ok, I have tried everything... but still not happy with headlights brightness. The light are level, been done by volvo dealer, ecode lens, still not happy at night.. they are useless high beams are good.. well good as low beams.. any ideas??

Helpful link:

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html

The "real" e-codes are electrically aimed, with motors and a dash switch. They don't have those bubble levels like ours do. If you use the center line on the bubble levels on the headlights that seems to aim them too low, I have mine manually aimed using tape and a garage door, and the bubble just touches the front of the center line in the level. There is a Hella e-coe aiming gizmo that some performance eurocar shops have, I wouldn't expect to find it at a Volvo dealer.

A part of the problem is that for styling reasons manufacturers like to use amoebiform headlights. Correctly aimed, the Volvo e-codes are better than DOT but they're still no Porsche or BMW which use round headlights. The "R" board is filled with rants about the Volvo HID Xenons. They're pretty awful, too. At least one P2 XC70 owner has resorted to auxiliary round driving lights mounted on the bumper.

I also have Phillips bulbs, they're better than stock but nothing beats the physics of a round headlight.

-BTC

Bill,

I am located in Europe these days and my S70 has the complete European set-up you mention. I bought the car in April and haven't even felt the need to install the Philips Vision bulbs that I have in the boot yet, so it does work pretty well. Likely I will do so in the fall, when days are shorter and the weather conditions worse. My experience with the Philips Vision is with the 740 and 940, and a Porsche 928S4 which BTW, despite its round headlights, didn't have better lighting that the S70.

R
'99 S70 2.0 NA 235Kkm
'89 740 378Kkm

sorry it is a v70 1998

Try Philips Vision bulbs.

HTH

R