Looking Down the Road - Headlamps
October 4, 2018
If you've ever been driving around Perryville and had a headlamp go out, you've probably just wanted to replace the bad bulb. If your car uses halogen headlamps, they dim over time. So if you just put in one, they won't have the same brightness, which can be distracting and will affect your field of vision.
To have your headlights inspected, visit us at Charlie's Fast Lube Perryville. We're at 701 S. Perryville Ave in Perryville, Missouri 63775. Or give us a call at 575-517-0022.
Experts at Charlie's Fast Lube Perryville recommend replacing your halogen headlamps every year. It's easy to remember if you do it when Daylight Saving Time changes in the fall. That way you'll have bright headlamps for those long Missouri winter nights.
There are other types of headlamps in addition to halogen. There are the old standard bulbs that have been around for decades. These are OK, but you can usually upgrade to halogen. They cost a little more but you can't believe the difference. If you do a lot of night driving you might want to use a premium halogen bulb that filters out the yellow hues and gives a very white light that's a lot like daylight.
You may have noticed those bluish headlights on luxury cars. They are high intensity discharge or, HID lamps. They really light up the road. You can upgrade to HID on some vehicles. These cost quite a bit, but they'll last for the life of your car. If you want your friends to think you have HIDs, you can get halogens with a bluish tint - no one needs to know.
Seriously, though, night driving is all about reaction time – time to stop – time to get out of the way. You can't react to what you can't see. You need headlamps that'll give you a good view down the road and good peripheral vision as well. Your headlights need to be aimed correctly so you can see and to keep your lights from shining off into oncoming traffic.
You may have seen older vehicles with headlights that are awfully dim and maybe even yellow. That's because the plastic headlight lenses have gotten cloudy and yellowed with age. They can be replaced, but many Perryville service centers offer a service to restore the lens that's a lot cheaper.
You can't drive if you can't see. AAA reports that nine out of ten vehicles have dirty or yellowed headlamps. So run the window squeegee over your headlights when you gas up to clear the dirt and bugs. Get your lenses restored if they need it and don't forget to replace your standard or halogen bulbs every fall.
Charlie's Fast Lube Perryville
701 S. Perryville Ave
Perryville, Missouri 63775
575-517-0022
http://www.charliesfastlubeperryville.com
Need Service?
More articles from Charlie's Fast Lube Perryville
The Red Menace (How to Deal with Rust)
January 26, 2025
Rust. It's worse if you drive in places that use salt on the roads in winter, or if you spend time driving near a body of salt water. But any vehicle has to deal with rust after years on the road. And it's not just that rust can eat away your vehicle's body and fenders. It can be a real probl... More
Not-So-Smooth Operator (Transmission Signs of Trouble)
January 19, 2025
You are heading down a flat, newly paved street when all of a sudden you feel it. Your vehicle jumps a little bit when you're accelerating and changing gears. You know it's not the surface of the road because it's smooth as silk. So what did you just feel? That kind of jumpingor grinding or sl... More
Keeping Your Cool (Coolant leak repair)
January 12, 2025
If theres one thing you should pay attention to with your vehicle, its the temperature gauge. Its the one that may say C---H (that means cold---hot). Or maybe yours has a picture of a thermometer on it and a blue and red zone. If you see the needle heading farther to the H or red area, that mea... More