Thread: HID head lights
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Old December 12th 2003, 15:41
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oasis oasis is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: timonium, md usa
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I'm replying here rather than the "Has anyone thought of this?" thread which really is the catalyst for my ponderings. I didn't want to send that thread on a wayward tangent as I am interested in that continuing saga as well.

I apologize in advance for length this will probably be even though my question is somewhat basic. My searching on the Internet yielded a lot advertisements with the accompanying propaganda. Some useful information filtered through as well.

I, too (as in the other thread), have been thinking long and hard about what to do with a Super Beetle (1303) with regards to headlights. I don't want to end up with something that may look like an updated version of the Mulholland Look. That, however, is a matter of style.

My inquiry now is a matter of function. Unfortunately, it involves a series of what-is-it's and what's-better.

I assume the Super has a stock headlight like my '85 Vanagon did. (I'll stick with US-names for simplicity.) And I assume stock headlights are different from halogen headlights which my '81 Pickup and '86 Jetta had.

That said, what are the headlights offered as replacements which come as "clear" and "crystal cut"?

They seem to use Xenon bulbs such as 9004's. I know they are not HID kits or projection units. Are they better?

I never gave headlights a lot of thought until we bought our '02 Cabrio and '02 Golf. By comparison, out '93 EuroVan didn't put out squat for light. This was my first venture into searching for information on headlights. The cost of converting the EuroVan was prohibitive considering how long we wanted to keep it, how old it already was then, and where we -- actually, I -- wanted to spend my disposable income.

The result for EuroVan was I purchased some Xenon bulbs off of eBay. They bulbs were a significant improvement but they were still a weak sister compared to the two Golfs.

So, then, what do my Golfs have? They obviously are not projection headlights. I doubt they are HID's. But they are better than what's currently in my EuroVan.

(I was told if I converted my EuroVan to an HID kit, I would lose my high beams with the 9004.)

Okay, getting back to Super Beetle -- where do all of the options stand up to each other as far as which is better? If possible, can it be quantified as to how much better? I assume the options are (a) regular headlights, (b) clear/crystal headlights, (c) whatever my Golfs have, (d) an HID kit complete with ballasts, and (e) projection headlamps.

(Also, are (b) and (c) above the same? And, is (e) a subset of (d)?)

If I want an HID/projection system, do I need to go to a Mercedes/Mini/Porsche/other system and have it custom fitted (or is it "cussed 'em fitted")? I may want to do that, but do I need to do it? Can I convert to clear/crystal, and then convert to an HID kit?

And finally, do I need separate lamps for high beams and fog lights?

Thanks for reading this far and thanks in advance to anyone who will inform me.
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