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Headlight technology has come so far...

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Old 09-26-21, 06:54 AM
  #181  
mmarshall
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Originally Posted by bitkahuna
do you drive out when it's dark much? plus where you are i imagine has street lights everywhere, so i doubt your car lights are exactly challenged.
Yes, I do driving at night (also did some flying at night, when I was a pilot). Street lights are more common than not in my area, but, yes, there are some dark roads.

if i'm right that's why the halogens are fine for you.
Correct.....and notice that I'm not trying to convince anyone else that halogens are best for THEM....that's their decision, based on their needs. But they are fine for me...and a heck of a lot better than the old incandescent sealed-beam lights I learned to drive with.

One other factor.....I eat a healthy diet rich in beta-carrotine and other nutrients from fruits/vegatables/nuts and fish, which is also good for the eyesight. Though I need corrective glasses for reading up close, my regular vision is still a perfect 20/20 even at my age. So I need less light to see well at night.

but if you live in an area where i am, where there's few street lights, great modern LED headlights make a gigantic difference. the 2014 camry i had for a few months had halogens and they were pathetic compared to what i've been used to.
Part of the problem is the tiny slits that some vehicles use nowadays for headlights. (All else equal),the smaller the lens-covering, the less light you are going to get form them, although bulb-efficiency can also make a difference. The Encore GX at least has some lens-area in front for the light to shine through. I also like the automatic high/low-beam control, which works very well on the GX, especially compared to those old plastic torpedo-shaped plastic assemblies on the dash, with the photo-sensors in them, which were basically worthless.


my LC has great triple LED headlights although they're not adaptive (steering around corners) like i was used to with my jeep and genesis vehicles. the LC does have 'cornering lights' though which are very bright, so when i take a turn they light up the corner which is very nice.
Yes, cornering lights are nice if you can actually see the part of the roadway or corner that they light up (I had them on the Lacrosse). That depends on the vehicle and the shape/styling of the front fenders...how much of the roadway you can see down the sides whlie cornering.
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Old 09-26-21, 09:39 AM
  #182  
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Originally Posted by mmarshall
I respect your opinion, but it did not change my mind....light is light. You either can see clearly or you can't. I'm not one to nit-pick.
Everybody else in the world disagrees, but that’s never made a difference to you before so why start now lol

Guys, his position on lighting is ridiculous and comes out of a huge lack of experience with different lighting systems and extreme stubbornness and refusal to admit when his viewpoint changes. Just ignore it. We all know technology has evolved here, and so does he, he just won’t ever admit it.

Last edited by SW17LS; 09-26-21 at 09:49 AM.
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Old 09-26-21, 09:44 AM
  #183  
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Originally Posted by mmarshall
I respect your opinion, but it did not change my mind....light is light. You either can see clearly or you can't. I'm not one to nit-pick.
I'm not looking to change anyone's mind, and I'm not expressing opinion. Science is science. If "light is light" then there wouldn't be all the different options for cool and warm light with LEDs. The color of the light is beyond "seeing clearly". You certainly don't have to believe it if you don't want.
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Old 09-26-21, 09:48 AM
  #184  
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Originally Posted by tex2670
I'm not looking to change anyone's mind, and I'm not expressing opinion. Science is science. If "light is light" then there wouldn't be all the different options for cool and warm light with LEDs. The color of the light is beyond "seeing clearly". You certainly don't have to believe it if you don't want.
Its obvious to all of us! He will never admit it.

Last edited by SW17LS; 09-26-21 at 09:52 AM.
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Old 09-26-21, 09:50 AM
  #185  
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Originally Posted by SW17LS
Everybody else in the world disagrees, but that’s never made a difference to you before so why start now lol

Guys, his position on lighting is ridiculous and comes out of a huge lack of experience with different lights and extreme stubbornness and refusal to admit when his viewpoint changes. Just ignore it. We all know technology has evolved here, and so does he, he just won’t ever admit it.
From old portraits I've seen it looks like a candle and a mirror put out some decent light.
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Old 09-26-21, 09:52 AM
  #186  
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Originally Posted by LexBob2
From old portraits I've seen it looks like a candle and a mirror put out some decent light.
Exactly. Lets jist go back to these:



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Old 09-26-21, 10:17 AM
  #187  
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I'm surprised some think a classic car doesn't look right with modern lighting. When I see a nice example of a classic driving around and it has all the original bulbs to me it looks dingy and old a jarring reminder of how terrible automotive lighting used to be. I guess I can understand the purist angle but at the same time it's very likely the car has all kinds of modern upgrades like sound system, suspension, engine management. If the car is in a museum then sure keep it 100% bone stock.

The most disappointing thing to me when it comes to LEDs is reliability is terrible. I know I will get push back from this but it's a fact, modern LEDs are pushed hard to get high output which means heat and a high failure rate. Even the best factory LED solutions are not as reliable as a classic incandescent bulb. And the replacement cost can be ridiculous.
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Old 09-26-21, 10:17 AM
  #188  
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Here is an independent headlight test for the Encore GX

top is non LED. Bottom is LED. There is science and testing behind all of it




Last edited by Toys4RJill; 09-26-21 at 10:21 AM.
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Old 09-26-21, 10:23 AM
  #189  
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Originally Posted by LeX2K
I'm surprised some think a classic car doesn't look right with modern lighting. When I see a nice example of a classic driving around and it has all the original bulbs to me it looks dingy and old a jarring reminder of how terrible automotive lighting used to be. I guess I can understand the purist angle but at the same time it's very likely the car has all kinds of modern upgrades like sound system, suspension, engine management. If the car is in a museum then sure keep it 100% bone stock.
It depends on what you want. If the car has the original lighting, I actually doubt it has any of those upgrades you mention.

Originally Posted by LexsCTJill
top is non LED. Bottom is LED. There is science and testing behind all of it
Agreed, its just measurably better.
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Old 09-26-21, 10:27 AM
  #190  
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Originally Posted by SW17LS
Its obvious to all of us! He will never admit it.
It's not a case of admitting or not admitting anything. I don't need LEDs. Fact. End of arguement. If I actually NEEDED them, I would have bought a vehicle with them.
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Old 09-26-21, 10:28 AM
  #191  
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Originally Posted by LeX2K
The most disappointing thing to me when it comes to LEDs is reliability is terrible. I know I will get push back from this but it's a fact, modern LEDs are pushed hard to get high output which means heat and a high failure rate. Even the best factory LED solutions are not as reliable as a classic incandescent bulb. And the replacement cost can be ridiculous.
Exactly. That's another reason why I passed them up.
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Old 09-26-21, 10:32 AM
  #192  
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Originally Posted by SW17LS
It depends on what you want. If the car has the original lighting, I actually doubt it has any of those upgrades you mention.
Very likely does. Original components like carburetor, ignition etc. were horribly unreliable good chance they were replaced with updated components out of necessity.
Originally Posted by mmarshall
Exactly. That's another reason why I passed them up.
Can't really blame you for this. Many of these headlight modules are not serviceable if one LED in them dies you buy a whole new unit.
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Old 09-26-21, 10:37 AM
  #193  
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Originally Posted by mmarshall
Exactly. That's another reason why I passed them up.
Originally Posted by mmarshall
It's not a case of admitting or not admitting anything. I don't need LEDs. Fact. End of arguement. If I actually NEEDED them, I would have bought a vehicle with them.
Would you have “NOT” purchased the Encore GX if LEDs were standard lights?
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Old 09-26-21, 10:46 AM
  #194  
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Originally Posted by LexsCTJill
Would you have “NOT” purchased the Encore GX if LEDs were standard lights?
Maybe, maybe not. LEDs would have been something I didn't need. But, then, the Essence version of the GX also includes a couple of other things I didn't need, either. The Select version, with a couple of specific options I ordered (including the Hands-Free Liftgate) came closest (but not exactly) to what I needed, and wanted. And I did get the safety-features I wanted, which were standard, or available with a package.....rear cross-traffic alert, 360-camera, and the blind-side monitoring for changing-lanes.

You will find that with any vehicle.....it's unlikely that any vehicle will be totally 100% what you are looking for. It's just a question of if the restrictions will be a deal-beaker or not.
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Old 09-26-21, 11:00 AM
  #195  
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Originally Posted by mmarshall
Maybe, maybe not. LEDs would have been something I didn't need.
It’s interesting that it is “NEED” that is holding you back. I figure the cost as it is extra cost feature.

I mean, the science is pretty obvious…two LEDs are better than none for keeping you out of the hospital on a long drive at night because more light offers more visibility which means they are safe and effective as well as being very efficient….but I get it, your vehicle…your choice
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