Improved lighting

I have a 85 GLI and am tired of the poor headlights,barely seeing on dark roads in the Oregon rain. I would like to get a set of round H-4 units but the retrofit cost of $250 is just too much for my old car. I was thinking of trying some Bosch driving lights, like the Pilot's. It seems like you can pick them up for between $60-70. Has anybody had a good experience with these and aiming them so you can run them all the time.

thanks,

Bruce

Reply to
Bruce Hecht
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You could get a Mexican-made H4 kit in your Jetta's size. Same as the German kit but doesn't have city lights and has plastic instead of metal reflectors but has the same light optics. $200 at parts4vws.com. This way you can get H4 lighting w/o changing out the radiator support or grille and it's cheaper than the German H4 kit ($300).

Regardless of if you get H4s or stick with your 9004s, decide which first you're keeping and then relay what you have. I wouldn't be surprised if yoiu were getting only about 10.5 volts at the lamps even with the engine running on an older car like that. Once you decide 9004 or H4, then get a nice relay harness (about $40 if you look around). You won't need driving lamps with relayed H4s. This way you won't have to haggle with fitting external lamps either. With 9004s you still might want them though. I guess what I'd recommend is relay your headlamps no matter what and then if you don't get H4s then get some auxiliary lamps but if you do get H4s don't bother with aux. lamps.

Make sure too if you want driving or fogs. Driving lamps are meant for situations similar to high beams where you don't have close oncoming traffic and the beam is narrow-ish and long range. Fogs are short range, can be used with oncoming traffic, and have a very wide beam.

Reply to
Matt B.

It's getting to be time to do a restoration of our trusty 84 Jetta GLI. But my partner and I are having a heck of a time sourcing body panels for A1 cars, particularly the front fenders. Need a front fender, hood and trunk lid. Any help greatly appreciated!

Kevin Rhodes Westbrook, Maine Ours: 84 Jetta GLI 320K miles young, but looking a bit scruffy

Reply to
Kevin Rhodes

You may have already done this, but I would first make sure what you have are really aimed correctly, and that as Matt noted, you are getting full power to them. I would also try direct e spec lamp replacement. I did that with my last car and it helped a great deal. They take really careful alignment (different than US spec) and may not be legal everywhere, but I doubt if anyone will complain. I got the standard output ones and they were great. They also did not cost much, were direct replacements and I was able to find them at my local parts store.

Good Luck

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

I just bought an 89 Wolfy and not sure about really what the A series is, I'm a bit of a newbie, but I found a place in CA that has body panels, hoods, doorhandles, fenders, bumpercovers, etc.. after-market stuff at:

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Just pick your model and year. The parts are after-market, but I bought doorhandles (mine conveniently were worthless - all 4) and they work great, look identical to the OEM ones and seem to be as good a quality.

Hope this helps.

Chris

Reply to
Chris

A1 = 1st generation of A-platform cars, which includes the pre-85 Jetta. Your '89 is an A2 (second generation).

Reply to
Matt B.

Do as the first reply said, install relays to run your head lights. Then they will be much brighter. We put them on my son's 92 4 months ago just before winter. Getting full voltage makes a night and day difference in the stock lights. Also replace both battery cables with good quality new ones. Then run a heavier guage wire from the alternator directly to the battery, not to the starter. the wire we used was a small gauge welding cable. The car even rusn better. You'll need to do this even with new headlights. Common problem on most older cars. If your lights are not bright white but are kind of yelow/orange then you have the problem.

Jo Bo

Reply to
Jo Bo

Does the '85 GLI have big rectangular lights like the '85 Golf? If so, you can obtain a pair of Bosch H4s (new) for $C100. Go to any Crappy (a.k.a. Canadian) Tire store. (Ouch, that hurt; I swore I would never recommend them for anything ever.) To improve output, start by relaying, using the standard wattage bulbs. If not enough, go to higher wattage, but then you must use relays. H2Only

Reply to
H2Only

No. All A2 Jettas in US and Canada had the aero lamps so those (relatively) inexpensive sealed-beam-size-H4-replacements won't fit.

Reply to
Matt B.

Thanks for everyones input on improving my lighting on my 85 Jetta. Yes, adding relays, really does make a significant diffence in lighting level. I orginally had a voltage drop of 2 volts, that includes B+ and ground run. I purchased parts from Newark Electronics, good Potter Brumfield relays, sockets, fuse holders and bits, ran 2 #10's from the alternator, #12's to the sockets and from the sockets directly back to the battery. Soldered and shrinkwraped connections. It cost about $30 in materials. You can buy a complete setup for $55 so not sure it is worth the time, but I enjoyed playing. The high beam are very good. Someone mentioned in the thread I should be e spec bulbs, not sure what that is. Do they even use 9004 bulbs in Europe? Oh, I have not checked the voltage drop again, but when I have time I will check it just for fun.

Bruce

Reply to
Bruce Hecht

Nope. They aren't legal in Europe.

Using "e spec bulbs" means using the H4 bulbs from a European spec Jetta. However that means new lamp units too (the bulbs will not interchange w/o new lamps..the hole in the back of the lamp is different and the plug socket is different).

If yoiu want the full rundown on bulbs, try this:

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Reply to
Matt B.

An alternative to the Mexican ones are DEPOT lights. They make an H4 replica including city-light holes. I bought a set from eBay for $125 and have used them for a couple of years now. The difference is great! Much better beam pattern and a whole range of H4 bulbs are available. No rad support mods needed just the socket changed to H4. These are rectangular (Aero) replacements for the 85-92 Jetta. It's also nice to have new lenses instead of the sandblasted and cloudy look that 20 year old lights will have! See item #2454606368 on ebay. (I'm not the seller nor connected in any way, other than being a previous customer.)

Reply to
John Davey

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