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Does anyone drive a bogo standard B4 80 saloon or avant with the headlights separate to the indicators? What I'm wanting to know is are they any better than the non ellipsoid modular units in a coupe?
I ve an 80 Tdi with those lights.
A few times recently I've actually checked that the bulbs are working as lights are so poor (compared to my Discovery)
Stick with the Coupe 'twin' lights and and put expensive bulbs into them, relay each of the six bulbs filaments in three sets of two and change your alternator's regulator to 15v and you will have good lights.
Until you can snag a set of ellipsoid headlights and fit HIDs to them.
Coupe headlights are better IF the reflectors are fine. But the problem is that most of them are not. They tend to get really rough therefore completely ruining the light. Standard reflectors somehow seem not to age that badly.
Another thing to add is that ellipsoids are worse than the standard Coupe lights so as long as you can get hold of really good ones, go for it.
I have a TDI saloon at the moment with coupe lights, but I'm really struggling with low beam. I have the low beams relayed already and tried fancy bulbs from Osram. I know my reflectors have aged a little but can't be worse than most.
I don't want to go down the ellipsoid route due to expense so was thinking about bogo standard lights as an option.
I see, but doesn't sound like you should be suffering' like you are given what you've done.
Before any more expense, measure the voltage at the alternator / battery and at the headlight bulbs to make sure that the voltage drop is minimal.
Also still do change the regulator to give you a 1 volt increase, assuming an existing 14v reg. Not a big expense, but you have to search them out as they are not asked for very regularly at all.
Sounds like a good test. Is anyone else running a 15v regulator?
Actually, the low beam is ok ish when driving on completely unlit roads with no traffic, but I find that with on coming vehicle lights I cant see a thing. Its like the intensity of my lights is poor and drowned out. I know my eyes are good (tested recently), maybe its not just me that finds this. I guess I'm noticing it more now the days are shorter. I do a 25 mile commute each way in the dark now and 50% is on unlit roads, it feels a bit dodgy
..... I find that with on coming vehicle lights I cant see a thing.
That'll be the "ellipsoid with HID" user's !!
I've always found my coupe lights to be good, will be interesting to see how they compare with the ellipsoids in the S2 ?.......although I have noticed on the S2 that the dip goes off when you switch to main beam whereas the coupe has H4 bulb for dip and main beam as well as the inner main beam lights.
.......although I have noticed on the S2 that the dip goes off when you switch to main beam
To me that doesn't sound right. Original S2 ellipsoid cars - the the dipped beam stays on when the main beam is flicked on.
It sounds like the S2 is an older S2 that didn't not ome with Ellipsoids, but has Ellipsoids put into it, but the wiring was not changed to match the new headlights.
Naturally it is worth changing the wiring to match as dipped and main beam on together is the 'way forward'. 'sic'
To me that doesn't sound right. Original S2 ellipsoid cars - the the dipped beam stays on when the main beam is flicked on.
It sounds like the S2 is an older S2 that didn't not ome with Ellipsoids, but has Ellipsoids put into it, but the wiring was not changed to match the new headlights.
Naturally it is worth changing the wiring to match as dipped and main beam on together is the 'way forward'. 'sic'
Another thing to add is that ellipsoids are worse than the standard Coupe lights so as long as you can get hold of really good ones, go for it.
This is a common myth. The projectors make far better use of the lamps light output with more focused beam and much better range, hence why Audi upgraded to use them and all high end cars use them as standard over reflector lamps. They do need to be aligned properly to work correctly and this is where most people fall down and then claim they don't work as well.
Originally posted by John.
although I have noticed on the S2 that the dip goes off when you switch to main beam whereas the coupe has H4 bulb for dip and main beam as well as the inner main beam lights.
There is a mod for this - switch pins in the headlight stalk connector
Panthero Coupé quattro 20vt
Indigo ABY coupé
Imola B6 S4 Avant
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Yes it's been added, need to swap wire at stalks.
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