tbrodeur421

Is anyone out there happy with any particular after market headlights for the 1999-2000 996? I’m not asking about bulbs or retrofit kits - I’m looking for a reliable set of lights that actually light up the road like a modern day Porsche. I see options from $900-$2000 for a pair. But can’t seem to find an option that does the job without having either goofy cosmetic issues, bad reviews or other drawbacks.

I’ve spent hours fixing my lights to replace the wire disintegration issue. They work OK but the reflectors are shot, the wiring is a disaster and suspect causing battery drain. Even with LED bulbs I can’t see well enough to drive confidently at night.

Anyone have a good solution?

GC996

Sounds like you need the Retro fit kit. I am about too buy one myself.

996C438

Are your lights halogen or bi-xenon ? If halogen are the inner lenses burnt/cloudy ? Are the exterior lenses cloudy ? If you have bi-xenon are the exterior lenses cloudy ? Have the bulbs ever been replaced ?

We are talking 23 year old headlights so some maintenance is expected . In my opinion at the very least the internal headlight harnesses should be replaced with the Retrofit Labs parts . Aging and cracking wires is a recipe for disaster and will not provide great light output .

I am not an expert on headlights but most reviews of aftermarket headlights for our cars that I have read were not positive . Poor fitment , poor output and LED's that die quickly seem to be the biggest complaints . I wish you well to find better lighting solutions .

damage98MO

I've got the litronic option in my 2001 and with the retrofitlabs refurb, and just their base recommended bulbs, the lights are brilliant, they turn night into day. Better than most headlights on modern cars. You won't be disappointed, and you'll keep the OEM appearance. The aftermarket options are cheap looking.

996C438

I recently swapped out pathetic halogen headlights on my 99 C4 . I was lucky and found some original bi-xenon headlights that were in excellent condition . The lenses crystal clear . I decided to change all the bulbs so I had a good starting point .

I used Hella 35 watt 5000k xenon bulbs and Sylvania H7 bulbs . All wires inside the headlights were inspected and found to be in perfect shape .

With everything in good to great shape the light output is excellent . The 5k xenon bulbs are white in color and project very well . The H7 high beam bulbs are also brighter and whiter than stock . My long winded point is with everything working as designed the Porsche OEM bi-xenon headlights are excellent and tough to beat .

damage98MO

I concur, my good man. I would also mention tho, that the reflectors in my litronic / bi xenon were not in great shape. I believe the heat over time causes a loss in reflectivity. This is the reason that retrofitlabs has a successful business model. No matter the bulb, without a shiny reflective thingy, light output will suffer. My 06 Cayenne S and my 08 335i sedan both had the upgraded lights, and after driving my 996 at night, I knew something had to be done. The RRFL, Scooby Doo....' ruhrohfitlabs'? solution worked great, no one will regret the money spent. Driving at night with dim lights is no fun. Especially as we age. One of the first things to suffer is night vision. Get your eyes checked folks. Go every year and get a good baseline for glaucoma etc. My night vision degenerated enough in my mid 50s that I was seeing fringes around oncoming lights and this really affected my ability to judge speed over distance and judge time of arrival. Not good. Prescription eyewear fixed that up..
This has been your eye health moment, brought to you by the providers of 'what's better, 1...2..or 3' 😁 there I go, rambling again.

tbrodeur421

Thanks for the info guys . I’m seeing these lights on eBay for $850 each. So the retrofit looks like the best option but man what an ordeal getting them in. Ball joints, heat guns, wire harness. But the results are what counts and you are so right about the night vision issue. Because the 996 sits so low it’s also a problem getting beamed by oncoming cars and giant SUV’s with nasty bright headlights. I try to have most of my fun during the day because at night it’s hard to see clearly. Looks like the bi-xenons will make a huge difference.

GC996

You can go to adriantaillights.com who is the US distributor...

https://www.adriantaillights.com/sto...986-c114018836


Or go directly to retrofitlab.com the manufacturer in Europe.

https://retrofitlab.com/collections/...11-996-1-986-1

Not certain what you see on ebay. These things are relatively inexpensive. I have a 996.2 which may be cheaper than a 996.1. But the links will take you to the options. Check here on Rennlist as well. They are on rennlist.

adrian
@playswithcars