kwanghun

I've had my '99 TL since well... '99 and the HIDs are considerably dimmer than when they were new.
I've read some other posts and it seems like plasmagarage.com is the place for replacement bulbs.
My questions are:
1. Are HID-D2R 5000K bulbs exactly the same as our factory bulbs?
2. Can I expect the replacement bulbs to restore the intensity back to original brightness?

Anyone with experience, please help.
Thanks in advance.

KH.

fsttyms1

1. No. 4300k is stock. Going higher wont make them brighter
2. Yes, "IF" yours have lost intensity (which they probably have if they are originals)

kwanghun

Thanks, fsttyms1.

So, I should probably get the 4300K HID bulbs for the best results. However, my local dealer sells them at $134 a piece!
I've done some searching on google but so far all I can find are 4300K conversion kits.
Does anyone know any online dealers that carry these bulbs at a lower price?
Or is the price difference something I have to live with if I want the brightest lights?

fsttyms1

Contact our vendor Excelerate. He sells bulbs.

https://acurazine.com/forums/members/excelerate-25144/

mrdeeno

You don't "have" to get the exact same type as OEM.

I actually replaced the OEM bulbs in my M45 with 6000k bulbs. I don't remember the brand, but they claim to be better quality than OEM...although as long as they last roughly the same amount of time, I am happy. I think they were $75 or so per bulb.

The higher "K" you go, the less yellow there will be but also at a degradation in light level. 6000k is the highest I would go, any higher and the light starts looking purple and the light output is too low.

kwanghun

Thanks for your replies ..

I'm just afraid of spending over $100 to replace the bulbs and find no improvement in light intensity.
The original bulbs are less intense than new but they are still much brighter than say halogen lamps.

So, I guess the real problem I have is not knowing exactly how much my factory bulbs have degraded in the past 7.5 years.
I know they are dimmer than when they were new, but they might still be comparable in brightness to 5000K or 6000K bulbs. In which case, I would be wasting my money by changing to 5000K or 6000K bulbs.

Does anyone in the Austin area have recently installed 5000K or 6000K bulbs? And would you be willing to meet up sometime and let me compare headlights?

AcuraBuddy

Well the higher up in Kelvin you will start to notice a blueish and then the higher up you go it becomes purpleish. Like the other dude above said 5k to 6k is probably the most I would go to.

Bob_F

Did you check eBay? Search for "D2R" and "4300K" you'll find OEM bulbs made by Philips for less than $50 each.

Bob

Excelerate

iTrader: (1)

I sell KAIXEN HID upgrade bulbs. Typically most go with 6000k which is extreme white w/ a hint of blue. They are, to the naked eye, brighter, but technicall emit less lumen than the 4300k. I can also get 5000k which is closer which are natural white. They are all $150 shipped for a pair. KAIXEN is the only other company besides Philips due to have developed the diamond shaped bulb for better light output/quality.

https://acurazine.com/forums/sponsored-sales-group-buys-10/kaixen-hid-kit-groupbuy-330409/

mrdeeno

When i switched to the 6000k bulbs, there's no "noticable" degradation in the light output...but that's subjective and someone with really sensitive eyes may be able to tell the difference, but I doubt it.

The only time I notice any difference between 4300 and 6000k is when the roads are wet or when its raining...the road markings are much more dififcult to see. This is more because of less yellow light in the 6000k color rather than the brightness...but i would not say it is a cause for concern for me.

the brand of my bulbs are Xentronic. They are slightly more blue than Philips Ultinon 6000k bulbs I had before, but just ever so slightly. I just checked the website and i guess their prices went up a bit (i think I got mine for $175 or something a pair about a year ago).

www.xtralights.com

CJITTY

I have the 6000K Philips Ultinon and they are slightly less bright but look nicer in color in my opinion than the stock bulbs. I have HID in my fog lights using 4100K bulbs, so that makes up for much of my 6000Ks less light output. I may switch back to my 4100K bulbs for my headlights to get more light on the road. I hit a pothole last night that brighter headlights may have caught.

The 5000K Philips bulbs are already color shifted so they will appear slightly more pure white than the 4100K. But fsttyms1 is right, the higher in color temp you go, the less usable light you will have on the road. Plus, going higher and higher in color temp will attract unwanted attention by the po-po's.

dreem1er

iTrader: (2)

do you sell kits, i'm looking for 9006 in 6500k, for the fogs

03c0upe

Can i replace one bulb with the same rating and same company, or does the color change over time?

Mr Hyde

One other thing you may want to look at to restore some light intensoity is wet sanding, and polishing your actual headlight lenses in order to reduce scuffs, pits, and the sandblasted effect they all get after a few years of use.

My father had a 98 Volvo with replaceable glass lenses. Replacing both when one of them cracked made a very noticeable difference in the look of the car, and the light output.

sojue

I am using KAIXEN 6500K bulbs got it from Excelerate and I love it. I will get 6000K next time tho cuz I want it to be little brighter.

Excelerate

iTrader: (1)

Yes I do. See here for more info or PM me.

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=330409

fsttyms1

Never replace just 1 bulb(even with halogens). Always replace both at the same time. Plus HIDs change color over time and you will never get them to match

03c0upe

i found a couple of diy but is there anyone with pics on the headlight also doi need to disconnect the power before changing bulbs?

sothrowed

Which bulbs would i need to get if i wanted to get a Brighter/Whiter light from my Fogs. I have a 03 Tl Type S

is300eater

...so, one of my lights just went out in my 02' TL-S, and just to clarify... I DON'T need to get the whole kit, right? just the replacement lights for $150 a pair?

Excelerate

iTrader: (1)

No, your car comes stock with HID's so you already have a ballast and ignitor. If it was in fact your bulb that went out then you would only need a new set of bulbs. As mentioned you should always replace in pairs. To make sure though it was your bulb I would recommend swapping bulbs and see if the bulb from the other side lights up on the currently "bad" side.

is300eater

....okay, so "if" I swapped the bulbs and it works on the other side... then what? I need a whole new kit?

(But if it doesn't work, then just order the bulbs, right?) Sorry, I'm not good with stuff like this... I just want to make sure that when I DO go order, I'm ordering the right thing... I've been making a lot of mistakes lately in online purchasing... either I jump the gun and buy something I don't need or I end up buying the wrong thing...

assclown

iTrader: (1)

take the bulb from the working side and put it in the non-working side, if it works then you need new bulbs. if it doesn't work something else is wrong.