LED retrofit for my daily driver
 

One of the things I love about this online community is that I've gotten great advice about non Porsche related stuff… iphone issues, IT questions, and so forth. There's a lot of knowledge available here and I sure do appreciate your help!

I have an F150 as my DD and it has halogen headlamps that aren't very bright, especially when I'm driving around in the mountains of NC on vacation a couple of times a year.

I was thinking about buying these off amazon.com and wondered if anyone has tried them…

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00VNBEBCS/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=37RU LBZUEB4VR&coliid=IX1XYA03NL14M&psc=1

To prevent scatter I was also thinking of buying some projector headlamps.

Has anyone put LED retrofits in their cars or trucks, and if so, how do you like them and do they last?

No experience with the one you posted personally but seen quite a few already which are similar, if not the same really. Concept is the same anyway, 50~60w, etc etc.

They will light up well, no waiting like xenon, energy efficient as you'd expect from LED etc etc. They do illuminate quite effectively when used with a reflector. Personally I don't like their temp (color) but everybody has different taste (sort of a cat-clinic ceiling lighting bright white style).

They're biggest issue if you ask me is durability vs their high price. Although equipped with a heavy duty air cooling system, all of these similar product seems to have failed prematurely. To give you an idea; they are not sold by car lighting experts here locally anymore. You'll only find them in the little no-name shops... those who don't necessarily offer customer service ;)

Second issue is of course the heat. They do get very (very) hot beware. As hot if not more than your stock 55w halogen. That said; do install wisely.

Can't seem to find a good visual of the inner built & materials of that F150 headlight so can't advise here. If for the Boxster however, keep an eye on them for the first few heat cycles. Should be fine for short period of time (e.g. weekend car) but forget it if you use the Boxster as a DD during dark hours, you'll toast them in < 3 months.

Hope it helps a bit

Hi,

my advice would be to use a 55W hid system. As nine8six said, these 80W things will melt away your headlamps in a short time or if your F150 has old headlamps made from glas, the system will lack of cooling.

Do a research on good, recommended hid systems. There is a lot of cheap shiny crap from asia out there.

Regards, Markus

Max 35w for HID Markus (xenon gas). Trucks & Cars. 55watts are for halogen type systems.

Randall - often ppl forget that de-oxidizing/polishing (professionally) the lens of car headlights + adding fresh bulbs, can increase lumen output & reach by up to 20~30%. Tons of excellent write-up online RE this love-lens topic (incl UV coat, etc)

If I were you, give that a go on that F150 before doing anything else to it. Should bring back that factory output for cheaper than you think.

ps: looking at the design again; that cooling fan on those space LED thingy "could" well fill up your headlights with dust over time, no? (avoid gravel roads loll).