Where can I get *CLEAR* headlamps for cheap ?

[siddharth]

Hi guys,

I just got a call from the shop saying that the lamps we waited on arriving for 2 weeks are NOT clear !! They have the yellow stuff below. Of course, mine is a 1999 996, so I need the OLDER STYLE (like boxster) clear headlamps.

Now I'm really busy in the morning (sneeking this in a meeting :o) and wanted to tell him in a few hours, so I thought I'd also ask you guys to short circuit my research (sorry!).

Do you guys know of some places (online/SouthernCalifornia?) which sell CLEAR headlamps for (relatively) CHEAP ?

Thanks in advance !

__________________

Sid

--------------------------------------------

Porsche 996 C2 coupe, black on black

Suzuki GSX-R750 sportbike

[Loren]

Only early MY99 cars had orange (yellow) headlights. My June 1999 built car had clears (until I upgraded to Litronics). Boxster (986) has always had orange in the lights unless you opted for Litronics.

Performance Products sells the clear headlights for 996 - but for roughly twice the price the Halogen lights you can have Xenon Litronics.

[Tool Pants]

Porsche gave the lowly 986 Boxster clear halogen headlights in 2003 and 2004. There is a minor cosmetic difference compared to 996 clears, but you 996 owners would never notice. :P

[Loren]

My mistake oh mighty Boxster Wizard... ;)

[Q-Ship986]

Running low on useless knowledge today....do tell.

[siddharth]

Only early MY99 cars had orange (yellow) headlights. My June 1999 built car had clears (until I upgraded to Litronics). Boxster (986) has always had orange in the lights unless you opted for Litronics.

Performance Products sells the clear headlights for 996 - but for roughly twice the price the Halogen lights you can have Xenon Litronics.

Hmmm ... I guess then mine is from early 1999 then ! Anyway, I'm sure I want the regular halogen lamps. Any eBay links ? I can't find too many on eBay.

Also, what is the technical diff between regular (halogen) and lithtronic ? What technology is "lithtronic" ?

Cheers !

[Tool Pants]

Running low on useless knowledge today....do tell.

You insensitive 996 owners....

And then the Porsche gods also gave us 986 Boxstir owners clear rears.

[Loren]

If you look at the sticker on the drivers door it will tell you the exact month and year your car was built.

Porsche describes the two systems this way (for cars prior to MY02):

Halogen -

"In the low beam sector, the H7 bulb system offers the following advantages:

- high light volume

- more light in the boundary zone in front of the light/dark boundary

- homogeneous illumination of the entire road surface

- to prevent the driver of the vehicle and the drivers of oncoming vehicles from being dazzled, the headlights are coated with "anti-dazzle" paint at the necessary points.

The high beam uses a second H7 bulb that ensures a good range (advantageous at high speed on straight roads) and improved homogeneity when flashing the headlight."

Litronic (Xenon/Halogen) -

"The "Litronic" system offers the following advantages in low-beam mode:

- very high light volume

- more light in the boundary zone in front of the light/dark boundary

- homogeneous illumination of the entire road surface

- high colour temperature enables good colour vision

- the sharply defined light/dark boundary prevents passing vehicles from being dazzled

- to prevent the driver of the vehicle and the drivers of oncoming vehicles from being dazzled, the headlights are coated with "anti-dazzle" paint at the necessary points and have a periphery illumination reflector.

The "Litronic" system offers the following advantages in high-beam mode:

- Halogen high-beam headlights

- lowering the beam mask provides a wide and very brightly lit illumination zone even at long range (particularly important on winding roads)

- supplementary halogen headlights ensure long-range illumination (important when driving at high speeds along straight roads)

- considerably better switching behaviour when flashing the headlights as well as improved homogeneity compared to previous gas-discharge systems.

[Kim]

Hmmm ... I guess then mine is from early 1999 then ! Anyway, I'm sure I want the regular halogen lamps. Any eBay links ? I can't find too many on eBay.

Also, what is the technical diff between regular (halogen) and lithtronic ? What technology is "lithtronic" ?

Sid,

I have observed that the only apparent cost effective source of the clear, halogen lights is an owner who has swapped out his for the Litronic retrofit. I put mine up on ebay after the conversion, and was thrilled to get $600 .... exactly half what I had paid for the Litronic kit.

As for the difference, Loren has posted the official description. Suffice it to say that halogen lights are the changeable bulbs that have been common in cars for a number of years now. Much brighter than the old technology sealed beam units, and usually less than $!0 to replace ... unless you are using the "off road use only" higher wattages. (no good for our plastic headlights, by the way).

"Litronic" is Porsche's inexplicable name for high intensity discharge bulbs (HID) using xenon gas. These are the very white (bluish) lights you see coming at you on newer cars. These 35 watt bulbs typically produce about 3 times the light of a 55 watt halogen bulb.

Although they do not always do so, HID bulbs are generally expected to last the life of the car, unlike the halogens.

As Loren's text points out, the lights in the Porsche Litronic retrofit kit are not "bi-xenon" like newer, factory Porsche lights. They use the HID bulb for the low beam, and a typical halogen bulb for the high beam. If the electonics are installed, the low beam HID bulb will rotate up to join the halogen bulb when lights are switched to hi beam.

Edited May 3, 2006 by Kim

[siddharth]

Running low on useless knowledge today....do tell.

You insensitive 996 owners....

And then the Porsche gods also gave us 986 Boxstir owners clear rears.

Hey Toolpants, do you know if the boxster headlamps will fit on the carrera (the 1999 C2 one) ? I might be able to expand my search space that way.

I'm getting a "deal" on the xenon upgrade for $1650 (with set+electronics). From sunset/suncoast/brandywine the regular lights are the SAME price as the xenon (or maybe $150/200 different). Porsche has a special price for the upgrade kit ...

But the thing is I've spend $5k this month on the car (front bumper, radiator replace, flush, refinish ENTIRE front for chips etc) ... so I'm very determined not to spend any more on this now. So I'm looking for a cheap solution. If I don't find anything then I might just bite the bullet ...

I think Kims suggestion of looking for used regular clear lamps is nice. But I think all owners have already done the conversion ... the market is stark empty !

[Q-Ship986]

Running low on useless knowledge today....do tell.

You insensitive 996 owners....

Jeff, I thought you meant there was a cosmetic difference between 996 and 986 halogen clears. Did you? That's the useless trivia I'm after.... --Brian

[Tool Pants]

Pre-2002 996s clear halogen and litronic headlights have a diamond pattern under the clear plastic lense. They also have 996 part numbers.

986 halogen headlights have lines, no matter if they are the 1997-2002 ambers or 2003-2004 clears. They have 986 part numbers. 986 litronics have the diamond pattern because they are 996 parts.

The clear halogen 986 headlights from 2003-2004 fit the pre-2002 996s.

I have 996 clears on my 1997 Box. Paid $300 but it is hard to find a deal like that.

[siddharth]

Pre-2002 996s clear halogen and litronic headlights have a diamond pattern under the clear plastic lense. They also have 996 part numbers.

986 halogen headlights have lines, no matter if they are the 1997-2002 ambers or 2003-2004 clears. They have 986 part numbers. 986 litronics have the diamond pattern because they are 996 parts.

The clear halogen 986 headlights from 2003-2004 fit the pre-2002 996s.

I have 996 clears on my 1997 Box. Paid $300 but it is hard to find a deal like that.

Ok. I'm surprised nobody here is ready to sell their clear halogen lamps ... people ... please upgrade to those lovely lithtronic lamps. Then sell me your old halogen lamps for cheap. ;) !

Seriously, I guess very few people have done the regular -> lithtronic upgrade ... I've tried renntech, rennlist and 6speedonline ....

I also found this stuff about the 996 vs boxster lights (halogen, non-lithtronic/non-xenon)...

I found out that they are identical in fit and electricals. BUT

996

===

- has a diamond pattern on the inner silver polished surface. (thanks toolpants)

- has an auto-leveling system so that the lights always shine as intended, not up or down when you suddenly accelerate or brake

Boxster

=====

- has a line pattern on the inner silver reflective surface (thanks toolpants)

- don't have the 996 auto-leveling system inside

Thanks

Sid

[Tool Pants]

I'll sell you my 996 clears for what I paid, $300. But you will also have to buy the car....

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=8894

You might try mickey/Scott. He has been selling them on ebay. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=5328

These sold for $500 last week. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread....threadid=280016

[siddharth]

Hey Toolpants,

Thanks a bunch for those tips.

I've PMd/emailed Mickey/Scott. Yet to hear from him. Hoping he has some good deal for me for either halogen or lithtronic.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=8894 looks ok but he is as expensive as another set on eBay PLUS he has some minor orange stuff in the turn signal area. I'm looking for your type of lights where its fully clear.

I must ask you .... how did you manage to snag your lights for $300 ?? That's pretty amazing ... on a side note, are you really thinking of selling the boxster ? If yes, what's the replacement ?

Cheers !

Sid

I'll sell you my 996 clears for what I paid, $300. But you will also have to buy the car....

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=8894

You might try mickey/Scott. He has been selling them on ebay. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=5328

These sold for $500 last week. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread....threadid=280016

[Kim]

... PLUS he has some minor orange stuff in the turn signal area. I'm looking for your type of lights where its fully clear.

If by "minor orange stuff", you're talking about the triangle shaped pieces in the outer corners ..... those are replaceable with clear. Costs about $40, I seem to remember.

[Tool Pants]

The clear lights have an internal lense for the turn signal. Sometimes a flash picture or the angle of the camera will make the lights look amber when they are really clear.

The lights on renntech should be clear since they come from a 2000 996.

[siddharth]

The clear lights have an internal lense for the turn signal. Sometimes a flash picture or the angle of the camera will make the lights look amber when they are really clear.

The lights on renntech should be clear since they come from a 2000 996.

Ok. I didn't know that. So you're saying that his "clear" headlights are more or less the same as your headlights ? i.e. the amount of amber stuff is the same ?

I was also researching some more and found this thread with toolpants. So this amber filter is present in both the 'clear' lithtronics as well as the 'clear' regular lights ? And method of removal is the same ?

Toolpants, did you take out the amber from your lights ? During the day, can you make that amber stuff clearly or its really doesn't matter ?

cheers ! :cheers:

Edited May 4, 2006 by siddharth

[siddharth]

Ok guys, I got a set for a good deal ($400) from a member on rennlist.com (tentster). He was in the San Diego region so he dropped it off too (Nice chap !) Its a regular halogen set, clear with the clear triangles.

Its at the body shop right now ... will let you guys know soon ...

thanks

Sid

The clear lights have an internal lense for the turn signal. Sometimes a flash picture or the angle of the camera will make the lights look amber when they are really clear.

The lights on renntech should be clear since they come from a 2000 996.

Ok. I didn't know that. So you're saying that his "clear" headlights are more or less the same as your headlights ? i.e. the amount of amber stuff is the same ?

I was also researching some more and found this thread with toolpants. So this amber filter is present in both the 'clear' lithtronics as well as the 'clear' regular lights ? And method of removal is the same ?

Toolpants, did you take out the amber from your lights ? During the day, can you make that amber stuff clearly or its really doesn't matter ?

cheers ! :cheers:

[gandrade1]

Ok guys, I got a set for a good deal ($400) from a member on rennlist.com (tentster). He was in the San Diego region so he dropped it off too (Nice chap !) Its a regular halogen set, clear with the clear triangles.

Its at the body shop right now ... will let you guys know soon ...

thanks

Sid

The clear lights have an internal lense for the turn signal. Sometimes a flash picture or the angle of the camera will make the lights look amber when they are really clear.

The lights on renntech should be clear since they come from a 2000 996.

Ok. I didn't know that. So you're saying that his "clear" headlights are more or less the same as your headlights ? i.e. the amount of amber stuff is the same ?

I was also researching some more and found this thread with toolpants. So this amber filter is present in both the 'clear' lithtronics as well as the 'clear' regular lights ? And method of removal is the same ?

Toolpants, did you take out the amber from your lights ? During the day, can you make that amber stuff clearly or its really doesn't matter ?

cheers ! :cheers:

Well...One more Boxster owner looking to get rid of the amber lights...They look particularly unpleasant in my black on black car

Do you guys have any idea of where I can find a good deal on either clear lights or litronics?

I own a '01 986 and have been looking for a fair deal for a while.

I tried the links above but, as expected, they are outdated. Any advice that would help me pay less than the 1,094 for clears or 1,494 for litronics (at Sun Coast) is very, very welcome...

Thanks you very much,

Cheers

Gustavo

:renntech:

[viper501]

Suncoast probably has the best current price on Litronics. Sunset may be able to help too. Kinda depends.

Stay far far far away from Brandywine though.

Ebay has lights (halogen mostly) pop up from time to time. Be careful what you bid on though. A number of the ones I have seen on Ebay have had broken mounting tabs (probably from being removed from the car with a crowbar late in the night). I also got burned, pardon the pun, on a single light that I bought that the internal wiring had been cooked somehow. Don't know if it was overwattage bulbs or what but all of the internal insulation was cracking apart. I'd recommend you get good pictures, before bidding, of the lights both inside and out.

[gandrade1]

Thanks Viper,

I e-mailed Sunset...I will let you know how it goes.

Thanks,

Gustavo