Hi all. I was recently browsing parts on ebay and came across LED headlights. I am wondering if anyone has used these headlights. If so, could you please provide some feedback. I am considering buying some for the Envoy but want to know if they are worth purchasing. Thanks in advance for the help.
LED Headlights
- Thread starter VoyDude
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cody_s
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VoyDude said:
You talking about LED bulbs as headlights? In that case, I'd go with HIDs, can't imagine LED throwing a lot of light very far, but I'm not familiar with LED headlights.
Recently, I've seen some reviews of high-end Audis, the really expensive ones, that came with LED headlights and not just accent LED's. The reviews said the LED headlights were weak and didn't put off enough light. I've got to think if Audi is dealing with poor performance, an aftermarket is going to be as bad or worse.
My professional engineering opinion is they're 3 years away from being technically and economically acceptable.VoyDude said:
Ebay vendors also sell vortex tornado swirly intake discs, throttle body spacers, magic magnetic fuel enhancers, criminally designed lift kits, Cheap Chinese Crud suspension parts of every possible variety, and so forth.
Parts of Ebay look like the bad part of town in Blade Runner. I wouldn't buy fugu from a sushi vendor in a flea market like that.
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I have a friend that owns his own store that sells hid's and LED's, he says the LED's are not bright enough for driving lights and that's testing the bulbs they sell as led driving lights. if getting the hid's make sure to get the ones with the high voltage modulator.
ConeKilrAutoX
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I agree....as accent lights they are ok but there is little to no acceptable visibility with them as headlights. HIDS are the way to go.
Truthfully, the 9-7 was the only 360 to come with factory HID's and to me having had the 9-7 since last November, they are just a novelty to me as are the washers that pop out of the bumper like lawn sprinkler heads. I think I'd spend my money on some other mod before I added HID's in a car not set up for them.
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Jkust said:
Truthfully I won't go back to any other bulb. The hid kit is amazing in my truck. One of the top mods i have done. Great bang for the buck value.
HARDTRAILZ said:
Define amazing. I've got the Rainier as well so a good comparison point. The 9-7 does what HID's are supposed to do well but I wouldn't say there is an amazing difference. Maybe the aftermarket performs better than the OEM (but I have non oem bulbs). The thing i like do about the oem vs some aftermarkets is the HID's turn on instantly.
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My HIDs are on instantly. Did the DRl kill and the harness with them. I tried the silverstars, the hid-ish bulbs, standard bulbs, whatever "good" regular bulbs I could find and none provided decent light on dark country roads. Spent way too much screwing around with those bulbs. I was always using my offroad lights or high beams. I now have the 5000K 35 Watt VVME's and they work great. Unless there is poor weather or other conditions, the same backroads are no issue with only the low beams. I do not ever get brighted unless my offroad lights are on. I have followed family and friends and made it a point to ask about blinding them and they say no issue. I can see slearer and farther and feel safer, so I consider that amazing.Jkust said:
ItsOnVoy said:
Whats cheap? Mine cost $35 and have no issues and good output.
Canadian Mike
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HARDTRAILZ said:
I've also got 5000K 35 Watt VVME's in both lows & fogs. I bypassed LED's on the advice of Nation members.
Wooluf1952
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Jkust said:
The OEM HID's have a more defined cut-off line. It keeps the lights from blinding oncoming drivers.
Voymom
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I'm with Hardtrailz...what's considered cheap? We paid about $40 for our set, and we got the ultra thin one's. Plus we ordered ours from Ebay. Have never had an issue with them, and I won't use any other light if I can help it. I LOVE my HID's, and will put them for my high beams and my fogs as well. As far as spending the money to put them in a vehicle that is not equipped for them, I would do it in a heartbeat, by far the best light! Plus I feel for me anyways, that it enhances my ability to see better 100% when driving at night, as I have a hard time seeing anyways.
To me it is money well spent!
To me it is money well spent!
Wooluf1952
Member
If you are going to put HID's in your hight beams, you should check out this: http://gmtnation.com/f93/how-quad-beams-automatic-fogs-1503/ .
Voymom
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Wooluf1952 said:
Wooluf- Wasn't sure if this was directed at me or not but I have the quad beams with the auto fogs. This was one of my first mods.
To the OP this is a phenomenal mod, I hated having to switch my fogs on and off all the time, especially when I would use my high beams, as mine would turn off. I just found out though that I'm illegal in Iowa lol, apparently Iowa only allows 4 lights to run at the same time/all at once, and if we use our high beams, which we do a lot, we have 6 running. Oh well.
SBUBandit
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Voymom said:
That's the case in most areas, and they count highs as 4 lighting units, which is why the fogs don't stay on with the highs. I don't have fogs, but I do have the quad beams, and thats illegal too. My theory though is that no one should ever see the high beams on anyways. If I'm running around with the highs on where people in front of me see them, I'm kinda asking for the ticket.
Wooluf1952
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Voymom said:
It was directed at you. I wasn't sure if you had or not.
As far as being illegal, so are the non-OEM HID's in most states.
Voymom
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Just making sure. I didn't know HID's were illegal in most states. I don't think they are illegal here, but I do think they have stipulations on the color, although I don't know if that is true or not, as I have seen pink, green, yellow and blue HID's on some of the ricers here. I don't think Iowa actually enforces stuff like HID's, lifts etc unless either someone complains about it or it is a safety hazard, like having a headlight/brake light out.
I know they can be real assholes here with window tint though. I have been pulled over for that on my old Toyota, but thankfully got out of the ticket. The way I look at it(Hubby probably doesn't agree lol) is that they can ticket me to death, I'm doing what I want to the truck, and until they have a law that say's they can legally tow or impound my vehicle because of something like window tint, I will keep all of my "Illegal" mods. I don't see an issue with them as long as they are not a safety hazard for me or anyone else on the road.
I know they can be real assholes here with window tint though. I have been pulled over for that on my old Toyota, but thankfully got out of the ticket. The way I look at it(Hubby probably doesn't agree lol) is that they can ticket me to death, I'm doing what I want to the truck, and until they have a law that say's they can legally tow or impound my vehicle because of something like window tint, I will keep all of my "Illegal" mods. I don't see an issue with them as long as they are not a safety hazard for me or anyone else on the road.
Wooluf1952 said:
I forgot that the non OEM's are illegal. I see them all over the place...mostly kids, mostly ricers. I had them one time in the coolest car I ever owned (the Eagle Vision TSI way back in college) and they didn't do anything of note but that car has substandard light output I recall.
