Headlight bulbs for an older Avensis

[Pippalump]

I had to let my old VVTI go and I got one to replace her

The new girl is older 1999 GLS.

Like the VVTI she has 4 lights but unlike the VVTI she only has the two pin bulbs....

She has what they call in the garage white bulbs but....

The VVTI had bright white lights.... The GLS her lights.... they just are dim and yellow compared to the VVTI.  They are ok but with full beam lights or those stupid new things coming to wards you my old lady's lights are almost taken out if you know wha tI mean? I am used to the VVTI white lights and this yellow thing I don't like lol....

I already found out that the VVTI can't donate her lights as the wiring is all wrong sadly but they sell kits...  Claiming they are as good as the 3 pin Halogen ones...

I just wondered has anyone tried them and do they work?

 

[FROSTYBALLS]

Are you talking about HID kits?

[Pippalump]

I not sure what they art called but they have them in Euro part and you get 2 2 pin bulbs that say they improve the old bulbs by 100%....

You don't have to wire them in but would the HID kit improve mine? If fitted will it still mot as they tell me some wont? 

Thinking about it they might have to be wired in.... I can't remember what they are called but they told me it would help..... Anything would help,  on dipped beam my old girl looks like candle light compared to the VVTI lol

 

Edited February 23, 2020 by Pippalump

[FROSTYBALLS]

HID kits should fail the MOT.

Think your bulbs would be H7 fitting (perhaps someone will confirm), so something like these at Amazon would be road legal

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/AUTOMOTIVE-Xenon-Brighter-Headlight-RW3377/dp/B016OQPNUA/ref=sr_1_14?keywords=H7+upgrade+bulbs&qid=1582476534&sr=8-14  

 

[Pippalump]

Bless you Mike I think they are very similar bit twice that amount!! 

The ones on your link look very like with the blue in the same area to.

Great they are road legal as I been warned about the older style kits.... They might mean the HID one?

The VVTI is 3 pin sadly so the voltage is wrong.  Hoping the fog lights will fit though yet to find out lol.  The GLS still has blanks in the front fogs. 

I will get the ones on your link as they really are half the price!! 

I like the sound of white lights again lol. I honestly don't like the old yellow when the LED ones come towards you the GLS lights are far to dim.... Cars behind make mine have a shadow to.  I do a lot of night driving so thanks for that link.... I will get some for sure :-) 

[FROSTYBALLS]

Check that the bulbs have 'H7' on the base first though

[Pippalump]

I will.  

Thanks again and if they fit and are right will get another set as reading the review these last between 12-18 months and to have spares makes sense cos I guessing they are not kept as often as ordinary bulbs in garages.

I tell you I got 2 vehicles I drive at night  and all I can say is the GLS is better than the other one... That other ones got 3 pin biggest it can have fitted bulbs and still not brilliant...

The GLS is ok but those really bright headlights nearly take mine out. These on the link sound brilliant 

It will be nice to see properly and not have shadows of my car in the way lol

Thanks again :-) 

 

[Konrad C]

I owned a 1998 GLS until 4 years ago. A few things to check with the headlights, is the headlight level adjust control is working. The H7 bulbs can dim with age. I found this out when replacing one of the bulbs, and the replacement was brighter than the other side. I never had problem with the reflectors nor the glass lens.
I also used led bulbs (501) for the front side lights. I found that for some reason, the standard side bulbs kept blowing after a while (months or year), due being located near the headlights, in the same housing. Could be heat and I used clean gloves to handle the bulbs, they didn't last too long. The LED's had no problems.
A few thing s you need to be aware is that the pre-facelift cars with the older engines, do not support OBD2. The good news is there is a work around using the paperclip method, to get all the codes for the EML,ABS and SRS systems. All the petrol engines are cam belts and non-interference engines. Rear brakes are drums unlike the facelift, which are disk with drums inside.
There are a lot more I could say, having owned the car for over 12.5 years.    
 

[Pippalump]

Thanks for all the info Konrad. Its funny you should say about side lights as both of mine are new already ...  Oddly even though both came from the same packet the o/s is brighter than the n/s one.  

My girl has what the garage calls white bulbs. They are older bulbs that are brighter than the original ones but the H7 ones are I think the ones the garage guy called gas ones and I will get a pair this week and see what they are like.

This one is my second GLS though this ones the estate and my old one was a hatch.  Both though are 2lt auto's and I found the old ones lights fine but this one...

I think its cos the VVTI has much better lights being newer and also I had the VVTI on the road for 5 mot's and in that time headlights have got much brighter so your more likely to find the yellow ones  both dim but also overshadowed by these newer ones. 

I know this ones a belt drive and the VVTI is chain driven cos I had to replace it  18 months ago lol. Not much the VVTI didn't have really. She was a rouge compared to the first GLS I had for 8 years.  She can and has already  donate some bits to the GLS but as you say the engines are totally different.  Same with the gear box and exhaust manifold. The electrics are different to sadly otherwise I would have changed headlights. You can tell I wanted to lol. 

Kinda hoping the fogs will fit ok though as the GLS doesn't have any just blanks still. 

I wonder if the bulbs in the GLS are old? The whiter bulbs I remember came in years ago and I don't know how long she had these as I only got her when the VVTI became too far gone to repair bless her.  The front discs are the same but you know I like shoes on the back. The VVTI's brakes just were never as good as the old GLS or this one.... They were good but the rear pads are so small on. I was expecting a similar size to the front pads but they are half the size.  Lol cost a lot more than the front ones to, as do the disc ... That back caliper was huge money to, double the cost of a front one.  Maybe that's why I like shoes lol

I loved the VVTI (never fully trusted it though lol) but the GLS is smother to drive and since the VVTI engine didn't show its a sports one till around 500 revs I find them both about the same to drive.  I was often told the VVTI was wasted on me re the engine's capabilities  but since she to was a big old estate car I wasn't really looking to burn anyone off.

Besides the VVTI was a candidate for bowing up lol. I got her at 170k miles and took her off the road at 195k...  The dealer saw me coming to lol... Do you know she couldn't even drive me home.  Her brakes were terrible so just under half way  I had to get her lifted and carried 250 miles.  She was a very expensive car lol. 13 owners bless her and  I think nobody had given her any TLC for years. Judging from how rotten she was underneath we think she was parked in a lake to lol.

Not my best buy.

This one except for the lights. and actually the VVTI is more comfortable as well as held the road better, is as good but will hopefully last longer . Its got noticeably better mpg to. Though that could well be the miles the VVTI had already done.  She was certainly wearing out 

I kinda hoping both the wheels and the seats will change over as the GLS has ordinary tyres and the VVTI low profile alloys.  I don't bother they will look better but  I do find the GLS just doesn't feel its holding the road so well. I guess its what you get used to? 

I will have a look at the LED bulbs to... I not ever had LED lights I don't think and are they as good? With LED and older defused torches the LED are brighter but the older ones light a wider field. Is that the same with lights or does the headlight lens make it the same do you know?  

I wondered to if that pattern on the GLS lens makes the lights less bright?  The VVTI lens is totally clear.

 

 

 

[Konrad C]

I had the 'pleasure' of helping my friend who used to own a Mk1 VVTi Avensis. We did back to back comparison and there are a lot of differences, aesthetically and mechanically. When my friend upgraded to a 2007/8 Mk2 1.8 estate, I have my current Mk3 1.8 Valvematic. Both TR, but the Mk2 had the Nav unit that was optional on my model - I had standard stereo. Talking of music and bluetooth, I fitted a iConnects2 USB adapter to the CD changer port of the Sony. I had added 10 disc CD changer before. Then I added the Novero bluetooth which is like the Parrot. I could take calls even play music and hear nav directions from the phone. If I had the Mk1 Avensis now, I would simply replace the double din Sony with something up to date. You only need Toyota to ISO cable to connect the stereo to the car. No wire cutting is necessary.
Back to the lighting, I did fit white H7 headlight bulbs and they worked well. Lidl are actually selling now for £5, so check if your local store has them in stock. If the headlight is clean and the reflector is in good condition, the light quality will be down to the bulb. Also remember the headlight aim and coverage counts too!
If you don't have one, get the Haynes manual. Also check this forum and consult the owners handbook. I hope you have all the keys for the car. If the remote looking is not working properly, the system needs re-syncing as detailed in the owners handbook.
Any other issues, check on the forum and ask. 👍 
  

[Pippalump]

Ah the remote locking.... yep the GLS has a problem.  Oddly one thing that never broke on the VVTI lol. Its not the key its probably the sensor but will read up and find out if it is out of sync. 

There are a lot more bits that can change over as these are only 2 years apart BUT a lot that can't. The GLS console area is a fraction bigger than the VVTI oddly. It also like you say had a double stereo in it but I had a multi in the boot of the VVTI so had already changed that to a decent cd/mp3 one that was above the computer display panel.  Thats now in the GLS though the VVTI Speakers will have to be moved over to as they are better. 

I wish the computer thing could go over as it was kinda useful. I don't know it can as the GLS wont have the right wiring and it might not be modern enough to wire it in and run it.... also the front panel would have to go with it and the switches are dodgy in the VVTI even after being cleaned up the heater control would stay stuck. In summer its fine but in winter its annoying as once you turn it down it slipped back to cold and had to be manually turned under the dash to get any heat again ... It was wearing out so badly bless her. 

I ordered the Amazon H7 ones but will have a look in Lidl and  if they have the H7 ones will get them.  With them I will need spares in case one blows. 

I got my old girls Haynes. I do like Haynes ones and thankfully as well as being fairly idiot proof (for me they need to be) it covers both of these. 

I looked at a 2008 Valematic before I saw the GLS. They look nice but just looking at it I could see there was not much on the VVTi that could help keep it going.  

IF this GLS is even as good as the VVTI (and I think its a lot sounder in every way) hopefully it will last me till I have to get retested cos of age lol.  If it doesn't I  will have to get a lot newer one as these old ones are few and far between now. I love their squared off tail gates. You can get so much in there without the seats being put down lol. 

If ever it stops raining I may need to ask re windows as the GLS needs bits from the old lady and though Haynes manuals are idiot proof I seen to get confused and need help to understand what it says lol