headlight comparison (bi xenon - halogen)

[alexz]

I am in the process of selecting possible options and wanted to know if anyone has a photographic comparison of on-road headlight differences. I currently have HID on low beam (standard on 06 wrx) and want to know if it is worth it for the extra $1500 or so...

i tried searching but had no luck!

[readerr0r]

I am in the process of selecting possible options and wanted to know if anyone has a photographic comparison of on-road headlight differences. I currently have HID on low beam (standard on 06 wrx) and want to know if it is worth it for the extra $1500 or so...

i tried searching but had no luck!

You'll want it . The Led DRLs look great and will help keep the car modern. The Xenons have excellent range and light up road signs really well. And then you have the cornering lights, they do a great job lighting up the road when driving down tight suburban estates and unlit car parks. Plus if you're keen you can add automatic lights later.

In the end, it's only 5% on top of the cost of the car and there's is no cheaper or better way of getting them on there.

[kamold]

IMHO HIDs are a must have if you want to consider a car modern. Every time I drive my wife's car at night (that I've installed good quality Philips Xtreme power halogen globes in) I notice the difference in visibility.

Higher quality vision = less required concentration to notice objects = lower strain = higher safety.

Just my 2c.

90% of aftermarket HID solutions are a compromise over OEM so you might as well do it once, do it properly.

Really glad I hunted for an Octy with Xenons.

[DoggieHowser]

My MY12.5 Tiguan was optioned with bixenon. Makes a big difference when I drive at night vs our 77TSI Golf with halogens.

[team_v]

Or you could just spend another $100 or so on uprated halogen bulbs which are good enough for every situation you will ever be in and then save the 1.9k would would have spent as the car already comes with suitable headlights according to ADR' compliance.

Just my opinion but you see many forum members saying xenon's are a must have so the choise is yours.

[ill0gitech]

Or you could just spend another $100 or so on uprated halogen bulbs which are good enough for every situation you will ever be in and then save the 1.9k

+1
Modern is great and all, but for me, the $1800 extra, and 6+months to order one with xenon's wasn't worth it

[prcurrie]

Xenon's all the way - no questions asked!

[JonW]

Ive never found Xenons that great on other cars so didnt bother with them, plenty of people have tried to convince me, but for me on the roads ive driven (here, UK and EU) Ive never gelled with them for some reason, maybe its my eyes, who knows. So... I didnt order them.

Edited to add: I would really like to see some really scientific tests about lights and how they have improved over the years. I will admit that my old bangers always had awful lights, so I know things have got better over time, but what really is proven advantages of the modern +xxx% bulbs in a standard reflector? how much more focused is a projector light than a normal reflector and what does that actually mean to the driver on a dark wet night on a country road? Same with Xenons etc. Id happily be part of that test if any of the mags want to do one, (Id even write it for you, its what i do LOL) but right now I struggle personally to see how the lights on the BMW and Hondas ive driven in the past were better than halogen. What the test needs is to have a car without xenons, the same car with the normal lights and then a few of the uprated bulbs. In fact we could probably spend a dark night in the burbs with 2 Polo GTIs if people wanted to play when I get my car. Everyone else seems to order Xennons for the looks more than anything, its only cheapskate me who didnt LOL

FWIW, my MIL said she found her TSI lights less good than her old Commodore, but has 'got used to them now'. Im coming from Xenons in my current ride (Accord Euro) so that will be interesting. The car with the best lights i had was a WRX, but only on high beam... I fitted a PIAA driving light kit designed for the Imprezza, those huge lights turned the middle of the countryside into daylight at night, less good when you switch back to low beam of course LOL worst lights you ask? sure... a 1976 mini with original sealed beam lights. you could run them on high beam all night and no one would be offended.

[pologti18t]

HIDS are all great, but they certainly aren't worth the $$$ when most people drive round city areas for 95% of the time. The cost of replacement bulbs for HID lights is also expensive. I am sure insurance companies don't like them as a replacement item in an accident

I've also noticed that HIDs don't seem to becoming more prevalent on new cars as standard. In fact, for cars like the new VW Jetta the option has disappeared altogether.

[alexz]

Thanks for feedback, as I said my current car has them and I love them I would have thought on a gti model they would be standard!

I think it will come down to what deal can be done.

My wrx is still on original bulbs FYI and it is 6 years old.

[Savant]

In fact, for cars like the new VW Jetta the option has disappeared altogether.

I'm amazed at this.

I have HID lights on my current Accord Euro and they are far better at illuminating the road than the standard halogen lights on my wife's Mazda6

[JonW]

I'm amazed at this.

I have HID lights on my current Accord Euro and they are far better at illuminating the road than the standard halogen lights on my wife's Mazda6

Each to his own I guess, plus its also based on what else you know/drive/driven etc. But I have a Euro on my drive right now and the lights are not that great imho. :/

[DoggieHowser]

I live about 15km out of Brisbane and most of the roads aren't well illuminated. The xenons just give me much more confidence driving at night.

Except when it rains.

[Savant]

Except when it rains.

To be honest I notice the same thing when it rains. Why is that?

[JonW]

Amusingly I washed my windscreen the other day at night, on a back road. The amount of water from the Euro's headlight washers effectively switched the lights off for a few secs (due to water volume not electrical connection etc). An amusing game when youre bored...