Question: why do American manufacturers hate projectors?

"nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul" (nfamouscj)
12/04/2014 at 21:51 • Filed to: None

Though you're seeing them more often in recent years, it seems like American manufactures hate projectors. For most who want to mod or customize their ride the reflector dish headlights are the first to go. Be it the cheaper Spyder brand you find all over eBay or retrofitting with oem quality gear - projectors kill reflectors in terms of performance, style and functionality.

Why does the UK FiST get projectors but the US model doesn't? FoST projectors? You'll need the ST3 model.

Look! Projectors- Stock ones! on a 94!

So what's the deal?

Shameless plug for my projector retrofit

DISCUSSION (31)

No Prius Needed > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/04/2014 at 21:59

Kinja'd!!!

Because they break and are expensive to repair. My mom owns one of these.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > No Prius Needed
12/04/2014 at 22:00

What broke? There's only a single little actuator which controls the cutoff

No Prius Needed > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/04/2014 at 22:02

Wait never mind. I thought we were talking about swivel headlights.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > No Prius Needed
12/04/2014 at 22:04

Oh no no. Those are just asking for trouble

thebigbossyboss > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/04/2014 at 22:05

Probably because projector cars blind everyone in sight. Nothing like BMW with projectors coming at you with it;s high beams. Can;t see nothing.

No Prius Needed > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/04/2014 at 22:06

They eventually go cross eyed.

TheOnelectronic > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/04/2014 at 22:07

Well, I dislike them because for the same amount of illumination, you get a brighter "point" of light, which results in a lot of people getting angry at me because they think my brights are on.

Further, cost. Since American cars aren't taxed to shit, the cost of the car is a bit more important, especially with cheap cars like the Fiesta or Focus.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > thebigbossyboss
12/04/2014 at 22:08

Yeah but the same goes for reflectors with their high beams on. The asshole factor applies towards both parties in that case.

Though projectors do have a sharper cutoff for when not driving with high beams so less likely to "dazzle" oncoming traffic. No, I don't normally ever use the word dazzle but that seems to be the official term.

GTI MkVII > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/04/2014 at 22:08

I refuse to buy a new car that doesn't have projector HIDs from the factory.

Jayhawk Jake > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/04/2014 at 22:14

What?

Kinja'd!!!

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Jayhawk Jake
12/04/2014 at 22:17

I really want to retrofit those quite badly.

dogisbadob > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/04/2014 at 22:18

Projector isn't everything. There are good reflectors, and bad projectors.

Also, those ebay headlights are absolute shit regardless of optic type. ONLY buy OEM or a reputable brand like Hella, Koito, Cibie, Stanley, Bosch, ZKW etc. 99.9999999999999999% of ebay headlights are cheap useless cosmetic light-shaped toys. The lighting equivalent of a fart can exhaust, if you will. Read more here and here .

Also, keep in mind US automakers are about being cheap, not being good (projectors probably cost more). Our automotive laws are written by lobbyists as opposed to the engineers used internationally. The real solution is to join the world harmonized UNECE standards (cheaper to build 2 versions of a car than 3-4).

BTW, my car has 6 projectors. Separate high and low beams, and fog lights are projectors, too.

dogisbadob > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/04/2014 at 22:22

Kinja'd!!!

projector low beams, reflector high beams.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > dogisbadob
12/04/2014 at 22:25

Totally agree. I went Morimoto (not quite oem quality but still good) and Phillips bulbs. The eBay ones are all made by spyder and I think D-spec... Which are just as you mentioned - terrible. TheRetroFitSource even has swap out kits for spyder lights to get a better projector in there since the headlight housing itself is the hard part.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/04/2014 at 22:25

My Durango has them. I honestly never thought about it.

ReallyColorful > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/04/2014 at 22:27

Never been a fan, probably never will. I'm almost blind and I can see out of regular lamps just fine. I know they look cool and all but most of people I see they're just driving around blinding everyone, including me!

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/04/2014 at 22:29

I'm over here still rocking sealed beam headlights. I've never driven anything with projectors, but I think reflector style works perfectly fine.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > dogisbadob
12/04/2014 at 22:32

Actuated cutoffs took a while to catch on- actually you don't see it often much. Usually projector low and reflector high or just two projectors.

But you also use your low beams 99% of the time (unless you live in the sticks)

Also look at these beasts

Kinja'd!!!

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
12/04/2014 at 22:34

They make sealed beam projector retrofits. I won't tell you where to buy them cause you'll blaim me for spending your monies.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/04/2014 at 22:36

I think they work fine really. I need to adjust them up a little though. And I just can't see the front end of the Safari with projector beams inside the square housings.

Zibodiz > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
12/04/2014 at 22:49

Me too. I personally dislike the look of projectors and HID, and much prefer the larger old-style reflector pans. My cars have always been reflector halogens or sealed beams, and I don't anticipate that changing any time soon, so I can't say how it feels to drive a car that has the newer tech, but I've avoided plenty of deer on the highways at night with my sealed beams, so I see no need to improve. Granted, better is better, but somethings "good enough" really is just that.

Jayhawk Jake > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/04/2014 at 23:57

It's been done. I want to make the passenger side high beam into an intake

SlickMcRick > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/05/2014 at 06:29

Where do I buy them? I need someone to blame. No seriously where can I get them? I was considering your basic HID bulbs but you've opened up a new world to me.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Jayhawk Jake
12/05/2014 at 07:22

Why not leave the high beams alone and use the empty space around the headlights instead?

Cut out as much plastic as you need/reinforce with steel.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > SlickMcRick
12/05/2014 at 08:14

HID bulbs into reflector dish is a huge no no. I've done it, I admit, I thought it looked awesome too. But they scatter light EVERYWHERE.

Theretrofitsource.com has sealed beams. Or you can take your current assembly and add a regular projector to it.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Jayhawk Jake
12/05/2014 at 08:16

Do it.

Jayhawk Jake > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
12/05/2014 at 08:36

There really isn't much empty space around them. If you look straight on both lights are touching, and the gaps top and bottom are nonexistant (maybe the size of a quarter)

Trust me, it's a huge pain in the ass to clean.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Jayhawk Jake
12/05/2014 at 08:48

Really? Wow. Looks like more than that in the pictures. You own the thing though, so I guess you know as well as anyone :).

Kinja'd!!!

This picture shows more what I was thinking, anyway—

Either:

hollow out the green, because many small inlets=one big inlet, in my mind.

do something with the hood overhang (yellow).

But yeah, If the gaps are really that small it probably wouldn't be worthwhile. Your comment just got me thinking, I was considering the same sort of thing once but I didn't want to mess with the actual headlights or reflectors.

SlickMcRick > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/05/2014 at 08:52

I think that's what I'll have to do. My current DD is a 1995 Saturn SL2. I was only able to find projector kits for the 96 and up models. I was foolish to think it could be so easy.

Jayhawk Jake > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
12/05/2014 at 08:57

Someday.

Jayhawk Jake > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
12/05/2014 at 09:06

I understood what you meant, but those gaps are smaller than you'd think. I can take a picture later and make it a little more clear. The hood area also sticks out more than I think you can tell from pictures, it's overhanging quite a bit of the 'projectors'.

If I did this I'd pick up a new headlight assembly to mess with instead of the ones on the car. Aftermarket assemblies are like $150 or so, just take it apart, cut out the reflector and cover, and make a plastic 'funnel' like the Hellcat. I'd probably design it in CAD and have it 3D printed.

Someday I might get bored enough to do it, right now it's too much work/money that I would rather save towards a 'vette