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Date:         Wed, 2 May 2001 16:22:23 -0500
Reply-To:     Jennifer <ncc876@yahoo.com>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jennifer <ncc876@yahoo.com>
Subject:      Re: Lighting
In-Reply-To:  <61.dbd8862.28217eef@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

More on e-code headlights that I've picked up from other Golf enthusiasts...

At 11:17 AM -0400 5/2/01, Blaine Bachman rearranged electrons to say:

"He said that they were stock on European Sciroccos (hmmm?)"

European cars do not have the same reflectors or bulbs that NA spec cars do (in many cases; this is so with the Jetta and Golf, though the difference on the Jetta is far more pronounced than on the Golf, from what I've heard.) The difference also extends, in at least the case of the Golf and Jetta, to the replacement of the plastic (Lexan?) lenses with glass ones, which are unfortunately more susceptible to chipping from road junk.

US spec headlights always have a DOT ID number stamped into them somewhere; I've heard at least one report that, under the hood, the e-code lights for the Mk4 Golf/Jetta are stamped "NOT US STREET LEGAL" or somesuch... they aren't, though I don't know how stingy state inspection stations are on stuff like this.

I should find out in case I ever decide to put HID lights -- the OEM xenon for Mk4 Golf/Jettas are done by Bosch) on my car.

The US DOT regulations don't allow the more advanced light-toss patterns that European headlights produce.

"and that he had obtained the entire assembly (both hi-lo and hi beams with the necessary carriers) somewhat directly from Hella, having paid significantly less than the price I paid for my VW/Audi-boxed hi-lo beams."

A friend of mine got some for an Audi dirt cheap straight from Germany, only to have his brother wreck the car while the HIDs were in transit... they arrived with no car to put them on.

Try http://www.parts4vws.com and http://www.pgperformance.com -- they both, to the best of my memory, have lights for sale. I know the former (Parts) has the Hella Micro DE fogs that I'm going to fit to my Golf sometime this summer.

"I'm still puzzled about the difference in lens numbering - do you suppose that there are actual differences in the lens base upon the installed height difference between a Scirocco and a Vanagon?"

That I don't know about, but I'd cautiously hazard a 'yes' based on the fact that a higher light has to throw light more downward, logically, to light up the road in the right places. But I may be wrong.

"He put higher power bulbs in and melted the plastic between it and the chamber above (which I recall was the backup light) causing white light to show through."

Do not exceed stock wattage! You may melt your wiring! I've heard more reports than I can count of people putting 100W bulbs in their Golfs (stock: 55W) to try to get more light output, melting the wires, then complaining when VW won't pay for the repairs. The right way to fix this is to get E-code lights (at least on Golfs/Jettas, which I'm more familiar with as I don't have the vanagon yet) or different taillights. I know my turn signals and taillights are brighter now that I've installed Hella's red/clear/red MagicColor taillight assemblies on my Golf. The car looks better, too. :)

--

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Jennifer - ncc876@yahoo.com ... knee-deep in the hoopla ...

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