At Laketown Speed and Sound, we’re proud to serve as your comprehensive vehicle entertainment, aesthetics and performance specialists. Not only do we provide the highest quality in car audio installation and window tinting, we also offer a number of automotive accessories and upgrades to add value to the vehicle while making it more enjoyable to drive.
One such minor upgrade is to your vehicle’s headlights, which are important for not only safety and driving quality but also your vehicle’s appearance and aesthetics. Despite modern technology available today, most vehicles come with stock headlight options that are still relatively limited – here are some basics on these stock types plus a couple options you have if you want to upgrade to a more natural color, better brightness and a longer lifespan.
Standard Halogens
Standard halogen headlamps remain the cheapest option for vehicle manufacturers, both in terms of installation and replacement, so they continue to be the most commonly-used options in new vehicles. Sadly, though, these need to be replaced often – they use a thin tungsten filament that burns inside a sealed bulb, with halogen gas for brightness. This is not a durable setup, and it’s one that is likely to break several times during your car’s full lifespan.
If you’re looking to upgrade from these stock options, there are generally two primary choices available:
High Intensity Discharge (HID)
The first option here is a High Intensity Discharge upgrade, abbreviated HID. These lights emit brightness form a quartz bulb that’s filled completely with gas, meaning there is no filament in place. The top models use xenon gas for the brightest possible light, a tone that mimics natural sunlight and is kind to the eyes.
If you’re talking about performance only, HID lights are likely the top option available. They will last for decades and will provide consistent performance no matter what.
Light Emitting Diode (LED)
Now, that doesn’t mean HID is the only choice. LED lights, short for light emitting diode options, utilize no filament and don’t even need a traditional light bulb – rather, they are actually a dense accumulation of diodes that conduct electricity. LED lights, therefore, produce light by power that’s pushed through the diodes.
The primary advantage LED lights hold over HID lights is their efficiency. LED headlamps will last roughly 10 times longer than HID lights, producing beams roughly 2.5 times as bright as older halogen lamps while using 250% less energy. In addition, HID bulbs take five to ten seconds to warm up and cool down between uses – there is no such waiting period for LED lights.
For more on headlight upgrades to your vehicle, or to learn about any of our car subwoofers or car stereo installations, speak to the staff at Laketown Speed and Sound today.
