AU High Beam is Better than FG High Beam?

[OffRoadFalcon]

I got a bit of a surprise last night.
So we were driving home from a wedding, I have Learner's now so I was driving, and we were on a main road, doing my permit limit of 100km/h, no many cars on the road, then some headlights eventually caught up with us, and passed at the next double lane overtaking area, I had the high beam on in the AUII Futura wagon, once they went past, I flipped mine down, and they flipped theirs on.

It was a good chance to compare high beams, and at first when I saw the other car's high beam go on, I thought it must've been an older car, but then I looked across and saw a FG XR6. I'm sure our AUII's beam was about a third brighter than the FG. That really surprised me.

I was expecting the FG to have the better beam, not our 11 year old wagon!
The AUII has had no modifications done to the headlights, pretty much the whole car is stock. Or maybe the FG's lights weren't working properly?
Has anybody else compared AU high beams with FG ones?

And just out of interest, what is the best high beam anybody's seen? Excluding spotlights, they always make a huge difference.

[Smoke Pursuit]

AU's probably have the best headlights of any Falcon ever built... especially the Forte / Fairmont lights...

They are bloody good!

[OffRoadFalcon]

Originally Posted by DASH GT

AU's probably have the best headlights of any Falcon ever built... especially the Forte / Fairmont lights...

They are bloody good!

I know our high beam is the best of any Falcon I've been in... but with the raised HD suspension in the rear, the low beam isn't directed as far ahead, and I notice our BAII XT's low beam is better for that reason. The AUII's high beam is definitely better than the BAII as well.

[mik]

yes i was reading a review the other day from when Au`s arrived on the scene , and it was mentioned among the many improvents in the Au that the headlights where designed to and did have a 30% better coverage(re the teardrop headlights), anyone going up the highway that see`s an oncoming Au will notice this.

[Kil4Collingwood]

Yep my work ute 1999 AU high beams put those on my BA and BF3 to shame.

[LethalLeigh]

I do remember reading a lot about the development work that went into the lights and I also remember at the time of launch that AU lights were brighter in general. It's all relative now with a much higher percentage of guys with HIDs and projector beam setups.

[TheInterceptor]

Sounds right. Our old AUII was alot better than the BFII we have now!

[csv8]

Wouldn't that be a safety issue??? Don't headlights have to meet an ADR????
My BF MK2 Ghia headlights are excellent. No complaints on country roads at night...

[Bossxr8]

AU headlights were probably the best ever fitted to a Falcon, and they were designed that way. Just look at the size and shape of them. Form had to replace function for BA cause not many liked the style of them.

[2002au]

Au headlights are mad, see everything. I keep getting highbeamed by people when I have my low beams on lol. And yeah they seem a lot better than fg's when I looked at mine and my brothers xr6t

[Brazen]

AU lights are brilliant. At least FG is better than the VE Commodore.

[Silver Ghia]

AU headlights are probably the best of any car I can think of, not just Falcon.

[aussie muscle]

Those huge AU headlights certainly pack a punch. i never been flashed since i sold my AU. (oncoming drivers think you are on high and flash, then you give them the full HB).

[OffRoadFalcon]

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

Those huge AU headlights certainly pack a punch. i never been flashed since i sold my AU. (oncoming drivers think you are on high and flash, then you give them the full HB).

They do! I was flash while I had lows on the other night last week, then flashed MY HB. Our LB as i said, is directed more to the ground than ahead because of the rear suspension too.

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

Those huge AU headlights certainly pack a punch. i never been flashed since i sold my AU. (oncoming drivers think you are on high and flash, then you give them the full HB).

Given that most people are likely to flash because your headlights are distracting them, I don't think I'd want to be driving a car that partially blinded drivers travelling in the opposite direction.

My FG high beams are fine, not a patch on the xenons on my R32, though.

[nstg8a]

Man my old au must have been a real dud. The only thing it did better than my fg was economy. But then I'm comparing 4.0 to 5.4.

But other than that the au was a dog in every way compared to the fg.
I'll own another ef/El ghia before I buy another au.

[Ben73]

Could be worse. In my 300c I reckon my low beam xenon lights are probably brighter then my halogen high beam.
The high beam just aims slightly higher.

I swear people are going soft. I have noticed when driving my 300c and work Prado, both have decent headlights like all newer vehicles. I occasionally have people coming towards me flash there lights or turn their high beam on as they think I have high beam on. Especially while I'm driving the Prado.


Are people too soft or do these cars have low beam which may be considered too bright?

[OffRoadFalcon]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Could be worse. In my 300c I reckon my low beam xenon lights are probably brighter then my halogen high beam.
The high beam just aims slightly higher.

I swear people are going soft. I have noticed when driving my 300c and work Prado, both have decent headlights like all newer vehicles. I occasionally have people coming towards me flash there lights or turn their high beam on as they think I have high beam on. Especially while I'm driving the Prado.


Are people too soft or do these cars have low beam which may be considered too bright?

Sometimes it may be the angle the lights are at, when you're in a lower car, 4wds lights are more likely to be at a level that'll seem brighter.

[foxtrot3]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Could be worse. In my 300c I reckon my low beam xenon lights are probably brighter then my halogen high beam.
The high beam just aims slightly higher.

I swear people are going soft. I have noticed when driving my 300c and work Prado, both have decent headlights like all newer vehicles. I occasionally have people coming towards me flash there lights or turn their high beam on as they think I have high beam on. Especially while I'm driving the Prado.


Are people too soft or do these cars have low beam which may be considered too bright?

Hi. No, the low beam on toyota's is not to bright but 9 out of 10 are set too high. Maybe people are trying to tell you something. Cheers MD

[Coyote mk3]

While on the subject of poor headlights. Is it just me or have the EF/EL xr's have terrible low beam.
I have driven 3 different xr's now and all seem the same.

The high beam is pretty good in a straight line, but does not spread very well.


By the way, if you get a number of people flashing you with low beam on the it is more than likely just aimed too high.

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by Coyote mk3

While on the subject of poor headlights. Is it just me or have the EF/EL xr's have terrible low beam.
I have driven 3 different xr's now and all seem the same.

The high beam is pretty good in a straight line, but does not spread very well.


By the way, if you get a number of people flashing you with low beam on the it is more than likely just aimed too high.

not just xr's, anything ef/el has terrible low beam performance stock.

[Coyote mk3]

Originally Posted by nstg8a

not just xr's, anything ef/el has terrible low beam performance stock.

Ahk ok then, I just kind of figured it was because of their size and the way they sit in the bumper on the xr's

I have been known to refer to them as candles

[XRGhia]

Originally Posted by Coyote mk3

While on the subject of poor headlights. Is it just me or have the EF/EL xr's have terrible low beam.
I have driven 3 different xr's now and all seem the same.

The high beam is pretty good in a straight line, but does not spread very well.


By the way, if you get a number of people flashing you with low beam on the it is more than likely just aimed too high.

Your not the only one who's noticed that... Going from the GLi front to the XR front though was a big improvement...

The crucial bit I found was perfect alignment... Mine light up the road nicely and evenly...

[vanman_75]

Originally Posted by foxtrot3

Hi. No, the low beam on toyota's is not to bright but 9 out of 10 are set too high. Maybe people are trying to tell you something. Cheers MD

Which is odd when its got a roller switch to raise and lower them , with kakadu having auto level ...laziness really.( prado )

[OffRoadFalcon]

Originally Posted by vanman_75

Which is odd when its got a roller switch to raise and lower them , with kakadu having auto level ...laziness really.( prado )

Those Prados do have a good low beam, haven't seen the high though. An aunty and uncle of mine have a new Prado VX.

[vanman_75]

Originally Posted by Mr. Grinzy

Those Prados do have a good low beam, haven't seen the high though. An aunty and uncle of mine have a new Prado VX.

Both are my daily drives au to work , and prado for the kms , hid spotties ftw .I have a ballast playing up so had to drive home with the normal lights ...not happy ..lol but I'm just not 1 the business of driving our roads without good lights , the au beats the prado on low beam I reckon but only just , high beam would be even .

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by foxtrot3

Hi. No, the low beam on toyota's is not to bright but 9 out of 10 are set too high. Maybe people are trying to tell you something. Cheers MD

We have 11 prados and they are all exactly the same. Straight from the factory, headlights have never been touched. So I have no idea how Toyota would of got away with making cars where headlight angle did not meet the rules.

[OzJavelin]

Originally Posted by Ben73

We have 11 prados and they are all exactly the same. Straight from the factory, headlights have never been touched. So I have no idea how Toyota would of got away with making cars where headlight angle did not meet the rules.

Angle is probably fine .. they probably just start from a height which is too high for a person sitting significantly lower in a sedan. If I had fitted decent lights on my old FSJ Jeep with 33's I'm sure I too would have had a lot of whining Prados owners upset my lights were too bright.

My opinion AU lights are as great as they are ugly .. and FG lights are pretty hopeless .. to the point where I drive in the country with fogs on just to give that little extra light. However they both pale into insignificance to the total mediocrity of my VY SV8 .. Horrible, horrible headlights.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by OzJavelin

Angle is probably fine .. they probably just start from a height which is too high for a person sitting significantly lower in a sedan.

and this is something i can't stand. if truck manufacturers can design and build vehicles with the headlights incorporated in the bumper then i see no reason why higher vehicles (suv/4wd) can't do the same. the height of the lights on some of these types of cars is ridiculous now. gets even worse when lift kits get added.

[flooded one]

both my AU headlights are fantastic on contry roads at nights. i get flashed everynow and again not too often, i just flash them back if they flash me. best headlights i have ever seen on a falcon is on the AUs. havent driven an FG at night yet so that will be interesting too see what there like at night. I thought the BA headlights were ok thou. this was mums a BA futura i drove one night. I agree with the Prados having decent headlights. I've heard a few toyota owners say they get flashed by other drivers at night who think there lights are on highbeam