Not happy with OEM lights, need something better.

[Lancerman]

......

G'day all,

Drove my new 2015 Sportback for first time at night a couple days back, NOT impressed at all with the headlights.

High beam is near acceptable, low beam is ****.

Lights to me are comparable to the output of my 1960 Holden ( 55 w H4 Halos ) and I'd certainly expect a better light from a 2015 production car.

Of all the cars my family owns and has owned this has got to be the worst.

I do a fair bit of country driving as I do blocks of shift work and drive 30 country km's to work.

I have to do the highway barn dance with kangaroos,foxes,pissed pedestrians rabbit's,wombats, pissed pedestrians, cows, sheep, pissed pedestrians,horses,goats,pissed pedestrians,deer,possums and sometimes pissed pedestrians so I need better lights.

Car had it's first 1500 km check over at local Mitsi dealer today, discussed the disappointing light output, they checked aim , was OK, but said they do have reports from customers with disappointing light output and recommend a HID conversion.

I was looking at Phillps Extreme Halogen something something blah blah blah or an Osram Halogen yabba dabba doo that promises up to 35 meters extra range but dunno whether to try them or just go with a plug and play HID conversion.

The HID kits don't seem to be too much more price wise than the Phillips/Osram thingamebobs.

My problem is my lights are too yellow/dull and don't project far enough to safely see anything that might jump out it front of me at country highway speeds and give enough time to avoid...... low beam is the main culprit, high beam is tolerable.

Not interested in driving lights/lightbars , woulda bought a 4wd if I was gunna do some BNS ball yeee haaa red neck boot scootin' shootin' but I'm not into that.


I know there's a bit of info on here , please don't flame me but have spent last 2 hours looking at what I can find and seem to be doing head miles over all the info.

Any constructive ideas to try ?.....experience from anyone with same problem?....... what did you do?........ etc etc etc.......happy with the outcome ??..............

All help appreciated.

..........

[SAM-24A]

I seriously don't think you'll be happy with just upgrading Globes to whiter/longer range.

From what your saying:

I have to do the highway barn dance with kangaroos,foxes, pissed pedestrians rabbit's,wombats, pissed pedestrians, cows, sheep, pissed pedestrians, horses,goats, pissed pedestrians, deer,possums and sometimes pissed pedestrians so I need better lights.

Although they are Illegal when fitted to vehicles without Factory Leveling & Pop-Out Washers, HID Lamps seem to be the only lighting that will suit your driving circumstances.

However, If your going to consider the HID alternative, then I would DEFINITELY choose a completely new Head Lamp Assembly that is designed with a Projector Housing that is set-up correctly to house HID globes so they can be adjusted/aimed correctly to avoid BLINDING oncoming drivers.

Web Link: MARS PERFORMANCE LIGHTING has a wide selection of Replacement Head Lamp Assemblies to choose from.
However I'm not sure which are correctly suitable for HID conversion.

Perhaps other members on here can add some correct & constructive info from purchase experience.

[billy boy]

completely agree - the stock lights are terrible. i ended up getting the philips HID kit, which is great for lighting, but not so much for legality as you really need factory levelling / pop out washers.

there are a few aftermarket options for HIDs

[Lancerman]

....

Thanks Sam,

Yep, it was the potential blinding of other road users followed closely by the illegality of doing it that stopped me from ordering a HID conversion kit today.

That said, I'm sure I've driven past many illegally modified HID converted cars and such in the past, probably never known otherwise, and seldom had a problem with glare apart from idiots that don't know high beam from low beam.

It would be a given fact that many of the the one toothed 4 wheel drive rodeo clowns in my country area would definitely have illegal HID's among their 50 million driving light emblazened Patrols,Landcruisers,Hiluxes etc etc ..........

At this point I guess it leaves me with a choice of upgrade halogens or at more cost, buying a set of headlights that are certified for HID.

Interested to hear if anyone has other experience or ideas....

Cheers.....

....

[Lancerman]

.....

Thaks Bill,

It's good ( in a kind of way ) to know that its not just me complaining about the OEM lights.......

If you can remember, what were the specs of your Phillips HID kit eg 5000k,6000k7000k etc and wattage?

Any regrets with the conversion ?

Any problems to date ?

Cheers.....

.........

[aspir3]

Please, please don't fit hid in your headlights as they won't focus properly and will blind other drivers.

As Sam mentioned there are after market lights available with projector lenses which ate suitable for hid.

[himynameisdaniel]

I have been told that upgrading\adding heavier gauge wire for earth can improve light output.

I agree that low-beam light output in the middle of nowhere is not great at all.

[Lancerman]

.....

Don't think I'll be fitting HID's to the OEM lights Troy.

Anyone know which aftermarket light sellers have HID specific replacement light assemblies ?

......

[aspir3]

Sam has a link in his post to Mars Performance. Any of the headlights with projector lenses should be fine.

[Swerve]

I've got Mars Performance lights choose the design yout want and there is an option to get a HID kit. All plug and play.Very bright lights.

[Metalstrix]

Visit my thread - http://clubcj.net/viewtopic.php?t=13157

[billy boy]

..... Thaks Bill, Its good ( in a kind of way ) to know that its not just me complaining about the OEM lights....... If you can remember, what were the specs of your Phillips HID kit eg 5000k,6000k7000k etc and wattage? Any regrets with the conversion ? Any problems to date ? Cheers..... .........

hey mate - haha, i couldn't believe how terrible it was!! i've had it for 6 years and been impressed, can't remember if it was the 4200 or the 6000 version (i think it was the 6000k) - the difference was night and day from the stock set up. this was only for low beam and i replaced the high beam with normal lights, but brighter.

only issue was when taking the car through regency, i had to replace them with the stock set up (well, remove the HID conversion bit). the guys that set them up spent the time to ensure the right levels and also that it wouldn't blind other drivers.

if i had my time again, would go with a proper projector set up, but at the time, there wasn't much around, but still happy with the choice

[Lancerman]

......

Thanks Troy,Daniel,Jay,Bill,Tomo,

For the moment I think I'll get the upgrade halogen ( probably Phillips Extreme ), I'm sure they cant be any worse than the candle sticks Mitsubishi put in there and then ill get some $$$ together and look at buying aftermarket lights HID specific.

That link and content was brilliant Tomo, just what I need, looks like a lot of time and research was put into that.

It'll give me plenty of good reading later tonight.

Cheers

....

[SAM-24A]

Hey .... Hang-On a minute .... you forgot to Thank Me ....

[Lancerman]

............

Sorry Sam,


I did say thanks up in the 4th thingo down but yeah, shoulda said thanks again to ya Sam in the last round of thanksgiving . As Maxwell Smart said " sorry about that chief "

You blokes have been great,and patient as well with my nooby Lancer owner dumb questions.

I can work my way around any car with a carburetter and old technology but these new ' lectronic cars with all their fandangly electrickery and stuff and all the modern tech speak that goes along with it and I'm a bit like an Eskimo lost in downtown New York.

Love my Lancer ( except the bloody lights ) and really getting a lot out of this forum both in current questions and surfing through everything in the archives.

Big tick from me ( where' s that thumbs up emoticom thingy gone ? )

Cheers

......