[evodude]

Apologize up front if this answer is somewhere - I searched and couldn't find anything.

I'm pretty sure I have the optional HID bi-zenon headlights on my '07 3.64Matic Wagon. (is there a way to verify via VIN?) The car has the steering side lights at low speeds and are pretty bright. My issue is I live in Alaska and it can be very dark out of town - and icy - is there a brighter option to get aftermarket for my hi beams? I do a lot of night photography (Northern Lights) so I try to find the darkest places I can drive to. Low beams are ok - but the high beams; which were fine in other places I've lived, aren't getting the reach I need up here.

Any options to go even brighter using the existing headlight housings - short of buying external lights to attach somewhere? Thanks much!!

 

[jimbo7]

So you want the hi's to shoot further? I don't think it's possible with the lenses. Brighter is an option but not further. I think you'd need a lens that shoot a beam pattern over a flood. Could be totally wrong.

 

[rreyes]

This may not be an option you'd like but have you thought about adding a set of driving lights? In past years I've used a set of Hella 550 driving lights with 100w bulbs. With a little bit of planning you could install them in your bottom grills.

 

[evodude]

Thanks to both of you. I'm considering driving lights - many of the vehicles I see have these immensely bright (I think they're LEDs) light bars mounted relatively high - they are like the sun. They will blind oncoming traffic easily, most of our roads are 2-lane, so the drivers are very good about turning them off (no idea if they're somehow linked to the high beam switch) when they see someone the other way. I was just wondering if there was a more elegant way to brighten up the road in front of me - and reach further. I think jimbo7 is right, though, with the current placement/design of the lenses - the reach is probably the reach.

Know of any 'brighter' options? May end up doing something external as well; just don't necessarily want to try and mount something on the roof. Maybe some lights that I can mount magnetically and take off when I'm not doing the deep woods night driving?

 

[rreyes]

Thanks to both of you. I'm considering driving lights - many of the vehicles I see have these immensely bright (I think they're LEDs) light bars mounted relatively high - they are like the sun. They will blind oncoming traffic easily, most of our roads are 2-lane, so the drivers are very good about turning them off (no idea if they're somehow linked to the high beam switch) when they see someone the other way. I was just wondering if there was a more elegant way to brighten up the road in front of me - and reach further. I think jimbo7 is right, though, with the current placement/design of the lenses - the reach is probably the reach.


Know of any 'brighter' options? May end up doing something external as well; just don't necessarily want to try and mount something on the roof. Maybe some lights that I can mount magnetically and take off when I'm not doing the deep woods night driving?

Unfortunately I think your options are limited to pencil beam driving lights or the led bar. The driving lights can be a more clean option as you can fit them under the bumper with some fabrication. The lightbars are popular here in NJ with the "bros" with the giant pickup trucks (we call them bro-dozers). Unfortunately we don't have the vast expanses of dark, secluded roads that you do and our guys don't turn them off when they approach.

 

[rreyes]

Thanks to both of you. I'm considering driving lights - many of the vehicles I see have these immensely bright (I think they're LEDs) light bars mounted relatively high - they are like the sun. They will blind oncoming traffic easily, most of our roads are 2-lane, so the drivers are very good about turning them off (no idea if they're somehow linked to the high beam switch) when they see someone the other way. I was just wondering if there was a more elegant way to brighten up the road in front of me - and reach further. I think jimbo7 is right, though, with the current placement/design of the lenses - the reach is probably the reach.


Know of any 'brighter' options? May end up doing something external as well; just don't necessarily want to try and mount something on the roof. Maybe some lights that I can mount magnetically and take off when I'm not doing the deep woods night driving?

Unfortunately I think your options are limited to pencil beam driving lights or the led bar. The driving lights can be a more clean option as you can fit them under the bumper with some fabrication. The lightbars are popular here in NJ with the "bros" with the giant pickup trucks (we call them bro-dozers). Unfortunately we don't have the vast expanses of dark, secluded roads that you do and our guys don't turn them off when they approach.