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Headlights

juliany27

juliany27

New member
I have just taken delivery of my 'new' car - a 2001 Carerra 2 Tip. Having previously owned a Boxster with Litronic headalmps I suppose that I am a bit spoilt - but the light from the headlights is far worse than I expected. What, if anything, can I do except use the foglamps at night to improve the situation? Are there better bulbs which can be inserted?

Any advice would be gratefully received.
 
Congratulations! Is your avatar going to change, then? Any pictures available yet?

Sorry, can't help with the question, though - mine came from the factory with Litronics. I hear there is a conversion kit available, though.

Or you could reinforce the Porsche driver image and just put the full beams on [;)]
 
I believe that is a £30 fine for having foglights on.
You will have to wear your baseball cap either back to front or set at a 'jaunty angle. Also the exhaust will need a 5" pipe (at least one although I have seen a picture of a Citroen Saxo with nine on). Upgraded stereo to drown out the noise of the pathetic little engine, in fact get the engine swapped for a four pot 1200 cc unit.
Then you need to adopt an aggressive look so people think you know how to drive and the manoeuvre you have just completed wasn't sheer stupidity and incompetence.
Try hids4u (I think, do a search on google for hids). The pilots are the ones to go for 6000 K.
Cheers,
 
Congratulations Julian!

I upgraded my headlights with the items from http://www.hids4u.co.uk/ and they are fantastic!
I would point out however that the instructions are totally pathetic, so I installed them with instructions from another member.
(involves drilling the headlight units). If you want to see the lights in action I'll be at Eynsham on Saturday (will you be coming on the convoy from the Ace cafe at 7 or 9?) or you can email me and I can come over and give you a hand installing them if you like.
 
Hi Julian,

My sentiments exactly - headlight leave a little to be desired. Main beam OK but dipped are poor.

I looked at doing the upgrade and all the reports were positive.

In the end I went to Design 911 and upgraded my yellow lights for the clear with Litronic installed. The lenses are a actually different as well.

Big difference in visibility so well worth investing in.

On a slightly different note. I was told my my local Porsche dealer that its actually a legal requirement to have headlamp cleaning and automatic self levelling lights. They told me I would actually fail an MOT with them.

Upgrading to the clear Xenon lights through Design 911 I also noticed that they dont come with the electric headlamp motors, apparently I need to remove them from my old lights and install them on to these.

Few weeks later it passed the MOT with them! (I think they outsourced it!)

All the best,

Rob
 
I was told my my local Porsche dealer that its
actually a legal requirement to have headlamp cleaning and automatic self
levelling lights. They told me I would actually fail an MOT with them.
Click to expand...

That is indeed true of Xenons, but I haven't heard of one person actually failing their MOT due to this.
 
ORIGINAL: Rodney Naghar

I was told my my local Porsche dealer that its
actually a legal requirement to have headlamp cleaning and automatic self
levelling lights. They told me I would actually fail an MOT with them.
Click to expand...

That is indeed true of Xenons, but I haven't heard of one person actually failing their MOT due to this.
Click to expand...

According to an MOT tester mate of mine, as long as the beam pattern is OK and the lights are clean, they can't fail a car for the type of bulbs fitted.

The legal side of having washers and automatic leveling appears to only apply to new vehicles...it seems to be a grey area on the retro-fitting side of things.

My Golf GTI passes it's MOT with an aftermarket HID kit fitted...and has dome for years.
 
Julian, if you mind not my asking, what made you trade in the Box? Family increase?More room for the lawbooks?

JohnC
993turbo
 
Why not try just upgrading the bulbs to Xenon Gas bulbs - I did this and you certainly get a much 'whiter' light over conventional Halogen bulbs - not in the same league as HID's obviously but a worthwhile upgrade for £30 or so (or whatever they were). I used the same wattage as the originals - 55/60w if I recall.
 
ORIGINAL: richardb.jones

Why not try just upgrading the bulbs to Xenon Gas bulbs - I did this and you certainly get a much 'whiter' light over conventional Halogen bulbs - not in the same league as HID's obviously but a worthwhile upgrade for £30 or so (or whatever they were). I used the same wattage as the originals - 55/60w if I recall.
Click to expand...

Hi Richard - sounds like a good and more economical option - where do you source the Xenon Gas Bulbs - any recommendations - I was considering the same for mine.
 
I just got mine from Halfrauds - There was a buy one get one free offer at the time !

'Halfords Super Brilliance' - Xenon Gas -50% More light....
Type H7 - 12v 55w (MY1999 911 C4)
Gold Box

:)
 
ORIGINAL: richardb.jones

I just got mine from Halfrauds - There was a buy one get one free offer at the time !

'Halfords Super Brilliance' - Xenon Gas -50% More light....
Type H7 - 12v 55w (MY1999 911 C4)
Gold Box

:)
Click to expand...

Hi Richard,

Sorry to bring up an old topic, but, my manual states Type H7 (55W) for Dipped beam, and Type H9 (65W) for Main beam - can you tell me if you replaced both?

Info is from my Drivers Manual - P196 'Bulb Chart' - however the site http://www.powerbulbs.co.uk doesnt seem to list H9 - confused...

Thanks!
 
Hi - yes I just did the dipped headlights - For the number of times I use full beam I didn't think it was worth it but of course you can replace both if you want to.

Both bulbs are H7 - the user manual is wrong. I've checked this in the workshop manual and both high and low bulbs are listed as 999.631.133.90 (or H7 )

I hope this helps,

Cheers,

Richard.

 
Excellent many thanks Richard; a little job for me at the weekend to replace them me thinks!

Thanks again,

Justin
 
ORIGINAL: richardb.jones

I just got mine from Halfrauds - There was a buy one get one free offer at the time !

'Halfords Super Brilliance' - Xenon Gas -50% More light....
Type H7 - 12v 55w (MY1999 911 C4)
Gold Box

:)
Click to expand...

I threw a couple of these into mine (in the dark at 8:00pm the other night when a damned bulb went on my way home - arrrrrgh!) and to my utter surprise they really are a little brighter than the old ones. not sure about the 50% claim but it's certainly a noticeable difference and for only £20 the pair!
 

Osram Silverstar are about the best 'xenon gas' bulb for sensible money. PIAA extreme whites are slightly better but £75 a set.

I installed the xenon aftermarket kit on my old 986 and it made a huge difference, these kits are now half what i paid for mine, currently around the £170 mark a set. I then removed it and refitted to my current 987S, where the headlights were better to start with, but still a worthwhile improvement.
 
ORIGINAL: richardb.jones

Hi - yes I just did the dipped headlights - For the number of times I use full beam I didn't think it was worth it but of course you can replace both if you want to.

Both bulbs are H7 - the user manual is wrong. I've checked this in the workshop manual and both high and low bulbs are listed as 999.631.133.90 (or H7 )

I hope this helps,

Cheers,

Richard.
Click to expand...

Hi just fitted the H7's but can confirm that the 'main beam' bulb is actually an H9 - Richard; I assume yours is a pre-facelift (~2001) car - if anyone has a post facelift just be aware you'd need H9's for main beam (if you want to change them), H7's for dipped beam.

I also can definitely tell the difference, well worth the £25 !

Cheers
 
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