Xenon Headlights

preilly79

was in Halfords a few hours ago and noticed i can get xenon bulbs for my car (toyota starlet) @ €19 each. whenever you see the options-list for new carss xenon headlights are usually listed at about €400 euro .... so my question is, what's the difference?

i had always assumed that xenons run at a much higher voltage and so require a special powerpack/inverter type thingy to power them, and that's what makes them so expensive.

but if it's a case that they require a higher voltage, how can i then buy xenons for my boggo standard starlet? can i just plug and play or do i have to buy something else to power them?

i dont want those stupid blue lights, just something safer as i drive quite a bit at night.

thanks in advance for your replies

bazz26

From my understanding of Xenon headlights is that the headlamp unit uses a gas discharge process. They use an arc instead of a filament as a light source. Most manufactures offer Xenon lights as an optional extra but this is an expensive option usual upwards of €1,000 extra. This consists of the Xenon headlamp unit and bulbs.

The advantages are that you have better visability and the bulbs last longer. Disadvantages - unit and bulbs are expensive to replace if needed.

Not sure what you saw in Halfords but I'm not sure this is the same as above.

drdre

i got a golf and was going to the lights they were over 1600 yoyos and it was too much for me.but i heard they look really cool

JohnCleary

@OP: These are not the Xenon headlights you see on high class cars. They are still a filimant bulb but there is a different gas used in the tube IIRC, and they give off a more blue tint colour.

I had 6000k in my car before and I gotta admit that they were much more powerful and a better light, but they threw the focus off.

drdre

can these be installed into a car after its bought from a garage.

is it hard work,does anyone have links to pics and spec.
thanks

bkehoe

Yes, they just plug in instead of your existing bulbs. Definatly better than the standard halogens, but nowhere near the brightness of a true xenon system.

Praetorian

True Xenon lights are really great. They look fantastic, and really light up dark roads. Let us know if the bulbs alone make much of a difference!

css

I also tried them, but discovered they don't last very long. A waste of cash if you ask me.

AMurphy

preilly79 wrote:

was in Halfords a few hours ago and noticed i can get xenon bulbs for my car (toyota starlet) @ €19 each. whenever you see the options-list for new carss xenon headlights are usually listed at about €400 euro .... so my question is, what's the difference?
......

The difference is they are not Xenon HID lamps, just high brightness (and shorter life) regular filiment lamps.

see; http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProducts/AutomotiveLighting/

vs

http://www.autodirectsave.com/REAL_KIT_SYSTEM.asp

ps, don't be bothered with these expensive bulbs, unless you like the effect.
if you need light, teh XtraVision which are a little higher brightless with a reasonable life are sufficient.
The very bright filiments are more prone to failure due to shock as in potholes, and evaporate/degrade faster also.
Phillips, Osram and PIAA have such bulps for reasonable prices.

jayok

Another small thing about HIDs in Europe is that the EU has in place law that require all cars fitted with these lighting devices to have both automatic levellers and lens washers.

Apprently when testing the significant increase in brightness caused concern for the safety of on coming motorist. As such the EU required that all homologised cars for the market must have the levellers and washers fitted.

After market fitting is acutally quite difficult and expensive.

Goes some way to explain the huge costs of HIDs over here, VRT, VAT, etc, it just keeps going! :rolleyes:

AMurphy

jayok wrote:

......both automatic levellers and lens washers.

......:

Automatic levellers! The bumpy roads in ROI must give these things a real workout.