PIAA 520 Driving Lights, my Expanding the Database W/O entry..
Written: Feb 14 '06
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Light pattern excellent for blowing-snow, fog, rain. Shows road signs and large animals clearly
Cons: Not a true driving or distance beam, you'll get flashed by other drivers frequently.
The Bottom Line: A decent driving light on the expensive side, however the 520 is an excellent snow/fog foul-weather light. Your call on whether you need it...
|
|
|
| openroad's Full Review: PIAA 520 Ion Crystal 5293 Driving Lights |
PIAA 520 Ion Crystal Driving Lights
MSRP: $275.00
Mounting: Brush guard or lightbar
Lighting type: Amber Halogen, fog/foul weather
Kit Includes: 2 lights with PIAA brush guards, illuminated switch, complete wiring harness.
----- Why would I want PIAA 520s? -----
After owning my Isuzu Trooper for several years I had become used the excellent Hella driving lights I'd installed on the brush guard. These lights were 7" Hella FF-1000 driving beams, they were meant for serious off-roaders and put out enough light to see everything both in front of you and beyond the edge of the shoulder.
After I purchased my Volkswagen Jetta I was in a state of serious wattage withdrawal. I started noticing many SUVs and trucks driving around with bright amber lights sporting a large PIAA logo in the center. I found out these lights were the PIAA 520 model and decided I should try a pair for myself. I figured they would fit quite well on my Jetta since they didn't look all the large. After searching local auto parts stores for these lights and turning up nothing, I found an excellent deal on Ebay for $188 including shipping.
----- Light installation and operation -----
To start with, I don't recommend installing these lights yourself unless you have a truck or vehicle with a heavy bumper that can be drilled for mounting. On my Jetta there wasn't a single spot on my smooth, aerodynamic, plastic front facia to mount these lights. I finally fabricated a stainless steel mounting plate which I fastened low on the bumper which worked out pretty well.
The actual installation of the lights, wiring, and switch was documented very well in the included setup guide, anyone with a few hand tools and some technical skill could complete this install with no problems.
I didn't follow the instructions to hook up the main relay to the high-beam circuit, instead I used the parking light circuit to provide incoming power to the PIAA relay. This allows me to choose when to turn on/off my lights instead of being limited to only using the PIAAs when my high beams are active. Other than this one deviation I followed the directions exactly. I mounted the on/off lighted switch on the dash and to the right on my windshield wiper stalk. Installation complete, I proceeded to start my car and tap the power button... and there was light!
The last (and most important) step is to drive up to a flat surface such as a garage door or wall and align your lights correctly. This lets you guide your beams straight down the road or slightly off to each side (my choice) for better off-highway visibility.
----- Lighting Output -----
The light output of the 520s is much different than what I'm used to in a high-powered driving light. First of all the beam is VERY yellow, almost orange-yellow in color. With the complete blackness that fall/winter before snow brings, these lights don't light up the road surface all that much. The good news is road edges and shoulders are lit up more effectively with the 520s on. The biggest night-time difference in normal weather conditions is when road signs and interstate markers approach. The PIAA 520s make signs positively explode with light making them very easy to read at a much further distance than normal.
When rain, fog, and snow start falling is when the PIAAs start to earn their keep. Fog or humid and rainy nights make my stock headlights nearly useless, not that the Jetta has great lights to begin with. The Ion Crystal driving beam cuts through the haze instead of being blocked by the water droplets. Not to counteract what I said above, but on clear nights with snowy roads these lights rock. The yellow beams when combined with white roads really illuminate everything in sight. When in a snowstorm or windy, blizzard conditions 520s cut through the storm and keep you in your lane and on your way.
----- Bottom Line -----
For most drivers I have to give these lights a tentative thumbs up. The initial cost is somewhat high for the light output and overall usefulness. The unique Ion Crystal lenses produce a fierce blue/orange light when viewed head-on, which looks very cool unless you are driving straight towards them. You'll be flashed almost every time a car comes toward you. This reduces the amount of time you can actually have your PIAAs on by about 70%, unless you want to perpetually tick off your fellow motorists. I've made sure my lights are adjusted down as far as they can be and still be useful, but they still are too bright to use with oncoming cars.
In the winter and on long, night-time drives I have enjoyed using my PIAAs, they've given me that extra edge in the visibility war between driver and darkness. For drivers in areas which experience frequent fog and storms I'd give the Ion Crystal 520 an extra star thanks to their foul-weather performance. If your a Midwest-dweller like me and find yourself mostly driving on clear nights you should look more to a standard halogen style driving light.
* This review is a part of CaptainD's Expanding the Database W/O.
* Related Links:
1999 Volkswagen Jetta
1994 Isuzu Trooper
* Thanks for reading and feel free to comment!
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.