Car Lighting

With a huge competition for different car modifications available in the aftermarket and a wide selection for different components that go in a car, interior and exterior lightings have also joined in the league. Whether its Bi-Xenon lamps or stock halogens for your car, or LEDs for your interior lighting, the aftermarket has a number of options than what was 10 years ago. Car lighting systems are broadly classified into Interior and Exterior Lighting

Exterior Lighting

Headlights:

Headlights are the most important car lighting component of all. The better lit the way, the easier it becomes to judge the situation. Stock car lightings are good enough, but, when it comes to pitch black, the lighting is not sufficient for high speeds. This situation usually comes during hill drives at night. Halogens with higher lighting capacity come in the same package as a stock halogen light. However, the lighting capacity (or power) is reasonably higher. Higher the K capacity (or specific heat capacity) of a halogen lamp, higher the lighting. 

The second category for headlights is getting a Bi-Xenon kit which, is comparably expensive, but, emits less heat and lights the road better. Moreover, bi-xenons last much longer than stock halogens. 

Most of the sports cars have the best-in-class front lighting systems - High Intensity Discharge lights. Commonly known as HIDs, the brightness of these babies is no less than a small sun installed on the front of your car. Although, they are really expensive, but, being a one time investment, HIDs  are worth it.

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

Taillights:

Stock taillights offer a decent visibility for the driver behind you, but, with different terrains and extreme weather conditions, manufacturers have also concentrated their focus on rear visibility of the vehicle as well. LED tail lights and clear tail lights come standard with most of the models now. However, there are a number of other aftermarket options that make your car look even better from the rear without compromising on rear visibility on the road. 

Taillights in different designs not only give your car a unique appeal, they also can be fitted with brighter and longer running lamps or LEDs, which are available in a number of colors as well. The “Bolt” design the most popular of all the designs available and other tail lamps involve neon lights, flashers, and a plethora of options when it comes to the aftermarket.

Underbody Lighting:

Inspired from the fast and the furious series, these are a set of four neon lights that look best on cars that have a little modification on the body like side skirts, bumpers or a wide body kit. These lighting also improve your visibility on the road but, the downside is the cost which is just a little notch up than other lighting kits due to the road and weather conditions that have to be faced by them.

Rim and Underhood Lighting:

Just like underbody lighting, neon lights for the hood and LEDs for the rim are also available in different colors. This modification is more to do with the cosmetic appeal of the car than adding any technical advantage to it.

Interior Lighting

Cabin Lights:

For hatchbacks and entry level sedans, the interior lighting is just a namesake. Neon tubes, LED lights that can fit into the cabin lights and can be attached to the roof without much modification are available along with a number of other goodies for every car in the market. Reading lights, neon roof lights, centre roof neons and more come in at inexpensive prices and they vary according to the demand of the product.

In Dash Lighting:

Stock dash lights come in common colors. To make your ride stand out of the crowd, a number of in-dash light options are available in the aftermarket. From vivid colors like purple or magenta, to simple but, bright colors like yellow, these lights surely grab a lot of attention. 

Boot Lights:

Similar to cabin lights, boot lights have the same makes like neons or flashers, they are quiet good looking and serve the purpose of lighting the boot in case the manufacturer does not have the option. 

Front Floor Lights:

If you want to get the feel of no less than sitting in a high end luxury car, installing floor lights under the dash of your car is the best thing to do. They are simply neon lights fitted under the dash that light up the floor. 

Aftermarket precautions and risks:

Since there a many options available in the aftermarket, a number of risks are also involved. Here are a few tips on how not to fall in for sub standard equipment.

1. Do not get your work done if one dealer is giving you a product for an extremely cheap price. He would surely be compromising on quality.

2. Do not mess with the original wiring which has been provided by the manufacturer. Besides voiding the warranty of the vehicle, it could also compromise on the safety of the car.

3. If, in case, the original wiring has to be replaced or altered, make sure of the quality of the wiring.

4. Do not install headlight kits if the difference in the K-capacity of the stock and the aftermarket is too much. In worst case scenarios, the headlight will not be capable to take the head offered by the lamp and melt, which could lead to a short-circuit. 

5. Prefer a location and a shop that has been recommended by a close friend. Word of mouth is the best way to know what’s good and what’s bad. In case, you don’t have someone, look online for reliable aftermarket shops.

6. Never forget to ask for a warranty on the product. This will keep you on the safe side if something goes wrong. 

These are some of the basic thumb rules that need to be followed while dealing with the aftermarket. Also try to pick up products for your car in one go. A good aftermarket dealer will give you a discount without you going in for a bargain.