Headlight bulb replacements
05-22-2006, 01:20 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 2
Headlight bulb replacements
Anyone know of anyway to get blue halogen headlight/foglight bulbs? All I can find in the H13 bulb is hyperwhite, and from past experiences they look no better than stock bulbs. Just curious if anyone knows of any good h13 bulbs or if there is a way to use a different bulb. thanks
05-22-2006, 02:54 AM
#4
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location:
Posts: 788
RE: Headlight bulb replacements
Why don't you just buy a the Saleen HID kit, you can also find other kits on e-bay. My friend had blue lights, got pulled over 3 times and finally put white back in. I don't think ther'ye illegal, I guess the cops were just lookin out for his safety, after all they did suck, pretty much inaffective, I'd rather drive with my running lights.
05-22-2006, 05:26 AM
#5
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 2
RE: Headlight bulb replacements
I guess I should have been more specific. Im not looking for blue lights that you find on every other honda civic. Other bulbs, such as the h4 or h3 have plasma bulbs available. I am trying to find something along the lines of what the newer benz and beemer headlights look like. The purple/blueish tint. All in all I would like something that looks better than the stock bulbs. I would love to buy the saleen HID kit, but thats out of my $ range
05-22-2006, 06:01 AM
#6
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Peoria, AZ
Posts: 382
RE: Headlight bulb replacements
The "HID white" bulbs on eBay will look plenty bluish to bystanders on the road, and won't diminish the usable light too much. The German HIDs benefit from the fact they are projectors so there's a prismatic effect which dramatizes the color viewed by others. The last E-class Merc and the Chrysler 300M used reflector type HIDs and they look exactly like PIAA Super Whites. I had the PIAA Plasmas in my old car and I did not like them at all. They gave me a tunnel-vision sensation because there was no peripheral coverage at the edges of the beam pattern.
With that said, currently the Nokya and Luminics are the only bulbs other than stock and Sylvania XtraVision. They are at the top of the white spectrum, near the blue range, so they will appear much different than basic halogens.
I'd give you my Nokyas but I threw them away 'cos one of the filaments was horribly misaligned... another problem with aftermarket bulbs.
With that said, currently the Nokya and Luminics are the only bulbs other than stock and Sylvania XtraVision. They are at the top of the white spectrum, near the blue range, so they will appear much different than basic halogens.
I'd give you my Nokyas but I threw them away 'cos one of the filaments was horribly misaligned... another problem with aftermarket bulbs.
05-22-2006, 10:53 AM
#7
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location:
Posts: 2,544
RE: Headlight bulb replacements
There is an awful lot of cometition in the "upgrade bulbs" market. Belive me, I know because my business used to market some for motorcycle applications.
One common trick that some bulb makers use is to alter the glass thickness in the bulbs so that it acts a bit like a lens. They focus more of the light forward and less to the sides. This trick makes the bulb seem brighter (in the middle at least) but it does in fact compromise your peripheal vision. This is that "tunnel-vision" sensation that grasshopper described.
HID Bulbs are, of course, the "real deal" and are very bright and clear. However, as you all know, they are very expensive. If you don't want a to spring for HIDs, then the only legitimate upgrade to be had is to find bulbs that are 100% Xenon fill, rather than a generic Halogen mix. These aren't terribly expensive. You can find them at most auto parts stores; they are generally the "upgrade bulbs" from a major maker (Sylvania, Wagner, etc.) but NOT the "ricer" or "tuner" oriented bulbs with funky colored glass. While the 100% Xeonos are safe, and a legitimate upgrade, the upgrade is minor. Depending on what Ford put in our cars, you might not even notice the difference. Expect to pay between $10 and $15 for a bulb like this.
I urge everyone to avoid the "ricer" oriented Performance bulbs--especially those which have tinted glass. The glass tint is a trick to make the bulb LOOK brighter, but the tinting actually DECREASES the light output of the bulb becasue it blocks certain colors in the spectrum.
Speaking of which, the aftermarket bulb makers love to talk about "color temperature". For example, "5000 degree K bulb". Color temperature is a measurement of COLOR. The higher the number, the closer to "white" the light is. The trick is that color temperature has nothing to do with actual brightness (light output). Many aftermarket bulbs use tinted glass in order to cut out some of the red and yellow components of the light. This shifts the color of the light more towards blue, which improves their color temp number. This does make the light "whiter", but it also makes the light DIMMER. It's a psychological trick.
One common trick that some bulb makers use is to alter the glass thickness in the bulbs so that it acts a bit like a lens. They focus more of the light forward and less to the sides. This trick makes the bulb seem brighter (in the middle at least) but it does in fact compromise your peripheal vision. This is that "tunnel-vision" sensation that grasshopper described.
HID Bulbs are, of course, the "real deal" and are very bright and clear. However, as you all know, they are very expensive. If you don't want a to spring for HIDs, then the only legitimate upgrade to be had is to find bulbs that are 100% Xenon fill, rather than a generic Halogen mix. These aren't terribly expensive. You can find them at most auto parts stores; they are generally the "upgrade bulbs" from a major maker (Sylvania, Wagner, etc.) but NOT the "ricer" or "tuner" oriented bulbs with funky colored glass. While the 100% Xeonos are safe, and a legitimate upgrade, the upgrade is minor. Depending on what Ford put in our cars, you might not even notice the difference. Expect to pay between $10 and $15 for a bulb like this.
I urge everyone to avoid the "ricer" oriented Performance bulbs--especially those which have tinted glass. The glass tint is a trick to make the bulb LOOK brighter, but the tinting actually DECREASES the light output of the bulb becasue it blocks certain colors in the spectrum.
Speaking of which, the aftermarket bulb makers love to talk about "color temperature". For example, "5000 degree K bulb". Color temperature is a measurement of COLOR. The higher the number, the closer to "white" the light is. The trick is that color temperature has nothing to do with actual brightness (light output). Many aftermarket bulbs use tinted glass in order to cut out some of the red and yellow components of the light. This shifts the color of the light more towards blue, which improves their color temp number. This does make the light "whiter", but it also makes the light DIMMER. It's a psychological trick.
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