GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: Mark V GTD on 17 May 2017, 09:45
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Presume there are a few facelift models owned by members here now - so how do the new LED lights shape up compared to the old xenons?
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Remember the dark old days of my Audi A3 with standard lights, they truly were like candles the amount of light they gave, so the xenon upgrades were greatly received.
However do think they could be better still on standard beam so be interested to see how much the LED lights are perceived to add?
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No direct experience but I've heard that the LED's fitted to Seat Leon's is no better than xenons, or at least no real perceptible difference. One disadvantage of LED's I've heard many report is that they don't produce any heat. So in winter when yours lamps are covered in frost, there's no heat in the lamp to melt it off.
I think anyone who spec's dynamic light assist though will see a great difference. With that option, you can drive with high beam on always. The car cuts off the portion of the light that would blind incoming traffic when necessary.
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No direct experience but I've heard that the LED's fitted to Seat Leon's is no better than xenons, or at least no real perceptible difference. One disadvantage of LED's I've heard many report is that they don't produce any heat. So in winter when yours lamps are covered in frost, there's no heat in the lamp to melt it off.
I think anyone who spec's dynamic light assist though will see a great difference. With that option, you can drive with high beam on always. The car cuts off the portion of the light that would blind incoming traffic when necessary.
I had dynamic light assist on my CC to say I notice a difference is an understatement.
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I think they are fantastic but I have come from a Corsa with halogen headlights and have never owned a car with xenons.
That's probably not much use to you though.
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I'll be able to compare a 7.5 with Dynamic Light Assist to a BMW 3 series with Adaptive Xenons just as soon as I get a chance to drive in the dark.
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Thanks chaps - hopefully will get some more responses to compare to the xenons on the earlier models.....
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A couple of years ago I test drove a new Leon FR in the dark and had driven over to the dealership in out Audi A6 with xenons. On returning in the Audi, my impression was that the only difference was the colour of the light - the LED's being whiter, but the xenons were just as good in terms of spread & distance.
I'm looking forward to getting my new Golf with LED's but doubt that night time visibility will be overly enhanced.
It's a bit like where the councils have switched to LED streetlamps, the eerie white light is different without actually making the the road particularly better lit.
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Not all led lights are equal just like not all xenon lights are the same. Take the VW CC facelift, the xenon lights were better on the car without the bending lights compared to the ones that had them. They had different reflectors and cut off blades. The difference was quite staggering, especially the light spread.
Where led lights come good is when you have the like of matrix lights where they can change the light pattern depending on road and conditions.
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Just been out for my first drive in the dark, and did a quick (15 minute :grin:) video with my dashcam on some dark, twisty, narrow and bumpy roads - a good test I think!
https://youtu.be/ACIPrOs9KFw
I'm comparing to my previous car - a 2010 BMW 3 series which had Adaptive (cornering) Xenons and auto high beam the lights are very good. Obviously the DLA system is going to be different to just adaptive cornering and turning the high beam on/off automatically but comparing the spread of the beams, colour and range they are excellent. The standard cornering feature is slightly different to the BMW and seems a bit slower to react to steering input, but that could just be me getting used to a different system.
Anyway, take a look at the video - unless you're really into this kind of thing it's probably very dull...
I only turned DLA on after two minutes as I thought it would automatically activate but you have to put the main beam on auto for it to work.
I showed the startup procedure when I turned the ignition on as well which may or may not be required technically but looks very cool. :cool: I met a few cars coming the other way, and came up behind a couple of cars so you can see the splitting of the beam quite nicely, as well as the cornering and beam spread when I drop into a 30mph zone.
For reference, after I'd turned the main beam on I didn't do anything else to the lights.
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Your link doesn't seem to work.
In the pre facelift, you could make the lights cornering function more aggressive / faster by setting them to "sport" mode. I'm sure it's similar in the FL.
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Your link doesn't seem to work.
In the pre facelift, you could make the lights cornering function more aggressive / faster by setting them to "sport" mode. I'm sure it's similar in the FL.
Link seems to work here, maybe Youtube was still processing the video.
Thanks for the tip, I'll have a delve in the settings and see if I can change the cornering reaction speed.
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Link seems to work here, maybe Youtube was still processing the video.
Working fine now. Thank you. :cool:
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I had the same thing as yours with road signs activating the dynamic lighting on my CC with xenons but the dealer readjusted them and they were better afterwards. It is a pity that VW didn't go down the multiple led for their dynamic lighting instead of staying with the shields.
There seems to be a very low dome on them, you can see it when driving through trees.
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It is a pity that VW didn't go down the multiple led for their dynamic lighting instead of staying with the shields.
Is this definitely still a shield system? I can find so little information on it.
Here is a video for the new Passat headlights. The first 2 1/2 minutes talk about the LED units. I was able to change the subtitles to English. Though it is still difficult to understand. I don't think it mentions shields. Though maybe the unit didn't have Dynamic Light Assist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktduT9gWJRQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktduT9gWJRQ)
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It is a pity that VW didn't go down the multiple led for their dynamic lighting instead of staying with the shields.
Is this definitely still a shield system? I can find so little information on it.
Here is a video for the new Passat headlights. The first 2 1/2 minutes talk about the LED units. I was able to change the subtitles to English. Though it is still difficult to understand. I don't think it mentions shields. Though maybe the unit didn't have Dynamic Light Assist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktduT9gWJRQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktduT9gWJRQ)
If you look at the start of eatontrifles video you can see the shields doing their thing.
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I found another Passat LED headlight video. This one is not official.
At 3:40 they say, "The centrepiece of these headlight is the outer multi-beam lens module"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7A_praG4HU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7A_praG4HU)
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I found another Passat LED headlight video. This one is not official.
At 3:40 they say, "The centrepiece of these headlight is the outer multi-beam lens module"
Link?
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Link?
Sorry, link added above.
However, it looks like you are correct about VW still using a variable shutter system with their LED headlights. :undecided:
http://magazine.volkswagen.com/LED-light-technology.html (http://magazine.volkswagen.com/LED-light-technology.html)
This leaves me wondering if I should change my order now :undecided:
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The biggest problem is that not all lights are adjusted the same. Out of the factory they are all set very low and the PDI should put them at the correct level. Somehow mine were not adjusted high enough so they were poor to say the least. After they are set at the correct height night time driving is transformed.
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Link?
Sorry, link added above.
However, it looks like you are correct about VW still using a variable shutter system with their LED headlights. :undecided:
http://magazine.volkswagen.com/LED-light-technology.html (http://magazine.volkswagen.com/LED-light-technology.html)
This leaves me wondering if I should change my order now :undecided:
When VW say multi led headlight technology I think what they mean is led main beam, led indicators and led DRL's.
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There seems to be a very low dome on them, you can see it when driving through trees.
That's more than likely the wide angle lens on the dashcam, it looked spot on to me and other than the two hotspots directly in front which you can see on some bumpy bits the spread was even and the range was excellent.
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When VW say multi led headlight technology I think what they mean is led main beam, led indicators and led DRL's.
This is what they were referring to, out of a VW press pdf for the Passat. Sorry, it won't link for me.
"4. Multi-beam lens module. The centrepiece of these headlights is the outer multi-beam lens module. In addition to the dimmed and full beams (with adapted country road and motorway light), the module also generates the dynamic cornering light. The inner flat-beam lens module, meanwhile, is responsible for illuminating the road up ahead.
5. LED headlights plus Dynamic Light Assist (level 3). In the top version, these all-LED projection headlights are additionally controlled via vehicle camera. Volkswagen is for the first time combining Dynamic Light Assist (automatic permanent full beam) with LED technology. The camera recognises any traffic in front and any vehicles in opposing traffic; this data is evaluated by the headlight electronics which coordinate the light distribution via the cornering light controller and pivoting multi-beam lens module.
6. Daytime running light consists of 32 LEDs (level 3). Another highlight of the projection LED headlights is the daytime running light with 32 LEDs. Its signature is made up of two separate modules: a large 'U' (that goes around the lens module) and a small 'U', which frames the contour of the multi-beam lens module. Beneath the daytime running light the wide indicators (twelve LEDs) emphasise the headlight's design. LEDs for the static cornering light are also positioned on the inner side of the headlight."
That's more than likely the wide angle lens on the dashcam, it looked spot on to me and other than the two hotspots directly in front which you can see on some bumpy bits the spread was even and the range was excellent.
Thanks eatontrifles. It is so hard to tell from dashcam footage. Even on my monitor.
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Does VW use Hella headlights?
Best video I have found yet...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOSLMs5Pma8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOSLMs5Pma8)
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This is proper multi-beam from Hella - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su9f2yp_lrM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su9f2yp_lrM)
Unfortunately VW are not using this yet :sad:
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Does VW use Hella headlights?
Found the answer, with a nice graphic of all the generations of VW Golf - http://www.hella.com/cardriver/en/HELLA-Golf-headlamps-898.html (http://www.hella.com/cardriver/en/HELLA-Golf-headlamps-898.html)
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Does VW use Hella headlights?
Found the answer, with a nice graphic of VW Golfs - http://www.hella.com/cardriver/en/HELLA-Golf-headlamps-898.html (http://www.hella.com/cardriver/en/HELLA-Golf-headlamps-898.html)
Hella for halegon and Bosch for xenon or just Hella for the Golf range?
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Hella for halegon and Bosch for xenon or just Hella for the Golf range?
https://www.hella.com/hella-com/Headlamps-620.html (https://www.hella.com/hella-com/Headlamps-620.html)
They appear to have developed the Matrix LED system used by Audi and the Multi-beam system in the Mercedes E-Class.
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To clarify, my 7.5 LED headlights have two projectors per headlight, I don't know if this is the same for cars without DLA as well - maybe someone with the standard lights could clarify.
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To clarify, my 7.5 LED headlights have two projectors per headlight, I don't know if this is the same for cars without DLA as well - maybe someone with the standard lights could clarify.
Confirmation...
(http://i.imgur.com/Ww7Zvl3.jpg)
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After doing my first night drive at the weekend I can report that the lights are nice and clear, powerful and a joy to use.
However I'd question whether or not the dynamic cornering adds much. Yes you can see the lights move slightly to the left and right but because the lights are so bright with a good pattern anyway it doesn't appear to add much more. The spots that light up the extreme corners are very good, much better than other cars I've had with spotlight cornering lights.
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Are they on par with Xenons or better?
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Are they on par with Xenons or better?
I can't comment on what the LED headlights on the mk7.5 Golf are like. However, my Polo GTI has LED headlights and I find them very good.
I previously had a mk6 Golf GTD with xenons, and although the LED's on my car are probably not as technically advanced as those fitted to the latest performance Golfs, I'd say they are at least on a par with my previous xenons. The light is whiter, which IMO improves illumination and night vision.
Assuming LED technology has moved on from when the LED headlights were designed for the Polo, that suggests the LED headlamps fitted to the mk7.5 Golf should be good.
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This is proper multi-beam from Hella - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su9f2yp_lrM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su9f2yp_lrM)
Unfortunately VW are not using this yet :sad:
Normally not too wowed by tech as most is a rehash or enhancement of something that has existed for a while. But this is genuinely great tech, and given its intelligence allows even greater brightness on standard setting ensuring other cars remain unaffected. Dimming for signs but just in the area of signs is pretty cool as tech goes.
Would actually option this against all my principles of avoiding options that are not going to change experience too much IE lights are pretty decent these days anyway
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Are they on par with Xenons or better?
Better but not as much of a jump as it was from halogens to xenons.
I suspect the dynamic light assist LED lights are a huge step up though with the 'always full beam' approach.
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Are they on par with Xenons or better?
Better but not as much of a jump as it was from halogens to xenons.
I suspect the dynamic light assist LED lights are a huge step up though with the 'always full beam' approach.
My move from an Audi with Halogens to my previous GTD with Xenon was a literally night and day move, the Audi was like candles in comparison.
LED lights have never been too attractive as in must have, as just see them as a different light, but do like the look of the matrix tech and hopefully by time it comes around for me to change the matrix tech will becoming the standard
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Better but not as much of a jump as it was from halogens to xenons.
I suspect the dynamic light assist LED lights are a huge step up though with the 'always full beam' approach.
Does yours have two beams & projectors like in my pic above?
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Better but not as much of a jump as it was from halogens to xenons.
I suspect the dynamic light assist LED lights are a huge step up though with the 'always full beam' approach.
Does yours have two beams & projectors like in my pic above?
It has the 2 projectors like the pic above.
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Don't think the std LED headlights will be night and day (pardon the pun) over the mk 7 xenons. In my experience, unless you pay the upgrade the lights will fine but not extraordinary. Does dyanamic light assist actually add anything other than the high beam assistant? My current car a C Class has the std LEDs and they are a nicer colour than xenon but wouldn't say illumination is out of this word but it is decent.
I had an M3 for a week last year with the adaptive LEDs and they were unbelievable. On the M1 at 2am when a car overtook me (I was taking it steady) they kept the left lit up and as the car moved across the lights moved round it. Pretty impressive.
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Don't think the std LED headlights will be night and day (pardon the pun) over the mk 7 xenons. In my experience, unless you pay the upgrade the lights will fine but not extraordinary. Does dyanamic light assist actually add anything other than the high beam assistant? My current car a C Class has the std LEDs and they are a nicer colour than xenon but wouldn't say illumination is out of this word but it is decent.
I had an M3 for a week last year with the adaptive LEDs and they were unbelievable. On the M1 at 2am when a car overtook me (I was taking it steady) they kept the left lit up and as the car moved across the lights moved round it. Pretty impressive.
That's exactly what DLA does - it's not just high beam assist.
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Is it possible to have both projectors on? I only have LED PLUS, no DLA.
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The leds are good, not sure they are that much better than xenon's but they are a little whiter imho. I think they come aimed low from the factory but that can be changed. I much prefer the drl/indicator set up on the led's.