rogmac1175

So I am pretty sure my HID bulbs are older. They are very "yellowish".

What is the best place to buy new ones? Expensive? Also, what is the "K" rating on the factories. I would like something a TINY but more bluish white or white white.

acarney

You lose light output the more (even tiny) you go blue (higher K) so you need to think about that. Is it more important you look cool, or you see better?

acarney

As for buying them, I got mine from http://www.danielsternlighting.com

I think you HAVE to actual email him with your request (car type, etc) and he'll get back to you, but they were the cheapest place to get OFFICIAL Philips HID bulbs. No Chinese knockoffs or eBay brands. They're the brightest (by lumen output) bulbs on the market that are stock and not over driven or require different ballasts. He will answer all your questions too and give you great advice with PROOF that high K bulbs are producing less light.

While you're at it ask him about the bulbs did your brights and change those too. I believe mine were under $60 total and produce a HUGE amount of light (2100+ lumens/bulb, almost HID level) and just light up the world when used.

Be warned, those high beams are "special use" off road online. I only use mine when no oncoming traffic is around (honestly only time you NEED brights in this car) and have NEVER had a legal issue with them. They really help for mountain passes in the dark and stuff though...

pyrobionic

I just replace all the bulbs in the front of my car I went to NAPA HIDs are $100/each and the rest of my bulbs were $30 or less per pair. But I also got high performance bulbs for brights and fog. The only thing killing my lights now is the lenses.

acarney

A note on the "high performance 180% brighter blah blah", almost all of it is marketing buzz. If they're not designed better or higher wattage, they're not producing more light. Check out the site I have you for some in depth info on the marketing. Go by the lumen count and not the wattage or "Hyper White" marketing lingo.

Standard bulbs are good with this car since those HID low beams are so good, but if you want ultra bright you're going to have to get bulbs producing more lumens such as the special service bulbs I mentioned below.

Worldwidebeagle

*1. I have used him as well. Luckily, no safety or headlight inspections in Colorado. If it was not for all the marketing made up crap and weird tints, Autozone, Walmart and Oreillys could not sell $5 bulbs for $35.

acarney

Found the original email from almost three years ago! This is GREAT advice and I took all of it. I've been super happy with my low HIDs and my brights. Just keep those brights off if there is any oncoming traffic, even if it's kinda far away. Pro tip, those same high beam bulbs can go into the fog lights... I just installed them expecting to be wowed by the extra light output... It's noticeable, but probably not worth the cost...

Info from email below...

Forget all the "crystal white" "extra white" "hyper white" "metal white" advertising crapola. It is all hype. Any higher-CCT bulb produces less light, of which a lower proportion is usable, than a correct 4100K original equipment bulb. Don't screw yourself; get the correct bulbs:
http://store.candlepower.com/d2sbulbs1.html

The high beam H7s: use Osram 65w H7s (2100 lumens vs. original 1400): http://store.candlepower.com/osraulhiouh7.html . They produce more light with better focus and longer life than _any_ other H7, including the 100w items you can buy from disreputable sources. Lifespan is also longer than any of the +50 (etc.) 55w H7 bulbs, and the 65w H7 is fully compatible with stock wiring.

SloopJohnB@mac.com

I've used 100/90w H4 halogens and 100w H2 high beams in VA with safety and headlight inspection. The headlight tester never went over what something like the 50,000 lumen or candlepower limit..

acarney

50k lumen would be like having a small sun with you! The HID low beams are 3200 lumen each and 2100 for each high beam. Max I'm tossing down the road with all four bulbs lit is 10,600 lumen! Five times that would be INSANE! (I wouldn't turn it away though , lol)

Might be candlepower though or something.

SloopJohnB@mac.com

That was my point..the limit was so high I never got in trouble.
Except for one ahole that objected to the two driving lights on my 280Z and two fog lights. I pointed out that many cars have four headlights and fogs so I was not illegal. Had to get his supervisor though. Guy went through my brakes with a fine tooth comb...got squat because I had new pads.