The style I got was a single projector on low beam with standard high beam reflector. Both high and low beam use an H1 style bulb and an amber colored 1157 or 2057 bulb for turn/marker.
Overall impression? For $150 shipped to my door they are a good value. On stock H1 bulbs they are not as bright as factory lights but with HID bulbs they have a respectable pattern and cut-off line. They are a good looking light cosmetically but I think most people would be disappointed with the light output compared to stock.
The ad said “Plug and Play” which wasn’t even close to being true. The connectors they supply are designed to plug into the harness that is INSIDE your old factory lights. How stupid is that? I had to cut the old harness out of my factory lights and solder them up to use with these. I also had one angel eye that wouldn’t light up and they offered to replace the whole housing if I would pay return shipping. Since I planned to open up one of them anyway to see what’s inside I opted to not return it for replacement. I was able to open up the light and fix the LEDs myself.
The housings were a little harder to heat and open than the stock housings but with patience it can be done. I didn’t heat the unit up over 200°F since I could tell the black plastic was getting soft at that point. Putting your brand new headlights in the oven and prying them open is not for the faint of heart. It helps greatly if you do the operation on an old headlamp first to check your skill. I always heat the oven up to 250°F and then TURN IT OFF before inserting the headlight set atop two small pieces of wood. Never turn the heating elements on with the housing in the oven. The radiant heat from the red hot elements will distort the objects close by. After 5 minutes in the oven I take it out and slowly pry it open. Many times it will go back in the oven for a re-heat to finish the job.
Since I had an HID system already, I installed those bulbs in the low beams and the light output is very nice. The cut-off is not as sharp and defined as a factory HID system but it was a far better pattern than the stock lights on HID.
Overall, I’m satisfied with the look and performance of the lights. If you don’t install HID bulbs I think you will not be as happy. I still plan on retro-fitting a set of E-55 bi-xenon projectors into an Eclipse headlamp housing at some time in the future. Maybe I’ll use these housings instead of the factory housing.
Fitment into the car? They lined up very close to stock housings and are slightly less deep than the factory units. The new lights did not include the small rubber gasket that goes around the outer edge of the maker light area so I took those off the old housing and hot glued them onto the new ones.
In conclusion, if your factory lights are toast and you need a replacement pair, these will work with a few precautions. Either get the brightest H1 bulbs you can find or go true HID. Be careful rewiring the harness. Factory lamps use a common hot line with switched independent ground wires on the high and low beams.
Ratings: Looks 8-9 Functionality 5 to 8 depending on bulb used. Installation Ease 5 (Not Plug and Play as advertised.)
#83154, "RE: Aftermarket 2G Projector Headlamp Review" In response to Reply # 1
couldn't we just copy the harness that is already in our headlights instead of tearing it out? that way we won't waste a perfectly good set of stock lights. nice review too, btw.
#83179, "RE: Aftermarket 2G Projector Headlamp Review" In response to Reply # 2
Originally posted by BumpinTalon couldn't we just copy the harness that is already in our headlights instead of tearing it out? that way we won't waste a perfectly good set of stock lights. nice review too, btw.
Sure, I happened to have a set of busted lights from the first time I changed them out so I still have a complete backup set. If the lights were trashed anyway and un-sellable then "start the sacrifice".
#87952, "RE: Aftermarket 2G Projector Headlamp Review" In response to Reply # 3
btw do you have any pics of the cut-off with the projectors and HID kit? (before you did the retro-fit). i'm curious as to how big a difference there is in the cut-off. obviously the retro-fit is noticeably better but i kinda wanna see the ebay projector w/ HID for comparison
sry to bring up this old post but i figured this would be a good place for the pics to go if you did have them
#87965, "RE: Aftermarket 2G Projector Headlamp Review" In response to Reply # 4
nice review man. i just bought a set of chrome halo projectors from symmatic on ebay. i hope, with your info, that i can get them wired correctly if they dont just plug in. and i hope i can figure out how to hook up the halos.
woman are like toilets -- either they're taken, or full of shit!
#87972, "RE: Aftermarket 2G Projector Headlamp Review" In response to Reply # 4
Originally posted by MCubed45 btw do you have any pics of the cut-off with the projectors and HID kit? (before you did the retro-fit). i'm curious as to how big a difference there is in the cut-off. obviously the retro-fit is noticeably better but i kinda wanna see the ebay projector w/ HID for comparison sry to bring up this old post but i figured this would be a good place for the pics to go if you did have them as always awesome work
I didn't take any pics of the ebay projectors with the HID kit installed. Within a week I made the decision to go with the E55 OEM projectors in their place if that tells you anything. The cut-off was not flat but you could manipulate it a little by shimming the bulb in the holder. The ebay projector lens is just not a precision lens or holder meant for HID bulbs which are more critical in alignment to get the flat beam and showing the blue colored cut-off we all love.
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