John Rutecki

I'm new to cars, this is my first one, don't know a lot about them. Can somebody explain headlights to me? I know this sounds like a dumb question, but I mean, like HID lights, and can I get HID lights, and what even are HID lights? What's xenon, why are Projector headlights bad, is it easy to take them out, is it easy to paint them, can somebody just explain everything to me about headlights?

Basically, what I want to do is get brighter bulbs for my fog lights and headlights, I also want the stock headlights and tail lights, painted black, I like the stock headlights, or OEM I guess they're called? I don't like that amber color though and was wondering if that could be replaced, and also if I kept it, could it be brighter? Can somebody just answer those questions please? I have a 2002 Nissan Maxima SE.

Can I get HID bulbs?
What are projector headlights?
Can I replace that amber color with a different color?
Can I make that amber color brighter?
Is it hard to do the wiring, and if so what wiring specifically, so I can go and ask a mechanic to do it for me.
Is it hard to paint the head lights black, and if no or yes, can somebody tell me what exactly is getting painted black? I think it's called "housing"?

I know I could research all day, but I'd rather get an explanation from somebody who knows what they're talking about and can make it simple. Thank you in advanced.




Those are my headlights

killemall2k

heres a good website that you might wanna bookmark
http://www.shiftice.com/how_to.html

John Rutecki

I saw the Umnitza headlights thing but I don't know about them. I love how they look, but can you actually see good with them? Like, I've been reading that they gave people problems.

Sheepdog1775

Yeah, avoid the angel eyes. I hear they the company does not take care of their customers and when the eyes break, you'll have to open them and replace them.

John Rutecki

I read a review on here, and they said customer service was horrible. So I'm avoiding those.

mannetti21

iTrader: (3)

I could possibly do this for you, for a decent price....where do you live?

mannetti21

iTrader: (3)

...not to necessarily bad mouth anybody, but my Umnitza ballasts have failed over 3 times in the last 3 years. Maybe it was a fluke, but just a heads up.

John Rutecki

What exactly is "this"? and New Jersey, 08037

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

You already have them unless someone has changed your headlights from stock.
Your image doesn't show up, so I have no idea.

The HIDs you have on your car already (2002/2003 came with stock HID's) are REFLECTOR style HID's. This set up is just like regular headlights it jsut uses the better more advanced HID lighting and a special reflector.

Projectors are basically a tube that the bulb is in with a magnifying lens on the front. They're able to concentrate the light WAY better and provide much much better lighting due to this.

They're also cosmetically more appealing to some people, personally I think they are nothing special to look at.

Projector unit:



yes, there's many threads and write ups on how to do it. It requires disassembling your headlight and custom-cutting and installing a Malibu (home depot yard light) lens and retrofitting it in. Not a super simple job but not the hardest thing in the world either.

Contact Tyutunnik (screen name) he can set you up with some very nice LED's for it. Any time you put LED's in signal locations you will need to buy a special LED Flasher relay. Super cheap and super easy to install ont his car.




You can find all these answers in Google.

cjandura

iTrader: (3)

Oh my! havnt seen so many questions sense me youngest was 3!

Dude Search Please every question you asked is here.

John Rutecki

So can I just get brighter HID bulbs?

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

NO.

The only thing that will be brighter is getting NEW HID bulbs, becuase the ones you ahve are likely worn out.

If you really want great output, you need to retrofit them. Contact Chrisman287, he does retros for insanely cheap and does a great job.

John Rutecki

I've been looking on the website and I searched the forum but I still have questions that aren't answered.

http://www.shiftice.com/how_to.html

I want to make the amber lens, clear, but I don't know what to buy, the guy says go to home depot, that's great and all.. but what do I buy, and Tap plastics, the website is a bit confusing and I can't find anything "Frosted" if anybody could help, without being 100% rude and telling me, "L2USESEARCH" i'd really appreciate it.

DOODOOCHIP

when i did my lights i thought about using a clear peice but decided not to. i just took out the amber lens and replaced the stock bulb with the chrome one from ebay. looks chrome but flashes amber so its all good. hope this helps

rebelhell

iTrader: (1)

knight_yyz

iTrader: (40)

Actually, you have 35W HID bulbs in the car. theoretically you can buy a 50W HID kit, but you need new ballasts to power those bulbs. Not recommending you do it, just saying it is possible.

The malibu lenses you need are no longer under the number that housecor talks about. The number is disco'd. There is a new number that will allow you to do the same thing. But if you google the number you will find what you need.

John Rutecki

Is that the exact size of the amber lens?

I've been looking everywhere, I called Pep boys, Home depot, and they both can't help me.

cjandura

iTrader: (3)

Last bit of spoon feeding you get!!!

the damn part number of the light is right on the package in the picture it took me literally 17ms to type it in and pick the first link i found.ARE YOU FRACKIN MENTALLY CRIPPLED YOU SAUSAGE WRANGLER???

http://www.shiftice.com/clear_HIDs.html

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Dude its great that you want to learn about your car but you need to spend a lot of time learning the basics before asking any questions on this forum.

stocked out max

iTrader: (2)

www.ddmtuning.com for the HIDs

rebelhell

iTrader: (1)

Half of this post is old news. The new poster is only asking about clearing the marker lights.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Asking again, same poster just a more recent post in an older thread, a thread that actually already contains his answer, lmao

rebelhell

iTrader: (1)

Did you read the instructions??? It says you have to use your amber lens to trace and trim the lens to fit. READ.

cjandura

iTrader: (3)

no!

cjandura

iTrader: (3)

Dude the only thing he knows how to read is the levis patch on mens jeans as they walk by.and hes so hard headed he has the fruit of the loom logo imprinted on his forehead

John Rutecki

He says home depot or tap plastic. I called Home depot and they had no idea what I was talking about. The guy never specified the exact dimensions of te amber lens to buy from tap plastic, nor what kind of plastic to buy. Yes, I have read. Over and over again. The instructions does not help somebody who is new to car modding. Stop being so ignorant and stop flaming me just to get your post count up.

TallTom

And that is where searching comes into play. Searching for "tap plastics" will give you your answer.

Here is one http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...-question.html

John Rutecki

Well, I'm probably going to buy the lens off Amazon tonight and buy the paint aswell to black the housing. Now that we're all here and comfortable, does anybody know what kind
Of paint I should pay to black the housing? It's hard to use the search button because 9/10 times, I'm mobile.

Also, if you have to put the headlight back in the oven to seal it, wont that crack the paint?

DOODOOCHIP

use caliper paint its made for hot temp.

Sheepdog1775

I used regular spray paint from Lowes. You won't need caliper paint unless you go above 300 degrees, which is not recommended.

John Rutecki

Can somebody link me a good spray paint to buy? I just don't want to mess up my car, have it coming out, looking like ****. and I want to be 100% sure that I have everything I need, and the EXACT thing that I need, I don't want to have to re-order something because I bought the wrong lens, or wrong paint. I just want to be 100% sure. Thanks.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Arrogant. You mean Arrogant, not ignorant.

cjandura

iTrader: (3)

I dont need to raise me post count its high enough!but you sir need hooked on phonics Maxima Edition!
Here is just a observation take it as its said,You are trying to do too many things at one time with not enough Knowledge about these cars pick one thing learn it all the way thru through searching then do it otherwise you will FAIL!

cjandura

iTrader: (3)

Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Ghustle!!!!!

Fakie J Farkerton

iTrader: (51)

John Rutecki

I just found out my dad has a heat gun, so I guess I won't need to do the oven thing. How would you re-seal the headlight, if you use a heat gun, and the whole chrome blinker thing, how does that work out?

Somebody linked me a bulb, but it was on ebay, and I'm trying to avoid using ebay.

Fakie J Farkerton

iTrader: (51)

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=How+to+search+on+maxima.org

Sheepdog1775

Use an oven. Heat gun will not work as well, and type what you're looking for on amazon or google.

John Rutecki

The thing is.. I don't know what I'm looking for, what kind of bulb, what size bulb? Like, I'm clueless, I already said I know nothing really about cars. So... I don't want to buy a fake bulb or something? I was looking stuff up, and people were talking about fake ****ty bulbs. So I don't know, I just want to make sure I have everything I need before I do it, and everything is the right size, and all that. I just don't want to mess anything up, so I'm being super pre-cautious.

TallTom

Not to come across as rude, but if you don't know anything about cars, I would avoid taking apart the headlights if I was you. You run the serious risk of ruining them and having to fork out some major cash for OEM replacements.