LED Lights - Worth the extra?

[Stoneybroke]

Look like Hella Led bar. http://www.myhellalights.com/index.php/products/light-bars/led-light-bar-350/

They are producing various sizes of LED lights from 6" upwards and with dual intensity, presume that means dipping capability.

Note the "off road" use in the advert as single lights are not permitted - headlights must be fitted as a matched pair in the UK, as prescribed by the Lighting Regulations.

 

[Kmann]

Is it possible to retrofit the original LEDs? I have only heard not …

 

[Stuart]

http://hazzydayz.com/genuine-t6-full-led-headlight-upgrade-supply--fit-7862-p.asp

Not cheap though!

 

[MrNick]

I love our LED headlights - don't have a non-LED experience in a Cali to compare it to, but compared to the non-LED lights in our previous car the difference when driving at night is like day and night (no pun intended)! As a bonus the daytime lights look very nice and really lift the look of our Candy White.

 

[Tony Beretta]

Hi, I will be receiving my Cali Coast in two or three weeks. I had to choose between the stationary heater or leds. I went for the first. But, I was offered an extra by the dealer called "Phares doubles halogenes" for 135 euros and ordered hoping to get better light. Any experience with that? Do you think there will be actually two bulbs or maybe they are referring to the Ocean's bulbs?

 

[Stoneybroke]

Hi, I will be receiving my Cali Coast in two or three weeks. I had to choose between the stationary heater or leds. I went for the first. But, I was offered an extra by the dealer called "Phares doubles halogenes" for 135 euros and ordered hoping to get better light. Any experience with that? Do you think there will be actually two bulbs or maybe they are referring to the Ocean's bulbs?

We don't get the Coast in the UK, but the ocean comes with twin headlights as standard, and the beach has an upgrade to twin halogen headlights, which is two H7 bulbs in two different reflectors - one for dipped and one for main beams.
The standard lights on the Beach, and from what you say, the Coast, is a single reflector with a twin element H4 bulb.
It sounds like your dealer has given you the upgrade -result. The factory fitted heater is probably the better long term investment.

 

[Tony Beretta]

Thanks Stoneybroke for your answer.
I am happy with the configuration I chose then. It will be great if I get any improvement for just 135€.To be honest, the calis I see with leds look much nicer but it is such an expensive extra.
It is -10c at this moment here in Luxembourg. I cant wait to try the heater. Actually, I cant wait to try everything in my cali. I ordered it and have never in my life step into one!

 

[Spartan]

Perhaps slightly off-topic but, if you're finding your standard low-beams like "fireflies in jam jars" (as memorably described by @hirsty), it could be worth checking your lamp level alignment particularly when:

• the vehicle is loaded-up (unloaded) and you have the manual headlamp level adjuster - did you remember to set (reset) it?
• you have fitted your vehicle with lowering springs. There is a standard caveat to get your tracking adjusted but how many check and adjust headlamp level?

Hope that helps!

 

[vanmarr]

Part of the LED package includes headlight wash and self levelling (both legal requirements with Zenon & LED) so that accounts for some of the cost.

I have active Zenon lights on my BMW which are the best part of £1500 extra. Worth it? not really as I have previously upgraded H4 lights with top spec bulbs and achieved almost the same results.

I haven't spec'd LED's on my Ocean order as I'll merely change the bulbs on all lights with a £1200 saving.

LED headlights do give a bling effect & an ego boost (if we are honest). They will soon be standard fit in my opinion. £700 to £850 cost option would be acceptable to me but by the time all the taxes are added it becomes hard to justify.

Not arguing about light efficiency of LED's merely the cost.

Just curious what lights you used as a replacement

 

[vanmarr]

Thanks Stoneybroke for your answer.
I am happy with the configuration I chose then. It will be great if I get any improvement for just 135€.To be honest, the calis I see with leds look much nicer but it is such an expensive extra.
It is -10c at this moment here in Luxembourg. I cant wait to try the heater. Actually, I cant wait to try everything in my cali. I ordered it and have never in my life step into one!

Tony the heater is great......just used it this morning, the 4 wheel drive was excellent yesterday, tremendous fun.

If you want we arrange a meet and can show you the car inside out.

Where did you buy yours anyway, mine is from Pepin iin Ingeldorf. We told them more about the cali than they actually knew.

 

[Tony Beretta]

Hi Vanmar, what a great offer! Yes I would like to see your van. We will be in Luxembourg for the weekend and we enjoy driving around so we could meet.
I got it from Losch. So far, not a bad treat but not much interest in the sale. The guy told us from the begining that they had done a sales estimation for 2016 of 200 Californias and that by February they had already reached that amount. We did all the procedure of going over all the extras and everything in around 20 minutes. Good thing that I had already spent hours on this forum and had things clear in my head.
I dont expect much explanation in the handover. In fact I thin I prefer driving home and find things out by myself with the help of this forum and youtube videos.
By the way, I chose the same rims as yours. Mine will be two colors white-bamboo green. I havent seen the combination in real life either. Very intrigued about how it will look and how I will feel driving it.

 

[vanmarr]

i did not spend anything on exterior stuff, thought it was too expensive. Must have spent well over 1500€ for carpets, bike carriers, drawers etc.

 

[Tony Beretta]

I am following everyone"s advice in the forum and all I have bought at the moment is a topper so I can start using my cali right away. I will see what else I need later on.

 

[Stoneybroke]

Perhaps slightly off-topic but, if you're finding your standard low-beams like "fireflies in jam jars" (as memorably described by @hirsty), it could be worth checking your lamp level alignment particularly when:

• the vehicle is loaded-up (unloaded) and you have the manual headlamp level adjuster - did you remember to set (reset) it?
• you have fitted your vehicle with lowering springs. There is a standard caveat to get your tracking adjusted but how many check and adjust headlamp level?

Hope that helps!

And this UK weather, with all the filthy spray, a wipe of the headlight glass might help too

 

[hirsty]

Yep, mine are clean & level, but still poor.

I've read that ones night vision starts to go downhill from around age 25 - I really don't enjoy driving at night anymore & the stock T6 dipped headlights haven't added to the experience.

Enjoying the read - definitely an area I'll be spending some money on.

 

[Stoneybroke]

I was wondering about buying some 'brighter' H7 bulbs for my dipped beam and stumbled across this article from Which? Magazine.
http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/cars/article/car-headlight-bulbs-explained
A short but objective article that non-subscribers to Which? can still view.
The test vehicle was an Astra...

 

[itscalledbob]

Hi

Great forum and has been really useful to research things!

I'm going to pop into my local dealer (smg Tonbridge) to spec a new Beach, and have been putting together a list of extras I'd like. One question, are the LED headlights worth the extra £1,600?

Wouldn't mind also hearing of any after market tint companies that come recommended?

Thanks!

I recall having the same conundrum as you when specing my T5 and decided to go with the halogens. When specing the T6 I had no such issue and ticked the LED box as my first option.

You'll manage more than adequately with the halogen but the LED are a big improvement. My recommendation is spend the cash if you have it, but if it's the difference between having that extra fortnight away or not, go with the halogen.

 

[HAPPY_T6_CALI]

I have the LED taillights (for the looks and not so expensive, about 150 £ in Belgium) in combination with H7 halogens. In dark situations I use the headlights AND the fog lights. This works well because the fog lights lit the part just in front of the car. In that way they perform nearly as well as the Xenon on my VW Golf SV. However LED headlights have other advantages such as self-leveling. An expensive option (in Belgium approx. 1200 £) but I would go for it if I had to make the choice again.

 

[Grumposaur68]

Husband uses our Ocean as daily drive. Goes to work in the dark & returns home in the dark. Narrow dark country lanes aren't fun with poor lights. In fact dangerous.
We live on Dartmoor . Still finding it difficult to locate bulbs for the T6 Ocean, fine if it was T5.

Not on face book but will contact local VW centre

Evening

Husband uses our Ocean as daily drive. Goes to work in the dark & returns home in the dark. Narrow dark country lanes aren't fun with poor lights. In fact dangerous.
We live on Dartmoor . Still finding it difficult to locate bulbs for the T6 Ocean, fine if it was T5.

Not on face book but will contact local VW centre

Evenin' Calimera
I have a T6 Cali Ocean 204DSG and have recently upgraded my headlight bulbs. They are a standard H7 bulb so I upgraded them to Philips 120% brighter bulb and it has made a difference.

 

[Mervyn kennedy]

I own two cars - I am waiting for my Cali to be delivered. The cars are a BMW Z4 with Flat Beam Technology Xenon headlights and a Skoda Yeti with standard H7 halogen headlights. The Xenon headlights were a £1200 option. The H7's on the Yeti were std equipment. Last year I took the BMW to Southern France (St Antonin Noble Val) and the Yeti to Corsica. Did I consider the £1200 well spent on the BMW lights? No I did not. Only the marketing folk at BMW thought it a good idea. I will take delivery of a Cali Ocean in the next few weeks and did not specify LED lights based on my earlier experience. I hope I am not made to eat humble pie. If I am I will seek a retro fit, which will almost certainly be cheaper that VW factory fit, if not I am £1600 better off. That's a win, win I think.

Edit: Sorry H7's not 4's!

Hi there not a great plan led lights on our t6 is by far the best option I put on .we have specked it on our new t6 for march delivery and also
It changes the look of our ocean . Every one should know by now that these machines are not cheap and options are not cheap . Dry happy with lights and is the way of the future . Retro fit I don't think so as will cost a lot more using vw lights .

 

[2into1]

My optician told me that from the age of 50, your eyes' ability to see in modest light reduces significantly (and it certainly seems to be true). He said that for every 10 years of age, I'll need TWICE the amount of light to feel the same level of brightness. I used to laugh at my Dad's insistence to always have 'the big light' on, but it's now happening to me.
So if you are undecided if you should spend your money on LEDs, your age may be a factor.