LED Headlights from PNM - has anyone installed these?

[slay]

Hello all,

Ok, I don't have the car yet, but can't help checking out what subtle improvements I could actually do but keeping the car stock. 

Just wondering if anyone if anyone has changed the headlights using these from PNM?

https://www.pnmparts.co.uk/lotus-esprit-led-headlamp-kit-9989

Looks ok in picture but not sure if that looks ok in person.  This is not just for cometic look but to get more lighting compared to the technology used in the 90s, although I doubt I will be doing much driving at night.

Has anyone got these on their Esprits ?  Not sure if the quality is decent, but apparently the changes are fully reversible.

Thanks.

[Choppa]

I don't know anyone who has fitted those PNM units. However me @Chillidoggyand a couple of others on here have fitted LED headlamp bulbs  from Classic Car LEDs in the original lens units of our cars and have seen a fantastic improvement in the beam quality. They  supply top quality lamps not the cheaper bulbs you find on ebay and are very helpful. Mine has the Cibie dipped beam units which are no longer available and the silver coating was starting to flake away so  I did think about the PNM units briefly but I decided against because I think I would have had to replace the mounting plates in the pods as well. I eventually  got the Cibie units  re-silvered by a specialist company in Kent so it still looks original.

[slay]

Great, I could ask (hopefully) @Chillidoggy when I pick up my car, hopefully on Friday.

Interesting how any company would go to this length to manufacture this - not many Esprits to start with, and if not many people are preparing to modify (no matter how minor) the pods, then it would not have been economical to make these.  

I have to say that price looks reasonable for 4 headlights, assuming they are decent quality.

[andydclements]

Regards the lengths to make these, it's not exceptionally difficult as I believe it's standard off-the-shelf LED headlamps, sandwiched between the stainless steel plates that form the mounts. It's not as though they're actually making the headlamp units themselves. It does require access to precision cutting of stainless sheet but nowadays that's CNC cutters not custom-made dies which would be a lot more of an outlay. So it's pretty similar to the kits that were made using standard reflectors, just using LED lamps instead.

[Chillidoggy]

1 hour ago, slay said:

Great, I could ask (hopefully) @Chillidoggy when I pick up my car, hopefully on Friday.

Interesting how any company would go to this length to manufacture this - not many Esprits to start with, and if not many people are preparing to modify (no matter how minor) the pods, then it would not have been economical to make these.  

I have to say that price looks reasonable for 4 headlights, assuming they are decent quality.

The PNM lamps are very expensive and in my view (no pun intended), the result I achieved using LED bulbs and the 4-main beam conversion is a more cost-effective option.

[skiing]

I have the bulbs in my car's standard lights. A massive improvement. They are much much more powerful and with far less current draw. They also keep the original look which I prefer to the modern lamp conversion which I am not sure about... I would guess though, that if is from PMN, they will be a well-engineered and thoughtful solution. 

[slay]

3 hours ago, Chillidoggy said:

The PNM lamps are very expensive and in my view (no pun intended), the result I achieved using LED bulbs and the 4-main beam conversion is a more cost-effective option.

Great, cost effective is always the preferred option, will check out yours hopefully this Friday when I pick up the car.

1 hour ago, skiing said:

I have the bulbs in my car's standard lights. A massive improvement. They are much much more powerful and with far less current draw. They also keep the original look which I prefer to the modern lamp conversion which I am not sure about... I would guess though, that if is from PMN, they will be a well-engineered and thoughtful solution. 

Same bulbs as @Chillidoggy? Yeah, I have the same concern about th modern ones, not sure if if would go well with a car  25 years old, and may not be everyone’s taste, I would prefer to see one in person before I decide.  In the meantime, I would probably just use the same bulbs you guys ar using to improve the lighting.

[Chillidoggy]

I wasn’t sure which ones to go for at first, so I called Duncan at classiccarleds, he was really helpful. Very impressed with the quality of the lamps, they’re not the usual cheap eBay rubbish, and I ended up replacing all the interior and exterior bulbs with LEDs, all apart from the dashboard lighting.

[skiing]

Yes same bulbs. They are easy to fit as well. 

[chris]

I’ve got the PNM Eng kit fitted to my car and they are brilliant!!! Totally transformed the headlights, look good and will last longer than standard lamps.

Have replaced the other bulbs with led to complete the look.

When I last spoke to Pete he said that a lot of owners were converting to these and of course they do kits for other lotus models, not just the Esprit.

[slay]

On 03/10/2020 at 20:32, chris said:

I’ve got the PNM Eng kit fitted to my car and they are brilliant!!! Totally transformed the headlights, look good and will last longer than standard lamps.

Have replaced the other bulbs with led to complete the look.

When I last spoke to Pete he said that a lot of owners were converting to these and of course they do kits for other lotus models, not just the Esprit.

Hi Chris, have you got any photo showing the PNM Led lights on your Esprit?  Would you mind sharing some photos when you have a chance ?

Where about are you in London, I may swing by and have a look one day if ok with you.  

In any case, I doubt that I will be driving Esprit at night but prefer a high performance lighting.

 

[chris]

Will take some pics if I get chance. Car desperately needs washing and polishing however can’t find the time or the inclination lol.

[Big Vern]

Here we go, they are not to everyones taste but were a big improvement for me and an easy swap too. Happy Bunny

.......and also much easier for the car to pass the MOT as the old lamp fittings were fairly rusty and difficult to set up.


 

[slewthy]

I think they look good. Obviously not original but I guess it's the difference between originality and being able to go out after dark. 

I have to do something about my S3 headlights but the first must be to provide a dedicated live to the lights, not going through the rubbish Lucas switch.

 

[snowrx]

Isn't the headlight feed to the headlights direct from the positive post to the relay block?

My US car has a nice fat brown wire to the headlight relays. 

[Suddabym]

Awesome, and on an S2, too (which took some fettling of the pods)