I have a confession to make - I'd had the car a week before I discovered that it had headlight washers

Up until then I'd had a vague idea that the little lozenge shapes at the front were probably the covers for the towing eye attachment points.... doh... :p

But since then I've been wondering who the heck actually needs such a thing? Certainly they are excellent entertainment value - people never fail to fall about laughing when I demonstrate them - but they seem designed to solve a problem that I've never actually experienced.

In 45 years of owning cars I've never once had to stop and clean the headlights - even in the days when they were decidedly dimmer than the searchlights on the RX8. And I'm a guy who usually only cleans his car when it becomes hard to find because it has successfully blended into the surrounding environment....

So if anyone actually uses the things, could you tell me the circumstances? Automotive Mud Wrestling? Porridge Racing? Locust Herding? Just curious.... I can't let them go to waste...

 

They're mandatory (law) with Xenon headlights - that's all.

When car makers were serious, they put washers and wipers on the headlights!

 

Thanks, that's interesting.

Why is it law though? Does the Xenon beam refract in odd ways if the lens is a bit grubby or what? What is it about them that makes them need washing more than other types?

 

Found this snippet...

In Europe, it is mandatory for cars with HID lights to be fitted with self-levelling systems (which keep the beam on the road rather than having it dazzle other motorists) and headlamp washers (soiled lenses cause light to scatter, also producing dazzle).

here...

http://drive.fairfax.com.au/content-...X62OI99CD.html

 

kev

Thunderbirds are no.

Like the transformation from wimpy geek with glasses to macho man (transbirdtide)

 

Got an idea ... (although I may be going a bit strange due to a complete lack of sleep since wednesday)

We need to organise an RX8 night out theme party, my recent thing (getting a real macho character) with captain scarlet could make a good basis ...

Here's me and dez at the bar...

 

kev

HMMMMM Lack of sleep , posting to try and get to 800 posts ahead of me hey , suffer baby suffer.

 

Thanks for that interesting link Kev.

Looks like I might have to increase my car washing regime from once a year to twice....

No, wait a minute, that's the point of the headlight washers. Phew.

I don't drive much at night anyway (being one of those 57 year olds with increasingly crappy night vision that the article refers to) but I'll keep an eye out for the glare issue. I've seen that very clear white light on a few other cars too, but I haven't yet noticed that's it's caused me a problem when I'm on the receiving end.

 

L&L: get some sleep - you're suffering "post-alot-itis"!

++dez;

ps: on my round trip to Noosah I used the light cleaner gizmo's in the evening light, and I have to say I could easily notice the difference between "bug **** splat" soiled lights and "gizmo cleaned" lights.

 

They may not be of much use in West Australia, but here in Canada headlights tend to get covered with an opaque layer of dirt and salt in the winter. Heck, some cars have headlight wipers.

 

yea.. but ****.. that's Volvo - if they sold in Japan they'd probably have those $4,000 electric toilet seats too!

++dez;

 

they could call in the Volvo "commode-dore".

 

Ha Ha LOL

great one kev

 

Kev: you just got awarded the Banana as "king of the one liner posting * grin *

Are you at work avoiding something that would be done if it wasn't for another posting that you should be doing ? hee hee

I was, then I left work to come home and post ( I was working in the home office today * grin * - so I didn't get to even drive to work bugger it - but I've been tempted to get in the car some days, drive around the block and qualify as traveling to work and then back into the house and the home office! )

++dez;

ps: Hi, I'm an RX8 driver, I've had an RX8 for almost a couple of months now, I'm trying to keep my driving below six hours a day, I drive to the opposite side of the city for lunch, and I've got issues!