The junction lights? Yeh, really well. Subtle but noticeable if you are looking for it - but it's the kind of thing that you'd miss if you suddenly didn't have it again! Just when you are thinking that it's a bit dark where you are putting the nose of the car, a light comes on to light it all up for you.
Xenon versus LED Headlight option
- Thread starter glospete
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Junction lights are standard I think. They work on speed, steering or indicator input. If you have sat nav they'll hook into that as well and light up both when you slow down near junctions.
I say standard - I don't know if the halogen lights have them, or the non-adaptive Xenons, but my Xenons (Xenon pack on Sport, so adaptive) certainly do, and from the sounds of it on this thread the LED lights have it as well.
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All get very complicated, so what do they actually do, just light up a wider field of view when approaching a junction?
Yeh, they shine sideways out of the headlight clusters, lighting up the area that the front of the car is being steered into.They pretty much fill the gap from where the headlight beam ends right the way round the corner to the side of the car.
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Three weeks in I'm slightly regretting the LED option.
Was expecting (rightly or wrongly) them to be much brighter and now had more use of them I just don't feel any benefit over and above Xenons.
Sadly, total taken in with the brochure and with the whole having the most up to date technology thing.
Oh well - at least they look good!
Was expecting (rightly or wrongly) them to be much brighter and now had more use of them I just don't feel any benefit over and above Xenons.
Sadly, total taken in with the brochure and with the whole having the most up to date technology thing.
Oh well - at least they look good!
The LEDs on the A3 are the most basic that Audi offer.
If it had been the Matrix LEDs I would have definitely spec'd them, but no.
I'm up for comparing 2 S3's side by side, 1 with LEDs, 1 with Xenons, for a comparison, just got to be careful we don't choose a dogging site .........
If it had been the Matrix LEDs I would have definitely spec'd them, but no.
I'm up for comparing 2 S3's side by side, 1 with LEDs, 1 with Xenons, for a comparison, just got to be careful we don't choose a dogging site .........
One test I have done - compare my LED's with my mates Leon FR's LEDs.
The Leon ones are very different - more yellow in colour and project about 2/3 less on the tarmac in front of the car. Bit of back to back driving and the LED's are much clearer on the A3. Leon's remind me slightly like halogens.
Another test I have done is in respect of the full beam - with my A1 Xenons on a bit of road near my house, they would light up a dark country lane and just about pick out a junction sign approx 1/2 mile down the road. The LED's reflect on then same sign much brighter. So performance wise they seem to project further on full beam. Even so, just feel I should be more impressed for £795.
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Flibble, we could do this, I could code up your mirrors at the same time.
But it'd have to be fairly late this time of year to get darkness !
But it'd have to be fairly late this time of year to get darkness !
This is the problem, it's only just dark now and it's nearly 11. Might be worth waiting until the nights start to draw in a little.
Just a couple of points since I've had a real opportunity to use the Led headlights.
Was expecting a bit more range from them although very noticeable reflecting off rear bumpers of other road users I was anticipating a bit more coverage.
Last bad point, when flashing someone to turn (audi drivers are courteous if any haters are reading) I didn't get the same flash photography experience as I did with xenons in my 8P. Why is this?
Don't regret opting for them one bit though and after passing a seat Leon with matrix led headlights this evening, if I'm honest they looked naff in sharpness and design in comparison, they reminded me of the Drl cluster from the 8p and think the Led headlights on the S3 trump them easily.
Understandably whilst technology evolves they will no doubt get better with other audi models but for now they look fantastic!
Any one like to contribute?
Was expecting a bit more range from them although very noticeable reflecting off rear bumpers of other road users I was anticipating a bit more coverage.
Last bad point, when flashing someone to turn (audi drivers are courteous if any haters are reading) I didn't get the same flash photography experience as I did with xenons in my 8P. Why is this?
Don't regret opting for them one bit though and after passing a seat Leon with matrix led headlights this evening, if I'm honest they looked naff in sharpness and design in comparison, they reminded me of the Drl cluster from the 8p and think the Led headlights on the S3 trump them easily.
Understandably whilst technology evolves they will no doubt get better with other audi models but for now they look fantastic!
Any one like to contribute?
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I wouldn't say the range of my LEDs is noticeable better than the Xenons on my 8P, but... they throw a great white light with a wide spread on dip and perfectly acceptable range on high. The cornering function is brilliant though and extremely useful on the winding country lanes I mostly drive on, AND significantly better than the irritatingly wobbly adaptive lights on the 8P. Personally, I'm glad I specced LEDs. The bonus is they make the car look even better!..
Yup - I've spent the last few nights driving motorways and b roads. I have to say they are better than any lights I've ever had on any car. Far better than the Q5 xenon lights. Not much more I can add really.
Don't want to Hijack this thread.... But... A question for anyone with xenons, can you change them for driving on the other side of the road through the mmi or do you have to buy the old school reflectors?
Planning a road trip next year. Couldn't find anything in the search. Edit: nevermind, found it via google rather than the forum search.
Planning a road trip next year. Couldn't find anything in the search. Edit: nevermind, found it via google rather than the forum search.
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Standard Xenons don't need to be changed for driving on other side of road
Adaptive Xenons have a setting in MMI to change it.
Adaptive Xenons have a setting in MMI to change it.
SO true. They instantly draw stairs from pedestrians without doubt. Something else COMPletely off topic but when i parked the car on the tescos forecourt as day was turning to dusk the overhead lights were on like they had just come on and were very dim, however, having cleaned the car at the weekend under this type of light it looked......different almost black and not estoril. Should of taken a photo. So guys clean your cars and get them to the nearest tesco forecourt at the beginning of dusk!
Standard xenons on an S3 so do need adjusting, there is a defined step in the lights. My LHD S3 would fail a UK MOT with the lights as is so definately need adjusting.
You can either use stickers or your dealer can adjust them for you (at a cost).
You can either use stickers or your dealer can adjust them for you (at a cost).
My xenon's have a flat beam left to right. Pretty sure in the handbook it says there is no adjustment necessary unless you have adaptive lights.
True.
And the adjustment for the adaptive Xenons is in the MMI so no trip to dealer needed.
John.
I didn't realise most pedestrians carried stairs with them! In what form, a step ladder?
Sorry folks, must just be cause mine is LHD.
The step from nearside to offside is quite large and I have ben told that if I bring it back I will need to adjust the lights.
And they say ASCII Art is dead
(but I had to cheat)
The top beam pattern is the "E" European
The bottom beam pattern is the "British American dipped" - which our Audi Xenons are set to - hence why it's not such a big problem going on the continent with them. If you were really fussy, you could still get beam deflectors to put on your headlamp covers.
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I know! I know I sore
sore? sore?
I've specced LED headlamps purely for high beam assist - got HBA on my Leon and it's awesome reacts much faster than I could. Good to read that the A3s seem to have moved on from the Leon's they do certainly look far less fussy.
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I haven't specced the LED's on my S3 order, my budget just didn't allow I didn't spec anything as far as extras go for the headlights, I think the S3 comes with the xenon lights if I remember the brochure correctly. Either way audi have told me I need to take the car to the dealers when I get it home (exporting to Germany) so they can program the lights to flat beam. Is it a tech pack / audi connect only thing where u can do it yourself through the mmi?
I didn't spec anything as far as extras go for the headlights, I think the S3 comes with the xenon lights if I remember the brochure correctly. Either way audi have told me I need to take the car to the dealers when I get it home (exporting to Germany) so they can program the lights to flat beam. Is it a tech pack / audi connect only thing where u can do it yourself through the mmi?
Changed my opinion on the LED's after getting my car in the summer (and had little opportunity to use them) to obviously using them a lot in these winter months.
The field of vision and the clearness of the light is second to none. They definitely have a much better reach up the road to what I'm used to (I've had many top notch adaptive Xenon systems over the years too). Have e found them most useful on the unlit country roads I use a lot. Saved my bacon a couple of times spotting deer etc while I'm travelling at a serious rate of knots.
I ordered them embarrassingly only because I thought they are a cool piece of tech for a car in this segment and they look nice from a cosmetic point of view. Still think £795 is a lot but happy I specced them.
The field of vision and the clearness of the light is second to none. They definitely have a much better reach up the road to what I'm used to (I've had many top notch adaptive Xenon systems over the years too). Have e found them most useful on the unlit country roads I use a lot. Saved my bacon a couple of times spotting deer etc while I'm travelling at a serious rate of knots.
I ordered them embarrassingly only because I thought they are a cool piece of tech for a car in this segment and they look nice from a cosmetic point of view. Still think £795 is a lot but happy I specced them.
whats so special about the Xenon plus lights fitted to the S3 v the Xenons on the S-line ? what else do they do?
