You hit the nail on the head.
From the Albany, NY ABC-affiliate:
The new color will save the department money. As the dark blue color was extremely expensive.
“We actually had to pay to own that color,” Keller said. “We paid simply almost $600 to $700 per vehicle for that specific dark blue because we had to make sure the blue was the same across all manufacturers.”
https://www.news10.com/news/ny-news/new-york-state-police-unveil-new-patrol-car-design/
There is no one color that will not blend in and become invisible against SOME background.
Fire-engine lemony green? Against new spring foliage, backlit?
Grey, silver, white? Lots of places have these things called: fog/rain/snow…
Sand, other yellows? desert
Brown? plowed fields
Blue(s)? water, ice, sky
Even my favorite: RED? Blends with sugar maples in the fall…etc, etc.
I almost never get stopped, in red car or not, because I obey the laws.
I also drive with full headlights/taillights on 24/7/365. I want to be SEEN.
“Daylight running lights” are an oxymoron. Stay safe, be smart.
I try not to use my headlamp much during the day because my headlamp bulbs can’t be replaced without replacing the whole headlamp which costs roughly $1,400 for each.
So I try to conserve.
Are you sure?
Look it up, LED’s, whole assembly and since Clueless only uses the dealer, probably close…
Headlamp Assembly,One Side
Includes: Adjustment. Includes: Initialization. Includes: Adjust Radar Sensor. Includes: R&I Bumper Cover. 2.4 hours
Headlamp Assembly,Both
Includes: Adjustment. Includes: Initialization. Includes: Adjust Radar Sensor. Includes: R&I Bumper Cover. 2.6 hours
WOW ! Note to self, NEVER buy a car with LED headlights. OTOH they may last the life of the car.
You may wind-up being one of those people who will only buy cars that are 10 years old, or older. According to CR, by 2019, 86% of the cars that they tested had LED headlights.
Here is some other info, courtesy of CR:
LEDs are more common than HID headlights, in much the same way that LED lights for the home have bypassed traditional CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps), and they’re popping up even in mainstream cars, SUVs, and trucks. We recently tested two affordable cars that came with standard LED headlights: the 2019 Mazda3 and the 2020 Toyota Corolla. The prices for each start under $25,000.
Why the swing? There are several factors at work.
Headlight styling helps win over consumers, says Steffen Pietzonka, head of marketing at Hella, a headlight manufacturer. “The different looking headlights and design are attractive to the buyer because the headlights are the eyes of the car,” he told CR.
In addition, LEDs are supposed to last far longer than the other two types of lights, which is a convenience and potential money saver for owners who plan to hold onto their car for the long haul. Last, LED bulbs use less energy than both halogen and HID lights, they run cooler, and they’re less of a drain on the vehicle’s electrical system. Ron Kiino, communications manager at Subaru, says that means there’s the potential to save money on gas as well.
According to Hella’s Pietzonka, “HIDs may be out of the market quite soon, because there are lower-cost options.” He adds that “in Europe, every new [car] development project in the industry has no HID/Xenon systems in the pipeline. In the U.S. it will be similar, with HIDs out in the midterm.”
Here is the headlamp assembly for the 3rd gen Tacoma Limited and Pro, all others unless special ordered are regular H11’s
That is why I did the H11 to a H9 low beam swap… Way better light without blinding oncoming traffic… just only last about 25% of the time as the H11’s do…
I can swap in OEM LED headlamps, but it takes a special wiring harness to do so, and all and all, very expensive…
One advantage of the H9’s over the LED’s, is that the H9’s produce enough forward heat to keep the snow off, LED’s do not…
The guys over at the Lexus club forum and Reddit reported that their LED bulbs went out at just 86,000 miles, which caught them by surprise and upset them.
So the discussion about this happening early is to use the lights as little as possible if one can.
Some expressed frustration over the fact warranty doesn’t cover this problem.
So I turn off all the lights during the day in hopes to prolong the life of these headlamps.
IMO, you would be very foolish if you shut-off the DRLs.
Aren’t you the one who began this discussion of the importance of visibility?
In extreme cloudy/foggy weather, I use the lights. But on clear and bright sunny days I don’t.
It’s actually not necessary. If someone can’t see a vehicle on clear, bright sunny days, then I’m afraid he/she should not be driving.
Be that as it may, those people may well be on the road at the same time that you are, and there is no question that DRLs reduce the incidence of collisions.
Your choice…
If you set the headlight switch to “Auto”, the headlight will turn off while operating in sunlight.
The LED daytime running lights are located in the strip below the headlights and will still operate.
I need to ask you, Mr. Nevada. The hook-stick ( Nike ) light is the day time running light, right?
If yes, when the bulb is blown, do I need to replace the whole assembly ?
Currently, I believe the hook-stick light is the day time running light and I turn it off in fear the bulbs will go out and cost me an arm and leg to replace.
Love the image you posted btw
The daytime running lights are LED, no light bulbs. Replacement DRL lamps are $526 each.
I have seen one or two failures, but these normally don’t burn out with age.
Some vehicles have common LED lamp failures; Lexus HS250h and 2005/6 RX330 for example but most LED lamps last the life of the vehicle. The negative: mechanics don’t get to replace light bulbs on a regular basis.
All of the Mazdas in my family are LED or HID for the headlights and DRL’s. The oldest is a 2014 with over 200,000 miles. None have had a bulb die yet.
If you live in the northern parts of the US you experience low-level sun in your eyes for about 1/3 to 1/2 of the daylight hours.
Depending time of year (ca. October-March), and on your direction of travel, and time of day (AM/PM) the sun here in Maine is below the top of your windshield, and often below the bottom of your visors.
Often, the ONLY way you can see oncoming traffic is if they have their lights on–the brighter the better-- as it needs to “compete” with the sun.
The “good/safe” drivers know this, and are sure to have their lights/headlights on. The “Clueless” ones don’t think about BEING SEEN (as opposed to lighting up the road in front of them, which headlights cannot do in daytime..)
I say the “Clueless” drivers are the ones who should not be driving!
You know, tires are likely to wear out by 86,000 miles too! Part of owning a vehicle is maintaining it at a safe level. I keep vehicles for up to 20 years if they are still safe and reliable.
Pay the price and keep it running safely.
+1
For perspective, compare his statement below with my response:
This is the same person who was unable to see a bright yellow school bus that was somewhere between 35-45 feet long, and who was ticketed as a result.
