C5...Headlight upgrade????
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,979
Likes: 5
From: San Diego, CA "leaf" "tee" "e"
The HID lamp conversion is worth the price. It's the best of everything except price.
As far as your stock lamps, I don't recommend retrofitting HIDs or using high wattage bulbs. If you keep your stock lamps, get the good German Silverstars. You can find out how to identify them on Daniel Sterns website. (www.danielsternlighting.com)
You can also swap to Euro housings. The Euro housings use a single H4 bulb for low/high beams. It has a glass lens that does a better job of putting light on the road. The Euro housings normally come with upgraded wiring that allow you to run 110/130W bulbs. The only downside is that where our lamps shine a little light on the right side of the road to illuminate signs, the Euro lamps illuminate the other side and may potentially blind drivers, although I ran 110w low beams for almost two years without getting flashed by oncoming traffic. If you get properly setup with 110W low beams, you'll be as close to HID brightness as possible.
As far as your stock lamps, I don't recommend retrofitting HIDs or using high wattage bulbs. If you keep your stock lamps, get the good German Silverstars. You can find out how to identify them on Daniel Sterns website. (www.danielsternlighting.com)
You can also swap to Euro housings. The Euro housings use a single H4 bulb for low/high beams. It has a glass lens that does a better job of putting light on the road. The Euro housings normally come with upgraded wiring that allow you to run 110/130W bulbs. The only downside is that where our lamps shine a little light on the right side of the road to illuminate signs, the Euro lamps illuminate the other side and may potentially blind drivers, although I ran 110w low beams for almost two years without getting flashed by oncoming traffic. If you get properly setup with 110W low beams, you'll be as close to HID brightness as possible.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 249
From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The only downside is that where our lamps shine a little light on the right side of the road to illuminate signs, the Euro lamps illuminate the other side and may potentially blind drivers, although I ran 110w low beams for almost two years without getting flashed by oncoming traffic.[/QUOTE]
Regarding the Euro lenses. If you have more light on the left rather than the right, then you got the wrong lenses. There are two types of export lights. One does project more on the left, these are for British or Japanese export, where they drive on the left side of the road. The correct ones, though, are for the rest of the world where they drive on the right like we do here. They throw a higher, brighter beam to the right side of the road.
Regarding the Euro lenses. If you have more light on the left rather than the right, then you got the wrong lenses. There are two types of export lights. One does project more on the left, these are for British or Japanese export, where they drive on the left side of the road. The correct ones, though, are for the rest of the world where they drive on the right like we do here. They throw a higher, brighter beam to the right side of the road.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
From: Brandon, SD
Do a search -upgrade headlights or something like that. There are lots of different bulbs, HIDs, etc. for both headlights and fog lights; and of course, a lot of opinions. Wade through and make a decision. Anything is better than stock especially when you are travelling at 3 digit speeds at night.
