240Z_Master Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 (edited) Hey guys... I searched and didn't find the information I wanted... so throwing out this post... Which of these 4 7" H4 Housings do you prefer? Why? Where did you buy them? Hellas - http://www.rallylights.com AutoPALS - http://h4lights.com/ Cibie? Bosch - http://www.fuelpumpsusa.com/-c-1/bosch-h4-7-round-headlights-p-210 One thing I might add is I am planning to run a set of H4 HID D2R bulbs, so just seeing what everyone has experienced. Edited May 24, 2010 by 240Z_Master Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoov100 Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 Buy the cheapest 7" plastic lights you can find off of ebay and retrofit some audi/bmw/porsche..etc projectors into them. It's about the only way you are going to get more light that you can use, without blinding oncoming traffic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z_Master Posted May 24, 2010 Author Share Posted May 24, 2010 Buy the cheapest 7" plastic lights you can find off of ebay and retrofit some audi/bmw/porsche..etc projectors into them. It's about the only way you are going to get more light that you can use, without blinding oncoming traffic. I honestly hate the look of projectors... they look really tacky to me. You can't help but notice when looking at an old school classic.. and then seeing this bug-eye looking projector. I mean that's why there are D2S bulbs vs. the D2R shielded bulbs that help focus light on the correct housings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoov100 Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 I honestly hate the look of projectors... they look really tacky to me. You can't help but notice when looking at an old school classic.. and then seeing this bug-eye looking projector. I mean that's why there are D2S bulbs vs. the D2R shielded bulbs that help focus light on the correct housings. Use headlight covers? There are so many different ways to conceal a projector lens on these cars with the sugar scoop headlight buckets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z_Master Posted May 24, 2010 Author Share Posted May 24, 2010 Use headlight covers? There are so many different ways to conceal a projector lens on these cars with the sugar scoop headlight buckets. I don't disagree with you at all... it's just a personal preference... there's no way to hide the "projector look" IMO. I just don't think it looks good And personally I don't like the after market headlight covers. I would want OE headlight covers, or OE replicas on top of that (off topic) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc052685 Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 I personally know where to get Bosch glass H4 housings for $50 a pair so thats what I use. Seller is 260zred from here on hybrid http://houston.craigslist.org/pts/1744609966.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB26powered74zcar Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 They can definitely be done in a 7" glass H4 style globe by cutting the back side off and retrofitting a oem HID projector into to them, and not get a "bug eye" appearance.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z_Master Posted May 24, 2010 Author Share Posted May 24, 2010 They can definitely be done in a 7" glass H4 style globe by cutting the back side off and retrofitting a oem HID projector into to them, and not get a "bug eye" appearance.... Your car has always been clean (and it's always a nice product whenever you work on your car ), but I like being discreet about the whole projector thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z_Master Posted May 24, 2010 Author Share Posted May 24, 2010 I personally know where to get Bosch glass H4 housings for $50 a pair so thats what I use. Seller is 260zred from here on hybrid http://houston.craigslist.org/pts/1744609966.html How do you like the Bosch housing? Have you used any others to compare? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e_racer1999 Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 I have had/just got some more of the Autopal MSR headlights since I am going HID and have seen excellent results from those housings. Plus they are inexpensive, even for the sheetmetal reflector ones that I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc052685 Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 How do you like the Bosch housing? Have you used any others to compare? I have not gotten a chance to install them as of right now. I can tell you though the benefits of glass over plastic make the Bosch housing great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z_Master Posted May 24, 2010 Author Share Posted May 24, 2010 I have not gotten a chance to install them as of right now. I can tell you though the benefits of glass over plastic make the Bosch housing great. I think the Bosch, Hella, and Cibie are glass housings... are the AutoPALs plastic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240hoke Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 (edited) I run the Hella's and they are awesome they work great and are inexpensive. They through out tremendous light with the high beam and have a good pattern and cut off. The ebay plastic housing lights are junk and you can easily out drive them at night. I have bought several sets from rally lights and received excellent service. The only way I would run HID's is with a extremly high quality bi-xenon lights and even then I think youll be hard pressed to match a set of good Hella's. Ive yet to see any put out more light then mine. -Austin Edited May 24, 2010 by 240hoke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z_Master Posted May 24, 2010 Author Share Posted May 24, 2010 I run the Hella's and they are awesome they work great and are inexpensive. They through out tremendous light with the high beam and have a good pattern and cut off. The ebay plastic housing lights are junk and you can easily out drive them at night. I have bought several sets from rally lights and received excellent service. The only way I would run HID's is with a extremly high quality bi-xenon lights and even then I think youll be hard pressed to match a set of good Hella's. Ive yet to see any put out more light then mine. -Austin I knew you would chime in somewhere since we had this conversation once... My concern was more with the cutoff pattern and such, but overall I think the winner might have to be Hella (from the research I've done on the side) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e_racer1999 Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 I have not gotten a chance to install them as of right now. I can tell you though the benefits of glass over plastic make the Bosch housing great. The first AutoPALs I had were glass with plastic back; the newest set I got are glass front metal back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z_Master Posted May 25, 2010 Author Share Posted May 25, 2010 Alright just ordered the Hella Housings from Rallylights... I'll do a writeup from that and see how it goes! Writeup in the future Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted May 26, 2010 Share Posted May 26, 2010 (edited) I personally know where to get Bosch glass H4 housings for $50 a pair so thats what I use. So do I: H4lights.com same as the Autopals. He sells more than Autopal, he's also a vendor for Hella, etc.... He (H4Lights) has always said "Buy the best lights you can afford, you won't be sorry." I have several different Autopal reflectors from him, most of which have been altered to be illegal on the road anyway. I like light downrange. If you know what reflector does what, glaring light (what annoys other drivers) is not an issue. As for plastic or glass, or whatever, it all depends on what you are getting originally. I have all glass with metal backs save for the MSR's that I bought, I think they are glass front with plastic backing. Each has it's own advantages. If you are in a place which uses salt on the roads plastic backs may be preferable to the thought of lights that may rust (and when you pay $150 PER for Bosch or Hella) that may give some people peace of mind. Those Bosch units selling for $50 a pair were marketed recently by the OEM outlet that balked on their shipment at $97 each... So when you got a loaded container of lights that an OEM doesn't want any more, you got to do SOMETHING with them! The Autopals are a basic knockoff of Hella. I have had them for more than 15 years in my car now, simply because there was absolutely NO difference I could visibly detect from a $50PAIR of headlamps to my $150 EACH Hellas. I have run Hella, Cibie, SEV Marchal since 1979 and when the Autopals started being marketed in the USA I jumped at their E-Code headlights. They are actually E-Code, not just stamped on the box. You will see they will not put an e-code on something which does not comply. Why? Because Autopal is an OEM supplier to some major manufacturers...they can't afford a bad rap on anything. I have tried some of the cheaper lights out there (yes, plastic NON-Autopal) as well as metal and glass---and was VERY disapointed with them. But make no mistake: E-Code is not street legal in some states. Know this. Even if the headlamp is "DOT" on the lens, how do you KNOW it complies if it's from some offshore no-name maker. Autopal is not that way. And the guy there at H4Lights can support what he sells, and KNOWS lights. Try to get support from the e-bay guys. I loved the guy on e-bay selling autopals for $20, and then charging $45 for shipment. Hell, at that time loaded reflectors were $49.99 a pair SHIPPED from H4 Lights.com! But hey, they were only $20... Watch out when you buy your lights. Some stuff is just cheap. I have not seen that coming out of H4 Lights.com. Matter of fact, I'm taking delivery of a pair of those Bosch Lights with Narva XB3's for someone in our office who has a Miata. Should have them in-hand Saturday. For $50 less than what he expected to pay for ONE reflector. Like he said: "For that kind of price, I'm willing to give it a try!" Edited May 26, 2010 by Tony D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z_Master Posted May 26, 2010 Author Share Posted May 26, 2010 So do I: H4lights.com same as the Autopals. He sells more than Autopal, he's also a vendor for Hella, etc.... He (H4Lights) has always said "Buy the best lights you can afford, you won't be sorry." I have several different Autopal reflectors from him, most of which have been altered to be illegal on the road anyway. I like light downrange. If you know what reflector does what, glaring light (what annoys other drivers) is not an issue. As for plastic or glass, or whatever, it all depends on what you are getting originally. I have all glass with metal backs save for the MSR's that I bought, I think they are glass front with plastic backing. Each has it's own advantages. If you are in a place which uses salt on the roads plastic backs may be preferable to the thought of lights that may rust (and when you pay $150 PER for Bosch or Hella) that may give some people peace of mind. Those Bosch units selling for $50 a pair were marketed recently by the OEM outlet that balked on their shipment at $97 each... So when you got a loaded container of lights that an OEM doesn't want any more, you got to do SOMETHING with them! The Autopals are a basic knockoff of Hella. I have had them for more than 15 years in my car now, simply because there was absolutely NO difference I could visibly detect from a $50PAIR of headlamps to my $150 EACH Hellas. I have run Hella, Cibie, SEV Marchal since 1979 and when the Autopals started being marketed in the USA I jumped at their E-Code headlights. They are actually E-Code, not just stamped on the box. You will see they will not put an e-code on something which does not comply. Why? Because Autopal is an OEM supplier to some major manufacturers...they can't afford a bad rap on anything. I have tried some of the cheaper lights out there (yes, plastic NON-Autopal) as well as metal and glass---and was VERY disapointed with them. But make no mistake: E-Code is not street legal in some states. Know this. Even if the headlamp is "DOT" on the lens, how do you KNOW it complies if it's from some offshore no-name maker. Autopal is not that way. And the guy there at H4Lights can support what he sells, and KNOWS lights. Try to get support from the e-bay guys. I loved the guy on e-bay selling autopals for $20, and then charging $45 for shipment. Hell, at that time loaded reflectors were $49.99 a pair SHIPPED from H4 Lights.com! But hey, they were only $20... Watch out when you buy your lights. Some stuff is just cheap. I have not seen that coming out of H4 Lights.com. Matter of fact, I'm taking delivery of a pair of those Bosch Lights with Narva XB3's for someone in our office who has a Miata. Should have them in-hand Saturday. For $50 less than what he expected to pay for ONE reflector. Like he said: "For that kind of price, I'm willing to give it a try!" Austin (240Hoke) says the Hellas from Rallylights are real... and I've watched their price drop over the years! (If I had known H4Lights sold things other than AutoPal earlier I might have just picked them up from him! Oh well..) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad-ManQ45 Posted May 26, 2010 Share Posted May 26, 2010 I've always put Cibie's on my cars and have loved them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted May 26, 2010 Share Posted May 26, 2010 Bosch housings in my Z, and they are great. I'd buy them again in a heartbeat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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