Anyone know where one can get a set of Corrado G60 euro lights these days? I heard that "niko" was easing out of the light business. Also would need a relay harness for same.
Please don't suggest posting to the Corrado mailing list; there's reasons I don't want to post there (like the person whose C needs these lights reads the list.)
In general the Euro lights have a much harder cut off and a nice kick to the right side lighting up road signs and people on the side of the road nicely while not directing as much light into the oncoming driver's eyes. They are generally not legal in the US. I would guess they are not legal because they have to be carefully adjusted or they will put more light into the oncoming driver's eyes and US drivers are not known for keeping things like that maintained.
Also the US lights just flat out suck, as in they throw so little light out there that it's dangerous to drive at night. They seriously provide about as much useful illumination as the parking lights on my '55 Stude and I do not exaggerate. I believe the Euro lights are self leveling BTW.
Not really (this is only required on HID-equipped cars) but many Euro applications alow the driver to have a motorized leveller. Euro lights probably wouldn't actually come with the motor and switch for this.
Euro lights actually glare less than US ones b/c of the way that Euro vs. US optics are required.
of course yes...that's when each is properly aimed.
Euro lamps on the corrado are 55W low beam vs. 45W for US ones so yes there's technically more light but when aimed correctly the Euro beam is better controlled anyway.
If either is misaimed you will annoy other drivers, but another driver isn't going to be able to tell the difference between 45W and 55W...each hurts when you're starting right into it.
The main reason why Euro lamps are not legal in the US back in the day is the aiming method but since the US changed its laws to allow visual aiming, that's less of an issue. The remaining main issue, other than minor differences in the light source (bulb) itself, is the optics, how much light is required to shine where in the beam, etc.
Specifically I believe US lights are required to send a certain amount of light skywards to illuminate overhead highway signs. All overhead signs in Europe are already illuminated hence there's no need. This limits the brightness of the US units as this light also dazzles oncoming drivers. And as pointed out, it's more than just the glass lens, the reflector's different as well as the bulb holders.
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