Lights, driving and dipped

The Oily Bits S2 Specific Topics
1

My daily commute involves unlit rural roads, b class and ‘oh I thought that road was a dead end’ class.
As such I would like answers to the following.

Firstly, what settings/procedure is required when replacing a bulb in the driving lights. The manual suggests getting this done at a dealer so the height/spread etc can be configured.

Secondly, I understand 21GG replaced his dipped beam bulb with a much higher wattage rated unit. Others have used the Osram/Phillips units (H7).
What’s the concensus?
I read somewhere(forum) that the wheel and liners had to be removed to replace the headlight bulbs (I recall this from S1). IIRC the manual states that the headlight unit requires removal. Can anyone clarify this for me.

I did do a number of searches but didn’t find the answers.
(MLOC, SELOC, EXIGES)
Vehicle is s2 07 Exige

Thanks in advance to all who respond.

2

Is this post in the wrong place ?
Doesn’t anyone else drive at night, or is the thread just dull.
Not even any sarcasm!

3

Answers:

  1. No

  2. It’s your lights that are dull, not the thread.

  3. No idea what you are inferring.

4

Not sure if you are able to just change the bulb as from the middle of 06 the headlights were changed to sealed units

5

In 74000 miles and 5 1/2 years my S1 has really really really only blown one tail light bulb.
Blowing bulbs must just be an S2 quirk.

6

I wouldn’t want to uprate the bulbs due to extra load on the electrical system but HID would be a good idea as these are much lower electrical load.

You change the headlight bulbs by removing the headliught unit I think but you access the fixing from the wheelarch… I’ve not needed to yet though so cant confirm exact details.

I’ve been driving a camper van the last few weeks and even though the headlights are still poor I get the feeling that the perception of Exige lights is poor as you are sat on the floor so dont see much spread into the distance whereas in the high up camper the same throw pattern looks much more impressive as you see more of it.

I’d get a decent set of HIDs (4 ballast type, not the 2 ballast with moving reflector) and get the alignment optimised.

7

what’s an S1?

8

I found the attached info handy as the aim on my headlights were along way out.
You have to ask the question why Lotus are unable to set the headlights up correctly at the factory.

Regards,

David.

9

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions so far.
Humour and sarcasm are always welcome/invited and enjoyed in posts.
David thanks for the link.
Tone, My s1 didn’t blow any bulbs in 54k miles, though I did have to replace the driving lights
prior to getting some lense covers. It would have been longer, we set out on a journey and only one of us made it back.
The throw from the S1 was poor, but very good when the driving lights were on.
Badnis, been looking at HIDS, the price range is wide so looking for personal recommendations.
Exigeboy, S1 is the aluminium tub lotus that didn’t have aircon, traction control, abs and understeer designed in.
Thanks again all.

10

I’ve got the elise-shop hid kit. Very pleased with it. Driving in the dark was a nonsense before.

11

I did run uprated head light lamps but thy never lasted any more than 2 weeks. In the end i got a hid kit off ebay and it was a LOT better.
Ive since changed to an 07 s2 exige which has different lamps so couldnt swap them over but will be getting another set soon.
Gav

12

Gav, Did you get HIDs from a supplier who is still trading.
As I stated earlier there appears to be a wide spread in prices and it seems all/most units originating in China.
So I’m looking for units people have experience with. Yvo’s and eliseparts look good, but they aren’t cheap, HIDS4U were better priced IIRC.

Haven’t seen you since the Shrewsbury run a few years back, start point was McD’s drive-in. But then I haven’t been on many runs recently, ran a 911 for a while, but I’m back in the fold

13

I’d get a decent set of HIDs (4 ballast type, not the 2 ballast with moving reflector) and get the alignment optimised.

So HIDs aren’t just HIDs…what’s the difference?

14

AFAIK the pucka bi xenon bulbs have 2 dedicated lamps, one for main beam and one for dip. The cheaper ones use a single lamp with a solonoid operated shutter to move the beam.Not sure of the installation issues though…

15

The Exige uses different units for main and dipped beam.
The upper lamp (projector style) is dipped and the lower main and sidelights.

16

Azureblue, tha was a long time back! Im based in the nw so dont get down that far too often! I dont think the person is till on ebay cos its been a while. Dont bother with a bi-zenon you wont need the extra high beam. I believe that the better ones like elise parts tc do a low voltage check before fire up for safety reasons, but mine cost about �120 and were fine, the only issue was that the plastic lamp base was slightly thicker than the metal base on halogen lamps so required a little fiddling. The new exiges have h7 lamps, there are some on ebay that caught my eye as they use slim ballasts. Might get some for christmas when ive got time to fit them.
Gav