Anything I can do to improve lights?

Big Chris

Big Chris

Big Chris

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Joined
5 Apr 2004
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Bloxham
Having driven a 2008 VW Caddy van for a week (mostly at night), I've realised the headlights on my Mk1 Focus are rubbish.

Without spending hundreds, is there anything I can do to improve them? Are there better bulbs I can buy or will I have to replace the whole lot?
 
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on something old id first check youre getting proper volts to the light bulb wiriing, that the earth is still good and then consider putting special bulbs in.
 
NathWraith said:
Osram night breakers
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Imy said:
Philips X-Treme Vision
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Are these bulbs I can just fit straight away?

Matt82 said:
on something old id first check youre getting proper volts to the light bulb wiriing, that the earth is still good and then consider putting special bulbs in.
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I think that's all fine, it's just a 13 year old car with bog-standard lights & bulbs. They seemed perfectly acceptable until I got back in it having driven the VW and now the difference is night & day! I could live with it still to be honest but if I can improve them without spending loads then it's worth looking into.
 
the Mk1 focus is notorious for having terrible headlights. I would check the state of the headlight lens too, they often become extremely mucky and begin to loose the clarity very quickly.
 
I have put Phillips Blue Vision Ultra bulbs into my car and they work a treat. Nice white light and brighter too.
 
rossk26 said:
I would check the state of the headlight lens too, they often become extremely mucky and begin to loose the clarity very quickly.
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+1

It's not difficult to do a lens refurb (outside) and your Focus likely needs it.
 
Are we just talking about the plastic outer surface of the lights here? Just had a Google and there are lots of products or people talking about fine grit emery/sandpaper, just not sure what they're actually applying it to!
 
Ok cheers. So polishing the lens and fitting some of these bulbs as suggested above should do the trick then? I'll let you know how I get on...
 
Wet sanding + polishing + uv sealant basically.

You'll need:
  • about 4 grades of sandpaper - I used 1500, 2000, 2500 and 3000. If it's gone yellow, start lower
  • automative masking tape
  • cutting polish
  • finishing polish
  • uv sealant
  • polishing attachment for a power drill and polishing pads
  • lots of microfibre towels/cloths
  • about 2 hrs
Here's a video of it being done:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sZg9cj2hxI

If you are really keen on doing it I can get you a list of the stuff I actually used. I did a fair amount of research at the time on it.
 
Alternatively I thought 15mins with a cloth and something already in my house provided satisfactory results albeit not perfect :p
 
A colleague of mine just did the PlastX on it's own and it was just about enough to get him past the MOT but no where near as good as the finish on mine. It all depends how bad it is but given his Focus is the same age as mine was, it probably needs a bigger job than that the first time round.

If you're not fussed about getting back to as new as possible, PlastX on it's own is gonna be best bang for buck. However the sandpaper is only gonna cost you a few quid and the rest is time.
 
Rip them apart and fully clean inside and out. Done this on both my cars and the difference is much better than you could hope to achieve with any fancy bulbs.
 
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