Halogen headlamps look like HID?

[jjsk]

The dealer said the GT/isense headlights have regular halogen bulbs (plus the LED DRL) but when I turn them at night on they look a lot like HID on my other car, with white/bluish tint. I have never seen anything like this from a halogen lamp. Any ideas what makes them look so "white"?

 

[jhu8]

Do you have led fog lights or haloge? If you have led, then you have led headlights. I'm thinking you have led headlights and not halogen because you have the led DRL. If this is true, I really don't how a dealer could be so misinformed.

 

[rockthebeef]

I really don't how a dealer could be so misinformed.

I've never met a dealer (salesman to be specific) who actually knew everything about the cars he sells. Those of us who do substantial research before stepping foot in a dealership usually teach the salesman a thing or two! It's the same in almost any retail situation. Salesmen are just salesmen. They're not subject experts. Only the great ones care enough to learn about what they sell, but those guys are few and far between.

 

[jjsk]

Do you have led fog lights or haloge? If you have led, then you have led headlights. I'm thinking you have led headlights and not halogen because you have the led DRL. If this is true, I really don't how a dealer could be so misinformed.

it's the '16 GT with iactive/tech package. The door sticker says she has halogen headlights, but there are definitely some LEDs in there too. It's kinda confusing. Time to RTM...

 

[dblgoat]

From my research as I prepare to purchase a CX5 the GT has LED headlights, but as with most cars this is just the low beam. High Beams are halogen so this might be what is confusing you (and the salesman).

 

[jjsk]

From my research as I prepare to purchase a CX5 the GT has LED headlights, but as with most cars this is just the low beam. High Beams are halogen so this might be what is confusing you (and the salesman).

ok that makes sense. wow so they are LED low beam hedlamps. The dealer definitely was not up to speed. He said I can just pop regular halogen bulbs from walmart when time comes.

 

[CaboWabo]

most salesmen at the dealership can spew a lot of BS about features and options they don't even always know about. When I'm buying a car, I do so much initial research that I can probably write another brochure. It always amazes me when I ask them a question and they clearly give a wrong answer about the car they are trying to sell.

 

[jjp735i]

ok that makes sense. wow so they are LED low beam hedlamps. The dealer definitely was not up to speed. He said I can just pop regular halogen bulbs from walmart when time comes.

If you have LED then both low and high beam is the same bulb. It's just a shutter that changes for high beam.

jjp

 

[riff42]

If you have LED then both low and high beam is the same bulb. It's just a shutter that changes for high beam.

jjp

Wrong. Very wrong. The Low beams are not Bi-LED, they are optically shaped low beams. The highs are next to the low in the reflector bowl looking setup. Low stays on when you turn on the High beams as well.

OP, your fogs will be LED as well.

 

[riff42]

From my research as I prepare to purchase a CX5 the GT has LED headlights, but as with most cars this is just the low beam. High Beams are halogen so this might be what is confusing you (and the salesman).

New CX5's with tech package are LED both high and low!!! Highs are not halogen!!!

 

[kdaug]

I have a non-tech CX-5 so all my bulbs are halogen. Now, I want to upgrade my DRL/highbeam bulb to a brighter/whiter bulb. I have researched several brands(Sylvania, GE, Philips, PIAA, Putco, etc) as well as online reviews but have yet to find a definitive answer as to which model is best. Now the one point that several have commented on is to avoid bulbs that are tinted blue as this gives the light a slightly blue tint(which I definitely DON'T want), as well as decreasing the strength of the beam. The other issue is that many have suggested that these "upgraded" bulbs tend to have a much shorter life span.

I have added LED fog light surrounds which now make my DRL/highbeams appear more yellowish in color, consequently my reason for wanting to upgrade to a brighter/whiter bulb. I am looking for recommendations from others who have found the whitest halogen upgrade.