MR2 Roadster Owners Club

The Workshop => Maintenance, Problems & Troubleshooting => Topic started by: Peter Laborne on March 11, 2004, 18:23

Title: Bwite lite, bwite lite
Post by: Peter Laborne on March 11, 2004, 18:23
<gizmo voice>
Bwite lite, bwite lite
</gizmo voice>

I've always never been impressed at the brightness and whiteness of the headlights. So today I changed them. Overall it took about 1/2 hour for a complete novice (does anyone have four spare pop-pins I can have   s:oops: :oops: s:oops:  ). Here are the results before and after:
(http://www.peter-laborne.co.uk/images/headlightbefore.jpg) (http://www.peter-laborne.co.uk/images/headlightafter.jpg)

Ok, not brilliantly detailed as they were taken in my garage. Though each picture was taken within about 5 mins of each other, so natural light didn't affect too much.
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on March 11, 2004, 18:25
Very good - your garage is a complete mess though, I hope your 2 is not kept in such sqalid conditions?.

I cant talk, my now vacant garage is in the throws (mess) of being converted to a photographic studio...babes in the garage.
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on March 11, 2004, 18:28
Quotedoes anyone have four spare pop-pins I can have
i will see at work and let you know

not sure if we use them but i will take a wander
Title: Lights
Post by: Anonymous on March 11, 2004, 19:39
Did you just change the bulbs and if so, with what?
Title:
Post by: Peter Laborne on March 11, 2004, 20:32
I just changed the bulbs to Ring Ultra Xenon (£18.99 for two)

(http://www.carstylingdirect.com/acatalog/ultra_xenon.jpg)

I've just been out for a drive. Roadsigns are sooo much clearer, the white parts are actually white. The dipped beam is cracking. The intensity is somewhere between the standard dipped and full beams, but with a white glow without the yellow tint.

I was a bit dubious (ie a carefully opened pack so I could pretend that they were the wrong ones....just in case   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  ), but I must admit that I am impressed.
Title:
Post by: mph on March 11, 2004, 23:36
Be very aware of how much extra heat alternative bulbs throw out, especially if you take your car to across the water and have to fit headlight deflectors/masks.
Title:
Post by: SteveJ on March 12, 2004, 00:07
Quote from: "mph"Be very aware of how much extra heat alternative bulbs throw out, especially if you take your car to across the water and have to fit headlight deflectors/masks.

Written by a man who had new headlights fitted under warranty because 'they just melted honest Mr T'   s:oops: :oops: s:oops:
Title:
Post by: Peter Laborne on March 12, 2004, 06:12
Quote from: "mph"Be very aware of how much extra heat alternative bulbs throw out, especially if you take your car to across the water and have to fit headlight deflectors/masks.

I did bear you in mind when I brought them. It does say on the pack "safe for use in plastic headlamps"   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on March 12, 2004, 09:58
I used Osram Silver Stars from http://www.powerbulbs.com a VAST improvement over OEM, and no hotter/higher current.
Title:
Post by: GSB on March 12, 2004, 10:24
Quote from: "SteveJ"
Quote from: "mph"Be very aware of how much extra heat alternative bulbs throw out, especially if you take your car to across the water and have to fit headlight deflectors/masks.

Written by a man who had new headlights fitted under warranty because 'they just melted honest Mr T'   s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

He's not the only one  s:oops: :oops: s:oops:  ...

Dont go mad on the power output! I now use standard power xenon filled lamps, and as Peter says, the results are well worth the money as they do seem to convert more of the power into usable light output.
Title:
Post by: Two's Company on March 12, 2004, 10:36
Anyone changed the bulbs on an '03?

My dipped lights are crap but full beam are okay.

I think dipped and full beam have separate bulbs??
Title:
Post by: markiii on March 12, 2004, 10:40
they are
Title:
Post by: mph on March 12, 2004, 11:01
Quote from: "SteveJ"
Quote from: "mph"Be very aware of how much extra heat alternative bulbs throw out, especially if you take your car to across the water and have to fit headlight deflectors/masks.

Written by a man who had new headlights fitted under warranty because 'they just melted honest Mr T'   s:oops: :oops: s:oops:
To clarify, that was immediately after running the lights for an extended period over in France with silver reflective beam-deflector 'masks' (that were sold by the Toyota Garage). The last trip I used some 'lens' type ones from Halfords and had no such problems, though weren't using the headlights so much anyway.
Title:
Post by: GSB on March 12, 2004, 12:07
Quote from: "mph"
Quote from: "SteveJ"
Quote from: "mph"Be very aware of how much extra heat alternative bulbs throw out, especially if you take your car to across the water and have to fit headlight deflectors/masks.

Written by a man who had new headlights fitted under warranty because 'they just melted honest Mr T'   s:oops: :oops: s:oops:
To clarify, that was immediately after running the lights for an extended period over in France with silver reflective beam-deflector 'masks' (that were sold by the Toyota Garage). The last trip I used some 'lens' type ones from Halfords and had no such problems, though weren't using the headlights so much anyway.

Ahh, mine was slightly different... Running uprated lamps, (about 100watts IIRC) caused the area of the reflector directly above the lamp to oxidise slightly due to increased heat output.This is the area of the reflector directly responsible for your dipped beam, hence, I couldn't see where I was going...