Educate me on headlight options please

[nathanours]

Hey everyone, just wanted to throw a big thanks out to all you guys who have helped me with other issues, but anyway, on to my point.

I'd like to have brighter headlights on my car, either by adding fog's or by increasing the output from my main headlights.

The car is a 96 LE with the 2.2L engine.

Do you guys like HIDs or projectors, or what? Is there an installation I could do myself, or is it pretty in depth?

What are my options? What is this gonna run me cost wise? Is it something I'd be better off just forgetting about?

I do a lot of driving at night on long open roads without much, if any, traffic, and in Colorado things like avoiding deer, are a big concern.

Thanks,

Nathan

[gr91]

Retrofitting projectors and adding HIDs is your almost answer! it takes a long time and im not sure of the skill level.

You could just do HIDs but your local law may not like them, unless you can get them done at a toyota dealership but that may cost alot,

Personally I would do HID's and point the headlights down about 5 degrees to avoid alot of glare. plus that would help with your cop problem a little more, just go with 5 or 6 k as those produce less blue and have greater light output,
you can also get universal foglights from autozone or something and add them somehow. but thats me

[Safari Wagon]

Depo's... 145 shipped with corners and all bulbs

[Silent Runner]

Originally Posted by Safari Wagon

Depo's... 145 shipped with corners and all bulbs

Careful Safari.

The Depos are the best for looks, hands down. But for nightime vision they will have to be modded with projectors. (I tried every variation of bulbs and even "off road only", 80W bulbs) You have to get them for the clear lenses, so your right, but after that to shine really good, useful deer avoiding light, an HID, projector mod is a must. The DEPOS do good light on high-beam, but they are pretty much useless on low-beam, for highway driving. Really, the low beams were not much better than my DRL's for nightime, highway vision. nathanours: If you are happy with good high beams, but absulutely useless low beams, the straight DEPO swap might be OK for you. Don't know what they cost US buyers, but probably under $200, and the car will look great. Add another $200 for an HID projector set-up and your....well, set-up.

[nathanours]

Those definitely look really nice, but I really am looking to improve my low beams. Also, what is the difference between HID's and projectors? Are all of the options gonna run me a couple hundred? I see lots of HID kits selling for $35 it seems like.

[gr91]

Originally Posted by Silent Runner

Careful Safari.

The Depos are the best for looks, hands down. But for nightime vision they will have to be modded with projectors. (I tried every variation of bulbs and even "off road only", 80W bulbs) You have to get them for the clear lenses, so your right, but after that to shine really good, useful deer avoiding light, an HID, projector mod is a must. The DEPOS do good light on high-beam, but they are pretty much useless on low-beam, for highway driving. Really, the low beams were not much better than my DRL's for nightime, highway vision. nathanours: If you are happy with good high beams, but absulutely useless low beams, the straight DEPO swap might be OK for you. Don't know what they cost US buyers, but probably under $200, and the car will look great. Add another $200 for an HID projector set-up and your....well, set-up.

HOW THE F*** DO THE DEPOS PRODUCE BAD HEADLIGHTS?>.<

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT CONCEPT! Is it just the houding thats bad or wtf?? it makes no sense!!

In anycase those are the exact same depo's im getting! 145 shipped ebay ;]

[dorifuto.boi]

Originally Posted by gr91

HOW THE F*** DO THE DEPOS PRODUCE BAD HEADLIGHTS?>.<

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT CONCEPT! Is it just the houding thats bad or wtf?? it makes no sense!!

In anycase those are the exact same depo's im getting! 145 shipped ebay ;]

maybe its the pattern ? if the beam is wider, then it'll seem like its outputting less light than stock. but in any case, the light output from those would be around the same amount as stock.

Originally Posted by nathanours

Those definitely look really nice, but I really am looking to improve my low beams. Also, what is the difference between HID's and projectors? Are all of the options gonna run me a couple hundred? I see lots of HID kits selling for $35 it seems like.

you're asking the wrong question. you cannot compare "hids" and "projectors". let me see if i can explain it to where you can understand.
_____

there are four different types of lamps mainly. these are halogen reflector, halogen projector, hid reflector, hid projector. our car uses the halogen reflector.

HALOGEN REFLECTOR:
since the reflector is designed to reflect light to produce a good light output pattern from a HALOGEN bulb, inserting a hid bulb into a halogen reflector will produce an extremely bad light output pattern. this will also blind other drivers because the light output from the lamp is going everywhere in an unorganized pattern.

HALOGEN PROJECTOR:
since the projector is designed to refract light to produce a good light output pattern from a HALOGEN bulb, inserting a hid bulb into a halogen projector will produce an extremely bad light output pattern. this will NOT blind other drivers because the projector has a cutoff plate to ensure no light goes UP.
_____

An HID kit pretty much comes with HID bulbs that are rebased to fit into your stock halogen lamp whether its reflector or projector. the consequences of doing this is described above.

retrofitting a HID projector means buying a projector designed to refract light comming from an HID bulb and fitting it into your stock halogen lamp whether it be reflector or projector. This way when you use a hid bulb, the beam pattern will be good and you will have a light distribution output that is specified by ECE laws.
_____

hid kits are cheap.

the cheapest retrofitting would be around 400usd (what i did) because you have to buy the projectors, hid bulbs, wiring harness, ballast.


let me know if anything is unclear

[dorifuto.boi]

this is my car with stock headlamps (glass lens)

You Tube

You Tube

this is my car with retrofited projectors in the stock headlamps (glass lens)

You Tube

You Tube

[71Corolla]

The stock Depo's have the worst low beam output I have ever seen. A 40 year old sealed beam covered in dirt and bugs will probably produce better light. The light pattern is also completely useless, I have no idea how they are even legal.

[nathanours]

Thats perfectly clear thank you. The videos were great as well, what a huge difference.
I thought I could maybe just throw some of the HID bulbs into my stock lamps and be ok, but I guess not after seeing this:


"inserting a hid bulb into a halogen reflector will produce an extremely bad light output pattern. this will also blind other drivers because the light output from the lamp is going everywhere in an unorganized pattern.

I was honestly not wanting to throw much more than $100 into the project, and it looks like that won't be a viable possibility.

Thanks

[Silent Runner]

My DEPOS on low beam, with one light modified with a higher output 9005:

Now my camera is not a great one, so brightness levels are relative, but this is with a newly installed, completely un-aimed HID Prodector lamp retrofit (first picture)

Obviously, I had to aim them up higher, but the relative lighting level is already evident. This is a $130 Bi-Zenon kit, at 4300K. If you want the best light, "white is right". 6000K and higher may look cooler (and blue) to some, but the human eye is most sensative to the red end of the light spectrum. ROYGBIV: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indego, Violet. Light to the left of that spectum will give your eyes better illumination. Thats the science, and thats the fact: 4300K. -ever wondered why all the movies show submarines lighting up with red lights under emergency conditions?

[71Corolla]

Originally Posted by Silent Runner

-ever wondered why all the movies show submarines lighting up with red lights under emergency conditions?

Cause it makes the actors look all badass?

Agreed on the 4300K bulbs, and even those are ever so slightly bluish, anymore blue and they will not be as easy on the eyes. Seeing Christmas is not far away, next time you see a house done in lights, try to focus on the blue lights versus the other colours. The blue ones are much harder to get into focus.

[FLIP K1DD]

I say get the depos! then buy these http://www.ebay.com/itm/H1-H7-9005-9...ht_4994wt_1186 and report back to tell me if theyre worth it!

[71Corolla]

Those are basically the same units as me and Silent Runner installed, except they don't come with ballasts. They work very well, good output and easy to install.

[FLIP K1DD]

Originally Posted by 71Corolla

Those are basically the same units as me and Silent Runner installed, except they don't come with ballasts. They work very well, good output and easy to install.

orderrrrrrrring! Although I already have 9006 6k hids, since these are bi's do you know if my ballast will work?