Headlamps

Is it just my car or are all dip beams on GTA's a waste of time!?

Driving down the country lanes on dip beam and in the rain is hard at the best of times but when another car comes towards me i literally have to stop because i just can't see a thing!!!

I have fitted new zenon bulbs and have set up the aim spot on.Full beam is good but could be better!

Nah .........It's just your car that's got shitelites Neil

http://www.renaultalpineownersclub.com/Lighting.htm

Im not sure if this applies to the GTA but headlight cans designed for filament bulbs will not generally be suited to gas discharge bulbs so its likely a lot of light is not being focussed on the road, but into other peoples eyes. Plus the cops can pull you; websites claim they test power draw as a way of determining whether your lights are illegal but Im pretty sure thats bullocks.
The kit Clee linked to is cool though; adding that to my list...

Is it just my car or are all dip beams on GTA's a waste of time!?

Driving down the country lanes on dip beam and in the rain is hard at the best of times but when another car comes towards me i literally have to stop because i just can't see a thing!!!

I have fitted new zenon bulbs and have set up the aim spot on.Full beam is good but could be better!

As far as i can tell my lights are standard on my 89 GTA and while dipped beam is not fantastic they are easily acceptable but my full beam is better then my wife's 2005 307, i was really suprised how good they were the 1st time i tried them.

I changed from the standard bulbs to the zenons but it made no difference at all!
I like the look of the lighting kit but i'm not so sure i want to go removing the nosecone!!!

Firstly i suppose i should check i am getting full voltage where i need it.

Fit - 80/100W bulbs for dip beam. The loom will handle it no problem - they're 'NOT DOT approved' and for rally/race use only on the packet but I've always had them in the car since I've had it (10 yrs) and never failed an MOT or had any problems. They're totally normal (not 'ice blue' or anything daft but a fair bit more powerful than standard)

You can get them in Halfords if you're that way inclined but they'll probably start arguing with you that you can't fit them to a road car They did with me!

Thanx for the advice Darren,but i'm sure there must be more to it than just the bulbs!

Nope my car is crap too. I went to an optician to have my eyes checked after my trip to Scotland in the GTA. Granted it was raining and dark but I felt as though I could not see the road at all.
Needless to say the eye doc said I had perfect vision and his advice to me was clean the windshield.
Think I will take Darren's advice and buy Rally bulbs.

Nice to hear i am not the only one,although the Zenons were supposed to be 30% brighter and made no difference!
Let me know how you get on if you buy the rally bulbs,hopefully it will be a cheap fix?

[stephendell]

I like the look of the lighting kit but i'm not so sure i want to go removing the nosecone!!!

You don't have too. That was just the way I did the development. I changed the lenses too but they can fit behind the normal glasses.

the doc is right. it pays of cleaning the windshield properly once in a while.
just get the right product. i got this sort of abrasive compound (very fine) from a professional glas shop (its pink) and it does a very good job. there are good wiper liquid additives too. i dont recomend using a sponge for the dishes though. some of them work, but one brand scratched my windshield.

Can the lenses be changed with the nosecone in place?

I prefer the look of the perspex ones!

Nice to hear i am not the only one,although the Zenons were supposed to be 30% brighter and made no difference

As I say, the light pattern from 'xenons' will be unsuitable for reflector cans designed for filament-type bulbs; all that extra energy will indeed mean the bulbs are 30% brighter but that light is not being focussed on the road so there will not be a noticebale improvement necessarily. Personally I tink the best advice is as the guys suggested; buy more powerful filament bulbs that match the reflector can design.

[stephendell]

Can the lenses be changed with the nosecone in place?

Yes if you are careful.

[Alpineandy]

I went to an optician to have my eyes checked after my trip to Scotland

It's your head that you should've got examined


(1 day before the Calcutta Cup!)