This comes up every winter without fail! Lots of "previous" here...!
Finally !!! The ULTIMATE headlight system upgrade...

 

Might be a little bit late to the party, but check out PIAA Hyper Arros LED on the Ampera

Still have them on the Ampera, still happy with them.

 

As we all know the Ampera/Volt Headlight bulbs are not fit for purpose from manufacture and as seen in these forums etc.

Never understood the mentality that the car isn't fit for purpose (despite being in existence for over a decade and no insurance or manufacturer's issues), and so illegal modifications are the answer.

I think eyesight tests are in order.

 

My eyesight is perfect - Ampera headlights lights are terrible as seen on this forum.

 

I fitted driving lights as well as using 60w HB3 lamps with the location tabs modified.

 

Good call!

I'm trying to work out how to fit a thin bar spotlight onto my lower front bumper without taking away the look too much, the light is very powerful and I want it to be switched on with the front main beam but be able to switch it off too so that normal headlights can be used only. I'm fed up with all the ruddy potholes and think extra light on the front may may make that difference. The roads around here are a bloody disgrace and I've already done in a tyre and chipped the wheel because of them.

I'm sure I saw your spotlight mod on another thread, looks good, well done on modding that.

Cheers.

 

I did look at the lightbar solution but I could not find one that was 'E' marked for road use, if you read the small print they are as far as I can see off road use only.
Claim compensation from the local highways if the pothole was not marked ie surrounded by white paint they will normally pay up for damage if you claim.
I did tyre, wheel and drop link on something similar to the grand canyon in the wet.

 

I did look at the lightbar solution but I could not find one that was 'E' marked for road use, if you read the small print they are as far as I can see off road use only.
Claim compensation from the local highways if the pothole was not marked ie surrounded by white paint they will normally pay up for damage if you claim.
I did tyre, wheel and drop link on something similar to the grand canyon in the wet.

Unfortunately it happened on the most stinking wet night in a dangerous place on a busy corner so couldn't get back to photograph it or go back as I was long way from home, anyway you live and learn, if it happens again I will claim them.

Re off road light bar: see photo for what I bought.

Yes I know they are for off road use generally but that's why I wanted to have a separate kill switch on main beam so when Mot'd its off, I'll take my chances with the law

Today I've been investigating removing the central spar in the middle of the lower front bumper, it would appear that the long pointed plastic trim i can separate and leave the back structure (see photo). If I cut that the same length as the light bar (Same approx length as number plate) and reinforce the back with a couple of aluminium strips it will be steady enough and look ok, it will fit just below the numberplate so look ok. I will need to remove the whole bumper to do this, it's an easy enough job to do on ramps, I've done it before.
I also want to replace the Teflon net I have at the back of the air hole/grill to stop stones hitting the radiator, I done this when I bought the car but could not get Black Teflon net in time when the bumper was off being painted so I put in the yellow stuff and painted it Black. This is a must do on the Ampera as any rupture to the radiator would be a disaster.
Eg: I was following a construction wagon not long after I got the car and had fitted the Teflon net, the lorry dropped some type 1 stones and they bounced on the road I could not avoid this, when I got home two large chunks of this were stuck in the net, thank goodness I put the net in place.

BTW; it's not my bumper in the photo it's from internet photo of a Opel Ampera but if you notice it does have a honeycomb grill in the air hole for the radiator something that's not on the Ampera.

Cheers

 

You need to be careful if your going to fit that kind of thing, is says 1300w that's 108 amps at 12v No way that's going to work.

 

Night-time urban bus driver here. I’m used to barely seeing anything, curtesy of the “candles” (as we call them — cuz they barely illuminate anything) on our Nova buses. They’re awful, yet they illuminate the road much better than a/e crap GM fitted to the Volt/Ampera. They’re okay for city driving, but anything rural and you can’t see shit. There’s hardly any difference between the high/low beams.

 

I fitted these based on a recommendation from a member on the GM-Volt forum:
FAHREN 9012/HIR2 LED Headlight Bulbs, 26000 Lumens Super Bright LED Headlights Conversion Kits, 6500K Cool White, Canbus Ready, IP68 Waterproof, Pack of 2
They are very neat and the whole lot fits inside the headlight housing so that the dust cover can be replaced. Delivered by Amazon in 48 hours and all for less than £50. A decent pair of Halogen bulbs would cost as much. They appear to provide a big improvement but I will post a review after I have used them for a while.

 

Just an update - although the bulbs provide satisfactory illumination, I am seeing messages on the dash along the lines of "Check LH dipped headlight" etc. so the car knows they are not the original equipment!

 

A further update - although the FAHREN 9012/HIR2 LED Headlight Bulbs are brilliant and provide a vast improvement over the standard halogens, it would appear that they are now considered illegal to use on UK roads following a revision to the MOT test guidance of 2021. I have, therefore, replaced them with Philips X-tremeVision Pro 150 halogen HIR2 units.