4 Aftermarket headlights: pros and cons

Aftermarket headlights are becoming increasingly popular with car owners/buyers who wish to enhance the looks of their car, improve the visibility during driving in dark conditions or have a replacement for an older specification headlight that is aging and on the verge to wear out. The reason for each might differ, but knowing is sure to make all the difference between enjoying your new pair of headlamps or regretting your purchase.

The most common way for upgrading a vehicle is to add a new spare part, that is aftermarket headlamps. These headlights tend to be a lot brighter than stock headlights. However, not all aftermarket headlights are road legal, and using the super bright vision-choking pair of lamps might land you a hefty fine.

So, to ensure you do not end up with aftermarket headlights that might put you at undesired risk. Let’s have a look at various aftermarket headlights you can buy.

Ø UNO MINDA LH/RH HL5680K (headlight kit for swift)

UNO MINDA deals in several automotive accessories which are available in the Indian automotive market. Swift By Maruti Suzuki is one of the best-selling hatchbacks in the country and does require a strong aftermarket spares Network. This specific headlamp is just designed to fill the void that OEM won’t be able to do by itself. The headlamp is at par with the OEM quality grade standards.

Pros-

•                   OEM grade quality.

•                   Efficient than standard halogen headlights.

•                   Versatile enough to be arranged in a wide variety of shapes and configurations.

•                   Works well even without relay, as the power consumption is minimal.

•                   They provide more focused illumination.

Cons-

•Takes a long time to reach operating temperature and provide a strong light.

 

Ø UNO MINDA HL-5663M (TOYOTA ETIOS/LIVA)

As Toyota lives up to its reliability standards and some drivers have reported to clocked 100,000 miles on their Odometer. Such high standards do require extremely durable after-market spare parts to keep the automobile going. Here are a few advantages and disadvantages-

Pros-

•Enhanced resistance to scratches and adverse weather.

•Designed to withstand extreme weather for a long time.

•Break proof.

Con’s-

•It will be good for halogen or LED bulb setup might suffer if it’s an HID bulb. The reason being the casing is different for HID headlight set-up.

 

Ø UNO MINDA HL- 5642AM head light (Mahindra bolero)

For the workhorse of Indian road, be it a Bolero pickup (with trunk) or the Bolero 7 seaters. This specific vehicle has earned its name on Indian roads for its sturdiness and reliability from mountains with snow to the desert. To keep its name enact some OEM after-market spare part manufacturer has to take charge of this very important role. One such brand is UNO MINDA which develops headlamps with toughened glass and is embedded with a hard-coated lens to ensure longevity. Some of the pros and cons are as follows-

Pros-

•Designed with keeping in mind the harsh and vigorous conditions this vehicle has to encounter on regular basis.

•Enhanced resistance to scratches and adverse weather.

Cons-

•Works well with Halogen or LED bulb set-up. However, the light throw might be hampered if it’s an HID bulb set.

 

Ø UNO MINDA Headlight HL5636 (Renault KWID)

Despite, being a late mover Renault Kwid has gained a considerable amount of traction in the budget segment automotive market in India, as the hatchback has crossed the 4 lakh sales mark in the country. Which, requires a strong and reliable after-market spare parts network in the country. UNO MINDA to a great extent strives to fulfill the spare parts demand of the vehicle with its New and improved headlamps.

Pros-

•  Enhances resistance to scratches and adverse weather.

•  World-wide technology partnership that provides OEM specification aftermarket headlamps.

•  Can withstand extreme weather conditions for a longer time.

Cons-

•  As every year there is a variation in the design of the vehicle, ex- facelift which might make it difficult to procure the part of the specific model.

•  HID light might not give a satisfactory throw of light as it is designed for halogen and LED bulbs.

 

Conclusion

In the end, the most crucial aspect to remember is that you should stick to road-legal headlights. Illegal headlights can cause many issues, and even if they are not technically breaking the law, they’re not particularly safe either. It will require a lot of research to ensure the aftermarket headlight you pick is road legal.