Such poor low beam lighting

[REV888]

Tonight was the 1st time I drove my new Euro in the dark. Everything is great except for the low beam lighting :( I find it to be a strain on the eyes.

I may have to ring Honda and ask how much for installing Xenons on the car

Unless there is an alternative that you guys can come up with

[Pum[Z]]

Aftermarket HID's not from Honda... :D

Honda will charge u a bombshell to put HID on non HID Honda Euro's...

[REV888]

']
Honda will charge u a bombshell to put HID on non HID Honda Euro's...


How much do you think the bombshell would be over a grand ?

[sodaz]

Yeah the Euro's low beams are not very strong for night driving and esp open road driving. I'm thinking of upgrading to HIDs too but they're too expensive. :(

[REV888]

How expensive are we talking about for Original Honda HID's ?

[sodaz]

A dealer told me it would be over a grand.

[Pum[Z]]

How expensive are we talking about for Original Honda HID's ?The Light clusters cost $550 each so a pair costs $1100.. That doesn't include the HID Ballasts...

So i think around $1500-$2000 from Honda...

Unless u wanna go for aftermarket ones which should cost around $500-$1000... Depends on what kind of Brightness u want...

[REV888]

mmmmm.....will ask honda parts today.

Also If I do go aftermarket looking for good quality not crap so what do you suggust ?

[TODA AU]

Are you not able to simply fit a brighter bulb?

[ABS121]

you cant just fit the lights, you need to get the headlight washer assembly aswell, after market HID kits are actually not ADR approved as you need either auto leveling capability or washers installed with them.

I dont think Honda will actually sell them to you, probably best to fit a set of new bulbs, osrams are pretty good.

[sodaz]

Fitting HIDs is not a matter of simply installing a brighter bulb. You need a whole kit for it to work.

[ABS121]

When I said fit a new set of bulbs I meant, a set of halogen bulbs, not HID bulbs, as Sodaz pointed out, it more than a bulb, theres the ballast, and ignitors aswell.

[Type R Positive]

osram silverstar +50's for both low and high beam.
They are about $27 a pair from repco and work good.

[REV888]

osram silverstar +50's for both low and high beam.
They are about $27 a pair from repco and work good.

H1 fitting for low beam right and high beam is ?

[learner]

both low and high beam are H1

[Pum[Z]]

you cant just fit the lights, you need to get the headlight washer assembly aswell, after market HID kits are actually not ADR approved as you need either auto leveling capability or washers installed with them.

I dont think Honda will actually sell them to you, probably best to fit a set of new bulbs, osrams are pretty good.That is pretty much true with HID u need to have auto leveling capability or washers to make it legal... If u look at all of the cars that have factory HID, 99% of them have Washers...

That applies to changing the front bodykits on HID cars u have to move over the washers to the new front bodykit to make it legal...

Unless u think the coppers are stoopid and won't know about ADR then go for the aftermarket HID's...

[jtboo]

I've got a question. Does this mean that in the Euro, the low beam bulb and the high beam bulb are the same wattage? Shouldn't the high beam bulb be of a higher wattage?

[REV888]

I've got a question. Does this mean that in the Euro, the low beam bulb and the high beam bulb are the same wattage? Shouldn't the high beam bulb be of a higher wattage?


Yes they should be so High Beam Im pretty sure are H1 but run at 100 watt where as low beam is at 55 watt.

Further more went out to Autobarn and got some Philips Vision Plus bulbs so perhaps they will do the trick.

[EuroAccord13]

Yes they should be so High Beam Im pretty sure are H1 but run at 100 watt where as low beam is at 55 watt.

Further more went out to Autobarn and got some Philips Vision Plus bulbs so perhaps they will do the trick.
Both High Beams and Low Beams use 55 watt bulbs but you can buy higher wattage bulbs but risk melting the interior of the headlights or projector lamps..

[exISeuro]

http://home.exetel.com.au/nismo/hid.htm
(http://home.exetel.com.au/nismo/hid.htm)
For the standard euro fellas, this is a link to a conversion kit i stumbled across.

It is cheap at $450 but it is also korean, so umm yea ?

I know when it comes to HID conversion kits (i always wanted one for my IS200) the advice was always to go with high end brands like phillips.

The way these guys have worded their sales pitch has put themselves in the same league as the big co.

Personally i'd be a bit skeptical, especially about the installation , it cant be that easy can it ?

Again [H11 for fogs] [H1 for low/highs] 4300k for practicality, 6000k for brighter white, 8500k for looks and no vision.

Sometimes i cant see nothing with the OEM 4300k hids, so i'd hate to have 8000k , 12000k :confused:

Anyways at prices like these, it's no wonder why you see lancers and the like with h.i.d.

[REV888]

Had my 1st Service today & asked them to install some Philips Vision + H1 bulbs which I gave them for my low beam lights & some H11 Bulbs for the Foggys.

When I got back they advised me they did not fit could this be true ? Or were they just to lazy to fit them in for me ?

If so will kick a stink!

[euro77]

You got the correct type, so I don't see why it won't fit. Unless you got the wrong wattage (which I can't remember what's the correct wattage), but still, that would fit neverthelles.

[-h2n-]

Again [H11 for fogs] [H1 for low/highs] 4300k for practicality, 6000k for brighter white, 8500k for looks and no vision.

Sometimes i cant see nothing with the OEM 4300k hids, so i'd hate to have 8000k , 12000k :confused:


I got my standard euro headlights converted to 8000k HID and they light up the road really well imho... maybe haven't compared with 4300k factory HID but they do a great job nevertheless...

[REV888]

I got my standard euro headlights converted to 8000k HID and they light up the road really well imho... maybe haven't compared with 4300k factory HID but they do a great job nevertheless...

What type of kit did you get ?

[-h2n-]

What type of kit did you get ?The brand is called "acumen"

here is a pic for ya...


http://img162.exs.cx/img162/8836/picture1255pz.th.jpg (http://img162.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img162&image=picture1255pz.jpg)

[redliner]

euro seem pretty bright when you're driving infront of them. I seen most euro low beam spread out pretty far, but still not bright enuff?

[REV888]

The brand is called "acumen"

here is a pic for ya...


http://img162.exs.cx/img162/8836/picture1255pz.th.jpg (http://img162.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img162&image=picture1255pz.jpg)


Looking very :cool: :cool: :cool: Sets it of really well with the white euro as well! How do I go about getting a set of thoese HID's ?

[ABS121]

Hey H2N

What are you using for bulbs in your fog lights? And what size/watt are they?

[-h2n-]

What are you using for bulbs in your fog lights? And what size/watt are they?


Actually they're just the standard factory bulbs. My camera makes them look whiter than they really are. From recollection I think the foggies are H11.

[Matell]

REV888 you've a right to chuck a stink! Your Honda service centre fed you a load of BS.

Right, for all you STD Euro owners out there such as myself here's what I've learn't and done today with regards to replacing the stock globes.

1st - Go to Autobarn or any other place that sells Hella headlight bulbs, and buy a double blister pack (one pack if just replacing Low Beam's, two if replacing high beams as well) of H1 Hella Premium 50+ Bulbs with Part Number: CX1255BL2. They retail at $29.99.

2nd - (this is the great bit) Hella don't make their own bulbs, they buy batchs from the other manufactures and package them as their own. If you find a pack where the tip of the bulb is blue you are actually buying Philips Vision Plus bulbs with the exact same part number as the ones in the $20 more expensive Philips packaging. Just look at the part number etched on the base of the actual bulb and you'll find it's 12258VP. Now look at the Philips packaged originals....exactly the same part number.

If you find a pack without the blue tipped bulbs, never fear you're actually buying OSRAM Silverstar bulbs with Part Number 64150SVS etched on the base for verification.

So I bought a pack of Philips Vision Plus for $29.99 and a pack of Osram Silverstars also for $29.99. That's a bargain if you ask me.

3rd - Replacing them is a cinch, and if you follow the simple steps in the owners manual you won't go wrong. Just make sure not to touch the glass of the bulb and orientate the bulb so the chamfered edge of the base is as shown in the owners manual illustration. You might also need to use one hand to support the bulb once you've got it located, and the other to lift and lock the wire retaining clip.

4th - (As I found out) the OEM bulb's already fitted are from Phillips with PN: 12258LL

I tried both Vision Plus and Silverstar in the right side low beam head lamp, and it's not really a huge deal brighter than the stock bulb's but is whiter and sharper. Plus it gives you that nice intense bright whitish blue hotspot when you lok directly at it and move your sighting position a little.

The Silverstars I found were fractionally slightly less white/blue or intense, and I mean by a bees d***, but that could just be me. So I installed the Vision Plus in the Low Beam, and the Silverstar in the High Beam.

I must say I'm quite happy with the results. Yes it's not HID, but it's given the lights a nicely whiter and sharper appearance, plus illuminates a little more of the side of the road.

When I ran +50's on the right and standard on the left I really couldn't tell too much of a difference in how far the light was thrown. That however could simply be a matter of aiming as the nearside lights are aimed higher than the farside as you all know.

http://img180.exs.cx/img180/8510/01VisionPlusontheleft.jpg
Philips Vision Plus in drivers side (left of pic) Low Beam. As you can see the OEM Philips 12258LL have much more 'yellow' to them.

http://img180.exs.cx/img180/8901/02VisionPlusontheright.jpg
Philips Vision Plus Low Beam Drivers side (I reversed so I was pointing into the direction of traffic) as that direction is darker.

http://img180.exs.cx/img180/4050/03Silverstarontheleft.jpg
http://img180.exs.cx/img180/551/04Silverstar.jpg
Osram/Sylvania Silverstar on the left

http://img180.exs.cx/img180/746/0650LeftStockRight.jpg
http://img180.exs.cx/img180/953/VPLBSSHBonleft.jpg
Vision Plus LB and Silverstar HB on the left

http://img180.exs.cx/img180/269/07Alllightsoutside.jpg
Both sides upgraded to Vision Plus in the Low Beam, and Silverstar in the High Beam. Fogs are standard OEM.

http://img180.exs.cx/img180/8034/08Alldriversview.jpg
Drivers view with all on. Garmin GPSMap 60CS on the dash.

http://img180.exs.cx/img180/4638/09Alllights.jpg
As per previous but tighter. Fence posts on the right are approximately 5m apart I think.

And yes my eyes are still a little sore from all that light!

I hope that's of some help :)

Cheers,

Matell:wave:

[learner]

thx for da info Matell...

[-h2n-]

good post mate!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[REV888]

Matel Thanks for the info mate! Great post will try to fit my philips vison + again myself.

Great shots.

Cheers,

REV888

[Type R Positive]

Great pics Matell!

I thought the low beams on the euro were pretty great actually. They are about twice as bright as the high beams on my N13 pulsar work hack. I have changed my high beams on the euro to the OSRAM silverstars +50, and I think they have made a bit of a difference.

The biggest difference I think you can get is adjust your headlights! You get so much more distance and better performance out of them. no good fitting new bulbs when they aren't adjusted properly.

[PERTH_EURO]

One of the best posts ive seen on here

Well done

[Matell]

Yeah I have to agree with you Type R+, I stepped up to the Euro from a JB Camira and I thought the low beams were fantastic!. However I'd read the posts here and on other forums for complaints/gripes as such and I thought instead of just pondering the difference an upgrade in bulb might make, I'd just go ahead and do it. As I mentioned I do find the Vision + and Silverstars to be a very slight improvement on the stock Philips bulbs, but not huge like upgrading to HID's would be. I do think they'll look nice in the rearview mirror of the car I'm bearing down on at night that's doing 10 under the limit! ;)

I've contemplated re-aiming the lights a little higher, so as my 20k service is coming up in a week I'll ask the guys if they can check the aiming and possibly aim them a little higher within the bounds of the legal limits. If they won't I'll just do it myself. :)

Oh and I measured out the distance between the fence posts in the last pic yesterday (3m between pots), and worked out from the higher res original that the lights being thrown about 125m's. Wish I'd done that fist with the OEM globes!

Cheers!

:wave:

[hondaaccordeuro05]

']That is pretty much true with HID u need to have auto leveling capability or washers to make it legal... If u look at all of the cars that have factory HID, 99% of them have Washers...

That applies to changing the front bodykits on HID cars u have to move over the washers to the new front bodykit to make it legal...

Unless u think the coppers are stoopid and won't know about ADR then go for the aftermarket HID's...


I wonder how many cops know about this AND remember it AND can tell the difference AND will pull u over........ whats the chances? just wondering.....

and i wonder how many ppl got pulled over for hanging something on their mirrors......

[Omotesando]

Very unlikely the Cops will pick on you I think, if you upgrade std Euro to aftermarket but non-ADR approved HIDs.

The thing is, EURO's don't catch attention, only turbos do.

Also the fact that the EURO Luxury with the factory HID's look exactly the same as the standard EUROs bar the rims and the sun roof, and the leather inside which they can't see inside at night! So they would probably think that they are standard on your ride. Unless they're 8000K blue!

[accordoholic]

I wonder how many cops know about this AND remember it AND can tell the difference AND will pull u over........ whats the chances? just wondering.....

and i wonder how many ppl got pulled over for hanging something on their mirrors......


chances are very slim, but there is always a chance.

for those who knows, they will remember......and if anyone is unlucky to bump into a cop that has a bad day......he could easily find something to defect the car.

and in regards to hanging things behind the mirror, I don't think the worry is so much about being pulled over but more being not insured when involved in an accident....just keep that in mind

[TypeG]

there is always thing they can find which is illegal these days

here is a picture after changing BJ Union H1 5200k Halogen
left side is BJ Union while the right side is stock
http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/1294/dscn28072jm.jpg