Corollas2019-23ToyotasTech

Search Corolland!

I Bit The Bullet...

by Bitter, May 6, 2007

See every reply in these pages:



So I bought a 9012 lamp on ebay to try out on my passenger side, they're supposed to put out 75% the light of HID at only $30 a bulb and drawing the same wattage. I'll update when I get it and let you all know if its really that bright and if it really lights up the road that much.

Mmm - tasty! Would love to see a side by side comparison of the outputs. I've only seen the HIR lamps briefly, pretty impressed. Lamp life was also improved, not to read HID levels, but about as good as high performance Halogens - but with more light ouput.

Access-Denied (+1)

I had problems with my headlights being very dim. Went ahead and bourght a pair of these from Auto Zone. Not really cheap, about 50 bucks for a pair. But i'm happy with them. Made a huge difference in my 96 prizm. http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProducts/A...nce/Xtravision/

Isn't this what your high beams are for? I don't understand why people are always try to get brighter and brighter headlights. Driving at night, they nearly blind me when I see someone in the opposite direction with xenon lights. I personally think all high intensity lights should be banned. They are a real danger to other drivers on the road. If you really can't see at night, then either turn on your highbeams, or maybe you need to see an eye doctor.

Isn't this what your high beams are for? I don't understand why people are always try to get brighter and brighter headlights. Driving at night, they nearly blind me when I see someone in the opposite direction with xenon lights. I personally think all high intensity lights should be banned. They are a real danger to other drivers on the road. If you really can't see at night, then either turn on your highbeams, or maybe you need to see an eye doctor.
i'm putting one in my pass side headlamp low beam which is aimed to the side of the road to light up roadsigns and critters. i drive along alot of 2 lane and one lane highway now that goes past critter country and if i were to put my highs on i'd blind ALL oncoming traffic. this is just to light up the right side of the road better so i can see signs more clearly and so i can see the beady glowing little eyes and have a chance to slow down or move out of the way before i kill one....and damage my car! i'm also hoping that a brighter beam will reduce the strain i feel on my eyes when driving at night after work.

 

 

Access-Denied (+1)

Isn't this what your high beams are for? I don't understand why people are always try to get brighter and brighter headlights. Driving at night, they nearly blind me when I see someone in the opposite direction with xenon lights. I personally think all high intensity lights should be banned. They are a real danger to other drivers on the road. If you really can't see at night, then either turn on your highbeams, or maybe you need to see an eye doctor.

 

Yes, there are hi beams. But you can't drive with hi beams on at all times. Atleast i'm able to see the road now, and my chances of hitting a deer, running over stuff, etc etc etc is much lower now, since I can see. I've had a few people make comments about my lightning, before the new headlights.

My vision is prefectly fine, these lights are perfectly legal also.

got the 9012 low beam, 1st impressions are that it has less of the black paint on the front of it so i dont know how that'll affect the lighting of it. i cut the tab, put it in, and in the daylight it looks roughly twice as bright at my GE nighthawks which are rated at 1280 lumens (or so they say). i'll report back tomorrow about how it does here at night.

Bitter,

Keep us updated. I would love a "cheap" alternative (vs. going to HID).

Do you think you can put up some comparison photos (I never can trust the photos that they use in the sales literature).

Brendon,

1. If they blind you, DONT LOOK AT THE PRETTY LIGHTS! Look slightly more to the right.

2. I am not sure how rural Framingham is.

When I lived in the city, I didnt need brighter lights. But now, out where I am, and with the amount of driving I do on the interstate (which is only has lights in some spotty places), I want as much light as possible. I want to know where the roadkill/shredded tire/misc debris is before I run over it.

With that said, I do feel bad about possibly blinding people in front of me. I have retrofitted my truck with HID, but not 100% confident that the height has been adjusted properly.

Thus I welcome a cheaper alternative.

tdk.

well i still havent driven at night, go figure! i left before dark yesterday, but i should be driving in the dark tonight. i'll try to snap a pic or 2 with a side by side.

well its hard to tell if its much brighter than the nighthawk because there was alot of other traffic, but it sure lights up the signs! they appear as if backlit with the HIR bulb and i saw a racoon by the side of the road i dont think i'd have seen before. the HIR bulb lighting pattern is a little different which may be why it catches the signs better. anything reflective seems to just GLOW back at me brighter than before.

i should have internet at my new place end of this week, next week. i'll try to grab some shots then.

but yea, definately brighter...but it seems to glare upwards more on that side than the other because of the fact that the front of the bulb has almost NO blackout on it.

Access-Denied (+1)

well its hard to tell if its much brighter than the nighthawk because there was alot of other traffic, but it sure lights up the signs! they appear as if backlit with the HIR bulb and i saw a racoon by the side of the road i dont think i'd have seen before. the HIR bulb lighting pattern is a little different which may be why it catches the signs better. anything reflective seems to just GLOW back at me brighter than before.

 

Yeah that's how my fancy new headlights are like. Lighting up the signs much sooner.

Bikeman982

I understand that people want brighter lighting to illuminate the road, both in front of, and to the side of their car, but it is too much for me.

Since I have had Lasik surgery to correct my vision, the lighting seems more intense and a lot of cars seem too bright for me.

I wish there was a kind of sunglasses that could be worn at night just to reduce bright headlights without darkening other objects.

my headlights may have saved some womans life the other night!

i was driving in the inside lane and my GF about 200ft behind me in the outer lane on a 55mph road, we were rounding a bend and i look over to see a black woman standing in the middle of her lane wearing a gray shirt and black pants (she looked crazy). my gf's headlights dont light far enough ahead for her to have seen that woman and leave enough room to stop. thankfully she saw the woman with the light from my passenger side lamp (the HIR one) and was able to slow and move to the lane behind me and not hit the crazy lady, but it really scared the hell out of her. if she'd been driving infront of me or alone she'd have either struck the woman or lost control trying to swerve to avoid hitting her.

back from the dead for this thread! i was parked waiting on my takeout order. next to me was an import luxury sedan with its HID lights on, my lights were on. the HID was a more brilliant white but didnt actually seem to be much brighter than my HIR bulb! the nighthawk was noticeably dimmer than both the HIR and HID. i need to get another one of these for the drivers side headlamp for sure.

Bikeman982

my headlights may have saved some womans life the other night!

i was driving in the inside lane and my GF about 200ft behind me in the outer lane on a 55mph road, we were rounding a bend and i look over to see a black woman standing in the middle of her lane wearing a gray shirt and black pants (she looked crazy). my gf's headlights dont light far enough ahead for her to have seen that woman and leave enough room to stop. thankfully she saw the woman with the light from my passenger side lamp (the HIR one) and was able to slow and move to the lane behind me and not hit the crazy lady, but it really scared the hell out of her. if she'd been driving infront of me or alone she'd have either struck the woman or lost control trying to swerve to avoid hitting her.

Don't worry - the car behind your g/f's car probably hit the crazy lady.

 

Suicidal people usually make sure to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

If the cars don't get her, she may find a tall bridge or building to jump off.

At least your g/f is spared the mess it would have made of her car.

so i got another to match the one i already had. WOW its like a spot of sunshine infront of my car when i'm going down the road at night. HID it is not, but MUCH brighter than any standard or premium halogen bulb i've seen.

Bikeman982

so i got another to match the one i already had. WOW its like a spot of sunshine infront of my car when i'm going down the road at night. HID it is not, but MUCH brighter than any standard or premium halogen bulb i've seen.
I am sure they blind the driver of the car in front of you.

 

 

In the past year I am getting very sensitive to the lights in my mirrors. You can dim the center rear view but the door mirrors are not dimmable so I tend to hang out in the left lane at high speeds to stay away from them. I'm sure this will catch up to me when Mr Police Officer doesn't like the speed I am driving. I'm even starting to notice excessively bright tail lights and brake lights...actually make you quint at red lights.

The problem doesn't appear to be just after market either. New vehicles are exhibiting the same brightness.

I was near what appeared to be a brand new Toyota SUV (Sequoia maybe) I couldn't stay in front of or in back of him as all of his lights were SO bright. I almost followed him into his place of work to ask him about them because they were so bright.

It doesn't help that the Corolla is so low. Then there is the moron that puts his sealed beam in upside down or is unable to get all three tabs of his new bulb into the socket so "it's good enough".

Anyone else bothered by the brightness?

I was considering a well thought out letter to the NHTSA about the phenomenon.

Jay in MA

so i got another to match the one i already had. WOW its like a spot of sunshine infront of my car when i'm going down the road at night. HID it is not, but MUCH brighter than any standard or premium halogen bulb i've seen.

I am sure they blind the driver of the car in front of you.

 

i keep them aimed properly, havent had anyone flash me and i've asked people i followed if my lights were too bright in their mirrors or aimed wrong, everyone has said they were fine.

Bikeman982

I have had Lasik surgery on both eyes and all headlights seem bright to me.

The ones that are aftemarket are even brighter.

There should be some kind of restriction on light brightness.

That's good Bitter...I wish everyone were as conscientious as you as to how your lighting affects others. Eventually the ultra bright lighting will probably get the attention of the authorities like tinted windows etc.

Brighter lighting should not be a problem as long as they're aimed properly. I do understand though that I am sitting pretty low to the ground and sometimes other's might have a load in the rear like with pick-up trucks and passenger vehicles with a full load.

A quick question....related to this topic....

When flipping your rearview mirror from normal to dimmed...do you lose the postioning. It seems like everytime I do it, I have to readjust the positioning so that I have the full view through the rear glass. It might just be my mirror. If nobody else notices it, I might just get another from the junk yard.

Jay in MA

i keep them aimed properly, havent had anyone flash me and i've asked people i followed if my lights were too bright in their mirrors or aimed wrong, everyone has said they were fine.

How did the Lasik surgery work for you Bike.....my wife and I have been discussing it recently....any tips?

I have had Lasik surgery on both eyes and all headlights seem bright to me.The ones that are aftemarket are even brighter.

 

There should be some kind of restriction on light brightness.

Bikeman982

How did the Lasik surgery work for you Bike.....my wife and I have been discussing it recently....any tips?

I have had Lasik surgery on both eyes and all headlights seem bright to me.The ones that are aftemarket are even brighter.

 

There should be some kind of restriction on light brightness.

Since you asked - Lasik surgery was fairly painless.

 

The good - I don't need contacts or glasses to see any more.

The bad news - now I must use glasses to read.

Before I wore glasses all the time, except to read, then I took the glasses off.

Now- I put glasses on to read anything closer than a couple of feet.

The reason I did it was so that I didn't need to wear contacts when I play sports (I am a diehard ice hockey player).

It works for my intended reason, but now I have a pair of glasses in every car I drive and also in all my rooms in the house.

Before the glasses were on my face, now I have to put them on.

I buy off-the-shelf glasses, so they are fairly inexpensive.

My farsight is greatly improved - hence the light brightness at night.

I have amazed people with how far I can see things -

but I am also handicapped by the fact that I can't read very fine print unless I use strong reading glasses.

That's how it is - that's how I live.

Hope this helps.

As far as tips - it depends on how bad your eyes are now.

My Lasik was 13 seconds on the left eye and 15 seconds on the right. My eyes weren't too bad.

I have heard of people going almost a full minute under the laser. You have to watch the red dot and stay motionless.

Your eyes are already numbed (just a drop or two of something in the eye) and the laser will turn off, if you move.

It is computer controlled, based on many photos of your eyes. Targeted like a guided missile.

A slight smell of burning flesh as laser makes contact (not too bad for my short duration).

My wife would have done it also, but she has a stigmatism - not everybody qualifies as a good candidate for it.

Also - the military paid for it, not me. Compliments of U.S. Air Force medical. It was a deal for me!

When flipping your rearview mirror from normal to dimmed...do you lose the postioning. It seems like everytime I do it, I have to readjust the positioning so that I have the full view through the rear glass. It might just be my mirror. If nobody else notices it, I might just get another from the junk yard.

Jay in MA

i keep them aimed properly, havent had anyone flash me and i've asked people i followed if my lights were too bright in their mirrors or aimed wrong, everyone has said they were fine.

my flipper broke a while ago! it just flops around now default_sad i was cleaning the car inside and somehow smacked it with my elbow. the flimsy little plastic tab inside broke and i had to totally disassemble the mirror to repair it to where the mirror would even stay in place. its been on my junkyard to-do list for a while now.

 

 



Topic List