or I acidentally only put them on park lights.
They are dull as all shit.
I tried new globes to no avail.
Haven't tried driving lights - but that may be an option?

Anybody else got shit lights on their cars?

 

[lotec]

dont wanna go too far though, whenever we go out at night we get flashed non stop by people who think our lights are on high beam, damn its annoying

 

[oz-freerider]

what car newer range rover? i hate them soo fkn bright so i just put my high beams on to make a point of how annoying it is

AU fords are pretty bad too for being to bright low beam wise

 

[wombat]

Our commodore only has one light as of an hour ago, so big thanks to the bloody woman that "didn't notice" the impending, major intersection.

 

[Carl]

Well I think Holden Commodores are right up there on the top of the list.
Farkin terrible!!!!!!!
I often find myself driving along wondering if I really have the lights on or I acidentally only put them on park lights.
They are dull as all shit.
I tried new globes to no avail.
Haven't tried driving lights - but that may be an option?

Anybody else got shit lights on their cars?

Every model of commodores have the same headlights ?

get new um, i dunno what they're called, but replace the plastic clear thingo's that go over the bulbs.


i can provide pictures if necessary.

 

[dmwill]

Globes make a real difference, it's worth spending $40 or more an a pair..not $4.50 on some Kmart cheapies! Goto an auto store and ask them.

 

[lotec]

what car newer range rover? i hate them soo fkn bright so i just put my high beams on to make a point of how annoying it is

yea thatd be it but hey, not the drivers fault, you think they are bright on low beam wait till you get flashed back on high beam
and to answer your question red_dog one car i noticed the other day with REALLY bad headlights as i thought they were driving at night with both headlights out and just parking lights was indeed an older commodore, didnt notice what model though but it was pretty bad, maybe try some decent globes though which should make a difference or replace the whole light as in the reflector / lense assembly?

oh and on a sidenote ozzzfreerider, apparently the headlights on the new range rover sport released at the end of the year are even brighter

 

[protecon]

Brightness isn't an issue.

It's the poorly calibrated lights that annoy other drivers.

If you want to adjust your headlights yourself, you'll need 10 to 12 metres of flat space in front of a garage door or other flat surface.

• Shine your low beams on a garage door from 60 to 80cms away.
• Outline the bright spots on the door with a soft pencil or tape.
• Back car to about 7 to 8 metres from the garage door. The top of the low beams should shine no higher than the top of the marks on the door or lower than the center of the marked circle.
• Make the necessary adjustments. On most cars, each headlight has two Phillips screws that adjust the beam up or down and left and right. These are accessible without removing any hardware

 

[lotec]

hey i can read a manual too! (thats what happens when you get bored on the 8hr drive to thredbo ) they aint even pointed that high, definatly not higher than our last car, i definatly do think it s a birghtness and glare issue the bi xenon lights do look a lot brighter coming towards you, especially when its raining for some reason

 

[scottmeister]

The lights on the rangie would seem brighter because:

a) The car is a 4WD, and as such is higher than most other cars, and the headlights pretty much would point straight at other drivers eyeline.

b) If they are the Xenon ones, then they produce a blue/white light which will always seem brighter than the dull white or yellow light other cars makes.

On a side note, we have a new holden calais, and we got the xenon globes installed in the front low and high beams, and the fog lights- so stick your shitty expensive rangie lights up your ass

 

[lotec]

doesnt a bi xenon light take up to 22 000 volts or something insane like that thus you cant just whack them in any light they need to be specially designed and have a power converter thingo etc etc etc?

 

[scottmeister]

doesnt a bi xenon light take up to 22 000 volts or something insane like that thus you cant just whack them in any light they need to be specially designed and have a power converter thingo etc etc etc?

Meh, fucked if I'd know, but we paid like $1000ish for the whole conversion, and theyre brighter and cheaper than what you pay for xenon ones on high end cars.

 

[Joly Joe Rider]

My dirty old ford (1967) is right up there too. And other then doing major surgery to fit newer style lights in it that the way she'll stay.

 

[wombat]

My dirty old ford (1967) is right up there too. And other then doing major surgery to fit newer style lights in it that the way she'll stay.

The old man's FC (1958) has 60/100 H4s in it, they're brillant.

I've got two Cessna landing lights sitting in the grille on the datto, waiting for me to install the relays.

 

[lotec]

I've got two Cessna landing lights sitting in the grille on the datto, waiting for me to install the relays.

pfffft... wanker!

 

[fatkat]

xenon bulbs in the mini soooo bright!

We have narva blue ice bulbs in our subaru, they're also pretty damn bright.

In the merc we have some crazy wattage bulbs, as the whole surround is all metal (no plastic shit to melt).. so it can get nice and hot and not worry about having a melt down hehehehehe

Thats the best thing about old cars, they use glass for their headlights, so you can use more powerful bulbs in them

Can't wait till i get my 4x4.. big cibie spotties on the roof hehe

 

[RCOH]

Not only do my car's (84 Honda Civic) lights shine a dull yellow/orange but they turn themselves on & off everytime I use the indicator. Highly annoying.

 

[Beena]

doesnt a bi xenon light take up to 22 000 volts or something insane like that thus you cant just whack them in any light they need to be specially designed and have a power converter thingo etc etc etc?

Gotta be careful with the whole 'xenon' thing. can have more than one meaning.

You can buy 'xenon' replacement globes (in H4 etc) for any car. But these are just a Halogen globe (which is 99% inert gas and 1% halogen gas, usually iodine vapour) but with xenon added as the inert gas instead of argon, nitrogen or krypton. It gives a higher colour temperature (how white it looks) and slightly more brightness (only a little though) but being whiter they look brighter than an older halogen.

the other type (like on BMWs etc) are Xenon Gas Discharge. A HID (High Intensity Discharge) light just like HID bike lights! More powerful of course but exactly the same technology.

These do not have a filament like normal globes, but strike an arc to produce their light. To initially strike this arc requires anything from 6000V - 20000V. Cars generally use a 35W globe, which requires a starting voltage of at least 7kV. Because they need to start reliably and hot (ie after they have been on and get turned off) the ballasts can usually support up to 20kV.
(this is the reason you can't turn HID bike lights on and off. When the lamp has been on, and vapour pressures are high, you need a higher starting voltage. Small HID ballast systems in bike lights can only support a cold start. Still around 6kV though)

In short, XGD/HID lights are brighter, use less power and have a 'whiter' light than halogen, but are more expensive.

 

[red_dog]

My commadore is a 95 exec sedan.
I spent $90 on phillips "xenon" globes that produced some white light, but it was still poor a piss.
I have the inserts in the bumper for the driving lights that come on ss models, but havent gotten around to it. Bought the genuine switch, and then lost interest.
Fuck it i need a new car anyways to carry my bikes in! Hilux Xtra cab! Just have to go to the auctions.

 

[gumbyhead]

If you want more brightness, you cant just put more powerful bulbs straight in, you really need to use relays, so you don't kill your switches, also use thick wire from the battery to the relay to the globe and ground so theres less voltage drop.