Disapointed in HID Headlights
#1
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ca
Posts: 1,056
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Disapointed in HID Headlights
I picked up my 350 with Lux and ML yesterday......
Found out last night that only the low beams are HID. That's some bulsheet right there...... BMW can do it.....MBZ can do it.......
Then why does Lexus go cheapo and leave halogens on the high beams? One main reason I got lux and waited for it was the HID's.....Now I'm feeling jipped.
Found out last night that only the low beams are HID. That's some bulsheet right there...... BMW can do it.....MBZ can do it.......
Then why does Lexus go cheapo and leave halogens on the high beams? One main reason I got lux and waited for it was the HID's.....Now I'm feeling jipped.
#2
Super Moderator
The HID lights on the IS are bi-xenon, just like on the German cars.
On a bi-xenon car, there is one HID lamp per side. The full output of the lamp is used in high beam mode. In low beam mode, a shutter moves into place, blocking off part of the beam so that it does not blind other drivers.
The second high beam bulb is halogen so that you can flash other cars.
On a bi-xenon car, there is one HID lamp per side. The full output of the lamp is used in high beam mode. In low beam mode, a shutter moves into place, blocking off part of the beam so that it does not blind other drivers.
The second high beam bulb is halogen so that you can flash other cars.
#5
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Kansas
Posts: 827
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by unit74
Apparently not my car........ When I click on the highbeams, the halogens come on. And there is no lens on the front of the projector ala BMW style like my 330i was.
Straight from Lexus:
Bi-xenon High-Intensity Discharge (HID) Headlamps:
An inner shade retracts within the headlamp, allowing the High-Intensity Discharge (HID) light to work as both a low and high beam. This results in a brighter high beam, since conventional HID headlamps only function as low beams. The Bi-xenon feature now enables high beams to rotate as part of the Advanced Front Lighting System (AFS) in order to better illuminate curves.
#6
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ca
Posts: 1,056
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I had my wife flip them back and fourth while I was in front of the car. You can see the xenons get brighter, but the high beam xenons suck compared to the BMW's HID's.
They are working, however I guess I have been spoiled with effective HID's rather than "just for show" highbeams.....
I'm going to buy a xenon depot kit for the "passing" highbeams now..........
Just disapointed in them is all......
They are working, however I guess I have been spoiled with effective HID's rather than "just for show" highbeams.....
I'm going to buy a xenon depot kit for the "passing" highbeams now..........
Just disapointed in them is all......
#7
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (3)
Originally Posted by unit74
I had my wife flip them back and fourth while I was in front of the car. You can see the xenons get brighter, but the high beam xenons suck compared to the BMW's HID's.
They are working, however I guess I have been spoiled with effective HID's rather than "just for show" highbeams.....
I'm going to buy a xenon depot kit for the "passing" highbeams now..........
Just disapointed in them is all......
They are working, however I guess I have been spoiled with effective HID's rather than "just for show" highbeams.....
I'm going to buy a xenon depot kit for the "passing" highbeams now..........
Just disapointed in them is all......
Call me stupid (go ahead....), but what difference does HID high beams make. How often do you really use your high beams anyway, and why is it so important? Enough drivers complain about how oncoming HID's blind them.....I guess if you have HID high beams, you can totally blind them when they come your direction.....
Trending Topics
#8
Originally Posted by MrMark
Call me stupid (go ahead....), but what difference does HID high beams make. How often do you really use your high beams anyway, and why is it so important? Enough drivers complain about how oncoming HID's blind them.....I guess if you have HID high beams, you can totally blind them when they come your direction.....
I don't have a problem with my 350's HIDs, but maybe thats because my last car didn't have it.
#9
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ca
Posts: 1,056
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I go to work at 4am and drive down not so traveled roads. racoons, cats, etc....not to mention the occasional bicycle for some reason. I like to see well ahead.
I like really bright lighting. My BMW was flat out stadium lighting on high. Not so with the Lexus.
I like really bright lighting. My BMW was flat out stadium lighting on high. Not so with the Lexus.
#10
Originally Posted by MrMark
Call me stupid (go ahead....), but what difference does HID high beams make. How often do you really use your high beams anyway, and why is it so important? Enough drivers complain about how oncoming HID's blind them.....I guess if you have HID high beams, you can totally blind them when they come your direction.....
#11
Lexus Champion
Originally Posted by unit74
I had my wife flip them back and fourth while I was in front of the car. You can see the xenons get brighter, but the high beam xenons suck compared to the BMW's HID's.
They are working, however I guess I have been spoiled with effective HID's rather than "just for show" highbeams.....
I'm going to buy a xenon depot kit for the "passing" highbeams now..........
Just disapointed in them is all......
They are working, however I guess I have been spoiled with effective HID's rather than "just for show" highbeams.....
I'm going to buy a xenon depot kit for the "passing" highbeams now..........
Just disapointed in them is all......
Why are you going to get a seperate HID kit for your high beams. It's either use your bi-xenons or your dont.
Flashing your highbeams (when you get the xenon kit) will either blow the bulbs or blow the ballast.
THat is why they invented Bi-Xenon so the shield moves to divert the beam higher.
#12
Maybe you should've purchased the new 330i instead? So the bimmer has brighter lights....your IS has more power......the battle never ends and you'll never find a perfect car. I do agree that many german cars have better lighting then japanese cars though
#13
Yea HID's arent suposed to be turned on and off much. There has to be a cooling off period before restarting or it wont last. Thats why they are designed the way they are with the shield.
#14
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ca
Posts: 1,056
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by mikal
Why are you going to get a seperate HID kit for your high beams. It's either use your bi-xenons or your dont.
Maybe your not seeing what I am seeing (pun intended). The stock high beams suck. Period.
I'm not an impatient driver like some who drive around flashing everyone to get out of their way. A kit in the DRL's would basically double the light output on high beams. Not to mention be Hella bright (again, pun intended) if I were to have the DRL's remain on for daytime driving.
I'm not some rookie behoch there Unit 91, when it comes to modding cars.