Halogen - best headlight (not LED)

[Paul Sussex]

Hi,

Read lots of threads here on headlights and bulbs but not sure my question has been answered - or if it has I’m confused and don’t want to make a mistake.

So have decided it’s time to get rid of the H4’s before I end up in a ditch

They currently have H4 Philips Racing Vision 200+ (but 200 more of nothing is still nothing) so slightly better than the stock bulbs but still not great especially when on wet roads.

Although LED sound the best, I want to remain legal and MOT compliant and have a my budget of about £600 - £700 fitted (I know loads of videos about fitting yourself and not too hard but don’t want to go that route).

So Halogen it is - but what headlights / bulbs - thinking either Caravelle H7 or THQ V2 but open to other options.

Like the stock look and not worried about LED DRL’s.

Any thought on the best combination for light up the road and is it worth the swap / will it make much difference.

Oh it’s a T6 (2017)

 

[whodat]

I am happy with H7.
Used to have H4 on my old van - yes, very dangerous. Can't believe that they are still allowed!
H7 is luxury.
Not as bright as LED but don't need 2 mini suns to see where we're going if driving reasonably.

 

[DanW81]

On the caddy 2k forum I was on, some members sent their headlights off to morimoto for a custom build.
Not sure if this an avenue for your to explore Paul, or not viable.

 

[Kind of Blue]

Hi,

Read lots of threads here on headlights and bulbs but not sure my question has been answered - or if it has I’m confused and don’t want to make a mistake.

So have decided it’s time to get rid of the H4’s before I end up in a ditch

They currently have H4 Philips Racing Vision 200+ (but 200 more of nothing is still nothing) so slightly better than the stock bulbs but still not great especially when on wet roads.

Although LED sound the best, I want to remain legal and MOT compliant and have a my budget of about £600 - £700 fitted (I know loads of videos about fitting yourself and not too hard but don’t want to go that route).

So Halogen it is - but what headlights / bulbs - thinking either Caravelle H7 or THQ V2 but open to other options.

Like the stock look and not worried about LED DRL’s.

Any thought on the best combination for light up the road and is it worth the swap / will it make much difference.

Oh it’s a T6 (2017)

Halogen Bulb upgrades that are not LED

What would be the ‘go to’ none LED bulb upgrade for the t6.1 headlights? I’d want to replace both the bulbs in the headlamp unit.

www.t6forum.com

I posted view of a car-magazine review on normal incandescent bulbs but the where not H4 but H7 and H1 not the same but a guide that may still be applied. On another vehicle I recently fitted Halford's bulbs H7 and they were vastly better than standard fitt but perhaps not as good as the best but Halford’s is around in every town were the best is mail order Philips.

In old cars H4 where fine for the time, though I often replaced H4 lamp units for Cibie' and a big improvement it was not sue if something similar exists. many on here have replaced H4 with H7 I believe not sure how involved that is but there are probably many posts if not threads.

 

[ginkster]

Caravelle H7s will be better than THQ headlamps with halogen bulbs as the projector robs lots of light. With LED/HID bulbs THQ will outperform the Caravelle H7s. So if you really don’t want to go LED then I’d say go with the Caravelle H7s and stay OEM. I’m running them with Osram Intense Blue halogen bulbs and am happy with the performance of dipped beam. Main beam is fantastic with the dedicated main beam lens. They are vastly better than the H4s due to the lens design.

 

[Kind of Blue]

Must be something not quite right with the thq then, projectors are the most efficient way of delivering light far better optics than reflectors.

 

[Paul Sussex]

Caravelle H7s will be better than THQ headlamps with halogen bulbs as the projector robs lots of light. With LED/HID bulbs THQ will outperform the Caravelle H7s. So if you really don’t want to go LED then I’d say go with the Caravelle H7s and stay OEM. I’m running them with Osram Intense Blue halogen bulbs and am happy with the performance of dipped beam. Main beam is fantastic with the dedicated main beam lens. They are vastly better than the H4s due to the lens design.

So do you think I am I better off going for their LED’ and accepting the risks - but able to see - which is priority one.

 

[dubber36]

Must be something not quite right with the thq then, projectors are the most efficient way of delivering light far better optics than reflectors.

Halogen projectors have always been shit, which is why most people fit LEDs or HIDs in the THQ lights. We were all doing the same 20 years ago in B5.5 Passats with projector headlights.

A projector light still has a reflector behind the bulb, but it's very small and therefore inefficient, then the light gets shifted again as it goes through the projector, resulting in an output that's poorer than a dedicated dipped beam reflector like in a 'H7' headlight.

 

[ginkster]

So do you think I am I better off going for their LED’ and accepting the risks - but able to see - which is priority one.

They do a new, legal, specific LED version but they are £900 odd. Fitting LED bulbs in the older halogen versions is not too much of a risk as the bulbs cannot be seen from the outside. They are still not technically legal though if you really don’t fancy the risk.

 

[ginkster]

Must be something not quite right with the thq then, projectors are the most efficient way of delivering light far better optics than reflectors.

No, halogen projectors of all makes are rubbish as detailed by Dubber36. I’ve had the displeasure of having them on a few cars in the past. Use of far brighter halogen replacement LED or HID bulbs helps overcome the design problems but is not legal so some may not want to go down that road.

 

[BIgben]

Have you had a read through this thread?

T6 Full LED Headlights plug and play, who has them, what are they like?

So I thought I'd start a thread rather than cluttering up other non related threads or for sale threads. Who has got them and where did they come from and what are your experiences? I know there are some installers who are installing THQ units, there's a few sellers on Ebay that have them listed...

www.t6forum.com

I guess you could buy these and get them fitted by a local garage?

 

[soldas]

So do you think I am I better off going for their LED’ and accepting the risks - but able to see - which is priority one.

I've got the THQ v3s installed by @BognorMotors if you want to pop along to see them in action just give me a shout.

 

[whodat]

I was reading on this forum that using OEM LED - they need to have an automatic leveller fitted which makes them quite pricey. Can't remember if it was 1k or 2k, but any 'k' for a headlight is taking the pish.

 

[Paul Sussex]

I've got the THQ v3s installed by @BognorMotors if you want to pop along to see them in action just give me a shout.

Hi soldas,

I would love to see them and just down the road from you - also was thinking BRM for fitting

Will PM you and thank you.

 

[BIgben]

I was reading on this forum that using OEM LED - they need to have an automatic leveller fitted which makes them quite pricey. Can't remember if it was 1k or 2k, but any 'k' for a headlight is taking the pish.

Sit down before you open the link.

Genuine T6 Full LED Headlight Upgrade - Supply & Fit

We are please to offer Genuine VW Transporter T6 Full LED Headlights. This is for the Supply and Fitment of genuine Full LED headlights with LED

www.hazzydayz.com

 

[Sasquatch]

Must be something not quite right with the thq then, projectors are the most efficient way of delivering light far better optics than reflectors.

HID projectors for sure.

But halogen projectors have never been brilliant on any vehicle. Something to do with the physical size/shape of the halogen envelope (I did once read about it but the details elude me.)

 

[Stay Frosty]

Get them latest THQ led headlights that you can only get fitted by a THQ designated installer, if nothing else they make the big old T6 lanterns look far more businesslike.
After 5 years I still soldier on with my "get out of the flaming way" Novsight led lamps in H4s.

Dip and below main beam

 

[Paul Sussex]

Get them latest THQ led headlights that you can only get fitted by a THQ designated installer, if nothing else they make the big old T6 lanterns look far more businesslike.
After 5 years I still soldier on with my "get out of the flaming way" Novsight led lamps in H4s.
View attachment 273142
Dip and below main beam
View attachment 273147

Thanks, they do loom much brighter than my lights - guessing you need to swap the bulbs at MOT time.

 

[Stay Frosty]

Put them in 6 yrs ago (crikey) and they haven't failed an MOT since including two at a VW main dealer, no more of an issue than fitting 20" staggered wheels and 35 series tyres or notching bodywork to allow for slammed air suspension but for some reason people seem to have a Trumpian opinion on led lamps in reflector headlights.

 

[Milky12345]

I found some cheap Caravelle H7 headlights in. With Osram NBs. Night and day dipped beam. Main beam abit pointless. For the money defo best “mod” just needed a quick coding with Carista beta.