Headlight Upgrade for Mk3 Jetta? (fog lights and auxillary)

[Rig]

I am realy tired of my default mk3 headlights. They are so dim, and the light pattern is pretty awful. I tried some LED lightbulbs but the results were only a slight improvement over stock, and for some reason oncoming traffic was still flashing me... they weren't a very good fit into the oem socket and eventually one popped out and got destroyed by my serpentine belt.

The only real option I see right now for the mk3 are these:

Spyder® - Black LED Halo Projector Headlights

Volkswagen Jetta 1998, Black LED Halo Projector Headlights by Spyder®, 1 Pair. Black housing, clear lens. Bulbs: H1 low beam (included), H1 high beam (included). Spyder products are designed to give your vehicle a commanding presence. Shop our extensive selection of premium quality Spyder parts...

www.carid.com

The euro Hella branded ones aren't available that I can find anywhere even second hand.

Anyone have a link to bi-xenon retro fit? Or any other info at all would be helpful.

If not, I'll probably just try these since they seem to be only thing available.

 

[Rig]

Here's another one: https://shop.carropacific.com/products/23214

 

[garciapiano]

The Hella E-Codes are discontinued and are now collector’s items. Retrofitting projectors would be the move but it’s too much work for me.

 

[tleader]

Many years ago when I had an MK3, I bought some glass lenses and just threw in a set of bi-xenon lights. They were not too expensive and they worked great. They were the type that were threaded and had a nut on the back of the housing, so no cutting or retrofitting was required. It served its purpose and provided a lot better light.

 

[Rig]

Hey are these the "e-codes" eveyone is talking about?

93-99 VW JETTA VENTO MK3 E-CODE ANGEL EYE HEADLIGHTS - BLACK

93-99 VW JETTA VENTO MK3 E-CODE ANGEL EYE HEADLIGHTS - BLACK

umnitza.com

 

[burpod]

no, i believe the "real e-codes" were still the single H4 bulb. glass lenses, better/more-defined beam pattern plus a "city light" bulb.

 

[Rig]

How about these: https://www.tunersdepot.com/1993-vo...projector-headlights-black-vw-iii-123649.html

No idea how bright these HIDs are. I assume they are 35watts but there is no mention of actual lumens.

I'm on the fence as far as HIDs vs LEDs. LEDs have longer running time. The blue HIDs are obnoxious but I think 6k is acceptable. Main thing I want is more brightness and better application of that light on the road.

As long as the low beams are dim enough, it doesn't matter how bright the highs are. Lots of deer where I live. Too many near misses to count.

 

[ToddA1]

Halogen Scheinwerfer Set für VW VENTO (1H2) Bj. 11.91-09.98 H4 59L | eBay

Entdecken Sie Halogen Scheinwerfer Set für VW VENTO (1H2) Bj. 11.91-09.98 H4 59L in der großen Auswahl bei eBay. Kostenlose Lieferung für viele Artikel!

www.ebay.de

Not Hella, but I’d rather have a knockoff e-code rather than those projector light. I used to buy B4 Hella e-codes from eBay… just need to be sure they’ll ship to the states. The exchange rate is currently very favorable.

-Todd

 

[Rig]

Not Hella, but I’d rather have a knockoff e-code rather than those projector light. I used to buy B4 Hella e-codes from eBay… just need to be sure they’ll ship to the states. The exchange rate is currently very favorable.

So what's wrong with the projector lights? Bad light, or is it just the appearance?

 

[TDeanI]

So what's wrong with the projector lights? Bad light, or is it just the appearance?

Projector lights are great but require you to remove the headlight lens to install the projectors and hopefully get a projector install with an alignment close enough that you can aim these with the factory adjustment in the housing. Then you reseal the lens back on.

I have done a few retrofits with 50/50 success. I made a new headlight lens out of lexan, since the factree fluted lens will no longer give you a desired pattern. My failure meant moisture getting between the reworked headlight lens and the projector lens. I will have to separate the lens and "re-glue" it after cleaning. I used H1 projectors, which are skinny enough to fit in the factree bulb opening.

 

[My_name_is_Rob]

I noticed a surprisingly huge difference when I retro fitted fog lights onto mine. I don't know if you have them already, but it was a pretty simple upgrade to do, since all the VW parts essentially just plug-n-play.

 

[Rig]

Yeah, I added the OEM foglights to mine. It helps but nothing too amazing. I've been thinking of trying different bulbs in the fog light lenses.

 

[ToddA1]

So what's wrong with the projector lights? Bad light, or is it just the appearance?

I’ve personally never run them, but based on the foreground and cutoff pics I’ve seen I’ve seen, it’s typically not worth it. This is based on the aftermarket style lights you’re posting. These typically aren’t true projectors like the OEMs would be installing. Some of these projectors are plastic and nothing more than a thin lens to get the desired look. I’m also not a fan of the angel eyes on cars that aren’t BMW.

Maybe these lights are a lot better than the lights I’ve seen in the past… no clue.

As mentioned, retrofits were very popular although I don’t hear about them much anymore. I bought a set of the aftermarket FK lights for my B4, for the non fluted lenses. I also bought Morimoto projector setups to do the HID retrofi, years ago… never happened. I also bought Infiniti headlights for the H7(?) Koyo projectors, years ago. They went in the trash last summer. I’m too lazy and I’m satisfied with my Hella e-codes.

I’ve also used Depo e-codes and while not as good as the Hella, they’re more than satisfactory. I sold a new Depo set to a forum user and he was amazed how they performed compared to stock.

-Todd

 

[garciapiano]

I would love if someone could retrofit those projectors into some clear Mk3 bodies like post #4 above. Would be a game changer... provided the light output and pattern was correct.

Maybe Mk3s will come back into vogue and an aftermarket will pop up again... wishful thinking.

 

[ToddA1]

I would love if someone could retrofit those projectors into some clear Mk3 bodies like post #4 above.

Why shouldn’t that someone be you? Plenty of retrofit tutorials on the World Wide Web.

Someone here used to sell retrofitted lights, but I think that was for the A4 guys. Maybe figure out who it was and reach out.

-Todd

 

[Rig]

Why shouldn’t that someone be you? Plenty of retrofit tutorials on the World Wide Web.

Someone here used to sell retrofitted lights, but I think that was for the A4 guys. Maybe figure out who it was and reach out.

I'm definitely interested. I need quality light and am really sick of my current setup. I spent like 2hrs one day last week researching this stuff without much of a conclusion. I don't feel much closer to being able to confidently spend my $$

I know you linked those german headlights but they look exactly like my stock ones. How do I know they are actually any better being "knock offs" as you say? Is it worth getting something shipped overseas without actually being able to speak to anyone since I don't speak german.... lol

It really helps to have real world experience in seeing what works and doesn't work when you are retrofitting or even doing routine DIY maintainance. That one little detail that someone forgot to mention about the process could end up costing you a lot later on. In other words, the internet is not a perfect answer to all problems. I wish there was an experienced TDI mechanic where I live. I would throw money at that guy.

Like I could buy a set of projectors and bulbs and find out that it just looks terrible or the light projection isn't actually good enough for the money spent, or I'm blinding oncoming traffic...

 

[ToddA1]

I know you linked those german headlights but they look exactly like my stock ones. How do I know they are actually any better being "knock offs" as you say? Is it worth getting something shipped overseas without actually being able to speak to anyone since I don't speak german.... lol

If they’re being sold in Germany, you can be pretty sure they won’t be garbage US DOT spec. My point was bad e-codes are probably 100% better than US lighting. I used Google translator when I bought from Germany. Not 100% perfect, but it was good enough to get by.

Did you search Morimoto? They’re probably the largest retrofit outfit in the US. Did you search YouTube? There are tons of retrofit DIYs. Watch them and pick out the details you need.

When following a written or video procedure, I often ask myself, why am I doing this when I can get the same result(s), but faster by doing this instead? Just like everything, there will be a learning curve. Figure out what works and what doesn’t. As old as this technology is, it’s been documented many times, by now.

I have a few hobbies which I’ve needed to figure out a lot, based on the sparce info available. Written or on the web. Spent a lot of money on these learning curves…

-Todd

 

[Steve Addy]

You can still buy ecodes new but vendors are fewer for these now and as someone said they are collectors items (for some ridiculous reason).

Just don't buy them if they're for the UK or any RHD country....

Steve

 

[Abacus]

I know you linked those german headlights but they look exactly like my stock ones. How do I know they are actually any better being "knock offs" as you say? Is it worth getting something shipped overseas without actually being able to speak to anyone since I don't speak german.... lol

The real headlights have glass lenses, the OEM ones are plastic.

I have E-codes on my B4 and they’re ok. I also have a set of halo Depo’s, new in the box, but they’re for a B4 And don’t fit the A3. Not sure what I’ll do with them yet.

 

[ToddA1]

The OE Jetta lenses are glass.

-Todd

 

[Abacus]

Really? I’ve polished lexan A3 headlights before, I wonder if they were aftermarket.

 

[ToddA1]

Maybe. I was surprised that the OE ones on Rotbox were glass. They definitely weren’t e-codes.

Seems the lower Jetta came with glass lenses, a better dp with additional support, keyless entry, and hydraulic mounts, while the higher B4 got lesser quality parts.

-Todd

 

[Rig]

The german ones that were linked earlier are glass?

 

[ToddA1]

AFAIK, plastic lenses only exist in the US.

That being said, do some research. I’m not in the market, so I’m not going to do it for you…

-Todd

 

[Rig]

Todd, I'm not asking anyone to do research for me. If you happen to know the answers off hand and are willing to type an answer, it saves me time. I just don't want to reinvent the wheel and make costly mistakes.

I ended up purchasing these German made projectors: https://www.ebay.com/itm/284823858175?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11051.m43.l1123&mkcid=26&ch=osgood&euid=ff69a0902f3144dba485adecfe2f6559&bu=43848140110&osub=-1~1&crd=20221005094538&segname=11051

Probably an impulse decision and maybe I'll regret it, but I saw "made in germany" and pulled the trigger.

I'm trying to figure out what I need to set these up when they arrive. I know I need the 3pin to 4pin e-code adapter. Anything else?

Here is an adapter I found. Is this correct? https://www.ebay.com/itm/2923900939...dvLQbFfnCy5YM+RM3PITNic1Tn|tkp:Bk9SR9DlhJX1YA

Could I use a pigtail like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/134183077846?hash=item1f3def47d6:g:yW8AAOSwQv5i4QRp&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAA4LgxZDSYsJEQRP8Avgkg1P8mvrgnn3jSSLCQHsaI5AMyf9RaFRzIUgF2r/lOLaF03+jeVqkc4+S+10tc1BUy0Pr1wvcTh5+jXzjqi56kESvjirjnKXnpqBiFeYpCjOGBqr/wl/dcr+LKnCnYvmGQIsvtSbbqnrS+jYX8VDtak5V46ATQFjp440CkIjoT+UUXq6a0RAesq5pr8b0WA0ol0xgxraGjGX8h7D9GZU/1pjt8FVkY26UgycnyB4L86oY7EHrn+dyOHB+jSCE5NLCsCgaiQKHGB2NmsJtAm+cWEKZX|tkp:Bk9SR_rmk5T1YA

Do they come with bulbs already? If not, what type do you think? Looks like it says H7 on the yellow sticker (no idea if this is the bulb type). Do I need 2 bulbs per headlight?

Yes, I already asked the seller this question and he didn't know. Yes, I already searched everywhere on these forums and others without definitive results. Yes, I already looked on youtube. Apparently these german made in-pro headlights never existed....

 

[ToddA1]

H7 is very likely the bulbs.

You may be better off waiting for the lights to arrive, before buying a harness. If anything, I’d think you need the stock to H7 adapter, but I have no clue what else are in those lights.

I did see used e-code Hellas when I clicked the link.

-Todd

 

[Rig]

Oh well... yeah I see these two. Looks like if you're patient some will pop up.

VW Volkswagen Vento Mk1 Jetta Mk3 OEM LHD Set Euro Hella Headlights | eBay

I don't know if the electric height adjuster work well.

www.ebay.com

VW Vento Jetta Mk3 HEADLIGHTS Euro LHD 1992 1999 Left + Right kit | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for VW Vento Jetta Mk3 HEADLIGHTS Euro LHD 1992 1999 Left + Right kit at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

You're right, I'll just wait until the projectors get here to see what type of bulbs will fit. I'm pretty set on some quality LEDs and I think projectors are probably the best way to go for that. If the highs and lows take separate bulbs that will actually suit my needs pretty well so I can get some really bright highs and figure out which lows are best for oncoming traffic. A little more flexible with aftermarket bulbs.

I ordered the plug and play adapter from the 3pin to 4pin. Should work. If it doesn't I'll figure something else out. I think it uses same adapter as the hella e-code lights from the pictures.

 

[jokila]

...I tried some LED lightbulbs but the results were only a slight improvement over stock, and for some reason oncoming traffic was still flashing me...

Putting in non reflector type bulbs in a stock housing will cause the light to scatter because it's not made for the bulb. You saw more light because it scattered (like on signage and oncoming driver eyes) but it was not focused where it should be.

 

[Rig]

Putting in non reflector type bulbs in a stock housing will cause the light to scatter because it's not made for the bulb. You saw more light because it scattered (like on signage and oncoming driver eyes) but it was not focused where it should be.

Yeah, that's basically what I determined and why i decided to go with projector lenses for the LEDs. I'll post results once I get everything setup.

 

[Steve Addy]

Putting in non reflector type bulbs in a stock housing will cause the light to scatter because it's not made for the bulb. You saw more light because it scattered (like on signage and oncoming driver eyes) but it was not focused where it should be.

Yes...and position of the bulb vs reflector matters too...if it's too far forward or too far back in comparison to original type bulb it will give weird effects.

The electric height adjusters work well, I have them on the B3V, and I have the wiring diagram for adding them, but you'll need to build the harness to do it because that stuff isn't in the US cars wiring and you'll need a headlight switch with the height adjust rheostat too.

Steve