Headlight upgrade

[Landcruising]

Hi all,

I would like to upgrade my headlights on my 125 (2006).

I am a total beginner with cars, and just wondered if you could advise me on which bulbs to get that would suit my four wheels?

Are they easy to install?

I am after bulbs that can provide much better all round illumination, as I am based in Africa, and lots of people spend a lot of the time walking in the roads at night!

Thanks for your help.

Rich

 

[GeekOKent]

Check the manual for the size and fitting spec. Then get the best you can in that spec.

You are likely looking for a pair of H4 . The osram night breaker and silverstar series are rumoured to be quite good.

Then make sure you stay within legal limits.

 

[Gary Stockton]

I replaced to OEM bulbs with nightbreakers that didn't make it though a Scottish winter. Then fitted the Philips Extreme which were excellent - good consistent spread and good light. And didn't give up when it got cold outside ..

 

[StarCruiser]

I've replaced mine with LEDs from
www.woodypeck.com
Steve is really helpful and his service is superb.

There's another thread on here I think about Clive's HID upgrade that has some photos. There's now a choice of lamps as the technology is moving on very quickly. I ended up changing my originals to a later version which have a good beam pattern but not such a straight cut off as the originals but they are a tad brighter. There is a significant improvement over filament lamps and the colour is whiter.
A word of warning though, there are good ones and bad ones in the market. The Woodypeck ones are around £65 a set now but you will find others much less…they are cheap copies.

 

[Chas]

For Steve at www.woodypeck.com I have his LED's in my 80 and they are a great improvement over the HID's I had in previously.

 

[Towpack]

x2 on the LED's from Woodypeck. Not quite as bright ultimately as HID's but they give the same beam pattern as the OE filament bulbs so the light actually goes where it's supposed to and the light is instant with no warm up time as with HID's. The best filament bulbs in terms of brightness and colour temp are PIAAA extreme white plus bulbs but they're almost as expensive as the LED's.

 

[Chas]

x2 on the LED's from Woodypeck. Not quite as bright ultimately as HID's but they give the same beam pattern as the OE filament bulbs so the light actually goes where it's supposed to and the light is instant with no warm up time as with HID's. The best filament bulbs in terms of brightness and colour temp are PIAAA extreme white plus bulbs but they're almost as expensive as the LED's.

When I said better than my HID's I should have elaborated and said not quite as bright but a much better beam spread, the HID's spread the light all over the place.

 

[Landcruising]

Chaps - as ever, excellent advice, and thanks for spending the time writing back. I've actually gone for Gary's advice with the Philips Extreme, as I'm the HID upgrades are a little above my capability levels right now!

Should be here in a few weeks, so I'll let you all know how they are.

Thanks again

 

[GeekOKent]

looked it up - the night breaker is rated for about 300 hrs life, the xtreme is rated at 500 hrs... the standard toyota bulb is rated at 1200 hrs....