Comapare and contrast: Hellas vs PIAAS

[olliebear]

Just had my PIAAs 580 installed yesterday on the Westin Safari bar. Wish I know how to post pictures but that's another story.

The PIAAs are the "Super White" driving lights, 85Watts=135 watts. They are WHITE. No yellow tint like regular halogens. These are closer to the HID super whites.

I have had two sets of Hellas on two different cars so I have some experience there. Hellas 500 rounds on my Tahoe that ran 110 watt PIAA bulbs, and a set of 550 rectangulars for my Mustang. The Tahoe had the 500 on top of the bumper while the Mustang had the 550 under the bumper.

The PIAAs on the 4Runner are munted in the middle of the bumper.

The Hellas are regular halogen lights and when aimed to a wall, the 500 rounds show a nice rounded beam while the rectangular 550 shoot a kinda rectabgular blob pattern.

The PIAAs on the other hand while almost 7 inches across in a round design, shoot a very sharp distinct lateral beam that is flat across, sharp cut off on the top to reduce stray light blinding oncoming drivers, and definitely bright.

Hellas are normally adjusted left and right by the mounting bolt and up and down by the elevation bolt right below the light housing. The PIAAs use one bolt, the mounting bolt to loosen and tighten for both elevation and deflection, which makes it very easy to adjust.

It appears that the PIAAs are very well made and can provide all the light I need for driving in those dark and scary places--no I don't mean South Central LA either.

Due to PIAAs being veyr popular in SOuthern Cal with mongrel goblins stealing PIAA covers if not entire lights, PIAA used to sell special locking nut that require a special nut key to remove; sorta like wheel locks.

 

[Expat]

:worthless

:

Put some pictures into Photobucket and then copy the URL of each picture straight to the IMG button above. Photobucket will resize for ya.

Look forward....

 

[ksneubec]

I have the 580s too and I love them!

 

[RonMAIDEN]

What's the price diff? You can get the Hella 550s for under $100.

 

[olliebear]

HUGE price diff.

What's the price diff? You can get the Hella 550s for under $100.

Hells can be had for about $80/pair. The PIAA 580 will run minimum of $250-$299 depending on who you buy it from or mail order from. I paid $299 from a local store. I hate mail ordering things. Plus $199 for the Westin Safari bar plus installation. 6 and a 1/2 dead Benjamins.

I thought since I sold my Tahoe, I have some discretionary money burning a hole in my pocket so let's see how well these overpriced lights work.

They work well, but the issue is do they work well enough and high zoom zooom enough to justify 3x the price? the answer is probably not. But then the same rationale for buying a Rolex instead of a Timex, of a Lexus instead of a Toyota, or a Dyson house vacuum over a cheaper Hoover, etc.


If I were on a tight budget again, I would take the Hellas anyday.

 

[sharp4runr]

I try not to spend too much on my truck so I cheaped out when I bought the Safari Grill from Westin and Hella 500s. I only paid about $220 for everything.

What I really wanted was the JAOS Center Protector and the JAOS lights to go along with them. Well that was closer to 1K so my wallet thanks me.

 

[olliebear]

Point of dimishing returns.

I try not to spend too much on my truck so I cheaped out when I bought the Safari Grill from Westin and Hella 500s. I only paid about $220 for everything.

What I really wanted was the JAOS Center Protector and the JAOS lights to go along with them. Well that was closer to 1K so my wallet thanks me.

I think JAOS products are so overpriced that it has gone way beyond reason. They wanted some $300 for their "lamp stay" 3 bills for a piece of chrome bar!

Since you and several other folks seem to like the Westin bar, I went ahead and got it. That was $200 that I did not have to spend if Toyota had made a real bumper instead of their cheezy plastic moldings.