RX350 Retrofit vs. Factory LED headlights - has anyone compared them?

I didn't know that, that does change my mind about them because I do like the design of the DRL surrounding the whole headlight, just like the factory LED headlights of the 2020 models. Those sequential turn signals were a definite deal breaker, they look like a Las Vegas Casino sign and just scream "boy racer". It's one thing to have sequential turn signals on an expensive luxury or sports car with factory LED strip lighting all the way around the vehicle, but on a pickup truck that uses incandescent bulbs in every other fixture, it looks very out of place.

 

Theyre much better than most LEDs. The only thing that gives halogens any competition is the morimoto xb and those are only marginally better at the cost of $1200. If youre spending that kind of money youre much better off going with an HID retrofit which will blow everything else out of the water.

 

You must work in an incandescent bulb Factory assembling them by hand the way you speak so badly of light emitting diodes. I just watched on YouTube a Tacoma chief engineer say the LEDs shine 38m further and 10 m wider to either side than the halogens. Not to mention whiter light. But I didn't need an engineer to tell me how good they were after I compared them. They work as well as my Rubicon with a light bar.https://youtu.be/hELXIudcew0 1:15 minute mark.

 

I plan on going HID retrofit. I gotta disagree with your comment saying the LED headlights are worse than the halogen projectors, the factory LED headlights are significantly better than the crappy stock halogen projectors.

 

Not in my experience. The halogen bulbs in my 2017 OR were unacceptably dim and dangerous. I can’t believe they were up to DOT regs. They were fucking terrible.

I replaced them with Morimoto 35w 4500k HIDs. They were awesome.

Purchased the kit at https://www.theretrofitsource.com/2016-tacoma-morimoto-elite-HS-TACOMA

 

well no shit HIDs are better, I'm comparing the morimoto xb LED enclosures with an $8 halogen bulb stock housing upgrade.

There's no way to compare the 2020 LED's until they've been tested along side something else measured for reference. And even if we did have the data I'll bet they're on par with the morimotos kit or H9 bulbs. We'll see when Crashnburn80 finally gets his hands on a set. $1200 for OEM or Morimoto LED enclosures... or an $8 halogen H9 bulb... Pretty clear the obvious choice is either go with the H9 or put the $1200 towards an HID retrofit if you're insisting on spending the money.

But I get it lots of people here want that lipstick on their trucks. I'm more of a function guy myself. To each their own it's your truck, but lets not bullshit about the performance.

 

The Toyota Tacoma this year received the iihs top safety pick one of only three pickups due to its good rating on its LED headlights, their highest rating. The iihs started rating headlights in 2016. They gave one vehicle their highest award in 2016 out of 31 vehicles tested. Now in 2020 they test nearly all vehicle headlights, and 20% received their highest rating, good. They have never awarded their highest rating to a halogen headlight system. The Tacomas OEM halogen received a marginal ranking, barely. The ratings are poor, marginal, Fair, good. Google it or go to iihs and look up the Tacoma, easy to find.

 

Not sure about the Tacoma they look nice tho. On my tundra I did a D2S retro then went on the LED tundra headlights they came out with in 2018 I like them much better.

 

$850 I can retrofit a set of oem lights that way outperform those other options. Doesn’t have to be $1200!

 

Yes the stock bulbs that came in our halogen projectors are garbage and not worth the materials they're made of. You can quit beating that dead horse. No one is debating that. The point is a simple H9 $8 bulb upgrade far out performs the OEM which is what we're comparing.

 

I'm not beating a dead horse, I just read your post saying LEDs are such garbage. When somebody gives me "facts" I do my own research, especially when I can see that someone's very biased. The LED lights on my Tacoma would not have been a deal maker or breaker when I bought it. But for $485 I would not Buy a Tacoma today without them.

 

It has nothing to do with lipstick, I’m a stickler for good lighting. I’ve tried the Philips H9 bulb upgrade. It’s surely an upgrade from the H11’s but definitely not as bright as my HID kit from diode dynamics. I think the stock beam pattern from the halogen projectors kinda sucks too, it’s a weird upside down triangle. Upgraded lighting aside, the beam pattern from the RX350 projectors is a big improvement over the stock halogen projectors.

 

LEDs are garbage. You are beating a dead horse. You keep insisting that the OEM LED enclosure that has yet to be tested is better than the stock OEM halogen bulbs which literally nobody is comparing. Youre spouting unsupported bullshit and pitting it up against a strawman.

I am biased on facts yes, as everyone should be. Are you trying to say that Crashnburn80's testing is biased? Furthermore the OEM LEDs will cost you a shit ton more than $485 to put on your truck. Its more like $485 per side plus the cost of the conversion wiring kit.

The stock projectors are designed for halogen bulbs not HID. They have much more uplight which with an HID installed creates all kinds of glare to oncoming traffic. Of course rx350 projectors are an improvement DS2s even better. I dont think anyone is debating that halogens compete with HID.

 

The stock LEDs are a $485 option on a new 2020 Toyota Tacoma. Pay attention to what the hell I said. So should I hear the data from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, or Garabs Gar-bage' ? I'm good. I'm also done with this conversation thank you very much.

 

Again no one is talking about buying a new truck, we are discussing upgrades. I am paying attention to exactly what you say and its all bullshit manipulation of the subject to fit your flawed argument.

Should you listen to a beurocratic institute that doesnt tell you what was used to measure light output and has zero comparative data to other headlight options? Or should you listen to crashnburn80's methodical testing using incredibly accurate full spectrum measuring tools that compares damn near every option available on an even playing field with pictures and actual data points made available?

Hmm tough call.

Clearly youre just another one of the idiots here completely incapable of admitting their purchase is anything but the best. You cant even have a civil honest discussion about it. Every argument you make is disingenuous attacking a strawman backed up by bullshit and perception over hard data and facts. Im through with you too. Bye Felicia.

 

Why hasn’t anybody tagged him yet?!?













@crashnburn80

 

Until he gets his hands on a set of the new OEM LEDs we cant have a factual discussion on the matter. Its all based on perception, opinions, and bias.

 

Just because he hasn’t tested the new 2020 headlight system doesn’t mean he can’t chime in on this magnificent thread right?

 

Lol hes a smart man to stay out of this dumpster fire of disinformation without a salvo of facts to back up what hes got to say.

 

I just wanna see people getting schooled cause I’m bored