Shepard Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 My headlights suck! I've tried cleaning the outside with a few different restoration products, nothing. I replaced the bulbs with "super bright" ones, and nothing. I had them reaimed, still nothing. My headlights are busted, something beyond my control, like the inside or something. I barely can throw light two car lengths in front of me with the highbeams on. What are my options? New housing? New projectors? Anyone have luck with HID kits? If I'm buying new headlights, any options beyond stock replacement ones? Also, anything for my foglights they suck too. Actually, could this be an electrical problem by any chance? My car's electric system isn't the greatest I don't think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTris Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 Using the "headlight restoration" products is kinda like smearing bacon grease on your headlights. Did you just rub stuff on, or have you taken the headlights out and fully wetsanded, buffed, and clearcoated them ? You don't have projectors. DO NOT get an HID retrofit. Well, realistically, you can install them now before they're made illegal, but, you'll just get more glare and not the light you're looking for. Check out the wires for any rips or tears in the sheathing or insulation. Double check all your ground straps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Gage Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 I know everybody says not to hid ur non projector headlights but i did and i love it. I did 4300k headlights and 3000k projector fogs and they are very bright, much better then before. I used 35w for both and i notice less electrical draw them compaired with the regular bulbs. Both retro kits where 100 bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Gage Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=183220&d=1400770711 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTris Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 Nice glare, Sean. That's why HID retro kits are becoming illegal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shepard Posted May 27, 2014 Author Share Posted May 27, 2014 I've got no clue what projectors are, I just thought all headlights had them or something. My car knowledge stops short of lights, except changing bulbs. I'll go check the wires, and I thought HID were already illegal, I was just going to go for it regardless because the cops around here don't even care about speeding so I doubt they'd car about lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooblube Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 My headlights suck! I've tried cleaning the outside with a few different restoration products, nothing. I replaced the bulbs with "super bright" ones, and nothing. I had them reaimed, still nothing. My headlights are busted, something beyond my control, like the inside or something. I barely can throw light two car lengths in front of me with the highbeams on. What are my options? New housing? New projectors? Anyone have luck with HID kits? If I'm buying new headlights, any options beyond stock replacement ones? Also, anything for my foglights they suck too. Actually, could this be an electrical problem by any chance? My car's electric system isn't the greatest I don't think. Use toothpaste to clean to restore headlights. don't but those kits. A guy mad a youtube video, look it up. I did mine this weekend and was amazed how well it worked. all you need is a little water tooth paste and a rag or towel. it says crest whitening works best (that's what i used.) I've seen Colgate work nearly as good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTris Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 I've got no clue what projectors are, I just thought all headlights had them or something. My car knowledge stops short of lights, except changing bulbs. I'll go check the wires, and I thought HID were already illegal, I was just going to go for it regardless because the cops around here don't even care about speeding so I doubt they'd car about lights. If you knew you had to perform open-heart surgery, you'd probably goto medschool first, right? Same goes for your car -- Mindlessly throwing money and mods at it without understanding why will do you no good. Read up on your headlights and what you options are. Daniel Stern lighting seems to be the info of choice for car enthusiasts, so I'd recommend that you start there. In short, though, there are two types of light housings: Reflector and Projector. A projector housing is the type with the convex glass orb that focuses a beam of light to the road. A reflector reflects the light from the bulb inside the housing to focus the light to a certain area. Projector beams are designed to focus and direct intense light, such as from an HID setup, whereas a reflector is only designed to reflect light to direct it. Using an HID retrofit kit on a reflector-style housing will give you more light, but it will scatter the light into undesired directions, such as upward, and into oncoming traffic. This is why it's illegal to retrofit them to reflector-style housings. *(And even some projector-style housings!) Think of it in terms of a cup and funnel: A projector is a light funnel -- You can put as much light in there as you want, and it will always flow through the way it's supposed to. Compare that to a reflector, which is like a light cup -- It's only intended to reflect so much light. And when you try to put in more light than it was designed to handle, it will overflow, which, in terms of light, causes glare. Make sense? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shepard Posted May 28, 2014 Author Share Posted May 28, 2014 Yeah, that makes perfect sense. What are my options in that regard? The lenses don't want to be cleaned, I've got the cheap stuff and it didn't work. I also did a real restoration on them with the buffing and the clearcoat and all that jazz. My wiring is good to go from the lights all the way back to where I can't tell anymore. I consider my headlights to be a very important part of my car. I live in New England, deer are pests up here we have so many, and most streets, even in towns and cities are unlit. I only considered the HID because I know they're bright, but I don't want to blind people, I hate it when others blind me. Is there a projector system I can get for my car? Obviously I'd have to replace the housings or something. Do any of the newer Subarus have headlights that would fit into mine the way a lot of the fog lights do? And just to correct, the only mods my car has are bumper stickers and my Thule. I have a wagon, I have no interest in making it into something it isn't. I do all my own work though, replaced the alternator, head gaskets, exhaust (replaced with stock, my system was rusted out), a few other things, I just don't see the point of sinking money into a car I don't want to have in another few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTris Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Yeah, you'll need some different housings - This subforum is really just for pictures -- Showing off what you've done, or just what your ride looks like as-is. If I were you, I'd start searching in the actual 3rd gen forum and see what others have done. I'm not entirely sure there are projector options for your model, however, if there are, you can expect to pay upward of $300 for a set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooblube Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Well trust me it clean the heck out the lamps. Just do that and throw in the brightest sylvania you can get. Then go with projector fogs from a bmw x5. there was a post and a link on here. somewhere where you can buy them as a set i believe Car iD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Gage Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 Nice glare, Sean. That's why HID retro kits are becoming illegal. There are a few cars that came with hid lights as oem that do not have projectors, they have the diffuser bulb covers just like the gt lights do. They are not as focused but they aren't blinding to oncoming traffic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeson187 Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Check out what I did to my headlights with 3M restore kit. Post #52 it worked for me. I've shown before and after pics. Also I have brought back a set of JDM 3rd gen headlights (OEM HIDs) from Japan that u may be interested in? http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/did-u-do-2-ya-legacy-2dayi-199590p4.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkrenicki Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Nice glare, Sean. That's why HID retro kits are becoming illegal. They are not becoming illegal.. They always have been. They are just finally starting to step up enforcement, even during the importation process. There are a few cars that came with hid lights as oem that do not have projectors, they have the diffuser bulb covers just like the gt lights do. They are not as focused but they aren't blinding to oncoming traffic. No, they do not have "diffuser bulb covers", they have reflector bowls that are specifically designed for HID bulbs. They also have bulbs designed for reflector housings (D2R, D4R.. R stands for Reflector). Slapping a HID bulb into a reflector bowl designed for halogen bulbs, will result in a horrible light pattern and serious glare for other drivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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