replacing headlights?

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
Should you replace headlights every so often or do you just run them until they fail?
 

SoulAssassin

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2001
6,135
2
0
you should replace them every so often with different colored ones to show off your pimpness...bright white, blue...maybe even a reddish/pink. Mix and match and change with your mood.

Seriously, I never have and wouldn't unless you are excessively paranoid about them dying.

 

CRXican

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2004
9,062
1
0
If it ain't broke, don't fix it

Do you change lighbulbs in your house before they burn out?

 

mooseracing

Golden Member
Mar 9, 2006
1,711
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The bulbs or the lenses?

If you have plastic lenses 90% likely they need to be polished or replaced, you wouldn't believe the improvement with them.
 

Q

Lifer
Jul 21, 2005
12,042
4
81
Originally posted by: mooseracing
The bulbs or the lenses?

If you have plastic lenses 90% likely they need to be polished or replaced, you wouldn't believe the improvement with them.

How do you know which you have? i don't know if it's just me being paranoid or not but I feel like my headlights are really dim compared to usual. I need to do something to get them brighter. I'm not a car guy at all so anything I do I'd have to take to the shop.
 

rdp6

Senior member
May 14, 2007
312
0
0
I need to get off my @ss and check the ground on my wife's S-10. I replaced the OEMs with silverstars and there was no improvement. I wonder what I should do in the event I find a potential difference between the "ground" node and the battery's black terminal. I'm concerned that shorting the ground node to "force" it to 0V might cause problems somehow. Does anyone have any advice?
 

Throckmorton

Lifer
Aug 23, 2007
16,829
3
0
They get dimmer with age, it's not your imagination. Replacing a bulb is pretty basic but on some cars it might be difficult.

Also, just look at the lens. If it looks faded, it needs polishing or replacement.

What car do you have?
 

Q

Lifer
Jul 21, 2005
12,042
4
81
Originally posted by: Throckmorton
They get dimmer with age, it's not your imagination. Replacing a bulb is pretty basic but on some cars it might be difficult.

Also, just look at the lens. If it looks faded, it needs polishing or replacement.

What car do you have?

Thanks for reply

96 Honda Accord
 

Elstupido

Senior member
Jan 28, 2008
643
0
0
Yes, halogen bulbs can dim with age. When you do replace them, make sure to put some silicone dielectric grease on the connectors to prevent corrosion and moisture.
 

mooseracing

Golden Member
Mar 9, 2006
1,711
0
0
Originally posted by: Quintox
Originally posted by: mooseracing
The bulbs or the lenses?

If you have plastic lenses 90% likely they need to be polished or replaced, you wouldn't believe the improvement with them.

How do you know which you have? .

Plastic ones yellow with age, to me I can also tap on the lense and listen to teh sound to tell the differnce between glass and plastic.

Maybe search online, I don't know of a good way to tell you exactly how to tell you.
 

MovingTarget

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2003
9,002
115
106
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. That being said, always replace in pairs. You might want to also look into polishing the lenses as a few here have already said, though.
 

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
Originally posted by: Quintox
Originally posted by: mooseracing
The bulbs or the lenses?

If you have plastic lenses 90% likely they need to be polished or replaced, you wouldn't believe the improvement with them.

How do you know which you have? i don't know if it's just me being paranoid or not but I feel like my headlights are really dim compared to usual. I need to do something to get them brighter. I'm not a car guy at all so anything I do I'd have to take to the shop.

i feel the exact same way. they always seem dimmer than they should be. thats why i was asking.

i have a 2004 Saturn L300.
 

alfa147x

Lifer
Jul 14, 2005
29,307
105
106
Originally posted by: pontifex
Originally posted by: Quintox
Originally posted by: mooseracing
The bulbs or the lenses?

If you have plastic lenses 90% likely they need to be polished or replaced, you wouldn't believe the improvement with them.

How do you know which you have? i don't know if it's just me being paranoid or not but I feel like my headlights are really dim compared to usual. I need to do something to get them brighter. I'm not a car guy at all so anything I do I'd have to take to the shop.

i feel the exact same way. they always seem dimmer than they should be. thats why i was asking.

i have a 2004 Saturn L300.

Do your headlights look like this :
http://www.crystalenz.com/imag...E_AFTER_CrystaLenz.jpg