# Led headlights?



## giacTT (May 16, 2007)

Piece of metal smashed my drivers side headlight housing.. 

Does anyone have recommendations who has gone with aftermarket led headlights ?


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## daczone (May 7, 2015)

giacTT said:


> Piece of metal smashed my drivers side headlight housing..
> 
> Does anyone have recommendations who has gone with aftermarket led headlights ?



Haven't used them for headlights myself other than taillights, turn signals, but something to note: All aftermarket LED headlights get HOT and use a heatsink and fan to remove heat. The heatsink/fan assembly is usually mounted to the backside of the bulb. I tell you this because as you can image there is a lot of dirt/dust where they are mounted. The fan may not last too long, so you may have to replace them more often.


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## Badgerfetus (Oct 1, 2014)

Most people seem to use Spec D headlights. I personally am not a fan of the look so I'll stick to my dull OEM ones haha


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## MCPaudiTT (Nov 26, 2006)

I think the OP is looking for aftermarket LED headlights as used in most of the current gen upper end (and some lower end) cars. I could be wrong, but I don't think there are many, if any, aftermarket options at the moment. You may be best off finding a wrecked current car and getting the optics out of it. There are some Hyundai's and Honda's with them, so you may also be able to purchase them new for not too much. The challenge will be if they want CANBUS signals to make them work right...


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## MCPaudiTT (Nov 26, 2006)

MCPaudiTT said:


> I think the OP is looking for aftermarket LED headlights as used in most of the current gen upper end (and some lower end) cars. I could be wrong, but I don't think there are many, if any, aftermarket options at the moment. You may be best off finding a wrecked current car and getting the optics out of it. There are some Hyundai's and Honda's with them, so you may also be able to purchase them new for not too much. The challenge will be if they want CANBUS signals to make them work right...


After a bit of Googling I have found TONS of LED bulbs that can be used in OEM halogen sockets, and they are pretty darn cheap ($25 or less). I am going to get a set of CREE's as they are a brand I trust, will report pack. I have a brand new set of Halogen headlights I was going to modify with 50W Xenon Hella's, may have to do a comparison...


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## M-Power M3 (Oct 15, 2007)

Pretty sure OP is talking about the whole headlight housing since he said his was smashed. 

There are a couple aftermarket options out there but they're pretty tacky IMO and the projector housings aren't going to be the best. 



















I'm working on modifying a another set of OEM headlights right now, there have been many done in the past (examples below) and I find those to be the best looking plus you can get into projector retrofitting, etc and make a killer set of lights.


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## MCPaudiTT (Nov 26, 2006)

M-Power M3 said:


> Pretty sure OP is talking about the whole headlight housing since he said his was smashed.


Guess you are right...


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## Lorem (Nov 19, 2003)

Nothing out there's that compliment the MK1 TT classic design. I say get 2nd hand OEM.


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## giacTT (May 16, 2007)

Thanks for the input! I'll prob just get a left side off ecstuning for $325.00 

Why for the love are the xenon headlights $1000+???


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## hunTTsvegas (Aug 27, 2012)

giacTT said:


> Thanks for the input! I'll prob just get a left side off ecstuning for $325.00
> 
> Why for the love are the xenon headlights $1000+???


More than likely comes with all necessary components, i.e. ballast, igniter, etc. You could honestly find a nice used one on ebay for cheaper than $325 then wouldn't have one brand new looking headlight and one 10-15 year old headlight.


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## giacTT (May 16, 2007)

Has anyone tried the hella headlights from ecstuning? They look exactly similar to the vw Audi stockers. Are they different at all?


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## MCPaudiTT (Nov 26, 2006)

giacTT said:


> Has anyone tried the hella headlights from ecstuning? They look exactly similar to the vw Audi stockers. Are they different at all?


Bulb or housing? Part number or link?


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## Sniper911 (May 30, 2015)

I just picked up a spare set of headlights here on the board. My lenses are both cracked and the spare set had broken tabs, so took them apart to reuse the lenses. Im toying with making something along these lines (link below) at the moment. I have both set apart and I'm waiting on the switchbacks and halo rings to arrive 

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?7087086-DIY-MKV-Audi-Style-Switchback-LED-DRL


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Gonzalo1495 (Feb 2, 2015)

M-Power M3 said:


> There are a couple aftermarket options out there but they're pretty tacky IMO and the projector housings aren't going to be the best.


The ebay led headlights yes, the Spec-D headlights should not be considered in the same category. They have the same exact projector housing setup as oem. In fact the Spec-D headlights are literally just lighter weight plastic housing with the same size and specification internals, the only thing different is the outer plate that is exposed is different and has an LED strip (5 lb difference per corner!). The projector inside, I found, is way better than any old or used oem one as well. Not to mention the xenon technology that was used on this car from back in the day is extremely outdated, expensive (because it's outdated), and imo a waste of time. 

And yes they are HID ready so all you need to buy is an HID kit for the Spec-D headlights if you don't want to use halogen bulbs.


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## Gonzalo1495 (Feb 2, 2015)

Badgerfetus said:


> Most people seem to use Spec D headlights. I personally am not a fan of the look so I'll stick to my dull OEM ones haha


Speaking of things we are not a fan of:








You took that off your car right? 


I've also never seen anyone else post about having spec-d headlights, or at least not "most people". Most people have those hideous diamond style ebay ones that are... well... :bs:


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## MCPaudiTT (Nov 26, 2006)

Gonzalo1495 said:


> They have the same exact projector housing setup as oem. In fact the Spec-D headlights are literally just lighter weight plastic housing with the same size and specification internals, the only thing different is the outer plate that is exposed is different and has an LED strip (5 lb difference per corner!). The projector inside, I found, is way better than any old or used oem one as well.


You are saying you could use the OEM black insert inside the SpecD headlight, and have a "brand new" assembly with OEM look? Does the OEM insert fit? Do the SpecD's come apart the same way (heat softened adhesive)? Do you have pix of when you took yours apart?


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## Gonzalo1495 (Feb 2, 2015)

MCPaudiTT said:


> You are saying you could use the OEM black insert inside the SpecD headlight, and have a "brand new" assembly with OEM look? Does the OEM insert fit? Do the SpecD's come apart the same way (heat softened adhesive)? Do you have pix of when you took yours apart?


Yes. You technically could. Idk why you'd want to, imo the oem insert is an outdated style, but yes you could. HOWEVER. The spec-d headlights have no were to mount the oem xenon setup (ballast really), so you would have to get creative, or again go HID.

I do have pictures. I took mine apart to look inside honestly. They are held with a heated adhesive just like the oem ones, plenty of room in there for ballasts and more cables as well. Same mounting points and all it seems. 

I'll try to dig up some pics, I bought my set well over a year ago...


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## MCPaudiTT (Nov 26, 2006)

Gonzalo1495 said:


> Idk why you'd want to...


Because that's the way it came from the factory


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## Gonzalo1495 (Feb 2, 2015)

MCPaudiTT said:


> Because that's the way it came from the factory


It also came with a ruined suspension setup post 2000, a configuration between engine and turbo that was no were near the efficiency it could have ran, a pretty meh haldex setup, etc. etc.

It's all about Improvement IMHO. I understand and respect the purists, I even like to consider myself inbetween the realm of OEM+ and "extreme" when it comes to my modding tastes, I have changed very little of the visual aesthetics to the TT, but the headlights by far were the worst thing about the TT.


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## Gonzalo1495 (Feb 2, 2015)

MCPaudiTT said:


> Because that's the way it came from the factory


It also came with a ruined suspension setup post 2000, a configuration between engine and turbo that was no were near the efficiency it could have ran, a pretty meh haldex setup, etc. etc.

It's all about Improvement IMHO. I understand and respect the purists, I even like to consider myself inbetween the realm of OEM+ and "extreme" when it comes to my modding tastes, I have changed very little of the visual aesthetics to the TT, but the headlights by far were the worst thing about the TT.


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