Is It Me Or Are The Headlights Very Low And Dim?

[wicked677]

My headlights are very poor, I even purchased some of those blue bulbs advertised to give even more light but they seem to make it impossible to see at night. At the moment I'm literally driving everywhere with my fog lights on for extra light. I EVEN went as far as buying brand new headlights from aclex for few hundred quid... I'm at a loss, all of the previous MOT and services by the old owner don't even mention the lights being out?

I don't want to consider the HID lights as I heard they are illegal to fit in the reflector cases and light beams all over the place... But it might have to come to that so I can safely drive at night!

Comments?

[ormi]

get hids you will never go back!!!i have them in my dipped,full beam and fogs...

one thing i will say is once fitted get them alighned and you'll get no greef and you'll wonder why you didnt fit them sooner

[sprinter2012]

If the lights are brand new and they are still rubbish I'd say there's something wrong with your car.

I've got HID's now, but I could see fine with the standard 60w halogen bulbs.

My guess would be maybe your car has had a bump somewhere along the line and put the light mounts a long way out of line.

Take it to a garage and get them to check the alignment before you spend any more money on it.

[Rich OB]

If you're worried about fitting HIDs because of the reflectors, buy the anti-glare set from HIDs4U. They cut out the light that shines into the bottom of the reflector, this is the light that dazzles other drivers as it reflects upwards. They also look a lot more 'factory' than some of the awful cheap kits from eBay.

You will wonder how you ever drove without them!

[wicked677]

You have a link to an example of above @HIDs4U ?

[Rich OB]

This is the link to bulbs:

http://www.hids4u.co.uk/hb4r-9006r-anti-glare-replacement-hid-bulbs.html

[sprinter2012]

I'd check that the alignment is okay before you spend any more money. Even HIDs won't make a difference if they are pointing straight at the ground.

Also I'd steer clear of the anti-glare bulbs. Because Lexus attach the locking ring for the bulbs about 1/4 turn different to most manufacturers so instead of cutting off the light going upwards, they block out the light going sideways so you just end up with a strange square shape of light in the road which doesn't illuminate anything to the sides.

I sent mine back and got them to replace them with normal bulbs which are fine.

[Rich OB]

Hey Sprinter, I did notice that the bulbs lock in at an angle. I kept them in (until they both blew last week)

I still think they look better than the normal bulbs, the normal ones just seem to throw glare all over the housing. But I hear what you're saying about the beam pattern.

I need/want a projector retrofit!

[sprinter2012]

Hey Sprinter, I did notice that the bulbs lock in at an angle. I kept them in (until they both blew last week)

I still think they look better than the normal bulbs, the normal ones just seem to throw glare all over the housing. But I hear what you're saying about the beam pattern.

I need/want a projector retrofit!

Trust Lexus to be different, wonky locking rings, positive and negative on the lights wired opposite to the norm, whatever next. lol

I've been considering getting a set of lights off an IS300 (because they had HIDs from factory) Although it requires some small modification to the fender I think, but nothing visible. That way I keep the OEM look and get a flat beam pattern :)

[Rich OB]

Yeah I was thinking about doing the same thing. Even had a quote from ACLex on some new IS300 headlights, the darker late spec ones. Do you know if the IS300 headlights use an orange filter for the indicator?

[sprinter2012]

Yeah I was thinking about doing the same thing. Even had a quote from ACLex on some new IS300 headlights, the darker late spec ones. Do you know if the IS300 headlights use an orange filter for the indicator?

I've been looking on eBay for them, you can get them from the US pre-JDM'd (black inside) for good money. And the IS300 doesn't use orange plastic in any of the pictures I've seen, just orange bulbs.

[ormi]

Yeah I was thinking about doing the same thing. Even had a quote from ACLex on some new IS300 headlights, the darker late spec ones. Do you know if the IS300 headlights use an orange filter for the indicator?

wiring and front panel modding req......ie you need to cut parts out the front panel to fit is300 lights

[Rich OB]

Yeah I've heard Ormi. But nothing a decent bodyshop couldn't do right?

If you get them from USA wouldn't they only be suited for LHD cars and not UK spec?

So they definitely use orange bulbs and not an orange filter on IS300 headlights?

[ormi]

cant use us spec lights on a uk car and they use orange bulbs...

[zebedee600]

I had this issue too. It was so bad i had drive around with my fog lights on but have just fitted new bulbs from Halfords (boxed as own brand 90% brighter). The transformation is amazing and only £25 for a pair.