LED Headlights vs. HIDs
11-24-11, 07:47 AM
#31
03-01-12, 04:01 PM
#34
It is my understanding that if you compare one HID bulb to one LED bulb, the HID will produce more light/lumens. That's why the HID light system only has one light lit up whereas if you get the LED option, the low beam has two bulbs lit up. The LED light uses less electricity than the HID light so it's better on the electrical system because it's drawing less, which could possibly help with mpg such as when going stealth in a parking lot. Less draw may equal longer time running in stealth mode. Also, it's my undertsanding that the LED lights are even more truer to natural sunlight than HID lights. As far as heat, I'm not sure how much heat they actually generate but my understanding is actually the opposite of what was posted in some of the early threads so maybe I'm wrong. I always thought LED lights produced less heat and that's why I always thought christmas lights always advertised that they were cool to the touch. 
03-02-12, 11:27 PM
#35
Pole Position
sooo maybe what most of you are saying is... if you wanna save money, get the F sport package without the LED kit, and toss HIDs into it?? personal preference.. i actually like the look of the LED on the CT... dual lenses... super sexy... do they make any aftermarket LED to change it up a bit??
03-04-12, 05:23 AM
#36
bam - LED's don't produce nearly as much heat as other light bulbs. That's why most large retailers/grocers are now using LED lights in their refrigerated cases. It's two-fold, they use a fraction of the energy of halogen/fluorescent bulbs AND they don't produce any heat, so the refrigeration units use less energy!
03-04-12, 05:50 PM
#37
sooo maybe what most of you are saying is... if you wanna save money, get the F sport package without the LED kit, and toss HIDs into it?? personal preference.. i actually like the look of the LED on the CT... dual lenses... super sexy... do they make any aftermarket LED to change it up a bit??
I'm not sure of all the specifics on the CT, but on the HS, the factory LED's are a very rare, hard to get option available as a special order only from the factory. They are also self leveling and articulating, and each has its own separate computer mounted near the headlight. There is a level sensor mounted to the rear axle and a steering wheel sensor used to articulate and swivel the headlights around the corners just like the old Tucker used to do years ago. So a LED "upgrade" would be almost impossible. Each headlight assembly has a replacement cost in the thousands.
But as for the differences. I've had all three. Even the sexy "angel eyes" found on the "German brand". The LED's are simply the finest headlights I have ever had, and well worth the $1800 cost and 6 month wait from the factory.
I can't find any real numbers on the color temperature or the wattage Lexus uses on their lights, but compared to my other car with 4500k bulbs, the LED's are whiter. So I would guess somewhere around a 5000 to 5500k color temperature.
Using the factory reflectors in the factory headlight assembly, HID's win over Halogen any day. Just like Halogens win over standard incandescence bulbs we use in our house lighting. But I feel LED's are the future of auto lighting, and as costs come down, that technology will become standard on 'lesser" cars.
03-04-12, 07:04 PM
#38
bam - LED's don't produce nearly as much heat as other light bulbs. That's why most large retailers/grocers are now using LED lights in their refrigerated cases. It's two-fold, they use a fraction of the energy of halogen/fluorescent bulbs AND they don't produce any heat, so the refrigeration units use less energy!
03-04-12, 10:13 PM
#39
Pole Position
haha imma jss take it plain and simple without having to open the car up period and jss take the LED option... as mr airman quoted... LED is to the future... sooo why not be one of the few with the head start!
03-16-12, 08:27 PM
#41
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"There is a level sensor mounted to the rear axle and a steering wheel sensor used to articulate and swivel the headlights around the corners just like the old Tucker used to do years ago."
I have factory LED headlights and yes, they are self-leveling, but they are not articulated nor do the headlights swivel in the CT.
I have factory LED headlights and yes, they are self-leveling, but they are not articulated nor do the headlights swivel in the CT.
03-18-12, 06:21 AM
#43
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I also have the Factory installed LED's. Unlike the IS300 that I used to have that also implemented the self-leveling technology, the CT's do not visibly "level" the hedlights at startup.
With the IS, you could watch the headlights cycle the "auto level" sequence when you started the car by moving up and down until it "found" level. I could also visibly see the headlights change when going down a steep decline in the road. The auto leveling is much more subtle on the CT.
There were two primary reasons that I opted for the LED's:
1. Lower power consumption.
2. Aesthetics. I did not like the "break" in the DRL's that you see with the other headlights. The "continuous" string of LED's was more visually appealing to me.
d.
With the IS, you could watch the headlights cycle the "auto level" sequence when you started the car by moving up and down until it "found" level. I could also visibly see the headlights change when going down a steep decline in the road. The auto leveling is much more subtle on the CT.
There were two primary reasons that I opted for the LED's:
1. Lower power consumption.
2. Aesthetics. I did not like the "break" in the DRL's that you see with the other headlights. The "continuous" string of LED's was more visually appealing to me.
d.
03-21-12, 06:18 PM
#44
04-22-12, 11:37 PM
#45
Driver School Candidate
So it is not possible to upgrade to LED headlights if you already have the halogen headlights?
If I went to the dealer, could I ask them to order them and have them installed?
If I went to the dealer, could I ask them to order them and have them installed?