Making my headlights brighter.

[KrisMoyse]

I have the bog-standard pop-up headlights that come on the Mk2.

How can I make the light less yellowy (more white) and maybe brighter?


1. I cannot afford (at present) the twin headlight conversion from Rogue Systems

2. I've heard the HID kits on eBay are a load of poo so not going there


Are these super bright bulbs you can buy from places like Halfords that just replace your existing bulb any good?

[Greddy-Matt]

What about the Raybrig lenses? Mine are more blue/white than yellow and nice and bright!

[KrisMoyse]

What about the Raybrig lenses? Mine are more blue/white than yellow and nice and bright!

Got any links to pics and pricing?

I've had a look and Raybrig are just different bulbs aren't they?

[Greddy-Matt]

Nope different lenses too I dont have any pics im afraid, but im sure someone else will post one up...

[KrisMoyse]

Need the link for purchase too if anyone has it

[ChrisW]

I've recently fitted the Raybrig lenses - there's just been a group buy on MR2OC. They look cool and they help put more light onto the road, but they don't change the colour of the light (mine didn't come with new bulbs.)

I'm using Osram Silverstar bulbs which are 50% brighter than standard but still a bit yellow. Philips have a new bulb called X-Treme Power which sounds really good (80% brighter) or their Power2Night GT150 which I think has a white/blue effect.

[ChrisW]

Forgot to say you can get the Raybrigs from http://www.tcbparts.co.uk/ (click on 'light section' in the menu.) Not sure if those ones come with new bulbs or not.

[Tsunami]

Fitted a new headlight bulb to my passenger side light when I got the car, and it is noticeably brighter/whiter than the old one on the driver side. I think it was one of the 50% brighter ones, but is certainly is better, and I got it from Helfrauds. Hell of a lot cheaper than Raybrigs too

[KrisMoyse]

Can we get some night-time pics up of the different headlight set-ups people have?

Pics of the cars lights and the road in front if poss. Will be useful to me and other IMOCers looking to upgrade

[Slarty]

Raybrigs


Standard



Simply replace the lights with Raybrigs. I have some Phillips (I think) brighter bulbs and the light output is great

Light pattern at night (rubbish photo, sorry!)



For £100 you'll be doing well to better them

[KrisMoyse]

Cheers slarty, thanks for doin the pics.

I'm very tempted..where and how much can I pic a set up for? (lenses & bulbs)

[JeffD]

Go to Halfords and buy replacement bulbs (the ones in the gold packets). They are usually on 2 for 1 offer so it will cost you about £12.50 for the pair, take you aboutr 20 mins to fit and they are about 50% brighter. Got them myself and they are noticably brighter - very cheap mod! :-)

[KrisMoyse]

Go to Halfords and buy replacement bulbs (the ones in the gold packets). They are usually on 2 for 1 offer so it will cost you about £12.50 for the pair, take you aboutr 20 mins to fit and they are about 50% brighter. Got them myself and they are noticably brighter - very cheap mod!

Funnily enough I was debating doing that instead and was hoping someone was gonna say that.

I'm in the process of moving out so expensive mods are a no-no at present...though stretching is not out of the question.

I get trade discount too so even better! lol

This is them (obviously not the correct part no. and the ones from halfords the mo are 2 for 1):



Cheers Jeff.

[KrisMoyse]

Gotta say by the way Slarty that that is one nice lookin motor you have there...well except the vanilla pine tree freshner lol. Stick it under the dash next to the foot air vents and you'll get the full benefit of the smell without the annoying hypnotic properties

[JeffD]

Let me know how much they cost will you? Ive just got a Halfords trade card so might get another set for my other car :-)

[KrisMoyse]

Let me know how much they cost will you? Ive just got a Halfords trade card so might get another set for my other car

Course, no worries matey

[oBladeo]

Just a quick run down on what i know about lights

HID kits are only good for projection lights because the standard glass would shatter the light to much and would blind other motorists. (Some mot station picks this up as part of the mot and would fail your car)

Tinted head light bulbs are totally illegal

Xenon bulbs come in different types. I've seen 30 and 50 % brighter and use to use the 30% ones on my car. It passed the mot fine with them in

[refo]

i've had my fair share of old cars in my time and the headlights are allways crap.

on a tight budget at the time i just took the glass out and cleaned both sides of it, stuck some halfords 30% brighter bulbs in and also cleaned and polished the silver back reflector as it had become dull over time.
this helped no end.

my number 1 fav light mod is to get extra main beam lights. dip beam is all well and good but you can only go so far without blinding other drivers. so i stick some other high beam lights on the car somewhere, wire them in and bingo! perfect main beam vision every time regardless of how crap your original lights are.

my mate wired up his fog lights with clear lenses (home made) and some hid bulbs. as its only high beam its legal apprently. not tried that myself.

good luck.

[KrisMoyse]

Was thinkin of going with the 50% brighter....is that too much?

Am I better off going with the 30%?

[ChrisW]

50% is fine and you'll appreciate the extra light for night-time driving.