After seeing the pictures at http://www.maximadriver.com I was very tempted to get a set of the APC Xenon Plasma Superwhite 9004s for my car. The bulbs finally arrived and right away I installed them. They are <b>BRIGHT</B>!

Here is a comparison between the stock bulb and the APC on low beam. I adjusted the camera to a warmer setting for a better comparison.
<img src="http://www.geocities.com/focker2889/img/Light02_s.jpg">
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This picture is taken using automatic settings.
<img src="http://www.geocities.com/focker2889/img/Light05_s.jpg">

I wish I had the Sylvania XB and CB and the PIAA SW on hand for more comparisons. But for now, I will see if I can live with the light from the APCs. Just hope Saturday is here now so that I can go out and have some spirited driving.

Only issue: how the hell am I going to get up to Tahoe to ski during snowy nights with that? (if you are living in the snowbelt, you know white light and snow do not mix.)

Next mod: Hayden 404 tranny cooler.

 

nm

 

Get some hella fog light bulbs... I forget the name, but it's the amber/gold/yellow bulbs. Should help some. you could go over wattage on those.

-Shing

 

yeah. get yellow fogs.

glad to hear that you like the bulbs.

 

THey come in 55W, 85W and 110W.

Bulb type is H3.

Go to http://www.rallylights.com for details.

 

also? Or are those the regular wattage bulbs?

 

APC Xenon Plasma are the brightest super white bulbs which I have used. Too bad they don't last long(about 3-4 month) on my Accord. I got them $20 a pair from my local shop. They don't sell them anymore.

 

Those are higher wattage bulbs. I do not have any harness upgrade yet. I determine if I need one later on. Still, it is recommended by many people to get the upgrade.

 

Color temp and brightness are different things. A light with a higher color temp, ie whiter, are often confused and thought of as being brighter.

-Shing

 

Where you bought those APC bulbs at? Anywhere I can order online? They look bright! Currently, I have the OptiBlue bulbs. It's ok.

 

http://www.carparts.com has them.

 

Definitely. It looks bright at point-blank, but not sure that's the same after 200 feet.

Btw, the box said the color temp is 4000 K (Kelvin). I doubt it, it's more like around the 3800-3900 range. May be the harness upgrade can push the temp towards 4000 K.

Still, I am more concerned with the "brightness" of the beam. Saturday, Saturday, Saturday.

Also, I could not find the 55W Hella Yellowstar at that website.

 

Anyone know if these are whiter than PIAA Super whites? Or brighter?

 

Personally, I think PIAA superwhites aren't bright at all. I bought it before, and didn't like it. Ones I got now, the OptiBlue bulbs are brighter than the PIAA ones.

 

I just ordered my APC Xenon Plazmas from carparts.com, I got the bulbs within like 3 days of my order but I also ordered the upgrade harness and it was backordered for like 3 weeks. So that kind of sucks cause I don't wanna put them in then fry anything in my electrical system so I just gotta wait. Oh well.

 

I was looking at carparts.com last night for these bulbs and the harnesses and I found them both, but it didn't really specify if the bulbs ( that I think where 31.XX ) were sold as one or two bulbs....same with the harnesses.

Do you only need to order one of each ( meaning that they are sold in pairs ) bring the cost of this mod to eighty-somthing, or do you need two of each, meaning it will cost around 160ish.

Thanks!

 

"I could not find the 55W Hella Yellowstar at that website."

Call and ask for them. The proprietor, Ken, has not put them up on the site yet, but has some in stock.

 

anyone using HID kits?

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HID kits won't work on 3rd and 4th gen maximas.

The below will be in the FAQ shortly

Why you shouldn’t use HIDs retrofit kits for the 9004 equipped Nissan Maximas.

There are a few reasons why you shouldn’t use such a kit. One is the fact that you will lose the use of your high beams. 9004 bulbs are dual filaments, it contains both high beam and low beam filaments. HID bulb is a single filament bulb. You DO need high beams. Why? Sure HIDs are going to be bright, but high beams are aim differently and there will be time when you need to use your high beams to seem further. Also high beams are often used as a way to communicate with other drivers. You will lose the ability to do this. The second reason you should not do a conversion is the fact that your beam pattern will be destroyed. 9004 bulb filaments are horizontal relative to the bulb socket. HID bulbs are vertical. Your reflectors are designed with the horizontal filament in mind. The light output will glare a lot and will blind on coming drivers.

 

If you are referring to the APC bulbs, they are sold in pairs and the harness is a one piece harness with the other wire branchiong off of it so you only need one, the total price should be around $80. Good luck!

 

Good to know.

Thank you.

 

Kissed goodbye to my APCs yesterday. I sent them back for a refund/exchange.

After 20 minutes of driving on a rainy day, the low beam of one of the bulbs went out. That sucks!

I called the friendly customer service. They put me on hold for like 10 mins for a out-of-state call!! And then they routed me to an answering machine. After huge frustation and anger, someone (the operator?) answered my phone. I *****ed at him (he thought I am a woman!!) and told me to send them back for an exchange?!?! No refund???

For those who think the IRS is horrible, this big Georgia aftermarket chain is even worse.

 

The APC Plazma White bulbs are 80W/100W bulbs and would cause a short in our normally weak 9004 harnesses. Were you using the upgraded harness with your bulbs because if not you could have done damage to your electrical system.

 

I doubt the bulb was shorted. It's more to do with the bulb itself I think.

A regular 65W high beam uses around 10 A and the 80W low beam uses around 13 A. The 3 amps difference may cause some harm to the electrical system in the long run, but 20 mins -> no way.

I love the white light from the APCs, but installing a so-called "made in Taiwan or so" upgrade harness is a no no for me. May be the stock wattage PIAA from a local store later on.

Anyhow, I did not even bother to try to fix the bulb after my CFO expressed her concern. The filaments looked okay, and that means the bulb is defective. Shipped from Korea to the California, then to Georgia, then five more days of UPS truck-ride back to CA... It is okay to have a defective bulb.

 

I ordered the APC bulbs too, but didn't order the upgrade harness. Should I? I don't want to install it, and have it burn out.

 

It was just an idea that there could have been an electrical problem, but you are probably right about the defect. When mine came they were barely wrapped up in a any packing material and they could have easily been banging around in shipment. We'll see how they are. As for the harness I ordered mine so that I could get the best performance out of the bulbs, also Chebosto (Cheston) has the same bulbs and he highly suggested the harness to me so I purchased it, but it is on backorder for like 3 weeks right now.

 

heh. i take it someone else loves Carparts.com as much as me....

 

Heheheh...I bet my turn is coming up with all of this backordered crap. We'll see...