Recently my passenger side headlight started turning purple, then it goes back to white right before it would completely go out. It does this everytime I turn my car on. Is it a bad bulb or is the ballast gone? Would it be worth buying new bulbs and testing them before buying the ballast? What is the best after market brand for DS2 HIDs bulb? The stock bulbs seem way over priced and probably perform the same as some of the top after market brands.

Thanks

 

It's the bulb. If it was the ballast it wouldn't re-ignite. Philips 85122+ are some of the best bulbs out there, but a lot of people don't like that they have a yellowish hue to them. The alternative are the nearly twice as expensive Osram CBI's.

 

It's definitely a bulb. The pink eye usually means its time to replace the bulbs ASAP. The 22+ are your best buy if you just want an awesome aftermarket bulb. Otherwise the CBIs are the best out there right now but they're $125 a bulb.
Look here for the 22+
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/product_info.php?products_id=148

For CBIs
http://www.motivemods.com/mobile/default.aspx#P2753

 

Thank you for your quick response. The information was very helpful.

 

Opps, accidentally gave you the mobile website. Here ya go.

http://www.motivemods.com/OSRAM-Cool-Blue-Intense-Xenarc-p/osr-cbi-d2s.htm

 

How many hours, roughly, did you use the headlights? I think the average life of these HID bulbs is 2000 to 3000 hours.

I will suggest you should buy them from a reputable seller on ebay. They will cost you between 50 and 90 dollars a pair. The OEM ones 4300K, but you can go up to 5000K without moving in to those "Blue" headlights.

I personally think that anything above 5000K is more of a road hazard for both you and the incoming traffic, plus they dont help a lot on wet roads. Just my 2 cents.

Hope this helps.

 

What is the benefit of using a CBI over say just some bulbs off ebay? I've bought off ebay a couple times for Hids in my last car and my quad and never had a problem

 

^ CBI are 5000k yet are brighter then the philips 85122+ Best of both world. Just not the price.

 

Cheap bulbs will give off poor results. Somtimes the capsules are crooked, colors aren't consistent, will color shift fast and have poor light output. You get what you pay for, don't go cheap with HID components.
CBI's are OEM bulbs, will give off a 5000 Kelvin rating, will last a long time, 3200+ lumens of light, and they seem to give off a wider width of light.

 

agree the ballasts also effects the brightness of the bulbs too

 

Does anybody know how the Osram Sylvania compare to CBI? The only difference I can see is the Sylvania's are 4300K and the CBI's are 5000k. I'm about to spend the money on the CBI's but if there isn't much of a difference I'll get the Sylvania's which cost half as much.

 

You might want to jump on http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/ and ask your question there, those guys will most likely have a better answer for you. I can't tell you which is better becuase I haven't use the Sylvania's before.

 

hey guys my right side on my 04 tl was flickering goes off then i turn on and off the headlights a few times an eventually it goes back on.... i got new bulbs n still does it..... so could it be my ballast?