I would like to get some "super white", bluish type headlights... I don't know much about lighting...

I don't necessarily want them to be all that much brighter than what I have now, I just want them to put out true white light (or even a little bit blue), rather than the dull yellow light I have stock.

Can I just get some different "bulbs" or do I need to get a complete kit? How much should I expect to pay?

Thanks,
Jacob

 

Bluish bulbs suck... the quality of the lighting is MUCH less than that of the super whites, HIDs, or Halogens.

-R

 

Is there a FAQ somewhere dealing with these questions?

what is the differene between super whites and HIDs? i thought they were the same...

 

super white is halogen
HID is a gas...so the science and technology are completely different. you can't compare halogen and HID's. anyone would get HID's, if it werent' for the price difference, but also consider how much brighter it is. you can get oem color hid kits for about $300. good super whites are around 75-100. i'd get hid's.
i'm getting them fitted into my fogs.

 

are the stock lights halogen? i just want to get rid of the yellow hue.

 

i'm going to assume you have a 2k or 2k1 cause no one with a 2k2 would complain about the "yellow"

are you going for looks or looks and use. looks, get some piaa's.
a hella ballast with phillips bulbs at 4300k can be had for about $300 and looks nice while still lighting up the road

 

go on ebay and find a seller named MtecPower. he sells mtec bulbs for $31 shipped. You can get the overwatted or normal ones. I like the overwatted ones...super bright, no fear of heat or burning out. they are brighter than stock bulbs. the color is 4350k, which's the same as OEM HID of all luxury cars, including Maximas. Look at my website for pics.

Jae

 

are those bulbs drop-in replacements? no other electronics to buy?

 

Yeah I got an 03 and can complain about the factory HIDs....they aren't blue enough for me.

They're nice and blue before they warm up, but once warm they suck-ugly white...

they will be replaced with 6000k bulbs as soon as money allows--just ordered maxspeed springs/KYB GR2s/Kenwood Excelon radio to replace this sh!tty a$$ left side cuttin out HU!

 

i said someone with a 2k2 would never complain about the yellow...you're not complaining about the yellow...

and....

it has been said and i believe proven that the 4300K is the brightest you can get for HID's quality wise. any brighter is strictly looks, reduces the amount of light outputed, and isn't it true that the bluer light is bad in the rain.

generally speaking, maxima HID's are great. i am not disappinted with them at all. i believe majority will agree with me, with the exception of 1 or 2.

 

 

http://www.mtec-usa.com/PRODUCTS/super/index.htm
OK, I lied...they don't make 9003...I can't recommend any other bulbs that are affordable. Go with the Sylvanias.

Jae

 

well..maybe its me, maybe its my eyes...but with my 02 altima, I had an HID conversion kit with 6000k bulbs originally which were later swapped for 7500k bulbs....

I can tell you this...supposedly it is said that the higher the kelvin, the more colored the bulb yes and the less light output.....well I had two sets as stated and the 7500k were BRIGHTER than the 6000k bulbs...

yes they were more blue which in turn lit up the parkways with bluish roads....I can tell you this, the 7500k kit in my Altima was FAR BRIGHTER than my Maxima HIDs...

 

^ the HIDs you had in your altima were obviously aftermarket, as they dont come stock in any model, right?.. The ballasts were probably higher watt than the ballasts in your maxima, its not the kelvin temp that makes a bulb bright but rather how many watts of power are being pumped through the bulbs. For example, a 4300k bulb and a 7500k bulb used on the same exact ballast, the 4300k will put out far more lumens than the 7500k.

 

i dont' know how to follow up with that...
you're using halogen-designed headlight to mount an HID. so really, you had light bouncing all over the place. it may have looked bright, but prolly only for the first 50 feet. an HID designed headlight produces the light and it travels farther.
i have nothing to prove this, so i'm just trying to make sense out of it. we cna't compare what was designed for HID's with somethign that wasn't

 

really? ballasts have to do with wattage???

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&category=6777

Would this be a complete waste of $20, or am I missing something?

What's the difference between these and a typical $500 setup?

I am just looking for a more pure-white color.

Thanks,
Jacob

 

It's your eyes. The blue turns to white because your eyes adjusted to them. If you don't believe me, drive around a while and get someone in your car and ask em what color your lights are putting out. Happens to me all the time.

 

waste....either buy PIAA branded bulbs for HID like color, or for real HID, visit www.misterjung.com for conversion kit with ANY color you want!!!

 

thanks for the info. i just picked up some H4 PIAA Super Plasma GT Bulbs (pair) 60/55W=135/125W

from mbautosport for $85 shipped.

 

your welcome...those are good bulbs..I have them sitting here waiting for installation as foglights...

 

few things may happen

1)you may burn your wire harness...i don't think the fogs can handle that wattage

2)if you dont' blow the harness, the glass may get too hot and all you need is the right water for the glass to break, which will eventually lead to condensation build up, which will lead to a blown bulb. then you'll buy the same bulbs again. that's now alomst $200. or you could have gotten HID fogs from the very beginning which will REALLY light up the road.

if neither happens, you're lucky. twice so far with me. i learned the hardway. HID is now my way to go.

 

stay away from misterjung...i had horrible service with him, as have many many many other bimmer people.

I can't justify piaa's price.

As for higher color temp looking brighter...maybe not brighter, but it will reflect off objects more. Think of it this way: what color would you rather have in heavy heavy rain with fog? Not blue cuz it's too darn reflective and sprays all over the place. 4100k is a slight yellow/golden color, which's why GT racers use yellow...they race in all weathers.

Jae

 

explain to me how a 55w Piaa bulb is going to melt my harness considering the stock fog bulbs are the same wattage!

 

stock fog is 35watt....

the fact that it's gonna light up at 135/125 tells me that glass is gonna be very hot, so if it doesn't burn the harness, i say you're gonna have broken fog lenses in a few months. just my thoughts. my piaa super plasma was a 35 powering at 85. you're running a 55 powering at 125. who knows, maybe the fog harness can handle that.

let's hope it can.

 

I think there are plenty of people on here running 55w Piaa bulbs without issues.....2k2nyc's car has Xtreme Whites in there almost a year I think and they haven't blown??

I think anything higher than 55w will prob blow the harnesses....Piaa says 55w=110 but you know thats all b.s.... its just the look of a 110 watt output..not real output..how can 55w be doubled?

 

i've been through 2 sets and i'm not impressed...few people here have been through a few sets as well. i guess some people are lucky, others aren't.

and again, after knowing that i can put hid's in my fogs, i will never put piaa's in my fogs.
you're in NYC, so am i...i'm in queens. one day, when i go to a meet (if i ever do) we'll get side by side. i'll turn on my hid fogs. you'll turn on your fogs. you'll see what i mean. that's all. i regret going through 2 sets.

 

oh don't get me wrong bro, I understand completely...there is NO substitute for real HID..I went the HID conversion route with my previous 02 altima 2.5 and to tell you the truth, I'd never do it again....$400 down the drain IMO....the bulbs changed color after 6 months and then when I went to 7500k, I was blinding the crap outta everyone and I was running the risk of getting a ticket.

I think you stated previously you are in JH area..I am in Bayside..if you wanna meet up, even just to b.s., hit me up in a PM

 

$300, 4300K hella ballasts with phillips bulbs. exact specs of stock 2k2-2k3 hid's. you're right, 6k and 7.5k WILL get you a ticket, 4300k won't. will it blind people, i dont' think it should, since i'm aiming it towards the ground and not so much for distance.

we'll meet up one day. i have a tendency to disappear from time to time. ask glory and pcguru. i came out once, disappeared for 6 months. tomorow i leave for colombia and come back in 3 weeks. on top of that, i had my headlights stolen, so i'm not taking the car out till that's fixed. sometime soon hopefully.

 

aight dude...summer's comin...great times hopefully too....hit me up when you're around....

 

ok, i lied again...hb2 = H4...I kinda forgot.

Jae