unit74

iTrader: (3)

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.

Bichon

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.

unit74

iTrader: (3)

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.

TimboIS

You sure you even have HIDs?

jlin101

the shield that adjusts between low and high beam is behind the projector lens. If you have factory HID (included in the Luxury package but not the Premium package), then you have BI-XENON. The halogen high beams DO come on in addition to the HID; so in essence, it's a FOUR-bulb high beam system. Don't be so quick to criticize Lexus, read your manual.
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.

unit74

iTrader: (3)

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......

MrMark

iTrader: (3)

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.....

emissivity

Actually in CA I use high beams often. I drive through the canyon including dark narrow roads with no uncoming traffic at times. In my area, it's a good idea to look ahead for deer or skunk crossing the road.

I don't have a problem with my 350's HIDs, but maybe thats because my last car didn't have it.

unit74

iTrader: (3)

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.

mcfly

I use my high beams every day. I live in Virginia and drive to work at 5am. Deer, possum, racoons and all kinds of other critters range from nasty roadkill to severe damage. I prefer not to hit any of them. Don't make the assumption that just because you might not make use of a feature, no one else does.

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.

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.

liquidsilver

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

integlikew

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.

unit74

iTrader: (3)

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.

integlikew

Want more light? What about the JDM HID fog light kit? Maybe that will give you what you want.