Headlight bulbs

[Nd4SpdSe]

wouldn't call you weird, selfish maybe, but not weird.

While it may "better" your driving experience, it worsens that of anyone else around you. Take the hint if you're being flashed. Your lights are either improperly aimed, or the bulbs are creating a horrible pattern that's blinding to other drivers

Indeed, but it's not a game of me trying to out-brighten other drivers, but I get less flashed since the body lift, which used to be a regular occurance, now it's faily rare, never mind twice in a day. It's part of the reason why I'm not going with HID's. I should see about trying to aim them (maybe they won't go low enough for the body lift), but it'll always be bad for trucks vs cars.

And I've had the same reasoning as you Michel, for using the higher output bulbs because they do light up the road better then standard bulbs. The trade off has always been bulb life, and with the cost of gas continuing to go higher, I'm less and less inclined to spend extra $$ on the truck unless it's going into a serious mod or repair.

Part of my reason for not being willing to spend the extra $$ was because I was actually purchasing bulbs for two vehicles, the truck, and our second vehicle (Dodge Stratus) which just happens to use the same bulbs as the truck.

I may have been able to swallow spending $70 on one set of bulbs, but dropping $140 at CT for 4 headlights was beyond what I was willing to open my wallet for...

Indeed, I filled the truck yesterday @ $71 (91 Octane @ $1.18), that's almost 1/9 my paycheck! Filling the beast hurts me a lot. Indeed for 2 cars, that's a large chunk of cash in one shot just for headlights, I don't blame ya at all.

[Simon]

Indeed, but it's not a game of me trying to out-brighten other drivers, but I get less flashed since the body lift, which used to be a regular occurance, now it's faily rare, never mind twice in a day. It's part of the reason why I'm not going with HID's. I should see about trying to aim them (maybe they won't go low enough for the body lift), but it'll always be bad for trucks vs cars.

No, it wouldn't be. I just don't find stock bulbs insufficient. I can see. When I can't, I have high beams, or Hella's, both of which I rarely use. If it's about "out brighting" other drivers, I use the 100w lights on my bumper. The point I was making is that brighter or whiter bulbs in stock housings, or poorly executed HID's are horribly intrusive to other drivers. I wouldn't run them as I'd hate being "that guy"

[Scotto]

Hey, what's with HolidayNation's sudden need for weird Japanese symbols at the end of his posts?

[Adam]

No, it wouldn't be. I just don't find stock bulbs insufficient. I can see. When I can't, I have high beams, or Hella's, both of which I rarely use. If it's about "out brighting" other drivers, I use the 100w lights on my bumper. The point I was making is that brighter or whiter bulbs in stock housings, or poorly executed HID's are horribly intrusive to other drivers. I wouldn't run them as I'd hate being "that guy"

Just a question, do the xterras suffer from the same relay-less dull headlights that the older pathys do? I know that for me, stock headlamps before relays sucked. I'm really surprised I didn't have an accident before then. It used to be really hard to see at night without the hellas.

[Simon]

I have no idea, but I never found my WD21 headlights lacking either.

[Jayman]

Mmmm. Good point. EDIT FOR LANGUAGE POLICE INTRUSION: A **I have a filthy mouth, pass the soap** of a good point, if I may add before the language policia see this. END OF LANGUAGE POLICE INTRUSION.

I'll bet his battery died shortly before though, as he had all the part #s, and the price of the unit, locked and loaded in his cranium.

Very strange phenomenon indeed Scotto, how my woes seem to filter down to your truck. My Optima Red Top did in fact leave me stuck in my driveway last winter, and I ended up replacing it with the very same battery that you now have.

Which, as you so aptly pointed out, is why I had all that info available when it was needed.

I will say this though: I for whatever reason, continue to forget that you do not have a winch. This was the reason I recommended that battery for your truck, as it can handle the extra load that is placed on it from winching. Remembering now that you do NOT in fact have a winch, that battery was probably a bit of overkill.

It's still an awesome battery, and still cheaper then an Optima though.

[Jayman]

Hey, what's with HolidayNation's sudden need for weird Japanese symbols at the end of his posts?

Probably posted from his Crackberry.

[Adam]

I have no idea, but I never found my WD21 headlights lacking either.

I dunno man, I used to forget to turn my high's off and no one even noticed, before I put the relays in. The low's were brighter. Then again the PO jacked the wiring as both lights were run off the drivers side wire. I guess since the DRL didn't work on that side they figured it was cheaper to hack it up than replace the unit .

[morb]

?/\I don't know what the eff you're talking about. What's a PO and a DRL?

Err...I'm going to revert to cheapos too since mine burn out way too frequently. And it's such a colossal pain in the ass trying to change the driver side bulb with the Volant in there...

[studum]

I'm guessing PO is previous owner.

DRL = Daytime Running Lamps

[Scotto]

And it's such a colossal pain in the ass trying to change the driver side bulb with the Volant in there...

It's fun, eh? I have spent quite a bit of my life now swearing at the amount of work it takes to change a light bulb.

The wife's Matrix isn't any better though. I have this suspicion that the Japanese engineers who designed the spacing behind the housing were angry about WWII, and were mumbling something like, "We make round-eye real pissed off now! Show round-eye who is boss!"

I say that only because I am Japanese, and it's not actually a slur because I am a devoted member of that community.

[HolidayNation]

Hey, what's with HolidayNation's sudden need for weird Japanese symbols at the end of his posts?

Probably posted from his Crackberry.

Actually, I figured Jayman could translate as it was some sort of weird APPLE thing, posted from my "I TOUCH MYSELF" pod dooey.
speaking of which, I understand APPLE decided to drop their new line of ipods for kids, when they realized the I TOUCH KIDs was probably not a wise move.

Gee Scotty, your family must have had quite the wood pile...

[Jayman]

And it's such a colossal pain in the ass trying to change the driver side bulb with the Volant in there...

It's fun, eh? I have spent quite a bit of my life now swearing at the amount of work it takes to change a light bulb.

The wife's Matrix isn't any better though. I have this suspicion that the Japanese engineers who designed the spacing behind the housing were angry about WWII, and were mumbling something like, "We make round-eye real pissed off now! Show round-eye who is boss!"

I say that only because I am Japanese, and it's not actually a slur because I am a devoted member of that community.

OMG I can't stop laughing.

My dad's Hyundai is similarly difficult in that you have to remove the air box to change the headlight. The get the air box out, you have to remove the engine cover and a bunch of other misc. crap as well. He had a headlight out this fall, pop the hood and immediately began cursing. Was somewhat humourous to me, but I have a special relationship with my dad, so...

[Snafu]

Then there's the new piss-even-more-people-off LED head lights.

Yep, if I could flash my taillights at you, I would have, as having you drive behind me was quite annoying.

Duh...that's what a pair of rear facing halogen 100w lights are for.

[Adam]

Something happened a couple weeks ago that reminded me of this thread. Both my headlights burned out within 1/2 hour of each other while I was in the east end, after 10pm! The lights I pulled out were the silverstars, with a date stamp of 2009, I was shocked they lasted this long! Good thing I had a spares in the truck, they are noticeably dimmer than the silverstars though, but they will probably last 10x as long!

[Miner]

My highbeams are the original Silverstars, installed in 2006. I'd say they have 7 years and 150,000+ km on them now. They are also daytime running lights.

The lowbeams are Silverstar Ultras, third or fourth set since 2006. When the truck was my daily driver they'd last a year or so. Once both sides failed simultaneously, or so close to each other that when I left the house I had both and when I returned I had nothing.

The foglights are Silverstar 891s (I think). Same scenario as Nd4SpdSe they are the higher wattage bulb in the same socket as the stockers. I think I'm on the third set since 2006.

I have a set of the new GE high output bulbs (highs and lows) sitting in the cabinet, but haven't failed a bulb in the last two years to use them.

Note - the car (V70) has the cheapo Canadian tire bulbs and they are awesome. I don't attribute any of that to the bulb, in my opinion the 12 year old GLASS lenses offer superior light transmission.

[Snafu]

You should check out the charging system on the truck in case there is something funny happening. It is odd for both to go at the exact same time (not impossible but odd)

[minidisco]

I replaced the [stock?] bulbs with PIAA bulbs about 9 years ago, possibly more - when I was on a PIAA bulb kick due to my motorcycle. They cost me upwards of $70 per bulb, and so far the right side is still running (it's freaking bright, man!!) and the driver's side "burned out" about 4 months ago… but as it turns out, it was a loose contact, the bulb keeps flickering on and off, so I took out the "new" Canadian Tire bulb (which was pretty yellow despite the $38 cost for "super white") and put the old PIAA back in - which I happened to have kept in the case in the trunk, and forgot to throw out.

Moral of the story: the $170 investment from 9+ years ago still keeps on paying off! There's no other brand of bulb I'd stick in there, and it's also the only brand of bulbs I use on my motorcycle(s) too.