With the evenings drawing in I thought I would upgrade my halogen lights - questions

1. Do I change both headlight and dipped?
2. Would Halfords 2 for 1 offer at £25 for extreme +90 or £29 for ultra +120 be good or should I go for Philips or Osram?
3. If changing both dipped and main do they both need to be the same increase in brightness or could main be a lower brightness and therefore cheaper
4. A bit cack handed so is changing easy for dummies?
5. Any other tips?

Apologies for all the questions but I am training to be a policeman

Thanks in advance. MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

I have used Halfords +90 since 2008 changing them from car to car but had to buy 2 H11 for my 2011 model.
Yours will be all H7. All FL2's (3) Gone
2011 Mercedes C180 CGI Gone
FL2 GS Auto SD with heated leather, factory tints, alloy spare and a few other bits.

I changed both H7 dip beam bulbs on my 2007 XS to Halfords +90% this morning as, like you, I found their deal quite good. Changing is simple with the intructions in the manual easily followed...much easier than I expected. A spanner / socket set is required. Changed mine in 15 minutes including drinking a coffee.
There is a noticeable improvement driving home this evening...wish I'd done the main beam as well now...
xtd5

As posted in another thread, I replaced the H7 high beam globes with a set of Philips +100% but couldn't see much of a difference. With the wisdom of hindsight, I should have replaced the low beam (dipped) globes as this is where I struggle with night driving on the current lights.
Changing the globes - about 20 minutes the first time as I was very careful not to break any of the plastic bits and I was very careful not to physically touch the glass parts of the globes, but it would only take 3 or 4 minutes the second time round - once you've learned the little tricks. Nothing broke, so you are far more comfortable pushing and pulling various components thereafter. Good luck - if you change the H11 Dipped globes, let us know the difference?

tenet wrote:

With the evenings drawing in I thought I would upgrade my halogen lights - questions

1. Do I change both headlight and dipped? Yes ideally change both
2. Would Halfords 2 for 1 offer at £25 for extreme +90 or £29 for ultra +120 be good or should I go for Philips or Osram?
Halfrauds own brand are fine, make sure you get the two for one offer, not always evident
3. If changing both dipped and main do they both need to be the same increase in brightness or could main be a lower brightness and therefore cheaper Worth doing them all the same
4. A bit cack handed so is changing easy for dummies? Remove two bolts from top of light assembly, remove wiring harness from back of unit, lamps can now be easily removed
5. Any other tips? The lamps you will see with a blue band are not police lamps but give a whiter light

Apologies for all the questions but I am training to be a policeman
The above answers are given without prejudice

Thanks in advance.

Thanks for your prompt response guy's - I think I will buy from Halfords on a 2 for 1 offer notwithstanding Ace Components are offering 2 Osram Nightbreaker plus lights for about £15 (being based in Guernsey gives me a slightly uneasy feeling)

I am also going to get Halfords to fit for me at about £6.50 then I have ass to kick if it all goes wrong.

Druand - I am up in beautiful S Ayrshire in October fishing on the Stinchar. We are staying self catering (6 hairy arsed pensioners) on the Dalreoch estate just outside Colmonell. Most evenings will be at the Kings Arms Ballantrae having fallen out with the weegie landlord at the Blue Boar in Colmonell.

Tenet MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

Tenet, enjoy your fishing! I hope to be on the Ettrick in late October, if there is any water....... JT Upgraded to an ex demo, 7 mth old, Rimini Red/Ebony Napoli Auto HSE on 28th Jan 2011, added roof rails, mudflaps and side strips.
Gone - A great 57 Plate, Auto SE, Bought Feb 2009, Roof Rails and Mudflaps added on purchase. Blue colour, anything but drug dealer black.....

I have a 2010 GS with H7 main and dip
There are a number of posts on bulb upgrades but replies are well dated now


Please can somebody steer me to the most sensible bulb upgrade that is UK road legal and doesn't risk the wiring or Canbus controls.

If anyone can recommend manufacturer and bulb type I would appreciate
Can they be bought from the well known auction site or do I risk buying counterfeit imports?

Here's hoping I can see the way

PS I'm looking for an Austin Pathfinder or another J40 now my poorly FL is getting better! 2010GS Auto ex Celeb, Santorini Black, 2011 facelift , spoiler, spats, mudflaps, LED footwell lamps, Witter detach,
Other cars:-
1958 & 1959 Austin J40 Pedal Cars under restoration (I make many J40 parts)
If you have an Austin J40 or Pathfinder Pedal Car looking for a new home pls PM me.
2009 Meriva

good price I think . not bought any but spotted them whilst shopping on site

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/search/productd...61&N=0 At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Having replaced my high beam globes about a year ago and getting a reasonable improvement, I decided to fork out the $80 (40pound?) and purchased the low beam globes. Both sets are the Phillips +100% variety.
For the low beam, I measured exactly how far the light went on both the drivers and passenger sides of the road. After replacing them with the new globes, the results was no different, although somewhat brighter within the lit-up area. It has now dawned on me that it is the metal plates within the light housing that restricts the height of the light beam and hence distance along the road.
My problem was that I couldn't safely see far enough ahead on dark, country roads at 100Klm per hour. Whilst the lights were OK in the city areas or along well lit and fenced motorways, I have always felt unsafe in the FL2 when on low beam in the bush; where kangaroos and wombats are a constant threat - they are a common cause of severe accidents and fatalities (to humans and wildlife!)
$80 totally wasted. I might try experimenting with the metal plates. Whilst I must be careful not to annoy other, oncoming drivers, the current difference in safe lighting between low and high beam is too great.