# Get a car with good headlights



## CaptainToo (Dec 5, 2017)

If you drive rideshare at night, get a car with good headlights!

Americans seem to take their cars' lousy headlights for granted. I used to. I currently drive a 2013 Nissan Altima SV for Uber four days a week. Awhile ago we bought my wife a 2016 Honda Accord LX, and while driving the Accord at night I realized how dramatically better its low beam headlights were than those of the Altima. Both cars have halogen projector lights, but the Accord's put out a far stronger and wider beam than the Altima - and the dramatic difference has made me appreciate how bad the Altima's lights are, sometimes at night I'm double checking that they are in fact on, so poor is their output.

So I did some homework, and found out that with US cars, the poor Altima lights are somewhat the rule, and the excellent Accord lights are an exception.
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/iihs-slams-vehicle-manufacturers-on-poor-headlight-performance/

You can look up the headlight ratings of a vehicle here:
https://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings

Below are the IIHS for the 2016 Accord LX and the 2015 (2013 not rated...) Altima SV. The Accord headlights are rated ACCEPTABLE and the Altima's are POOR. And I'm telling you that in the real world, these difference shown by these ratings is clear and obvious as the sun in daylight. If I were driving Uber at night the Altima would be replaced with an Accord, (as it will at some point anyway), its poor lighting is just not acceptable for safely navigating dark city streets, especially in a city like Boston where pedestrians treat jaywalking a s a sport and all black is the latest fashion trend.

So IMHO, when you discuss a thread on "what car for Uber"... if you expect to work 8in the USA at night, always consider whether the headlights will help you drive safely or not...


















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## SurginGeneral (Aug 9, 2017)

HID since 07. Headlights get taken for granted, but once you drive a car with good headlights, driving one without feels unsafe. 

The same feeling you get if you’re ever in the passenger seat of your own car with someone else driving. An uneasy feeling


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

My car has Serious headlights.
Expensive too.
To replace.
Also have great fog lights.


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn (Apr 3, 2018)

But this is all uberX drivers can afford...


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## occupant (Jul 7, 2015)

I went from a 2010 Malibu to a 2014 Altima to a 2017 Corolla. The Altima was way better than the Malibu. But after driving the Corolla with the LED headlights (like the current Accords you show) it is LITERALLY a NIGHT and DAY difference. I thought the Altima was great until I bought the Corolla. Now I won't buy a car without LEDs. Good thing they are adaptable to older vehicles. Even the local city buses are being swapped out for LEDs when the original sealed beams finally burn out.

The Corolla's low beams are brighter than the Malibu's high beams. I can drive the Malibu with the high beams on and no one flashes me, but EVERYONE flashes me with the Corolla on low beam. MASSIVE difference. Go drive one at night it's amazing. Same goes for the late model Camry, Sienna, RAV4, Accord, Civic, Acuras, anything with LED headlights is so much improved...


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

occupant said:


> I went from a 2010 Malibu to a 2014 Altima to a 2017 Corolla. The Altima was way better than the Malibu. But after driving the Corolla with the LED headlights (like the current Accords you show) it is LITERALLY a NIGHT and DAY difference. I thought the Altima was great until I bought the Corolla. Now I won't buy a car without LEDs. Good thing they are adaptable to older vehicles. Even the local city buses are being swapped out for LEDs when the original sealed beams finally burn out.
> 
> The Corolla's low beams are brighter than the Malibu's high beams. I can drive the Malibu with the high beams on and no one flashes me, but EVERYONE flashes me with the Corolla on low beam. MASSIVE difference. Go drive one at night it's amazing. Same goes for the late model Camry, Sienna, RAV4, Accord, Civic, Acuras, anything with LED headlights is so much improved...


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## CaptainToo (Dec 5, 2017)

occupant said:


> I went from a 2010 Malibu to a 2014 Altima to a 2017 Corolla. The Altima was way better than the Malibu. But after driving the Corolla with the LED headlights (like the current Accords you show) it is LITERALLY a NIGHT and DAY difference. I thought the Altima was great until I bought the Corolla. Now I won't buy a car without LEDs. Good thing they are adaptable to older vehicles. Even the local city buses are being swapped out for LEDs when the original sealed beams finally burn out.
> 
> The Corolla's low beams are brighter than the Malibu's high beams. I can drive the Malibu with the high beams on and no one flashes me, but EVERYONE flashes me with the Corolla on low beam. MASSIVE difference. Go drive one at night it's amazing. Same goes for the late model Camry, Sienna, RAV4, Accord, Civic, Acuras, anything with LED headlights is so much improved...


sounds like you had the same epiphany as I did.

The issue is more complex than just go for led headlights. Our 2016 Accord has halogen projector lights, same tech as the Altima, but just much better results. The top end Accord model, the Touring has led highlights, but the IIHS rates those lights as 'marginal'.


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## UberLyftFlexWhatever (Nov 23, 2018)

occupant said:


> I went from a 2010 Malibu to a 2014 Altima to a 2017 Corolla. The Altima was way better than the Malibu. But after driving the Corolla with the LED headlights (like the current Accords you show) it is LITERALLY a NIGHT and DAY difference. I thought the Altima was great until I bought the Corolla. Now I won't buy a car without LEDs. Good thing they are adaptable to older vehicles. Even the local city buses are being swapped out for LEDs when the original sealed beams finally burn out.
> 
> The Corolla's low beams are brighter than the Malibu's high beams. I can drive the Malibu with the high beams on and no one flashes me, but EVERYONE flashes me with the Corolla on low beam. MASSIVE difference. Go drive one at night it's amazing. Same goes for the late model Camry, Sienna, RAV4, Accord, Civic, Acuras, anything with LED headlights is so much improved...


What's the cost to replace burned out LED vrs. Halogen 
Or is that a stupid question?
Thxs


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## occupant (Jul 7, 2015)

UberLyftFlexWhatever said:


> What's the cost to replace burned out LED vrs. Halogen
> Or is that a stupid question?
> Thxs


The headlights for my Corolla are over $400 each on RockAuto, but they are whole assemblies and are supposed to last a lifetime. Don't know what a car manufacturer considers a "lifetime". Can say I have yet to see a 2017-2019 Corolla with a burned out headlight. But they are still pretty new. I am probably one of few approaching 100K on a 2017 this soon.

In theory once you do it you're done, but if the kit you buy has replaceable bulbs, all bets are off.


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## mikes424 (May 22, 2016)

Good info. The one thing I see that is overlooked is the time of day you test drive your potential purchase. Most of us, me included, do the test drive during the day. If buying a used car we at best check to see all lights are working. We do not do the test drive at night to see how well the lights function.


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## occupant (Jul 7, 2015)

This is why all vehicle purchases should include not one, but TWO test drives, if not three.

1) Clear dry weather:
a) on quiet smooth roads to listen for bearing/axle/tire/wheel/suspension noises
b) on rougher side streets to listen for other tire/suspension noises over bumps
c) find a puddle and drive straight through it to see if all four tires track straight

2) Dark and/or wet weather:
a) to test wipers, lights, and for leaks into the passenger cabin and trunk if applicable
b) to see if it drives worse in the rain, or gets warning lights for ABS or traction control or something, or is harder to start
c) to determine if you can see out of the thing at night where it is tough to see behind you or in blind spots

3) Optional but highly recommended, a test drive directly to a mechanic shop you trust to spend $50-$100 to have the vehicle PROFESSIONALLY inspected because I don't care if the dealership offers a 23,145,798.6 point inspection, their inspection likely only covers cosmetic items and basic maintenance. They aren't doing a compression test or cylinder leakdown test. They aren't testing the electrical system or looking for coolant leaks (some leaks don't drip, either, they evaporate before they can hit the ground). They are making sure the vehicle can sit on the lot and survive a few short test drives and get off the lot before grenading. And don't ask your mechanic to inspect the car for free. That's rude. You're asking for a service, pay for it.

That said, the best time to go buy a vehicle is an hour or two before sunset. That way you can test drive it, start negotiation, and then when it's dark, go back out to the car and do your night tests. You might get lucky to test in rain. If it's a big dealer they may have a car wash, ask to ride through it. That would let you test for water leaks at least. You may find a problem that can get more money off the top, but be an easy fix (weatherstripping damaged) or turn you off from the car entirely (snotty welds from a previous wreck cracked and letting water in around the rear window and back seat area)


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## Aw Jeez (Jul 13, 2015)

I just wish more cars came with cornering lights that came on with the turn signals. A while back I had a Ford Freestar van that had them and they were awesome. Neither of the cars I've used for Uber have them and I realize how much I miss them.


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