FocusCanada Forums

Hello all,

I'm a newbie here...I take posession of a 2000 SE on Friday...

I was wondering if you guys and gals could point me in the direction of some easy headlight mods??

Thanks!
Andrew

ask Paolo....he's the light mod guru..!

Before you spend the bank why not try a pair of Sylvania Silverstars
(replacement headlight bulbs).
The retainer clip is a !#$%!@#$%@ to get the first time but it only takes a few minutes to do.
My self I got the Philips bright white cool blue.
I'm very pleased with them.
Hid's are sweet! but $$$$.00!!
Good luck Man!

If you change the headlight bulbs, be sure to change the fog light bulbs to hyper-white as well, or it will look out of place.

You have a lot of options with Focus headlights.. you can put brighter/whiter bulbs in your stock lights, replace the housings with OEM Ford Europe or aftermarket, etc.

Depends on your style, and budget.

Brighter bulbs are the cheapest route (although be careful not to exceed the stock wattage or you can melt your headlight houses and/or wiring harnesses).

Then there are the cheap dual headlights on eBay, halo, open dual-housing, clear lense over housing (with housings in black or chrome), etc. Most of the ebay lights are reflectors though, not projectors.

Hella makes dual and triple open housing projector headlights. They are expensive but higher quality than the stuff you'll find on "Matrix Racing".

The 2002-04 European headlights are a good upgrade from stock, they have better lighting and an integrated signal light (so you dont need signals in your grill). The 02-04 lights have a chrome housing, the ST170 version has a dark gray housing.

The most expensive mod is an HID setup, which is also the best in lighting. You can get the Hella projectors fitted with HIDs, or you can get the OEM Ford HID lights that were introduced on the Mach edition car (often referred to as Mach HIDs). These are really expensive, but also very nice.

Woooo I'm helpful :D

:hi:

Congradulations on your pending purchase. There are a TONNE of headlight mods available for the Focus, and I'll try to explain a few of them to you so you can get an idea of what you think is best for your car.

Silverstars:

This was mentioned above, and are by far the easiest and cheapest mod that you can go with for your headlights. Essentially all you're doing is changing your bulbs to a brighter white light. The benefits of this are debateable, as no one can really decide as to whether or not they really project more light, but either way they look kickass. You're looking at about $40 for this.

Headlight Covers:

These are pictured in my signature pic. A very cost effective mod that adds a lot of style to your car. These are easily installed using adhesive strips, and are made of plastic. They are great because they protect your stock headlights from stone chips and other things along those lines, but they cut down the light output by about 75 - 80%. This can be overcome with brighter fog lights but eitherway, it's not a good idea if you're planning on driving out of the city. They can of course be removed and put back on whenever you like.


Projectors:

A lot of guys have gone with this mod, and most of them swear by it. Among the most notable on this board that have done this are ZX3TUNR, Darkpuppet, Flofocus, and others. Flo's car is pictured below. The thing you have to be careful of when doing the Projector Light mod is what brand you pick up. There are several cheap Ebay brands that you can get for about $90 or so, but you would be advised to go for the good ones. The most popular brand that most people stand by is Hella. These are reliable, and when properly aimed and installed, can dramatically increase the light output of your vehicle. Some people love em, other's hate them. Your call to make really.




Euro:

If you post here regularly you'll soon come to realize that we love Euro parts in Canada. I think it's safe to say that these are some of the coolest lights you can go with. With integrated turn signals, seperate high and low beam bulbs, and OEM fit, you can't really get much better (except for the next one I'm about to mention). They come in a couple styles, depending on which model you buy... some have grey surrounds, some have chrome... either way they kick ass. Take a little to get them wired correctly, but the guys on here can help you with that no problem. Expect to pay a pretty penny for these... the lights will be expensive, but bug ZX3Tuning aka Mitch to save a buck or two on shipping.




HID's:

These are the best of the best. High Intensity Discharge lamps, just like the ones as seen on BMW's and Mercedes. These were featured on a limited edition car in the states known as the Sony MACH edition Focus... but a couple guys on here managed to grab the lights right off the bat. Nowadays they go for about $1000... but you get all the wonderful advantages of high intensity discharge, such as the ability to piss drivers in front of you off, and impressing all of us with how deep your pockets are. There are integrated turns in these as well as driving lights...uber sexy..

(This is 2001ZTS's car... the pic is too big so here's a link)

2001ZTS with HID's

Hope this helps you make a decision. The options listed above are not the only ones you have.. there are a huge number more, but these are the most common/most recognised. Take a look, post what you think.

Yeah so of course as I'm typing the last message Flo had to post the same thing with half the detail :P I'm leaving mine cause it has pictures.

Other things not yet mentioned are Eyelids, TYC headlights, just painting the stockers, etc... look into it

Just keep in mind open style head lights are exposed to the elements.
The cheep ones rust...(the fake carbon fibre sucks to).
A stone can take'em out or crack the lens.


This was there APC show car! :lol: :blink: :D

The Silverstars project a lightbeam that is a much whiter light than stock by far.

I personally find that my night-time driving is VASTLY better than with stock lights. It's the best bang-for-your-buck upgrade for headlights for sure.

Paolo with HIDs: http://ofoc.ca/hid/gallery05.jpg

You could also open your stockers and spray paint the chrome areas. I know a lot of guys have done this in the past. Just be sure to seal the up with cilicone VERY WELL to avoid condensation.

You could also go oldschool and have some vinal eyelids cut. I know a bunch of us did that back in the day because there were no options.

If I have any advice for you it is....

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!!!!! DON'T CHEAP OUT!!!!

And most of all... Welcome.

Raine,Apr 26 2005, 11:46 PM Wrote:Yeah so of course as I'm typing the last message Flo had to post the same thing with half the detail :P I'm leaving mine cause it has pictures.

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uh? I didnt post anything. i swear. :huh: :lol:

Flofocus,Apr 27 2005, 08:07 AM Wrote:

Raine,Apr 26 2005, 11:46 PM Wrote:Yeah so of course as I'm typing the last message Flo had to post the same thing with half the detail :P I'm leaving mine cause it has pictures.

[right][snapback]104854[/snapback][/right]

uh? I didnt post anything. i swear. :huh: :lol:
[right][snapback]104930[/snapback][/right]

I think he meant me.. I can see how he's get us confused though, us both being so good looking.

Geez, other auto boards I get to people don't even reply...you guys give me too much info to handle!!

Thanks!

I'd like to go with the Euro option... guess I'll have to deal with stock till I can save up enough!

RadioActive Focus,Apr 27 2005, 04:52 PM Wrote:I'd like to go with the Euro option... guess I'll have to deal with stock till I can save up enough!
[right][snapback]105015[/snapback][/right]

Good choice, that way you avoid the poor fitment issues of some of the lower grade aftermarket lights, improve your light output, add signal light functionality (so you can install a much nicer european grill), and they look slick as hell.

Definitely the way I would go, if I didnt already have my HIDs.