Which headlights

J

jaredaggie

Guest
I need to replace my headlights and want to know whether to get OEM's or Hellas, or what. I want something that is gonna last and is bright. Don't care to mess with HID. Wouldn't mind the euroswitch with fogs and city lights, etc. Any suggestions? I could just replace the one that is messed up, but that wouldn't look even.
 

Lug_Nut

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 20, 1998
Location
Sterling, MA. USA
TDI
2015 GSW 6M in S trim the other oil burners: 1967 two stroke Sonett 1988 Bolens DGT1700
What headlights? His profile states he doesn't have a car yet.

Jared, The brightness is primarily determined by the separate and replaceable bulb in the lens housing. A higher wattage will be brighter, but will probably not last as long, as a lower wattage bulb.
The pattern of that light is determined by the reflector, the lens, and the condition of them. A lens pitted by years of road rash will disperse the light from the bulb to areas other than the road in front of you. A new housing with lens will restore much of that concentration of the available light where it will do the most benefit. A new housing with a poorly designed reflector and lens will be no better, maybe much worse, at night even though the crystal clear lens looks better in the day.
"See well" and "look good" are not synonyms.
 

dr_p

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2006
Location
Woodbridge, ON
TDI
2013 Wolfsburg Golf
for the golf I recommend the Hella celis. Glass covers, OEM quality, amazing light, built in fogs, and true dual ellepsoid projector lenses with cutoff sheilding. best thing I did, and with HID's, amazing. If you dont like the celis look (i do) unplug the resistor to them.
 
J

jaredaggie

Guest
sorry, didn't update profile

I have a 2000 Jetta black... haven't even picked it up yet but I hate that the headlights have the yellowed look to them. Also, one of them the small metal piece that actually covers the bulb is gone, so I'm not sure if/how well it will work.

I am less concerned with looks than functionality/reliability. I like the idea of the city lights lights from what I can tell. Basically looking for best quality for price. I don't think the 2,000+ OEM HID's are worth it, but am not opposed to spending a few hundred for good quality, even if they are HID's... long as they will last and don't require me to keep dumping more money on expensive bulbs.
 

strictlysmoke

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2006
Location
baltimore, md
TDI
golf IV
question, what do the covers to the fog lights look like on e-code headlights are they the same as the e-codes without fog lights. my car does not have the fog light option but the covers where the fog lights would be look translucent, but i'm not sure. i guess what im trying to ask is if i took a housing that does not come with fog lights and put a bulb in there myself would the light come though?
 

Joe_Meehan

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 3, 2005
Location
Ohio USA
TDI
NB TDI, 2002.5, Silver
I would chose e-codes if I had to, but I would start by polishing those lenses and see what things look like after that.
 
J

jaredaggie

Guest
OK Just bought Hella E-codes from TM Tuning... hope they're worth the money.
 

chezney

Active member
Joined
May 2, 2008
Location
Mississauga (previously Calgary and Saskatoon)
TDI
2005 Jetta
So I'd like to order the Hella healdlights and at TM tuning it asks which model of jetta I have.
I've got a 2005 GLS TDi (wagon). Fully loaded, leather, sunroof, monsoon stereo, power everything. What model is it?
Also, there's a sale on the Hella E-code MK5s. Are these as good (i.e. bright) as the Celis model?
 

carnotgas

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2005
Location
New York
TDI
2015 Jetta
E Code Oponion

I have driven lots of cars in Europe and I do not find ecodes to be better than US lights. They put very little light on the left side of the road. They don't light up the sides of the road as well. Where the animals are. Just my opinion.
 

compu_85

Gadget Guy
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
... None :S
That's what fog lights are for ;) On my Benz low beams + fogs puts lots of usable light on the road, and the wide and low fog pattern works great for critter watch. The DOT lights were quite bad and didn't get much light on the road. Same with the lights on my ECOdiesel... the DOT lights were just poor.

But the DOT lights on my TDI don't seem to be that bad. I just wish the high beams were better.

-J
 

Joe_Meehan

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 3, 2005
Location
Ohio USA
TDI
NB TDI, 2002.5, Silver
carnotgas said:
I have driven lots of cars in Europe and I do not find ecodes to be better than US lights. They put very little light on the left side of the road. They don't light up the sides of the road as well. Where the animals are. Just my opinion.
I drive in Europe fairly often and I don't have a problem with the lights at all. That said, the North American e-codes are not exactly the same. I had a chance to see the difference between the US lamps and e-codes on my Miata. Replacing those SAE lamps with e-codes made a great difference. Very good lighting and nice cutoffs eliminating nearly all glare to oncoming traffic.
 

mj1053

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 2, 2003
Location
Smithville, TX
TDI
2015 VW Passat TDI DSG
I have a A4 Jetta without fog lights. I need new headlights, can I buy the hella e codes with fog lights and have it work on my car? Is there additional wiring harnesses I need to buy? Thanks.
 

chewbacca

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Location
Iowa
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS; 2002 Golf GLS (Mrs. Chewbacca)
jaredaggie said:
I have a 2000 Jetta black... haven't even picked it up yet but I hate that the headlights have the yellowed look to them. Also, one of them the small metal piece that actually covers the bulb is gone, so I'm not sure if/how well it will work.

I am less concerned with looks than functionality/reliability. I like the idea of the city lights lights from what I can tell. Basically looking for best quality for price. I don't think the 2,000+ OEM HID's are worth it, but am not opposed to spending a few hundred for good quality, even if they are HID's... long as they will last and don't require me to keep dumping more money on expensive bulbs.
You can get rid of the discoloration/foggyness with a restoration kit. Its sand paper, water, and compound. The pics that have been posted make the headlights look brand new. I'm about to order this one you can use it with a cordless drill:

http://www.gtglass.com/product_detail/6.html
 

thebigarniedog

Master of the Obvious
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Location
Fail Command (Central Ohio)
TDI
1998 Jetta tdi
If you are going to change out your lights make sure you get projectors. On a Jetta you want a 4 lamp system as the killer application is all 4 lamps on with the high beams.
 

Nash_TDI

Veteran Member -TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Location
Louisville, ky
TDI
2000 Silver Jetta TDI
mj1053 said:
I have a A4 Jetta without fog lights. I need new headlights, can I buy the hella e codes with fog lights and have it work on my car? Is there additional wiring harnesses I need to buy? Thanks.
You will need to make or buy a fog light harness. Not too bad. I just did it for mine.
 

chezney

Active member
Joined
May 2, 2008
Location
Mississauga (previously Calgary and Saskatoon)
TDI
2005 Jetta
In regards to cleaning headlights, I just tried a headlight lens restorer from Canadian Tire. It worked ok, but after using it, I'm convinced that they just added blue dye to Vim. I'd bet that you could use Vim as a cheaper alternative and it'd be just as effective.
Anyhow, after using it, there were still some of the deeper scratches and chips in the plastic but on the whole it polished my lens up prettty well.
 
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