Headlights

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Sun 1 Dec 2019 17:03
Headlights - bazza

I've just upgraded the dismal headlights on my 12 reg Civic, using Phillips extreme and the results on dip are quite good, a significant improvement. Main beam was ok but most of the driving round here is on dip. Truly an awkward job, had me cursing and vowing to flog the Civic at the earliest opportunity, together with hands cut to shreds. It got me wondering which cars have decent non HID lights. The Civic comes with H7 main and dip, our focus the same but the focus lights are excellent by comparison. None can compete with the superb lights on the poverty spec 12 year old Panda believe it or not. Our Corolla is mediocre, with I think some strange bulbs too. This is such an important aspect that doesn't get much review but was wondering which models out there are decent. I drove a 5 series a few years ago and was astonished how poor the lights were. Hopefully when I buy a van, I will be able to see a but better at night!

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Sun 1 Dec 2019 18:10
Headlights - gordonbennet

Most of the problem is beam pattern, my last Landcruiser was a year 2000 90 series, headlights of which were superb on standard bulbs as was my first LC a '93 70 series, my current LC a 55 plate 120 series i nearly hit an unlit skip first week with it so bad were they, that now sports upgraded legal bulbs...it has that horrid Germanic beam pattern of a flat fairly narrow sharply cut off beam immediately in front with a steep rising kick up to the nearside so too much of the light output is lost illuminating for no good reason the verge and high hedgerows on the nearside.

Bulb fitting can be awful, current LC is OK unless you want to change side light bulbs, in which case it's easier to whip whichever one of the two batteries out which makes access simple, the Subaru Forester on the other hand i'm dreading needing to change any of the front bulbs which is a first for any of my Japanese cars.

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Sun 1 Dec 2019 22:06
Headlights - Theophilus

I guess I'm getting to the age when I've become a miserable old Grinch - but when driving after dark I try to curb my speed to drive within the beam of my (non-upgraded) lights.

What really I find dangerous is not the limitation of the light thrown by my headlights, but constantly being dazzled by oncoming vehicles with high-intensity bulbs.

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Sun 1 Dec 2019 22:25
Headlights - gordonbennet

Agree with both Theophilus, the problem with the beams, i describe badly above, is that with sharp cut off beams anywhere beyond the beams you can see nothing as there is little to no light scatter.

I wouldn't mind if the previous designs had been worse, but in fact they were better due to a flattish beam pattern not ending in a sharply drawn line on the road beyond which total darkness, and this is progress?

Using wifey's Forester at the moment and even sitting that bit lower than in my Toyota 4x4 the increase in glare from oncoming stupidly bright ill aimed lights is horrible, that does have properly set Xenons, which are really quite decent lights overall.

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Sun 1 Dec 2019 23:12
Headlights - Andrew-T

Using wifey's Forester at the moment and even sitting that bit lower than in my Toyota 4x4 the increase in glare from oncoming stupidly bright ill aimed lights is horrible,

... and even worse just now, with frozen surfaces reflecting more glare than usual. There have been many threads cursing the steady rise in headlamp intensity. It's a hopeless war with no winners.

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Sun 1 Dec 2019 23:39
Headlights - focussed

I had to replace the headlight units on my uk-sourced Accord to pass the french mot at 4 years old.

So ordered the correct oem LHD (dip to the right) unit part number as advised by local Honda dealer, had Coxes Honda in the UK check that this was the correct part number for driving in europe etc.

The UK spec units gave the same beam pattern as GB describes, sharp cut off, huge kick-up on the the left to illuminate the rabbits sitting on the grass verge etc.

The new LHD dip to right units have a flat beam pattern, no kick up on the right, legal in the UK for driving on the left, and in europe for driving on the right and passes the french mot.

So why the h*ll weren't flat beam units fitted to start with?

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Mon 2 Dec 2019 12:11
Headlights - Penumbra

Poor headlights are a pet peeve of mine and something motoring journalists never mention.

I've mentioned before that I did a trip round Ireland in a Peugeot 2008. Dipped beam was so poor that I had to drive on mains to be see anything.

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Wed 4 Dec 2019 10:31
Headlights - Glaikit Wee Scunner {P}

Beam pattern-yet another thing that The Motor showed in their, much missed road tests . The beam kick up on the left hand side surely maximised the nearside illumination, while avoiding dazzling oncoming motorists.?

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Wed 4 Dec 2019 12:43
Headlights - Ethan Edwards

Could the side illumination you mention not be a waste but designed to help you see pedestrians especially on unlit lanes with no pavements.

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Wed 4 Dec 2019 12:56
Headlights - corax

I've just upgraded my headlights with some T cut and a cloth.

:-)

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Wed 4 Dec 2019 18:40
Headlights - focussed

Could the side illumination you mention not be a waste but designed to help you see pedestrians especially on unlit lanes with no pavements.

I think that there is an over-emphasis on spotting the pedestrians when it comes to headlamp beam patterns.

Has there ever been any program of educating pedestrians to enable them to be in any way responsible for their behaviour? IE Don't wander about dark country roads in dark clothing etc?

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Wed 4 Dec 2019 19:57
Headlights - Bolt

IE Don't wander about dark country roads in dark clothing etc?

Funny you should mention that, I was once in favour of LED street lamps and learnt over the months that pedestrians are even harder to see even with light clothes on, but would have thought councils would have experimented with different lights so pedestrians were more easily seen

and even with the headlamp side illumination to show up pedestrians, doesn't really work that well with LED streetlamps

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