3rd Generation Maxima (1989-1994) Learn more about the 3rd Generation Maxima here.

Headlight bulbs

Old May 27, 2007 | 06:56 AM
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Headlight bulbs

I am still on the original headlight bulbs and thinking of changing them. Heres the recommended list of options and Q's I have.

9004
9004SU Silverstar ULTRA for Ultra Night Vision - The Whitest and Brightest Halogen
9004ST Silverstar High Performance Lighting: The Whiter and Brighter Halogen
9004XV XtraVision Halogen Upgrade: Up to 20% Brighter
9004CB Cool Blue Halogen Upgrade: White Hot; Super Cool; 100% Street Legal
9004LL Long Life Halogen Upgrade: Lasts two and a half times longer


1. What have you'll switched to and why (light output, style etc)

2. Any of these bulbs have a negative effect on the wiring ?

3. If I am just changing the bulb, can I just pop the harness and replace.

4. Any thing I should watch out for.


the purpose of the change is light output. Will I need to readjust the beam too?
Old May 27, 2007 | 11:25 AM
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Wagner Brite lites if you can find them.
about 10bux a bulb and they are a true Xenon gas bulb.
I used them on my max to great affect. nothing like lighting up reflectors a 1/2 mile down a city street
Old May 27, 2007 | 12:18 PM
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Originally Posted by internetautomar
Wagner Brite lites if you can find them.
about 10bux a bulb and they are a true Xenon gas bulb.
I used them on my max to great affect. nothing like lighting up reflectors a 1/2 mile down a city street
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-WAG...mZ290078336004

Will this be the right bulb (9004BL) or should it be 9004LL.
Old May 27, 2007 | 12:21 PM
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BL = Brite lite
LL = Long Life

those are what I ran, but I paid that for them locally.
no need to involve fleabay
Old May 27, 2007 | 02:06 PM
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heresmymind
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Originally Posted by internetautomar
Wagner Brite lites if you can find them.
about 10bux a bulb and they are a true Xenon gas bulb.
I used them on my max to great affect. nothing like lighting up reflectors a 1/2 mile down a city street
ehhhhh try again

xenon is HID

http://www.hella.com/produktion/Hell...ogen_Xenon.mpg
Old May 27, 2007 | 08:42 PM
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for the umpteenth time:
XENON IS A GAS!!!!
http://federal-mogul.com/en/Aftermar...liteHeadlamps/
I've been using them for 5+ years now on different cars. they work.
Old May 28, 2007 | 05:01 PM
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I first switched to 9004 Sylvania cool blue headlights about 4-5 years ago. The light was whiter (though not SUPER WHITE) and I was happy with them for a while. However, these bulbs seem to dim over time and by the time they went out 2 years later, the road was not really lit up at all.

I bought 9004 Sylvania XtraVisions to replace those and I was happy as the lights were much brighter. These went out about 2 years later also, so I bought the same bulbs again.

Around that time, I bought a 2000 Toyota Camry for my wife. Camry had Multi-reflector headlights with a brighter 9006 bulb. Needless to say, I was blown away by how much brighter they were compared to the 9004 bulbs in the Maxima.

Now that I've seen the light, I wanted better lighting for the Maxima.

Sure, there's E36 conversions and other creative ways to get brighter lights, but I didn't want to spend a lot of money and wanted to keep the car looking stock. Also didn't want to rely on fog/driving lights.

I found the answer on the 4th gen forums. I converted my lights to 9007s.

This thread is kind of long, so grab a your favorite drink.

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=312531

I bought two 9007 Sylvania XtraVision bulbs from the local auto parts store and a Heavy-Duty Wiring Kit with Relays that look like these.



I reaimed the lights correctly afterwards and the results are great. I enjoy driving at night again. Note: Correct headlight aim is important. I haven't been flashed once since I did this 6 month ago....
Old May 28, 2007 | 07:15 PM
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"Note: Correct headlight aim is important. I haven't been flashed once since I did this 6 month ago...."

thats what its all about. you should park 25 ft from a wall. and your top of the main low beam spot should be 2-4 inches below the headlight height on your car. everyone should check that. it will help.
Old May 29, 2007 | 11:19 PM
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I've had the silverstars in my car for about a year now, the wiring is fine and the lights are definately brighter than they were before. That being said, the headlights are still terrible. My wifes 1990 civic has lights that go forever and I still have trouble seeing the road. Even though reflectors are lit up much farther with the silverstars I don't seem to get much useable ligfht compared to other cars that I've driven. I'm planning on doing the 9007 upgrade soon, it's cheap and effective. The 9004 bulbs are about the dimmest bulbs you can buy. There is a chart that comes with the silverstars and specifies lumen output by bulb type, there is nothing that puts out less light than a 9004 bulb.
Old May 31, 2007 | 11:00 PM
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I jut bought the Cool Blues today and installed them and I'ld have to say Im pleased. They arent super bright white, or blue in any way, but they lighht the road up alot more than the stockers and they look brighter when looking at the lights themselves. I got them for 30 bucks for the pair which was almost 10 less than the silverstars and I like them alot.
Old Jun 1, 2007 | 07:10 AM
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heresmymind
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Originally Posted by sta
I jut bought the Cool Blues today .
sigh* we lost another one. they put out less visable light than a stock bulb. and wait till you get rain/fog you'll learn your mistake. tear* please please make a www.hidplanet.com account and read this post

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/view...er=asc&start=0
Old Jun 2, 2007 | 01:33 PM
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Will it look better if I get the Ebay Euro Headlights or e36's? Becasue I think that's what I'm going to do here in a week or two.

And to jimbo

the cool blues (9004) just pop right in where the stock lights are. I would have rather put 9007's in and done the little modding you have to do tho, because the light output on these isn't really too great. They are whiter/clearer than the stock bulbs but not alot "brighter."
Old Jun 2, 2007 | 01:56 PM
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heresmymind
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aight. euro lights will look 1021030 x smoother and better with the car. E36 projectors will give you much better output. Buy the euros. and save up money and retrofit a hid BIXENON projector into the euro light:-p
Old Jun 2, 2007 | 03:10 PM
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Originally Posted by heresmymind
aight. euro lights will look 1021030 x smoother and better with the car. E36 projectors will give you much better output. Buy the euros. and save up money and retrofit a hid BIXENON projector into the euro light:-p
is the fit of the e36 really that bad or just not as good as the euro? output and beam pattern (basically, visibility) is my main concern unless the e36 just fits like junk.
Old Jun 2, 2007 | 04:44 PM
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heresmymind
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nah the e36 just isnt flush its a flat lense and not a curved one.

heres a pic for you tel tell the difference with HID projectors. halogen 6000k and 3000k. the 3000k has both headlights on. the others are just one.

Old Jun 2, 2007 | 07:14 PM
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Originally Posted by heresmymind
nah the e36 just isnt flush its a flat lense and not a curved one.

heres a pic for you tel tell the difference with HID projectors. halogen 6000k and 3000k. the 3000k has both headlights on. the others are just one.
i could live with the flatness.. maybe.

have you got any pics to compare your projected H7 to a non-projected (ie stock housing) halogen pattern? just to show how much the projector helps with the beam pattern regardless of how much light is put through.

ugh. i'll get my lighting good once i get a better job. maybe euro+bixenon, w/ smoked corners...
Old Sep 3, 2007 | 07:13 AM
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http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=534433
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