Headlights, They are plastic right? Options

[TCK]

Hi guys

I will try to polish my headlights - it's the stock ones. Just want to be 100% sure that they are made from plastic. Can anyone confirm this? :-)

It's this product I will give a try http://www.headlight-restoration-kit.com/t...estorer-review/

[cheela]

no, they are glass. That's the nice thing about our cars though.
It's not plastic so it shouldn't get cloudy and need polishing.

Why do you want to polish by the way? If visibility is a problem, might be coming from the inside of your headlights.

[TCK]

OK! Nice to know :-P

I just think that the glass looks a bit frosted but maybe it's just the way the lens is made.. I would like it to be more clear. Also I'm not impressed by how my car lights up the road at night but that is possibly because of the bulbs I'm driving with.. some xenon-look-a-likes.. :-)

[cheela]

oh yeah, our headlights always look like that. I also am not impressed by them. ahahahah..
yeah just upgrade your bulbs and you'll be happy.

you COULD also pay around $700 for the awesome JDM projector headlights!! but i'm too broke for those.

[TCK]

I already have upgraded the bulbs - that's the problem ;-)

The light looks much cooler than stock but they doesn't light up the road very good. yeah those are very cool but also too expensive for me

This post has been edited by TCK: Apr 10, 2012 - 11:40 AM

[cheela]

just saw your pics. yeah. they don't look that much brighter.
any info on your bulbs? output, wattage, etc.

[TCK]

http://www.matronics.dk/Produkt/H4-MTEC-Su...hite-12V-2-pack

It's these ones :-)

[richee3]

Yeah, those bulbs never illuminate the road very well. They're usually just for looks. The factory headlight lenses are definitely glass so they shouldn't glaze over like plastic lenses, but that's not to say that they couldn't just be covered in hundreds of small pits.

[celicalibre]

From exterior styling forum:

For the past three years I have used the Sylvania Silver Stars (high beam bulbs) model number 9005 for both the low and high beams. To fit the low beam receptor you have to grind out the two ridges ( inside top of plastic connector between the two metal pins). The high beam bulb version does not have the black cap on end of the bulb which diffuses the light, but also reduces the brightness. Fortunately, the design of the glass headlight diffuses the light appropriately for low beam application. Lighting is brighter, more appealing, and signifcantly improves down the road viewing. With high beams on it is difficult to imagine ever needing stronger light.

IMO the Silver Stars provide an excellent combination of brighter white light with subtle blue tint while staying reasonably close to the original maximum wattage specifications. They maintain the original light and wiring configuration of the Celica and reasonably priced for the lighting upgrade they provide with just a few minutes effort to modify and install. I have had them installed for three years in both my Lexus (projector) and Celica (conventional) and have not yet had to replace a bulb. There is also a step up with a Silver Star Ultra style bulb but I have not tried them because the Silver Stars I purchased originally have been excellent.

[rave2n]

you COULD also pay around $700 for the awesome JDM projector headlights!! but i'm too broke for those.

Just have someone back into you..thats how I got mine! =) - Of course it was not on purpose...but ya never know!

[Box]

Could do what I'm going to do, get some 9011 and 9012 HIR bulbs and modify the tabs(same manner as celicalibre mentioned using 9005 for low) to fit our housing. Same wattage, so don't have to worry about melting the harness. Now your low is brighter than high would be, and high is even brighter. Next best thing to HID.

9006 - 55 watts - 1000 lumens
9005 - 65 watts - 1700 lumens

9012 - 55 watts - 1870 lumens
9011 - 65 watts - 2350 lumens

[TCK]

Could do what I'm going to do, get some 9011 and 9012 HIR bulbs and modify the tabs(same manner as celicalibre mentioned using 9005 for low) to fit our housing. Same wattage, so don't have to worry about melting the harness. Now your low is brighter than high would be, and high is even brighter. Next best thing to HID.

9006 - 55 watts - 1000 lumens
9005 - 65 watts - 1700 lumens

9012 - 55 watts - 1870 lumens
9011 - 65 watts - 2350 lumens

Sounds cool do you have any pictures? :-)

Yeah, those bulbs never illuminate the road very well. They're usually just for looks. The factory headlight lenses are definitely glass so they shouldn't glaze over like plastic lenses, but that's not to say that they couldn't just be covered in hundreds of small pits.

But now that I know it's glass I can start looking for some effective cleanser for glass! :-)

[Box]

Haven't done yet, the previous owner had put in new Sylvania Silver Stars. Once they burn out I'm switching to the HIR, sorry don't have any pictures.

[travisxcore]

I have the high dollar (like 25 bucks a bulb) gold(?) ones. Their so bright people always think I'm high beaming at night. Lol.

[chacha]

buy hid...i did...i can SEE, the ones you got suck...no offense...can't see and they are just for shows....you need the ones with a ballast...if you gonna spend that much, might as well invest in H.I.D. set from DDMtuning HID with lifetime warranty

This post has been edited by chacha: Apr 10, 2012 - 10:43 PM

[Special_Edy]

Sylvania Silverstar Ultra on the driverside vs Sylvania standard bulb on the passenger side. Not really "brighter" but supposedly the color is closer to Sunlight, so your eyes can actually see better. They work with a special coating on the bulb that reflects light back inside of the bulb which causes it to heat up more and produce a higher temperature color. red is cold, orange is hotter, followed by yellow and white with blue being the hottest color of light.


*edit* the camaera really doesnt do it justice, but the Silverstar ultra is really a much better color than the yellow looking regular bulbs





This post has been edited by Special_Edy: Apr 11, 2012 - 1:25 PM

[KAOS]

I always found that the brighter the bulb, the faster they burn out. I just upgraded to projectors and an HID kit and now never have to worry about the bulbs burning out too quickly.

[Box]

I always found that the brighter the bulb, the faster they burn out. I just upgraded to projectors and an HID kit and now never have to worry about the bulbs burning out too quickly.

Yeps. Even on the back of the Sylvania boxes it shows the brighter bulbs have a shorter life.

[TCK]

Sylvania Silverstar Ultra on the driverside vs Sylvania standard bulb on the passenger side. Not really "brighter" but supposedly the color is closer to Sunlight, so your eyes can actually see better. They work with a special coating on the bulb that reflects light back inside of the bulb which causes it to heat up more and produce a higher temperature color. red is cold, orange is hotter, followed by yellow and white with blue being the hottest color of light.


*edit* the camaera really doesnt do it justice, but the Silverstar ultra is really a much better color than the yellow looking regular bulbs

Looks great. Nice cold and modern-looking light :-)

The problem is that almost any modification of your car in Europe and especially here in Denmark has to be approved for it to be legal so I cant just upgrade to HID.