Headlight advice, a few options

Teecee · 06-16-2008, 11:08 AM

I have a '01 i30. I have been spending some time reading about other user's exprience with other headlights on their cars. I think I have it narrowed down to this so please correct me if I am wrong. I am looking into replacing the entire headlight and foglight enclosure because mine are cloudy.

If I buy some $100 lights off ebay they will more than likely not be of high quality parts. This means I might get less life out of them, less brightness, etc.

If I buy lights from a place like www.depotautolights.com or Cefiro, although I think Cefiro only checks his email once a week

, then I will pay more of the lights but they will be much higher quality and I should get better performance out of these compared to the ebay lights.

If I want HID, it will require some mod work. First I will need to buy the headlamp enclosure, then I will need to get a HID kit. If I assume right these kits are illegal technically in the states? And their quality is not like what a OEM HID car, like my wife's '08 Lexus ES350 has?

Does that sum it up guys? I would love to have the HID lights but I dont want to have to do much modding to get it done. So I am thinking of buying the lights from depotautolights.com or Cefiro, Cefiro CHECK YOUR EMAIL SON!!!

*n3985* · 06-16-2008, 11:17 AM

Just buy a 9006 HID kit on this site from the group buy forum and call it a day.

Teecee · 06-16-2008, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by n3985

Just buy a 9006 HID kit on this site from the group buy forum and call it a day.

Thats the thing. There are so many different kits, different options, I am unsure what is right. Like do I buy just any 9006 HID kit, will it bolt to OEM lights I get from depotautolights.com? What type of 9006 kit? Single beam, Bi-Xenon, D2S, D2R, D4S?

*n3985* · 06-16-2008, 11:38 AM

Your factory headlights use 9006 type bulb, OEM headlights perform better than aftermarket 99.9% of the time. Go to the Group Buy section on this site and choose one of the HID vendors i.e. operatic, and tell him you want a 9006 (which is single beam) HID kit. For color, I suggest 4,300 for maximum output, 5,000K for less but white light, and 6,000K for even less but white with hint of blue light.

Teecee · 06-16-2008, 11:52 AM

Great. I just talked with Mike from 3bspec.com which I found off the forums. I am going to order from him.

n395, when you say OEM headlights perform better than aftermarket 99.9% of the time, are you talking about the enclosure or the actual light itself? Are you saying that if I get a 9006 HID kit it will perform less than an OEM halogen setup?

*n3985* · 06-16-2008, 11:55 AM

No, I meant the headlight housing/enclosure. With a HID kit in your factory headlight housing, you will definitely see a big improvement in light output, especially if you opt for 4,300K.

Teecee · 06-16-2008, 11:57 AM

Where would you buy your headlight housing/enclosure?

Thank for you for quick responses. You have been VERY helpful.

*n3985* · 06-16-2008, 12:01 PM

Why not just keep your factory ones? They are better quality in all respects than any aftermarket one you can buy. OEM = function, aftermarket = look w/o function.

Teecee · 06-16-2008, 12:02 PM

They just look a little cloudy/foggy. That is the main reason I started looking.

*n3985* · 06-16-2008, 12:10 PM

Save the $100 for a nice present for the wife

25 minute headlight cleaning (9 pictures; 2.08mb)

***BLACKonBLACK98*** · 06-16-2008, 12:26 PM

oem is going to be better but all the retailers sell the same few brands of aftermarket replacments (tyc, eagle eyes, depo) so i say go with whatevers cheapest.

***SYCEFIRO*** · 06-16-2008, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teecee

I have a '01 i30. I have been spending some time reading about other user's exprience with other headlights on their cars. I think I have it narrowed down to this so please correct me if I am wrong. I am looking into replacing the entire headlight and foglight enclosure because mine are cloudy.

If I buy some $100 lights off ebay they will more than likely not be of high quality parts. This means I might get less life out of them, less brightness, etc.

If I buy lights from a place like www.depotautolights.com or Cefiro, although I think Cefiro only checks his email once a week

, then I will pay more of the lights but they will be much higher quality and I should get better performance out of these compared to the ebay lights.

If I want HID, it will require some mod work. First I will need to buy the headlamp enclosure, then I will need to get a HID kit. If I assume right these kits are illegal technically in the states? And their quality is not like what a OEM HID car, like my wife's '08 Lexus ES350 has?

Does that sum it up guys? I would love to have the HID lights but I dont want to have to do much modding to get it done. So I am thinking of buying the lights from depotautolights.com or Cefiro, Cefiro CHECK YOUR EMAIL SON!!!

www.depotautolights.com
They carry OE spec Aftermarket headlights, NOT OEM.
If you want Asian Spec OEM Nissan Headlights, email me.
Otherwise, if you are going to retrofit better projecter headlights, just buy whatever is the cheapest.

Btw, if you want the best quality aftermarket headlights, go with TYC.
Depo, Eagle lights, and others are about the same as TYC's. But TYC does make lots of quality OEM products.

Just my two cents

SY
sycefiro@yahoo.com

Teecee · 06-16-2008, 11:28 PM

Sycefiro, I did email you

Twice. You replied to a few of my emails then I havent heard back from you. The title of the email is "headlights for a 01 i30". What is the difference between OEM and Asian Spec OEM? I ask this because I already ordered a 9006 HID kit.

2000MaximaSE · 06-17-2008, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teecee

They just look a little cloudy/foggy. That is the main reason I started looking.

Get this. My headlights look crystal clear brand new from it. Then get an hid kit and call it a day

dineth00i30 · 06-17-2008, 08:04 PM

seriously don't buy new lights bcus of some cloudy headlights. You did the right thing by buying from 3bspec. Just spend 30 mins and clean the headlights. You will be very happy. I myself have 8000k and that means I don't get much light from it but its still a huge improvement and i love the color of it.

McSteve · 06-18-2008, 05:37 AM

what does not much light mean? Don't most beamers and all other cars come stock with 8000K? I mean it still must be pretty bright then. and I agree the color is awesome, especially if you drive by clear objects and they reflect blue haha.
Will putting HIDs in the stock housing not produce a lot of glare?

queenambeach · 06-18-2008, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McSteve

what does not much light mean? Don't most beamers and all other cars come stock with 8000K? I mean it still must be pretty bright then. and I agree the color is awesome, especially if you drive by clear objects and they reflect blue haha.
Will putting HIDs in the stock housing not produce a lot of glare?

No, all OEM cars come stock with 4300K.

McSteve · 06-18-2008, 01:30 PM

so how come their lense is blue. As long they come with HID of course I mean.

*n3985* · 06-18-2008, 02:06 PM

That's the cutoff you are seeing

dineth00i30 · 06-18-2008, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McSteve

what does not much light mean? Don't most beamers and all other cars come stock with 8000K? I mean it still must be pretty bright then. and I agree the color is awesome, especially if you drive by clear objects and they reflect blue haha.
Will putting HIDs in the stock housing not produce a lot of glare?

if you do a lil research you will find out that when its 8000k you get less light on the road than a 4300k so in theory the higher the kelvin number lower the light output. I got 8000k bcus it look awsome and i can still see really good at night plus i have 3000k fogs for bad weather so kind of a perfect balance for my taste. Well it probably does glare but i came face to face to my car oneday in a friends car and my headlights didnt bother any of us and i havent gotten any hi beams or been pulled over so its no big deal. I am very happy with my setup.

McSteve · 06-19-2008, 03:47 AM

what i meant with that question was that it will still be a huge advantage over stock halogens.

*MrRogerStatus* · 06-19-2008, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McSteve

what does not much light mean? Don't most beamers and all other cars come stock with 8000K? I mean it still must be pretty bright then. and I agree the color is awesome, especially if you drive by clear objects and they reflect blue haha.
Will putting HIDs in the stock housing not produce a lot of glare?

Like your sig

dineth00i30 · 06-19-2008, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McSteve

what i meant with that question was that it will still be a huge advantage over stock halogens.

oh hell yeah its huge improvement over halogens.. I didnt mean to insult you... V cool? Lol

Teecee · 06-19-2008, 11:27 AM

So I got the HID for my headlights in. What a big difference. I love them. Now to get the fogs replaced. I am going to try the plasticx stuff and see if I can make them shine. If not I will just get some replacements from depotautolights.com, sycefiro must be pretty busy right now because the guy hasnt answered any of my many emails and pm.

*n3985* · 06-19-2008, 11:43 AM

For fog lights, be sure to get H3c aka H3 mini bulbs or it won't fit well.

dineth00i30 · 06-19-2008, 08:49 PM

actually I have h3 not the mini and it fit perfectly fine, I didnt have to do any modifications for it to fit. H3 mini is required for maxima fogs our fog assemblies don't need the mini's.