Headlamps - again

[b1ackb1rd]

Are you fitting this yourself or someone else doing for you ??

 

 Have a wild guess !

 

I'd better get some clips ready for him 

[malcster]

Honestly they aren't hard to fit

A few basic tools

[malcster]

Honestly they aren't hard to fit

A few basic tools

[b1ackb1rd]

To quote Dirty Harry ... "Man's gotta know his limitations"

[Morgana]

Can you just buy some new bulbs and get the garage chap to fit them?  If, so, which bulbs?

 

Are these ok?  If so I will order some.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/OSRAM-BREAKER-UNLIMITED-halogen-headlamp-64210NBU-HCB/dp/B00EPLCPRG

Edited 23 November, 2016 by Morgana

[b1ackb1rd]

Can you just buy some new bulbs and get the garage chap to fit them?  If, so, which bulbs?

 

Are these ok?  If so I will order some.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/OSRAM-BREAKER-UNLIMITED-halogen-headlamp-64210NBU-HCB/dp/B00EPLCPRG

 

You could go that way, but I (now) can't recommend these bulbs as a solution.

 

I spent a great deal of money on fancy bulbs before caving in and getting HID's. 

 

I REALLY didn't want these things in my car, and I hate the extra wiring and Heath-Robinson fixing of the ballast - but the stark facts are that HID's are vastly superior to my standard single h7 projector headlamps

[RichardatWakefield]

Hi Morgana,

Er yes you can get these and similar direct replacement bulbs from Osram and Phillips, I have tried both the +110% and +130% H7's, but they frankly don't improve significantly on the C-R-A-P originals; I think they claim to give you 10% and 30% more light respectively.

 

Ok under street lighting, not OK on unlit country or town streeets.

 

I think I've got them in the boot, you're welcome to them, they are H7, I've had the High Intensity Discharge kit from London Colour fitted by my local garage chap, the kit was about £30 and the fitting, which took him all day, was a lot more!  But they are oodles better!    And most on here reckon they've fitted them quicker than my local chap.

 

I'll be over in South Cheshire (well south side of Congleton) next Wednesday, I travel over fortnightly to visit my Mum, I try to set off back to Yorkshire at or just after 3pm, if you want to meet up and park side-by-side and compare these HID's to standard, PM me. I have a Cheshire A-Z and OS maps!

 

Hope That Helps

 

Richard

[malcster]

A great upgrade if you don't want to go hid

I think the night breaker laser is the latest version

Edited 23 November, 2016 by malcster

[Morgana]

Hi Morgana,

Er yes you can get these and similar direct replacement bulbs from Osram and Phillips, I have tried both the +110% and +130% H7's, but they frankly don't improve significantly on the C-R-A-P originals; I think they claim to give you 10% and 30% more light respectively.

 

Ok under street lighting, not OK on unlit country or town streeets.

 

I think I've got them in the boot, you're welcome to them, they are H7, I've had the High Intensity Discharge kit from London Colour fitted by my local garage chap, the kit was about £30 and the fitting, which took him all day, was a lot more!  But they are oodles better!    And most on here reckon they've fitted them quicker than my local chap.

 

I'll be over in South Cheshire (well south side of Congleton) next Wednesday, I travel over fortnightly to visit my Mum, I try to set off back to Yorkshire at or just after 3pm, if you want to meet up and park side-by-side and compare these HID's to standard, PM me. I have a Cheshire A-Z and OS maps!

 

Hope That Helps

 

Richard

 

Oh how lovely of you to offer, Richard!  That is so nice of you. However, I won't have a car on Wednesday next, it's going in for its winter service. The garage chap said if I could get some better headlight bulbs he would fit them while he was doing the service!  It would be nice to meet up at a future point though, I don't know anyone else with a Roomster, it would be nice to compare notes!

Edited 24 November, 2016 by Morgana

[Morgana]

A great upgrade if you don't want to go hid

I think the night breaker laser is the latest version

Thanks for this, Malcster... Will try to find some and see if I can get them in time for the service next wednesday.. you never know, they might actually work!

[KenONeill]

Thanks for this, Malcster... Will try to find some and see if I can get them in time for the service next wednesday.. you never know, they might actually work!

Easiest way would be to go to www.powerbulbs.co.uk and select make and model to get recommendations. Also, they often do a BOGOF and/or free blue-white sidelight bulbs, and if you do this today I'd expect you to have the replacements Saturday or Monday from past experiences.

[Morgana]

Chap at my local automotive shop has the osram night breakers for £25 a set. He says they don't last as long as the ordinary bulbs!

 

When I went onto that site, Ken, it asked me if they were the same bulbs for both main and side beams lights - I don't know! It also recommended a different (lower) h number and I thought I needed H7s... will consult my owners manual....

 

Right, back again, now I'm even more confused. Front headlights both low and main beam, reflector H4 Module H7 ???

Edited 24 November, 2016 by Morgana

[b1ackb1rd]

Chap at my local automotive shop has the osram night breakers for £25 a set. He says they don't last as long as the ordinary bulbs!

 

When I went onto that site, Ken, it asked me if they were the same bulbs for both main and side beams lights - I don't know! It also recommended a different (lower) h number and I thought I needed H7s... will consult my owners manual....

 

Right, back again, now I'm even more confused. Front headlights both low and main beam, reflector H4 Module H7 ???

 

Best post a photo of your headlamps on here, someone will put you right. 

 

Before you buy those £30 headlamp bulbs, check out how much a set of HIDs cost ... mine were £35. I now consider the £30 spent on Nightbreakers as £30 wasted

[Morgana]

Back later with photo....

[malcster]

Best post a photo of your headlamps on here, someone will put you right.

Before you buy those £30 headlamp bulbs, check out how much a set of HIDs cost ... mine were £35. I now consider the £30 spent on Nightbreakers as £30 wasted

To think of all them threads you didn't want hids I knew as soon as you had some you would be a convert

Were did he put your ballasts btw I hidden mine in the inner wings and incorporated all the wiring into the stock loom for a more oe look

Edited 24 November, 2016 by malcster

[RichardatWakefield]

Hi Morgana,

Have to say I agree the "plus such-and -such percent " direct replacement bulbs don't really cut the mustard, whereas the HID's do.

 

I've also had brighter LED (Light- Emitting Diode) replacement front sidelight bulbs fitted, which are quite good to use as "position lights" in lieu of Daylight Running Lights (DRL's), which the car doesn't have.

 

And I've gone LED on the two centre-front and one centre-rear cabin interior lights, transforms the interior from a dingy pub into an operating theatre, brightness-wise!

 

Also both rear numberplate lights now LED, just the boot light to do....

 

Incidentally, Powerbulbs are based here in Wakefield!!

 

I got some of the LED bulbs supplied and fitted on the spot by some chaps from Brum who had a stall at the 2015 Briskoda National day at Rockingham;

 

LED bulbs have a lower power consumption (wattage), which can throw up fault codes, so it's important that any LED bulbs include some electrical gubbins that somehow uses the little extra power so that the car's computer thinks the bulbs are standard.                                              

 

I'm sure Ken will explain it better than me, should you choose to follow that route!

 

I seem to recall visiting Powerbulbs to get the correct LED front sidelight bulbs, which my local garageman fitted while he had the car in to fit the HID kits.

Hope that helps, keep us posted.

 

BTW, my next but one visit to south Cheshire is likely to be Wed 14th December.

 

Richard

Edited 24 November, 2016 by RichardatWakefield

[b1ackb1rd]

To think of all them threads you didn't want hids I knew as soon as you had some you would be a convert

Were did he put your ballasts btw I hidden mine in the inner wings and incorporated all the wiring into the stock loom for a more oe look

 

I have OCD for OEM looking cars, the thought of non-original wiring in my engine bay gives me a twitch .... which is probably the reason my first set of under bonnet photos are blurred ! The ballast is on a double sided sticky pad by the suspension turret ! And the rubber bulb cover still has knife and fork marks.

 

Aggggggghhhhhhh !

 

Convert? To be honest, I just didn't believe the hype - and now I've seen how good they are I'm p*ssed at myself for wasting money on Nightbreakers. 

Edited 24 November, 2016 by b1ackb1rd

[Morgana]

Here's the photo of my headlights.  Just in case someone might know which they are!

 

Do they look cross-eyed to you? They do to me!

 

 

[b1ackb1rd]

Here's the photo of my headlights.  Just in case someone might know which they are!

 

Do they look cross-eyed to you? They do to me!

 

 

002web car healights.jpg

 

Same as mine, pre-FL single h7 projectors (not cornering) with a shutter that provides the dip/full facility. 

[Jonny5ive]

Same as mine, pre-FL single h7 projectors (not cornering) with a shutter that provides the dip/full facility.

I concur. HID's will give the best 'bang for buck' improvement in these lights.

[KenONeill]

Actually likewise; as long as they're specified for "H7 replacement" to get the arc in the right place, plasma discharge units will work great with projector lights.

[Morgana]

Well I got some Osram blue/white light bulbs in the end (£20!), as the garage chap was going to fit them for me.. The man at the shop checked, and they are indeed H7s. They do seem a bit better and brighter than the originals, so a bit of improvement there. At least I can see the sides of the roads now on dipped beam!

 

Will have to look up 'plasma discharge units' at some point!

[stratosg]

I use Osram Nightbreakers. Of course my headlights are H4 ones. Then I asked my service man to raise the beam a bit using his beam measuring equipment. He raised the beam to be at the exact match of the upper limit.

 

Since then (2011 if I remember well) I have no problem with oncoming drivers and with my visibility.

 

Indeed nightbreakers use to blown away earlier than factory lamps, but that is not a problem as this occurred after three years. Then for a couple of days I used the factory one I had kept in the trunk. 

 

Today I use the Nighbreaker Unlimited version and when they went off, I will go for the laser edition.

Edited 3 December, 2016 by stratosg

[waltersfabia]

After a nail biting trip over Gelligaer Common last night in my Roomster, I began to think that my eyesight wasn't quite as good as it was. I couldn't see the edge of the road, potholes etc.I'm not exactly in the first flush of youth.  It comes as a relief to find out that the headlights are just USELESS and it's not just me!

 

I think step one has to be a trip to Halfords tomorrow to get some brighter bulbs for the dipped lights. I've got the variety with separate main & dip bulbs. Anything to improve things a bit, then maybe some front 'fog lights'. I've read the guide on the forum about how to retrofit them.

[b1ackb1rd]

After a nail biting trip over Gelligaer Common last night in my Roomster, I began to think that my eyesight wasn't quite as good as it was. I couldn't see the edge of the road, potholes etc.I'm not exactly in the first flush of youth.  It comes as a relief to find out that the headlights are just USELESS and it's not just me!

 

I think step one has to be a trip to Halfords tomorrow to get some brighter bulbs for the dipped lights. I've got the variety with separate main & dip bulbs. Anything to improve things a bit, then maybe some front 'fog lights'. I've read the guide on the forum about how to retrofit them.

 

Seriously, on a £ for £ basis against the results you'll achieve you have to look at a set of HID's - a set of Nightbreakers are £30, my HID's were £35.