Kuhmo D

I have a 2000 Maxima and wanted to upgrade my headlamps. What is easier to install an H4 7000k Hanabi Kit or 2003 OEM Nissan HIDs?
Which look better? Brighter etc.. The hanabi is much cheaper but no high beam.

Any input from HID owners/experts would be much appreciated.

PoLo

iTrader: (7)

few things to consider:
if a thief saw your 2k3's, he'd want to steal them. if he saw your 2k's, he wouldn't because he would assume they were regular halogens.
also, 2k2 and 2k3 HID's power at 4300K. the hanabi kit is 7000K. a bit brighter, but not like you would think. after 6000k of brightness, you simply change color to a deeper purple.
i personally like the way the hid 2k2, 2k3 HID assembly looks, but if you're simply looking for HID power and the secret of knowing that a thief wouldn't think you had HID's, then go for the hanabi kit.
good luck and let me know what you decide on. i was thinking this as well, but i have a 2k2, so i was thinking of upgrading to the hanabi 7000k, best of both worlds.

Kuhmo D

Do you know which would be easier to install? The Hanabi or 2003 HIDs? Are there daytime running lights with the Hanabi?

PoLo

iTrader: (7)

both are direct bolt ons. the hid's mount EXACTLY in the same locations. the HID kits are also direct bolt ons, because it simply is the bulb size you choose. you would obviously choose the bulb size that your 2k's handle.
as far as daytime running, that's not part of the headlight setup. that's something in the car's electronics. plus, even if that was something you were looking for, you can buy aftermerket daytime running lamp kits for like $30.

Woo Cho

iTrader: (3)

Hey Polo on ur sig. is that a new headlamp? they're clear signals and smoked right??

MaxTuner

My BJ Union is the brightest

BTW, 4700K or 6k, or 10k are measure of Kelvin--color temperature of the light ouput, it Has Nothing to do with the brightness of the light output. Lumen is the one you need to look for, if you want to SEE better. Not just fake bluish, purplish, greenish HID kits you see on the market right now. Genrally speaking, 4k-5k is the best color temp if you want TO SEE, but If you want to be SEEN cool, then go for bluish color HID kit like mine (8200K).

Just some info to share!!

And any H4 aftermarket HID kit will be way easier to install than buying a set of 2k2 headlights..wiring modificatin is required!

PoLo

iTrader: (7)

it's a project i've been working on. so far, i've taken the assembly apart, painted the surround of the headlights black, and removed both parking and turn signal lens. turn signal just pops off, but parking lens had to dremeled out. i'm not done yet, as i have 2 more projects. 1 i am not telling anyone, YET! and the second one is the angel eye kit, which i have posted a poll to see who is interested. i am working on a group deal for them.

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?threadid=162270

lcf

iTrader: (6)

Which category do BMW HIDs fall into?

4700K or 6k, or 10k, etc.?

My friend's 325ci had the brightest headlights of any car I've ever been in!

MaxTuner

Is your friend's HID stock? Otherwise Bimmer 5 series HID should have the brighter light output than 3 series.

2002 bimmers should have around 5k-7k of color temp, although They DO look like they have 8k range of color..who knows..one thing to note is, those are projector headlight housing, they are made to go with HID, our holagen housing can never produce the kind of light output.

When they reflect off the road, it's crazy bright.....however, I heard US spec cars (HID equipped) have horizon cut off line that limit the light output compared to Euro spec cars....

Kuhmo D

So generally what is the process and length of time to install a Hanabi H4 kit on my 2000 Max? I will have someone intall it for me who is good with wiring.

MaxTuner

They are plug in and play type of application. Just find places to mount the ballast/starters, straight/clean up the wiring..that's it.

Larrio

iTrader: (10)

don't you also lose the ability to high beam since the 2k does not have a projection style headlight?

silverkorn

iTrader: (3)

why not just get the Hella HID kit and keep your high beems.
http://www.groupbuycenter.com/buy.asp?row_id=7443
you can get them from there for $500 shipped. then you will have HID highs and lows. and then you can choose between 4800k, 7000k, or 9000k

vinnieloo

iTrader: (1)

what's different about bmw's projectort housing? how do they work?

silverkorn

iTrader: (3)

their projector housing is just that, a projector. the only thing that makes it appear different is the bulbs and their color. when you look at Audi's HID's and you sometime see a bright blue and pruple look to them at certain angles its just a refraction of the HID light from the edge of the viewing area. when you look at the beam pattern it will be white in the middle and closer to the edges you will see the color differences.

for more HID color info check out this site:
http://mccullochhid.com/

maximilion

iTrader: (1)

This is exactly what I was thinking. Can we upgrade our 2k2 HIDs with one of these hanabi or other brand kits?

vinnieloo

iTrader: (1)

we have a reflector...which means that the light from the bulb is reflected by the shiny surface to spread out and cover a greater area.

bulbs already project light, so is a projector housing just a lense in front that spreads/refracts the light instead of reflecting it off a shiny surface?

Kuhmo D

How do you upgrade them? Just install the hanabi kit in the 2k2 housing? Does it make sense to spend money on the 7000K kit since you already have 2k2 hids?

PoLo

iTrader: (7)

dont' know the answer man...but when i find out, i'm sure i'll post about it.

lcf

iTrader: (6)

Yeah his car is stock. I've never been in a 5series... so I wouldn't be able to compare!

silverkorn

iTrader: (3)

a projector contains reflection material like a regular light would have but it has a lens at the end in order to get the precise beam pattern. this way you get a more prenounce light on the areas needed and the areas not will recieve little or no light.
a projector light takes a bulb with no covers on the bulb or housing. a reflection light will usually have some coating on the bulb it self to prevent the light from coming out the top, and the housing around the bulb has a reflector to reflect more like back. a projector setup has non of that and just shoots the light straight on.

as for HID upgrades all you have to do is change the bulbs. i dont think the ballasts have to be changed. if it is just the bulbs thats about $100-250 each right there.

JimmyH

iTrader: (2)

Those H4 upgrade kits dont work very well. I had one in my car and got rid of it. I am no expert in optics, but I dont think the H4 reflector housing was meant to handle that type of light. I followed several people I know who told me that even with their mirror darkened, it was still too bright. And I did have the "beam pattern corrector".

The color was pretty cool though, so I took them out and put them in the fog lights.

I have since bought 2k2 hids and they are 100 times better, and at least 1.5 times brighter than the H4 kit. Plus they light up the sides of the road much better. The high beams aren't worth a crap though. H4 high beams are much better.

Edward Lee

iTrader: (3)

I have the Hella HID kit in the 7000k color w/high beams. Low beams work great. The high beams are mechanical and there is no extra light that is emitted from the two bulbs residing in the housings. When you click on the high beams, a little deflector shield pivots down to let light from the bulb hit the lower portion of the reflective housing, which is then shot out at a different(higher) angle. Do they work well? The high beams suck and will only assist you in a flash to pass situation. They do not work well to see further down the road. However, it's better than hid's w/no hb's. My only other gripe would be that I wish I had purchased the 4800k kit as I feel that it would be, or appear to be, brighter. The 4800k is a closer color to sunlight and therefore should look whiter. F the blue look, I want performance! By the way, does anyone know if I can just change the bulbs to get it to 4800k? The cost $550.00 no tax, installed.

Edward Lee

iTrader: (3)

I have the Hella HID kit in the 7000k color w/high beams. Low beams work great. The high beams are mechanical and there is no extra light that is emitted from the two bulbs residing in the housings. When you click on the high beams, a little deflector shield pivots down to let light from the bulb hit the lower portion of the reflective housing, which is then shot out at a different(higher) angle. Do they work well? The high beams suck and will only assist you in a flash to pass situation. They do not work well to see further down the road. However, it's better than hid's w/no hb's. My only other gripe would be that I wish I had purchased the 4800k kit as I feel that it would be, or appear to be, brighter. The 4800k is a closer color to sunlight and therefore should look whiter. F the blue look, I want performance! By the way, does anyone know if I can just change the bulbs to get it to 4800k? The cost $550.00 no tax, installed.

silverkorn

iTrader: (3)

actually i think i remeber reading somewhere that the ballasts go hand in hand with the bulbs as far as the rating. so in order to lower the color your going to have to sell the kit and get another one. or find someone looking to trade a 4800k kit for a 7000k kit.

i had a 6000k kit on another car and man those were blue, it wasnt so bad for lows but lucky for me i had seperate highs.