The standard halogen headlights of a vehicle are not satisfactory enough for most car owners these days. They prefer to upgrade their existing headlights to the innovative xenon headlight technology because it gives them more clarity while driving at night. In case you’re not familiar with xenon, it is a type of gas which has no color or odor to it. All you need is a tiny current of electricity to heat up the gas and create a bright shining light.
Xenon headlights are far superior to halogen headlights in several ways; they’re brighter, whiter, energy efficient, and long-lasting. But don’t worry, because you don’t need to purchase a luxury vehicle just to take advantage of the xenon headlight technology. The xenon headlight kits currently available are compatible with most vehicle models, even older ones.
Pros
If you want to know whether the xenon lighting upgrade is worth investing in, check out the top 4 advantages of xenon headlights below.
1) Whiter
Xenon lighting is not yellow like halogen lighting. When you install the xenon HID light bulbs for your vehicle’s headlights, they will illuminate as a white color. This makes it even easier to see in dark places or at nighttime.
2) Brighter
Another thing you will notice about xenon headlights is that they shine so much brighter than halogen headlights. Between the whiteness and brightness of xenon, it’ll make the nighttime darkness look almost like daylight.
3) Lasts Longer
Halogen headlights may last you anywhere between 400 and 1,000 hours before they fail on you. This is not a lot of time, especially if you drive frequently or take long trips at night. You’ll be much better off with xenon headlights because they last for roughly 2,000 hours, which is double the longevity of the halogen headlights.
4) Energy Efficiency
As previously indicated, a small electrical current is needed to heat the xenon and make it create light. It is actually the gas of the xenon that produces the light. This makes xenon headlights much more energy efficient than halogen headlights.
Cons
There are not only advantages to using xenon headlights. There are also 2 disadvantages to using them too. You may find these disadvantages to be a deterrent from purchasing the headlights or you may not. Consider them carefully and decide for yourself.
1) Higher Cost
Like anything, you get what you pay for. Xenon HID light bulbs create better quality headlights for your vehicle than halogen light bulbs do. This means you’ll need to pay more money to purchase xenon light bulbs or the xenon headlight kit. If you’re not a mechanic or handy with tools, then you may even need to pay to have a professional install the xenon headlights for you. But again, think of it as an investment because these light bulbs will last you a long time.
2) Extra Glare
The brightness of xenon light bulbs may be great for seeing things clearly at night, but they’re not so great for other drivers on the road. This brightness creates a little too much glare for other drivers when they look at their mirrors and the light shines on it. Then you may encounter more road rage incidents.
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Conclusion
Xenon light bulbs for headlights are not really that expensive as far as auto parts go. The xenon kit is between $30 and $80, depending on which one you get. But then after you install the kit, the replacement xenon light bulbs only cost about $15 to $35 each. That isn’t too bad when you consider all their benefits. If you can get over the glare issue, then you will have no problems with the xenon headlights.