T6 Bulbs & Lamps

[Captain Mainwaring]

Perhaps I drive like my grandmother but I have found the standard lights on mine just about OK. Nothing like as good as the Xenons on my Cayenne which could probably be seen from the international space station, but better than I was expecting. I did go for the light pack that I think gives separate driving lights so a bit more light, than standard but no way was I paying £1600 for LED.

When I got they van they were dire, but took it back to the dealers who realigned them

As a separate point, WTF is going on with charging £1600 for LED when they cost about £900 on a Cayenne and around £600 on an Audi which are both in the same group and share components?

 

[DaveyB]

Perhaps I drive like my grandmother but I have found the standard lights on mine just about OK. Nothing like as good as the Xenons on my Cayenne which could probably be seen from the international space station, but better than I was expecting. I did go for the light pack that I think gives separate driving lights so a bit more light, than standard but no way was I paying £1600 for LED.

When I got they van they were dire, but took it back to the dealers who realigned them

As a separate point, WTF is going on with charging £1600 for LED when they cost about £900 on a Cayenne and around £600 on an Audi which are both in the same group and share components?

VW have got to claw back the money to pay for the lawsuits somehow!

 

[Buggirl]

Perhaps I drive like my grandmother but I have found the standard lights on mine just about OK. Nothing like as good as the Xenons on my Cayenne which could probably be seen from the international space station, but better than I was expecting. I did go for the light pack that I think gives separate driving lights so a bit more light, than standard but no way was I paying £1600 for LED.

When I got they van they were dire, but took it back to the dealers who realigned them

As a separate point, WTF is going on with charging £1600 for LED when they cost about £900 on a Cayenne and around £600 on an Audi which are both in the same group and share components?

Scene tax! It's a VW transporter and that's the price we pay lol!

 

[former member]

Scene tax! It's a VW transporter and that's the price we pay lol!

Try changing "Transporter" for California and you get even more ripped off!

 

[Caravellet6]

Ob-scene tax!

 

[Captain Mainwaring]

The thing is, if it was a vaguely sensible price then more people would go for the option and they would make more money. Somebody in VW commercials marketing needs shooting

 

[DaveyB]

The thing is, if it was a vaguely sensible price then more people would go for the option and they would make more money. Somebody in VW commercials marketing needs shooting

You're not wrong there Captain.

 

[RattyMcClelland]

Are the Porsche and Audi lights led at that price?
You are paying £1600 because led is still new for car lighting. The more it's used the cheaper it will become.

Same with xenon lights 10-15 years ago. My dads old e46 bi xenons were a £1800 option on a 2004 plate. NoW they are almost standard on some models.


I had no issues with the £1600 price considering their function on a £30k van.
Also as I'll reach up to 130k miles over the next 5 years, they will get used.

It's weather its worth it to you really.

Hopefully by the time the t7 arrives led will be a standard and you will be paying £1600 premium for laser lights.

 

[DaveyB]

My 2015 A6 black edition came with the LED headlights as standard that would have been a £1200 optional upgrade on my 2012 A6 Allroad.
The 2015 A6 could have had a £2500 upgrade from the standard LEDs to the full matrix LED lights (the one's that alter their main beam pattern themselves so as not to dazzle oncomming drivers). There was absolutely no way I was going to pay for that - no matter how cool they are.

 

[Chopman]

Did mine today and put Philips extreme vision in.

DRL's were easy, but the headlights.... It was maybe the hardest "simple" job I've ever done and by far the hardest bulbs I've ever replaced...

Passenger side was easier, so do that first.
Undo the clip and pull the plastic back off.
Then pull the connector off. I was nervous pulling this as it felt very stiff and didn't want to come off, I thought there must be a clip or something but no - it was just stiff to get off, but just give it a strong pull.
Next the clip - it's above the bulb and fiddly. I'd suggest getting a mirror so you can see it as I spent what felt like days working blind trying to get the thing off. You need to push the clip towards the front of the van, then towards the drivers side to unhook it.
Remove bulb and reverse the above.
The drivers side is officially and completely impossible to do, but then somehow you manage it

Was it worth it? Yes, based on one day I would say definitely.
I ride road bikes and the difference between e.g. a light on 450 lumen mode and the same light on 600 lumen mode doesn't seem huge when you switch from one to the other. However, when you are riding a dark road, you always want 600 lumen mode as it gives a slightly stronger beam, better penetration, better filling of light at the sides of the beam etc and I would say that the bulbs make a positive difference - but it's not like being on high beam or going from night to day, so don't expect miracles.

 

[superflyguy]

Did mine today and put Philips extreme vision in.

DRL's were easy, but the headlights.... It was maybe the hardest "simple" job I've ever done and by far the hardest bulbs I've ever replaced...

Passenger side was easier, so do that first.
Undo the clip and pull the plastic back off.
Then pull the connector off. I was nervous pulling this as it felt very stiff and didn't want to come off, I thought there must be a clip or something but no - it was just stiff to get off, but just give it a strong pull.
Next the clip - it's above the bulb and fiddly. I'd suggest getting a mirror so you can see it as I spent what felt like days working blind trying to get the thing off. You need to push the clip towards the front of the van, then towards the drivers side to unhook it.
Remove bulb and reverse the above.
The drivers side is officially and completely impossible to do, but then somehow you manage it

Was it worth it? Yes, based on one day I would say definitely.
I ride road bikes and the difference between e.g. a light on 450 lumen mode and the same light on 600 lumen mode doesn't seem huge when you switch from one to the other. However, when you are riding a dark road, you always want 600 lumen mode as it gives a slightly stronger beam, better penetration, better filling of light at the sides of the beam etc and I would say that the bulbs make a positive difference - but it's not like being on high beam or going from night to day, so don't expect miracles.

I gave up trying to change my Headlight bulbs, I'm sticking with the Shitty H4s, DRLs are easy though.

 

[BIgben]

Now all the eating and drinking has subsided. Do you think we should get a poll on the headlight issue?
Has anyone got some "bright" ideas on how we could move forward with this?
@Pauly what did you make of the H7s?

 

[Pauly]

So i have loads of photos of the courtesy van H7s in particular positions/pointing at walls etc
When i have time i will take my van to these places to get the exact same shots with H4s so we can compare, i havent done it yet as i want to put OE lamps back in for a better comparison + my van has been lowered so plan to readjust headlights

 

[Pauly]

I gave up trying to change my Headlight bulbs, I'm sticking with the Shitty H4s, DRLs are easy though.

I removed one of my headlights the other day and photographed and videoed bulbs changes, will get it posted soon as i have some time to edit the video

 

[former member]

So i have loads of photos of the courtesy van H7s in particular positions/pointing at walls etc
When i have time i will take my van to these places to get the exact same shots with H4s so we can compare, i havent done it yet as i want to put OE lamps back in for a better comparison + my van has been lowered so plan to readjust headlights

What did you think? Much difference?

 

[Pauly]

Its hard to tell as i didnt take the courtesy van out of the city into the darkness but didnt seem massively different

 

[former member]

Its hard to tell as i didnt take the courtesy van out of the city into the darkness but didnt seem massively different

I'd say my Subaru (2006, halogens) has more effective lights but it might be because it's lower. The BMs xenons are a lot better.

They're okay for me but I do think VW should fit better lights to a £50++k van. LEDs should be standard.

 

[DaveBos]

Swapped H4's to H7's on the T5 which was a massive improvement if Remember rightly.

 

[Pauly]

Swapped H4's to H7's on the T5 which was a massive improvement if Remember rightly.

Im looking that at the moment comparing wiring etc but you have to remove main grille and bunper to get to fixings so not going to be a 5 minute job

 

[DaveBos]

Same with the T5, bumper and grill off, nightmare.