It turns out that some of you guys out there actually read what I have to say. As surprised as I am that the editors of this magazine keep inviting me back and that some of you actually like the column (thanks for the fan mail!), but I was really surprised when a pair of LED headlights showed up in the mail.
Apparently this company, LEDheadlights.com, had heard of my column and thought I'd like a chance to play with these lights. I am one of those people who need to have something in my hands and play with it in order to really get it, and I guess that this company gets that. I like LEDs, and I think we've been through all that, but I haven't even seen a new car that uses LEDs for headlights except for decoration, so I was shocked to get a pair in the mail from the company that makes the first set of aftermarket 7-inch round LED headlights for "evaluation"
I don't know what this "evaluation" is that they are talking about, but I decided I'd mess around with them and give you guys my hands-on thoughts about these cool lights. I'm happy to say I didn't shock myself even once, and even though there were no directions in the box, I wasn't even able to mess up this install.
The neighbors at Earl's old trailer have an old Jeep up on blocks, so I went over there with an extra battery, a cross screwdriver, and these lights to see what they were like. I am happy to be the first person to give you a review of these exciting new headlights.
Imagine my surprise when I...
Imagine my surprise when I opened the box and saw a big honkin' heatsink on the back of what looked to be a headlight. Jeez...can you imagine how much power these put out to require a heatsink like this? Is should have braced myself to pick it up out of the box because these suckers are solid: ten fully potted LEDs and a complicated reflector to get the light down the road all make for a good unit. Once I'd gotten the light out of the box and had some time to mess with it, i was pleasantly surprised to find not just two, but three wires going into the housing. That meant not only do these things have a low beam, but a high beam as well. And, there are tabs cast into the back of it to keep it aligned in the headlight buckets.
I then flipped it over......
I then flipped it over... and I was scared. I've heard from enough of you guys about plastic headlights... and I've seen the way Grand Cherokee's lights can't be seen through anymore after a while. So, I called the people who make this light, and here's what they said: "Don't confuse this lens with 'plastic.' This is an impact resistant polycarbonate lens that is significantly stronger than traditional glass lenses. The polycarbonate is manufactured with a UV protectant...and is also sealed with a silicone hard coat. It is actually more durable than a glass lens would be." If that wasn't enough to convince me, there is a 3-year warranty on the lamps and they offer up to 50-times more life than a regular bulb.
I don't know what this pudding...
I don't know what this pudding is that everyone is talking about, or why someone put the "proof" in it, but I went across the way and that's what the guy who owned the Jeep told me: "The proof is in the pudding." These lights have a good beam pattern and put out a lot of light. They are more expensive than a regular conversion light, but they've got a great warranty, a cool look, they are legal for use in all motor vehicles (none of that "off-road only" stuff), and they get the light down the road.