Headlight help

[Hotrodheart]

I want brighter headlights. Has anyone here tried an aftermarket solution that they can recommend?

[jawn]

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/com...-frs-2012.html

Some folks will recommend just dropping HIDs into the factory housings, but if you've got the cash for it, it's way cleaner to do a proper retrofit like the one in the above link. I've used them in the past for some other cars. They make a good product. Generally speaking, the closer you are to 4300K-5000K with HIDs, the brighter they'll appear to be.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Hotrodheart

I want brighter headlights. Has anyone here tried an aftermarket solution that they can recommend?

Oh, just admit you're getting older......

Ain't nutten wrong with your car's headlights ......


humfrz

[Hotrodheart]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Oh, just admit you're getting older......

Ain't nutten wrong with your car's headlights ......


humfrz

Well, yeah, guilty as charged!

[Tcoat]

I wish my headlights were brighter as well. My last few cars the headlights were very smart and knew when to turn on and off all on their own but these ones need to be told when to do everything. Maybe tutoring or special classes will help?

[dnieves]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I wish my headlights were brighter as well. My last few cars the headlights were very smart and knew when to turn on and off all on their own but these ones need to be told when to do everything. Maybe tutoring or special classes will help?

The auto headlights in the 10 Series/Monogram/RS 1 come in handy but it'd be getter if they were LED.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by dnieves

The auto headlights in the 10 Series/Monogram/RS 1 come in handy but it'd be getter if they were LED.

Actually I was just making a play on words with "brighter" and could care less if I have to turn them on and off.
Headlights is one of my few throwbacks to preferring the older tech. Although the brightness is nice but if they are aimed just a little off on an oncoming vehicle my poor old eyes can't handle them. I also get freaked out over the line created by the HID's cut off cover. Bright, bright, bright, bam dark.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I wish my headlights were brighter as well. My last few cars the headlights were very smart and knew when to turn on and off all on their own but these ones need to be told when to do everything. Maybe tutoring or special classes will help?

Well, I just wish they were all the same .......

On my FR-S, I have to turn off the headlights ...... or that feeble little chime goes off ..... that I can't hardly hear. On my wife's car, the headlights are automatic.

Now, when we go to the picture show, I drive her car ..... when we get out, I stand there ..... looking back at the car ...... trying to remember which was which and watching for the lights go off. Meanwhile, she is half way across the parking lot ...... mumbling something about .... stupid old man ....


humfrz

[sgtcarrot]

I guess that is one of the upgrades to the 2015: My frs has an auto setting and light sensor on the dash, turns on all of the lights based on that. Running lights on during the day, full lights at night.

It does not chime or anything when I leave the car, two pushes of lock button on the fob turns of everything, or the lights go off on their own after 30 seconds.

Or am I imagining things?

[N1rve]

Originally Posted by sgtcarrot

I guess that is one of the upgrades to the 2015: My frs has an auto setting and light sensor on the dash, turns on all of the lights based on that. Running lights on during the day, full lights at night.

It does not chime or anything when I leave the car, two pushes of lock button on the fob turns of everything, or the lights go off on their own after 30 seconds.

Or am I imagining things?

Auto headlights was one of the changes to the 2015 models that isn't available on the regular 2013-2014 FRS. This is standard on the 2013 10 Series FRS and the 2014 Monogram.

[weederr33]

You could do a rally inspired set up with a row along the front bumper. That would be perfect

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I wish my headlights were brighter as well. My last few cars the headlights were very smart and knew when to turn on and off all on their own but these ones need to be told when to do everything. Maybe tutoring or special classes will help?

Uh... My 2015 must've taken special classes then....

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

Originally Posted by sgtcarrot

I guess that is one of the upgrades to the 2015: My frs has an auto setting and light sensor on the dash, turns on all of the lights based on that. Running lights on during the day, full lights at night.

It does not chime or anything when I leave the car, two pushes of lock button on the fob turns of everything, or the lights go off on their own after 30 seconds.

Or am I imagining things?

Nope, I can adjust the sensitivity using a bluetooth obd2 dongle and Carista App. It also does not chime as you said that is normal and also turns off on the lock button. It's just a majority of owners don't have a 2015 so therefore don't have the auto headlights

[venturaII]

Originally Posted by Hotrodheart

I want brighter headlights. Has anyone here tried an aftermarket solution that they can recommend?

If you haven't drunk from the HID/LED koolaide cup, then I suggest the combo that was recommended to me from Daniel Stern (http://www.danielsternlighting.com/) for a proper incandescent setup, which works excellent. The P.O. had some crappy aftermarket HID kit installed and it was worthless, as most HID are, so Mr. Stern recommended the following:

The low beams take an H11 (this can be
substantially upgraded) and the high beams take an HB3/9005,
which can also be substantially upgraded. These are both
halogen bulbs.

A standard 9005 bulb from the parts store will restore your
high beams to the way they're meant to work. If you want to
upgrade the high beams, get
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00480J5CW"]http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00480J5CW[/ame] . That is a Philips 9011
bulb. They are not some tinted or overwattage version of
9005, but share the identical filament geometry and base
architecture as well as the same power consumption.

Here's the comparison:

stock: 9005, 12.8V, 65W, 1700 lumens, 320 hours
new: 9011, 12.8V, 65W, 2530 lumens, 320 hours

The 9011 bulbs have a double-wide top ear on the plastic
bulb base, this is
to comply with the law requiring different bulbs to have
different bases.
The extra-wide plastic top ear is easily trimmed or filed to
make the bulb
fit your headlamp's bulb receptacle. Once that's done, they
go directly
into the headlamp, and the existing sockets snap on. Please see
http://dastern.torque.net/Mods/HIRmod.html for details.
Disregard Amazon's warning that the bulbs won't fit your car.

Your low beams take a 1350-lumen H11 bulb. You can easily,
safely, and effectively replace this with a 2100-lumen H9
bulb, which you ought to be able to find locally by seeking
the high beam bulb for a 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. Use a good
brand (GE, Philips, Osram-Sylvania) and stick to colorless
clear bulbs, not any kind of "whiter light" bulb such as the
Sylvania Silver Star scam. Can also get online,
http://store.candlepower.com/h-9.html .You may need to shave
a small ridge of plastic off the H9 bulb's connector so that
the H11 socket will snap on. Other than that, it's a direct
swap. The only disadvantage is shorter low beam bulb life —
the H11 is optimised for very long life with relatively
modest light output, while the H9 is optimised for very high
output with relatively short life. Note that the H9 swap is
not universal; it works well in projector-type low beams but
is not safe in most reflector-type low beams or in fog lamps
of any type.

Best DS


My lights now are on par or better than the setup on my previous car, a Mercedes W203, which are known for their excellent lighting characteristics, and I still use off the shelf incandescent bulbs that can be found at any Auto Zone.