Change My Mind

Would not be worth it to me. But once you get used to the better lights on newer trucks it is tempting. The lights on my 2014 F150 are were noticeably worse than my 2007 Tacoma. But when we bought a 2020 Explorer they were so much better that I could no longer live with the ones on the F150. I took a chance on some $70 LED bulbs and it was a noticeable improvement.

 

Doing anything to a vehicle that isn't stock is a waste of money. It's called a hobby.

 

Depends on what you have now. On my last truck they were halogen. I test drove a Tacoma at night with LED headlights. It became a must have feature on my new Tacoma. Just go to a Dealer at night and test drive one. You will see.

 

Nah. Those halogens really sucked. I have the Morimoto XB LED V2 Headlights

 

I couldn’t stomach $1,000; but I dropped in an HID conversion for $250 (CAD). So far I’m beyond stoked with the performance.

However that left me with $450 to pop in some Baja Design’s Squadron Sports. Between the two I’m laughing. Of course, IMO.

 

I never put in effort to change other peoples minds. I don't care



Edit: Not meant toward the OP, just the guy in the pic*

 

Meh, there's worse things to spend money on. People spend $350+ on ARB compressors when Smittybuilts are $150-$200 and do the same job or a ton of other things. At least good headlights make driving at night much nicer, less stressful and safer depending on what you're comparing them to. I wouldn't spend $1000 on headlights, but that's because I know how to build them myself and for about $350 my RX350 retrofit blows Morimoto's out of the water.

It's a hobby and everyone places higher priorities on certain areas. I'm a light nerd, so I focus on that stuff. To be honest, it's all a waste of money to do anything more than keeping it stock.

 

My jealously of other tacomas with full LED headlights got me researching options and prices.

Then a local deal popped up on some morimoto xb LED headlights and it was over.

 

I'm not a fan of the awesome "cutoff" in factory headlights. I WANT a little more light above the cutoff, for offroading and dark rural highways.

 

Do stock halogen headlights really suck on the 3rd gens ? My first 3rd gen is on the way and I never thought about headlights until joining this sight. Our current vehicles have led but I don’t remember considering them a big deal when I got them. Then again most of my night driving is in town or on busy enough interstates where it’s not such a big deal. Or is it ?

 

The cutoff is so you're not blinding other drivers like all those that use PNP LED bulbs in their lights that blind you. The OEM LED headlights have some up lighting for signs and critters that is within limits of SAE Standards. The Morimoto's have some uplighting, but not much by comparison. If you want more light above the cutoff for off roading and rural highways, then use use your high beams...that's what they're there for.

3rd Gen OEM Halogen headlights are pretty good with either an H9 bulb or Tungsram Nighthawk Platinum H11 bulbs. Even compared to the OEM LED or Morimoto LED. At 42' the H9 bulb is only a few lux difference compared to the Morimoto, the OEM LED is about 30lux brighter than both at 42'.