Alfa's Xenon headlights...

Does anyone else here feel that their Xenons aren't giving as much illumination as they were hoping for?

Maybe it's because my last car's Xenons were aftermarket (the Hella kit for my BMW 328), but I feel like my Alfa GTA's Xenons aren't giving me nearly as much distance as my old BMW's did. I do a lot of night driving so this is something I noticed right away.

Has anyone tried to improve the Xenons by changing to higher intensity bulbs?

Interestingly, I find the fog lights to be excellent. They provide so much light that I often forget to turn on the Xenons!

Charlie

I find my xenons (the gas discharge ones) are fantastic. Dont even use my main beams as I feel I dont need to. When I drive the GFs 147 with "normal" headlights they feel like candle power!

Originally Posted by PR

I find my xenons (the gas discharge ones) are fantastic. Dont even use my main beams as I feel I dont need to. When I drive the GFs 147 with "normal" headlights they feel like candle power!

I totally agree that compared to conventional headlights they are great, but the past few cars I've had all used gas discharge lights (including my wife's 7 seater Toyota Wish), and compared to the other ones I've used, the GTA's seem to illuminate for a noticably shorter distance.

The solution may be as simple as having the lights re-aimed by my dealer (some cars actually provide a small scroll control where the driver can do this adjustment himself), I was just wondering if other people had the same experience.

Charlie

There O.K. I suppose.

I support PR's view

I find the factory fit Xenons on my 156 GTA fantastic.

I feel able to drive much faster in safety on the country roads in my area at night than I did in my 2000 Selespeed or in my 1991 75 3.0 the lights on which really are getting feeble.

I have to admit I've never driven another Xenon fitted car.

Potential problems with the Xenons are:

1 - Driving in other countries. These's no way that I'm aware of the DIY owner can change them from RHD to LHD and I don't think any deflectors exist.

2 Reliability. Cleveley Cars have had to fit one replacement under warranty when one light stopped working after their bodyshop re-aligned the front bumper.

Andy

Just got back from my dealer - my guy (who is very knowledgable and very open with information) admitted that the Alfa Xenon system doesn't project nearly as far as other systems. On the plus side he did let me know that the Xenons have a built in electronic self-leveler system which takes into consideration information from the suspension to aim the lights in the right direction. Oh well, I'll get used to it soon I'm sure - less visibility will probably help me to slow down and drive safer at night (I do have a lead foot!).

Charlie

Originally Posted by GTACharlie

Just got back from my dealer - my guy (who is very knowledgable and very open with information) admitted that the Alfa Xenon system doesn't project nearly as far as other systems. On the plus side he did let me know that the Xenons have a built in electronic self-leveler system which takes into consideration information from the suspension to aim the lights in the right direction. Oh well, I'll get used to it soon I'm sure - less visibility will probably help me to slow down and drive safer at night (I do have a lead foot!).

Charlie

You can see the electronic self-levler working if you leave the lights on the on position and then start up the car. Be sure to park in say a dark garage facing the wall, you'll see the beams move up and down for a moment. Cars without xenons have a manual leveler dial inside the car. I love the integrated fog lights too, I don't think I'll be pulled over for driving with fog lights on. On my previous Audi S3 which had xenons, I changed the high beam and fog light bulbs with super white halogen globes, the car was like a light sabre when they were all on. I find the GTAs lights a fine.

Originally Posted by Andy Bowden

1 - Driving in other countries. These's no way that I'm aware of the DIY owner can change them from RHD to LHD and I don't think any deflectors exist.



Andy

No problem at all with this. Buy some "Eurolght" deflectors from Halfords (you get 2 small round stickers). Park infront of a garage door, then using your fingers block the light that points out to the pass side, and stick one of the stickers there. (Its on the pass side light only, you dont need th do anything with the drivers side light). They cost about £6 a pkt, which is steep but I would use them because I know they will come off ok after (with a bit of soap and water), and you do get 2 trips out of it!!

Originally Posted by GTACharlie

Just got back from my dealer - my guy (who is very knowledgable and very open with information) admitted that the Alfa Xenon system doesn't project nearly as far as other systems. On the plus side he did let me know that the Xenons have a built in electronic self-leveler system which takes into consideration information from the suspension to aim the lights in the right direction. Oh well, I'll get used to it soon I'm sure - less visibility will probably help me to slow down and drive safer at night (I do have a lead foot!).

Charlie

i for one find tat the 147GTA xenon lights doesnt illuminate as well as most othr makes wit factory installed xenons. but i hav learned to live wit it.

i get quite jealous whn i see so many Jap cars like the Honda Euro accords & its siblings whiz by with their superwhite & bright xenons...

maybe u shld try this upgrade for ur xenons since ure living in Japan...

http://www.e-tire.co.jp/xenon/brex_10000-02.jpg

All italian cars come factory with their beams too low and too much to the righ side (if you drive a left hadn drive)...

If you wont the get the best of them, they should be adjusted!!!...I am sure your dealer has no idea how to do such things...

Charlie,

Did your very knowlegable dealer told you that he can "teach" re-program the xenons trough the OBD port!!!...or he doesnt even have a clue about it

...or did he told you what other car manufactures use the same lense and self leveling system!!!

Originally Posted by Tron

i for one find tat the 147GTA xenon lights doesnt illuminate as well as most othr makes wit factory installed xenons. but i hav learned to live wit it.

i get quite jealous whn i see so many Jap cars like the Honda Euro accords & its siblings whiz by with their superwhite & bright xenons...

maybe u shld try this upgrade for ur xenons since ure living in Japan...

http://www.e-tire.co.jp/xenon/brex_10000-02.jpg

Great information - exactly what I was looking for. Will save my pennies and upgrade to the 7700k system when I can. This homepage also has some excellent muffler sound clips. Thanks!

Charlie

Originally Posted by kgb

All italian cars come factory with their beams too low and too much to the righ side (if you drive a left hadn drive)...

If you wont the get the best of them, they should be adjusted!!!...I am sure your dealer has no idea how to do such things...

Charlie,

Did your very knowlegable dealer told you that he can "teach" re-program the xenons trough the OBD port!!!...or he doesnt even have a clue about it

...or did he told you what other car manufactures use the same lense and self leveling system!!!

I didn't ask too detailed questions - I just wanted to remain positive and listen to what he was willing to offer. What do you mean by "reprogram"? What can the lights be reprogrammed to do?

Adjusting the xenon lights is simple as doing it on a normal car...by just playing with the adjusting screws...

The should play with the screws and as well "teach" the computer that this is the normal leveling position...it is kind of hard to explain...

So, before you write off the lights...go to your dealer and tell them to adjust your lights...be careful, because not many dealers know how to do this...most of them dont even know that the xenons can be adjusted...so look at your car when they take it in...see if they are actually doing somethin.

If they tell that xenon's cant be adjusted because they are automaticlly adjusteb by the car tell them the following: The xenon's should be adjusted with the car unloaded to their normal position....The self-leveling device is just replacing the manual one, but the self leveing device doesnt know if the normal postion of your lights is too high or too low.

Get them to adjust your dipped beams...and tell us what happens.

p.s:buying a 7700K HID kit (bulbs and ballast) wont help you it will even worsen the things....7700K produses about 40% less light then the 4400K factory xenon's...anything above 6000K is just for looks

Originally Posted by kgb

Adjusting the xenon lights is simple as doing it on a normal car...by just playing with the adjusting screws...

The should play with the screws and as well "teach" the computer that this is the normal leveling position...it is kind of hard to explain...

So, before you write off the lights...go to your dealer and tell them to adjust your lights...be careful, because not many dealers know how to do this...most of them dont even know that the xenons can be adjusted...so look at your car when they take it in...see if they are actually doing somethin.

If they tell that xenon's cant be adjusted because they are automaticlly adjusteb by the car tell them the following: The xenon's should be adjusted with the car unloaded to their normal position....The self-leveling device is just replacing the manual one, but the self leveing device doesnt know if the normal postion of your lights is too high or too low.

Get them to adjust your dipped beams...and tell us what happens.

p.s:buying a 7700K HID kit (bulbs and ballast) wont help you it will even worsen the things....7700K produses about 40% less light then the 4400K factory xenon's...anything above 6000K is just for looks

Thanks for the really helpful reply - though I'm buried at work and won't be able to get to the dealer for at least the next week, I will do exactly as you suggest. Sounds very promising. Will let you know how things work out.

Charlie

Xenon lights - yep your right - my salesman said these were a waste of money as well.

Why was he so worried about my finances - probably could see I was one of those awkward perfectionist customers and the less on the car the less to go wrong I suppose

Finally got to the dealer - he showed me where the adjusting screws were (easy to reach), and set them to the highest position for me - this ended up being too high (oncoming traffic often thought I had my highs on), so I readjusted it myself with an allen wrench, and now it seems fine (ie much more distance than the standard position, but not too high to irritate oncoming traffic). KGB, thanks for the tip!

Hello,

Could you describe to me where the adjusting screws are located ? I'm willing to try to adjust mine, as I have the same problem..

Thanks in advance

Originally Posted by ManuGTA

Hello,

Could you describe to me where the adjusting screws are located ? I'm willing to try to adjust mine, as I have the same problem..

Thanks in advance

It's sort of like a white plastic hole in the engine room, right behind each light. You just use the right sized Allen wrench and twist while the lights are on and aimed at a wall until you achieve the desired change in height. Will try to post a picture tomorrow or the next day.

Originally Posted by GTACharlie

It's sort of like a white plastic hole in the engine room, right behind each light. You just use the right sized Allen wrench and twist while the lights are on and aimed at a wall until you achieve the desired change in height. Will try to post a picture tomorrow or the next day.

Okay I will try this tonight. Don't bother with the pic, description is perfect. Thanks a lot

Oooo - I'd love a pic!