OEM Halogen Replacements on 2010 Prius IV - bulbs v. retrofit

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by JOL, Nov 12, 2012.

  1. JOL

    JOL Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2010
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    Location:
    Orange County, CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I've done a search through the forums and my understanding is that some people who have replaced their OEM halogens w/ brighter bulbs (such as PIAA, Philips Vision Plus, etc.) have reported a significantly shorter life span for the new bulbs (in some cases, I've seen indications that the bulbs last less than a year).

    My prior car had xenon headlights. Making the change from xenons to halogens has been tough, as I appreciated the brighter lights of the xenon headlights in comparison to the halogens. I wanted to see what options I had for my Prius; I am particularly interested to see whether anyone can recommend (a) better, longer-lasting bulbs that will make night-time driving easier, or (b) a retrofit xenon/LED kit.

    I did run across this thread that seemed interesting: Found an Alternative to Xenon Supply ;)...CHEAPER TOO (Pics inside...) | PriusChat. $120.00 seems very inexpensive though, which concerned me.

    Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
     
    #1 JOL, Nov 12, 2012
  2. sfv41901

    sfv41901 Masta S

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    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    #2 sfv41901, Nov 23, 2012
  3. 714guy

    714guy Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2012
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    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Do you know if opening the headlight housing is difficult? I've been looking for a reliable HID kit.. Is the retrofit kit the best there? Thanks
     
    #3 714guy, Nov 29, 2012
  4. sfv41901

    sfv41901 Masta S

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    Four
    If u have never opened a headlight before, I strongly suggest u buy a used headlight to Try opening 1st. The last thing u want to do is experiment on ur headlights & ruin them.

    What I normally do is strip the headlight of all bulbs, screws etc. Pre-heat the oven to 200 deg F. I place the headlight in the oven (keep the heat on) for 10 mins. Take it out & pry the lens away from the housing making ur way around the headlight. U may have to put it back in the oven again & repeat.
     
    #4 sfv41901, Nov 29, 2012
    Dylan Doxey likes this.
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