Are Sylvania Silverstars supposed to be so damn weak?

[SiNFuL]

Hey guys, when i first got my car I wanted semi-bright lights so I bought these Sylvania Silverstars($25/bulb) that were claimed to have "The look of HID." After i installed them i didnt notice much of a diff. at all. My brights were faint as crap on mtn roads and I kept getting frustrated. MY friend w/ a '03 Corolla just got Hyper White bulbs on his and his lights kick my ass; he paid 20 for the pair. WTF!!!!? Are these things just rip-offs. They're supposed to be 4k Kelvins too!
-Galen

[West]

I assume you have the H4 Conversion already. If you want something better just get a high wattage H4 bulb, such as Piaa or OEM (not sure who else offers higher wattage). The s13 headlights just simply lick balls. I drive with my brights on in Irenas OEM headlights and noone EVER flashs back at us. Not sure how good those bulbs are but most "coated" "HID" type bulbs will always give off less light then a OEM light.

[ruf]

Color temperature has very little to do with (perceived) light output.

[SiNFuL]

Wait, silverstar are H4 conversions?...so I can buy H4 bulbs for these?
-Galen

[kuruptR]

well check the back, see if the bulb is removable... if it is... you can just swap in some ricer bulbs... 85 to 115 watt bulbs hehe..

[SiNFuL]

Will do! If it's not i'm gonna kill this damn company. =) Thanks for all your help guys!
-Galen

[KSee777]

headlight "brightness" depends greatly on how the headlight housing reflect the light. The H4 conversions do not reflect the light very well. They kinda shoot the light everywhere and not on the road. On my 98 Civic, they work VERY well. I would have to admit that I like driving my civic more than my 240 at night because of the headlights. :p

ok please don't hate me... http://www.houston-imports.com/forums/images/smilies/peepwall.gif

[andrave]

my brother has silverstars and I'm pretty disappointed in them, but they are in his old housings.
My friend has a 01 civic with silverstars and they are a little brighter than stock.

I have H4 conversion projector housings with 110 watt yellow raybrig bulbs and I can light shit up!!!
I love my new lights, makes driving quickly at night 250% percent easier than with stock sealed beams.
People always talk about upgrading your brakes with your engine, well I say upgrade your headlights too...

[old_s13]

Hey guys, when i first got my car I wanted semi-bright lights so I bought these Sylvania Silverstars($25/bulb) that were claimed to have "The look of HID."

Right there, you should have known better. Why get the LOOK of HID, when you can just get HID? Spend more, get more = Sylvania XenArc. Instead, you bought over-priced coloured halogen bulbs, congrats!


After i installed them i didnt notice much of a diff. at all. My brights were faint as crap on mtn roads and I kept getting frustrated.

That is because you didnt research before you buy.. nice.


MY friend w/ a '03 Corolla just got Hyper White bulbs on his and his lights kick my ass; he paid 20 for the pair. WTF!!!!? Are these things just rip-offs. They're supposed to be 4k Kelvins too!

Well, his headlights are newer.. they may even be a better design. But lets put his Corolla aside, what about YOUR headlamps? What housing are you using, is it brand-name or are they those lame "diamond cut" crap you see on e-bay. If you want quality, you'de better have stuck with a reputable company like HELLA or even CIBIE. But, it sounds like you didnt. (Ruf is right, color temp does NOT measure light output [lumens]).


headlight "brightness" depends greatly on how the headlight housing reflect the light. The H4 conversions do not reflect the light very well. They kinda shoot the light everywhere and not on the road. On my 98 Civic, they work VERY well. I would have to admit that I like driving my civic more than my 240 at night because of the headlights.

Maybe the h4 conversions you've worked with dont reflect the light very well, but the Hella ECE's I work with do a damn good job. If you civic has good lighting, I would hate to see what your 240 has. BTW, nice body kit.. when do you plan on attaching it? ;)

[mbmbmb23]

Get the sylvania's in the pink box (not blue)...they are very bright and very white.




-m

[CoasTek240]

Originally posted by SiNFuL
If it's not i'm gonna kill this damn company.
Nissan?....
no rather than that, spend $17.96 each for an H4 conversion 200mm headlight
its from ClassicCarGarage.com (http://store.yahoo.com/classicgarage/20h4recheadc.html)

and best thing is you can ask for any color or wattage bulb wit this unit, and if ur still not satisfied with you choice, spend a lil more dough and buy some piaa h4 bulbs. although i doubt you will.

i've known bout this website for a long time, i reccomended it about 5 monthes ago and couple people from the forum bought them and all loved them. i had them on my old 240 b4 i put my eastbear projectors on, and my friend has them on his 240 and he loves them. great lighting.

[Sanchi]

I did some research and i baught the Silverstar's and they are much brighter then my stock. I drove around with one Silverstar and one OEM and the Silverstar made the light from the OEM non-existence... But i got a S14. Better but not the best for me atleast :eek:

[KSee777]

Originally posted by old_s13
Maybe the h4 conversions you've worked with dont reflect the light very well, but the Hella ECE's I work with do a damn good job. If you civic has good lighting, I would hate to see what your 240 has. BTW, nice body kit.. when do you plan on attaching it? ;)

:D yea... fitment was bad with that kit... I'm looking into getting a stock bumper with a lip. Oh and uh... yes, the Hellas are the exception... those ebay or any cheap ones are no good...

[russian]

errr.... did you realign your headlights after you put the bulbs in? i did everything and they work great.:boink:

[old_s13]

Originally posted by KSee777
:D yea... fitment was bad with that kit... I'm looking into getting a stock bumper with a lip. Oh and uh... yes, the Hellas are the exception... those ebay or any cheap ones are no good...

hehe its all good, I didnt say that to try to put you down.. just havin some fun pointing it because those two pics arent good pics, if you're trying to give people an idea of how nice your car is in those 2 pics. :)

Man, I cant believe companies SELL crap like that.. people need to stand up and be more harsh, otherwise we're gonna have a lot of REALLY bad companies selling stuff for the 240SX.. and why? BECAUSE ITS TRENDY AND POPULAR -- DRIFTING.

<sigh>

[SiNFuL]

OMG, i wish I knew more about lights/cars when I go my car. Silverstas actually have a weaker lowbeam than stock headlights(wattage wise)....wtf! If you want some cheap yet decent light upgrade lights; get Sylvania Cool Blue. I think they're 65/70.
-Galen

[old_s13]

How about just buying some good quality light housings and some good quality bulbs, and setup a good quality relay harness -- and just quit wasting time with rubbish purchases?

- Mike

[andrave]

Go on ebay, get some Neutron R glass projector housings and some Mtec power 110 watt bulbs and aim them right, you can put togther a really nice system for under 100.
btw stock wires are fine.

[old_s13]

Originally posted by andrave
Go on ebay, get some Neutron R glass projector housings and some Mtec power 110 watt bulbs and aim them right, you can put togther a really nice system for under 100.
btw stock wires are fine.

Alright! More advice that I can use as toilet paper.

Please, if you want to save money.. just pickup a set of Hella or Cibie H4 headlamp assemblies, use a set of Hella 90/100W bulbs and install a wiring harness.

If you want to spend money on DOT-compliant HID, pickup a set of Sylvania XenArc true-HID headlamps.

If you want crap, buy what the guy above said. :) Neutron R? MTEC? What is that crap... jesus, people need to come up with less "fobbish" names for their companies and products.

- Mike (some a sshole who doesnt really know about lights, just *happens* to run a fairly popular site and pretends to be knowledgeable) haha =)

[russian]

yo mama.

[SiNFuL]

hey Mike, how expensive is a Hella setup? Is setuping a decent relay harness hard? Thanks!
-Galen

[wingsnthangs]

Has anyone tried Sylvania XtraVision headlights for their pop-up headlights? I saw these at Autozone yesterday for about $14 a piece. They are OEM replacements and they claim to be 3 times brighter than the regular halogens. Anyone use these?

[andrave]

Alright! More advice that I can use as toilet paper.

Why are you such a dick?
thats what I run and the low beams are plenty mild enough for street use but they are focused. I have better headlights than most of my friends with better/newer cars/headlights.

So, go **** yourself. I hate elitist bastards who think just because they can pay twice what I do for a part with some stupid brand name on it that they got a superior part. You don't know what the **** you are talking about so shut the **** up! You are just making yourself look like the stupid asshole that you are.

EDIT:
One more thing dip**** if you knew ANYTHING about electicity you would know that the stock headlight wiring is more than adequate for even 120 watt bulbs. So why do you keep begging people to upgrade their? Cause again, you don't know **** and think the more money you spend, the better it makes your car.

[zero.counter]

Originally posted by old_s13
Alright! More advice that I can use as toilet paper.

If you want crap, buy what the guy above said. :) Neutron R? MTEC? What is that crap... jesus, people need to come up with less "fobbish" names for their companies and products.

- Mike (some a sshole who doesnt really know about lights, just *happens* to run a fairly popular site and pretends to be knowledgeable) haha =)
A little self-centered don't you think. Being humble about what you know shows that you are secure with yourself. I happened to browse this topic and saw some good stuff until you started talking S H I T about other member's ideas. There are better ways to state a difference of opinion.

BTW, those Silverstars are not half-bad and there are many people on this board who cannot afford $100 bulbs and such. That is why alternatives are a plenty. The color of the bulbs is not very close to the H.I.D. systems available as claimed, but it is a brighter white than their cool blue series and nothing like those crappy bulbs with purple or blue coatings claiming that they contain Xenon gas and make cars look like something out of 2F2F. They are also a lot brighter than the standard OEM bulb replacements that they sell, IMO. Just don't believe the hype!

[THX1138]

Mike (old_s13) may come off a bit caustic sometimes, but I can understand why. He's in the automotive lighting business, he knows that lights are one of the most important safety systems on a car, and no matter how allegedly cool they look, if they don't make it easier for you to see or be seen then they aren't doing their job. He's like a lot of dedicated professionals in that he gets annoyed to see people spreading bad information about the field he makes his living in and knows inside out.

The Sylvania XtraVisions aren't bad. They're a step up from "normal" sealed beams and made a noticeable improvement when I put a pair on a few years ago. I've still got them, but they're sitting on a shelf in the shed. I got a Bosch H4 conversion about eight months ago and have been completely satisfied, even with the standard Osram (Sylvania) bulbs that came with it. Some different bulbs might be in the future, but the big difference in setups like this is the better light pattern you get from good-quality H4 housings.

You don't have to spend a ton of money to make big upgrades in your car's lighting (my new lights were $60 from PDM), but you if you go the uber-cheap route you'll often wind up with stuff that is less effective than stock.

Rule of thumb for light equipment: Look at photos of a dozen randomly selected WRC cars from the last ten years, paying attetion to the lights. Almost all of them will have Hella, Bosch, Cibie, or PIAA. Those will be your best bets for well-designed, well-built lights that will be safe, reliable, and effective.

[russian]

Originally posted by andrave
So, go **** yourself.

this is the most important part. make sure everyone write that down.:D

[old_s13]

"So, go **** yourself. I hate elitist bastards who think just because they can pay twice what I do for a part with some stupid brand name on it that they got a superior part. You don't know what the **** you are talking about so shut the **** up! You are just making yourself look like the stupid asshole that you are."

I am not an elitist, I just know about quality products.. and would prefer seeing people research more, and spend LESS. You remind me of one of my relatives, he always buys these sh1tty cordless phones. Not only do the phones suck and have a lot of static, they have no range, and they just HAPPEN to have a lifespan of 6 months. Every six months, my stupid relative goes and buys another cheap cordless phone.. with the hope that this $20 dollar hunk of junk will be better than the last. You can only *advise* people, from there.. if they want to keep buying crap, its THEIR choice.

When I talk, I speak my opinion. I am a bastard, I like causing ruckus and thats who I am, I am one mean evil bastard. You can just skip over my post if you dont like it, but dont call me an elitist or that I dont know shiet, because I work in this damn industry day in and day out. I know better than to buy Matrix-R Mugen brand bulbs because I know they are not REPUTABLE. Unfortunately, part of being in business should be to BUILD and SELL reputable products, in addition to being a reputable company by supporting not only your products, but also your customers. Companies that know and understand this, are usually the top dogs of the industry.

From here, its up to you whether or not you want to buy wackazz cracker jack brand bulb/headlamp combinations off of e-bay from some company that sells, ahem, " a f t e r m a r k e t c a r p a r t s." Yes, one of the BILLIONS of small garage driven companies that dont know about performance OR reliability, all they know is how to setup a flashy macromedia flash site, fill their database with as many aftermarket products to chose from (because obviously stock is ALWAYS worse than aftermarket), and then create an online shopping kart which conveniently collects cash from folks like you! Thank you customer #4231948239823958923805128590423432059328532, your garbage has been boxed and shipped, we business appreciate very much. (Proper English isnt a requirement, as you can see).


"A little self-centered don't you think. Being humble about what you know shows that you are secure with yourself. I happened to browse this topic and saw some good stuff until you started talking S H I T about other member's ideas. There are better ways to state a difference of opinion."

blah blah blah.. when someone posts "buy tenzo" and I tell them "no, that shiet sucks big fat cock" dont tell me that there are better ways to state it, because thats MY way of saying it. Sure, its crude.. but what do you want me to say.. its JUNK. When someone CARES, they voice their opinion.. its quite obvious I hate lame aftermarket parts, so why shouldnt I be able to say whats on my mind? What MORE do I need to do? Do I need to walk up to Tenzo Incorporated and wipe my ass with their pamphlet? Do I need to **** in an envelope and mail it to the director of Fast and Furious for making ghey movies? If I didnt care, I wouldnt say anything. Be happy that this forum isnt silent, and that people will happily talk **** about LESSER quality goods..

why?

BECAUSE WE CARE. :)

Food for the thought:
Hella bulbs typically run about 10-20 bucks/pair
Hella ECE headlamps typically run about 60/pair
Wiring harness can be made for under 10 bucks

ps: I would LOVE to see the stock wires support 120watt bulbs! Why dont you go ahead and set that up, just be sure your second car is a firetruck (and parked nearby).

[old_s13]

By the way, I still dont understand why I havent seen ANY 240SX enthusiasts running these headlamps:

http://www.sylvania.com/xenarc/x60246054.htm

Sure, they are expensive.. but they are fully DOT compliant true-HID headlamps that fit the S13.

In my opinion, there are 3 simple headlights for the S13:

1) Stock -- it sucks, and you know it.
2) Hella, Cibie, etc H4 replaceable bulb DOT or ECE headlamps, cost effective and good.
3) Sylvania XenArc, true-HID and DOT compliant WITH high beam functionality.

THOSE are my options. Be glad there is atleast ONE knowledgeable lighting guy on this forum.

[boro240]

Originally posted by old_s13
Be glad there is atleast ONE knowledgeable lighting guy on this forum.
i know i am! :)

[Sanchi]

Mike knows whats he's talking about so theres no point in talking Shyt Blunt Honestly is hard to swallow but SWALLOW it anyways Bi0tch. Now if they would make some fully DOT compliant true-HID headlamps for the S14 Zenki i wont mind spending a few bux!!:eek:

[ixdecoyxi]

see.. thats why i was a little questionable about those sylvania bulbs.. so.. i jes jacked em! hahaha!! compared it to my hyperwhites.. they look like stock bulbs..

[andrave]

tell me something, (substitute vulgar expletive).

How am I like your relative?
I'm not buying cheap crap that keeps breaking. I bought stuff that wasn't THAT cheap and its working as good or better than all the expensive crap that my friends buy. Its not about buying stuff just cause it costs a lot or has a brand name. Its about buying quality stuff that works.

If you bothered to read my post instead of draw false analogies based on what you DIDNT read you would see that I was saying that you don't need to spend a lot to get a quality product.

And of course, none of that changes the fact that you are a (substitute different, similarly vulgar expletive).
Cleaned it up meph. Sorry.

[mrmephistopheles]

andrave, chill out. i'm only going to ask you once.

[240silvia]

Originally posted by old_s13
"So, go **** yourself. I hate elitist bastards who think just because they can pay twice what I do for a part with some stupid brand name on it that they got a superior part. You don't know what the **** you are talking about so shut the **** up! You are just making yourself look like the stupid asshole that you are."

I am not an elitist, I just know about quality products.. and would prefer seeing people research more, and spend LESS. You remind me of one of my relatives, he always buys these sh1tty cordless phones. Not only do the phones suck and have a lot of static, they have no range, and they just HAPPEN to have a lifespan of 6 months. Every six months, my stupid relative goes and buys another cheap cordless phone.. with the hope that this $20 dollar hunk of junk will be better than the last. You can only *advise* people, from there.. if they want to keep buying crap, its THEIR choice.

When I talk, I speak my opinion. I am a bastard, I like causing ruckus and thats who I am, I am one mean evil bastard. You can just skip over my post if you dont like it, but dont call me an elitist or that I dont know shiet, because I work in this damn industry day in and day out. I know better than to buy Matrix-R Mugen brand bulbs because I know they are not REPUTABLE. Unfortunately, part of being in business should be to BUILD and SELL reputable products, in addition to being a reputable company by supporting not only your products, but also your customers. Companies that know and understand this, are usually the top dogs of the industry.

From here, its up to you whether or not you want to buy wackazz cracker jack brand bulb/headlamp combinations off of e-bay from some company that sells, ahem, " a f t e r m a r k e t c a r p a r t s." Yes, one of the BILLIONS of small garage driven companies that dont know about performance OR reliability, all they know is how to setup a flashy macromedia flash site, fill their database with as many aftermarket products to chose from (because obviously stock is ALWAYS worse than aftermarket), and then create an online shopping kart which conveniently collects cash from folks like you! Thank you customer #4231948239823958923805128590423432059328532, your garbage has been boxed and shipped, we business appreciate very much. (Proper English isnt a requirement, as you can see).


"A little self-centered don't you think. Being humble about what you know shows that you are secure with yourself. I happened to browse this topic and saw some good stuff until you started talking S H I T about other member's ideas. There are better ways to state a difference of opinion."

blah blah blah.. when someone posts "buy tenzo" and I tell them "no, that shiet sucks big fat cock" dont tell me that there are better ways to state it, because thats MY way of saying it. Sure, its crude.. but what do you want me to say.. its JUNK. When someone CARES, they voice their opinion.. its quite obvious I hate lame aftermarket parts, so why shouldnt I be able to say whats on my mind? What MORE do I need to do? Do I need to walk up to Tenzo Incorporated and wipe my ass with their pamphlet? Do I need to **** in an envelope and mail it to the director of Fast and Furious for making ghey movies? If I didnt care, I wouldnt say anything. Be happy that this forum isnt silent, and that people will happily talk **** about LESSER quality goods..

why?

BECAUSE WE CARE. :)

Food for the thought:
Hella bulbs typically run about 10-20 bucks/pair
Hella ECE headlamps typically run about 60/pair
Wiring harness can be made for under 10 bucks

ps: I would LOVE to see the stock wires support 120watt bulbs! Why dont you go ahead and set that up, just be sure your second car is a firetruck (and parked nearby).


:mrmeph: :mrmeph: :mrmeph: :mrmeph:

[andrave]

my dad is an electrician, FYI, and he came out and measured my gauge and the run and figured out that we have plenty of headroom. I have been running 110 watt bulbs for 6 months now with no problems.

Also, have you ever heard of these things called... fuses?

They blow before the wire melts.

Anyway, just thought I'd toss that out, since like I said before, you know nothing about wiring, and all.....

[mrmephistopheles]

Originally posted by 240silvia
:mrmeph: :mrmeph: :mrmeph: :mrmeph:

If you don't have anything useful to add to the thread, don't post.
That is what is referred to as 'post-whoring'.
Yes, Mike is an asshole. Big deal. I'm KING asshole. That's why that smiley is named after me.

Andrave - thanks.

[old_s13]

Originally posted by andrave
my dad is an electrician, FYI, and he came out and measured my gauge and the run and figured out that we have plenty of headroom. I have been running 110 watt bulbs for 6 months now with no problems.

Also, have you ever heard of these things called... fuses?

They blow before the wire melts.

Anyway, just thought I'd toss that out, since like I said before, you know nothing about wiring, and all.....

What is your point? Are you trying to say that the OEM wires are sufficient in running 110W bulbs? If thats the case, then how come every HID retrofit I work with, has its own wiring harness? and HID bulbs are not rated at 110W, they are rated at a mere 35W.

Its all comes down to amperage, and how many amps the device you are powering consumes. If you think its okay to run 110W bulbs with factory wiring, thats YOUR choice. Anyone who knows about headlamps understands the concept of a relay harness. A relay harness not only is more sufficient in carrying the load to the headlamps, but its also more reliable. Do you even have the slightest clue how the stock headlamp circuit even works? There IS no relay, all that current runs from the battery to the combination headlamp switch on the steering wheel, and then back out again to the headlamps. Not only is that excessive, running wires that thin that far, but its also stupid because every time you turn your lights on.. you are putting unecessary wear on your combination switch. Dont believe me? Well, I had to take mine apart because mine wasnt conducting well after 13 years of use and needed some cleaning.. my parking lamps were fading in and out, how nice! THIS, is why we use relays. And this EXTRA 10 bucks (or less) is why manufacturers DONT use them, because for the factory 55W bulb its a method for them to CUT COSTS.

You make it seem as if all I do here is sit and fondle my balls all day. I work in this industry day in and day out, there are certain KNOWN advantages that you should understand, rather than try to argue.

-m

[SiNFuL]

alrighty mike, mr. asshole, how easy are these relay babies to install?(I have no clue whatsoever on wiring...I mean i know how to cut, splice, and crimp...but nothing about how relay switches and such work.) Please enlighten me!
-Galen

[old_s13]

Google -- it will ALWAYS be your friend, even if you are an a sshole like me. :)

Scroll down and search for "relay" :
http://lighting.mbz.org/products/products.html

For anyone here who CARES to learn, Daniel Stern is a very knowledgeable lighting guru who is well known in the industry. Feel free to absorb as much knowledge as you can from this site, god knows no one wants to list to my angry ranting. :)

Click here if you want to learn and/or if you are a DIY kinda guy:
http://lighting.mbz.org/tech/relays/relays.html

-m

[andrave]

relays are very easy to use, I use them (with fuses) for every component I install that uses aftermarket wiring.
Headlights didn't require aftermarket wiring.

[SiNFuL]

thats a lot of cash for relays! I thought you meant something about $5. Are they really important? This seems like a lot of stuff needed besides money!
-Galen

[citizen]

Old s13, can you recomend some books that go over the basics of lamp design/lighting? I would like to learn more about this subject so i can make proper decisions in the future in regards to lighting.

[kandyflip445]

How are those Xenarc compared to some of the OEM HID's on some cars Mike? 300 for some quality HID's doesn't seem bad to me at all. Although I don't really like my lights that seem to reach for the sky if I had HID lights I don't think I'd mind as much. Also, since you say that the power runs to the comb. switch and goes to the lights afterwards, would that make it any harder to install the kit? Does Sylvania suppy adequate installation instructions? For the record. The previous owner had to replace the comb. switch on my car because it did wear out.


What's with ppl postwhorin now?

[old_s13]

Old s13, can you recomend some books that go over the basics of lamp design/lighting? I would like to learn more about this subject so i can make proper decisions in the future in regards to lighting.

I dont know of any books, most of the knowledge I have gained has been just experience with lighting, picking up tons of info off the net, and discussing with other lighting gurus in the industry. Just give me a call or e-mail whenever you are looking to upgrade, this is what my site is here for.. to help you guys out with lighting-related upgrades.


How are those Xenarc compared to some of the OEM HID's on some cars Mike? 300 for some quality HID's doesn't seem bad to me at all. Although I don't really like my lights that seem to reach for the sky if I had HID lights I don't think I'd mind as much. Also, since you say that the power runs to the comb. switch and goes to the lights afterwards, would that make it any harder to install the kit? Does Sylvania suppy adequate installation instructions? For the record. The previous owner had to replace the comb. switch on my car because it did wear out.

From what I've read, the Sylvania's are fairly good.. but have a DOT lighting pattern. That isnt a bad thing, just different. Of course, it definately emits light on the same level as car that comes equipped with HID.. just the lighting pattern is different. Dollar for dollar, its a hell of an upgrade from stock -- I would consider it if I wanted LEGAL HID while still being able to retain the high-beam functionality (which is very necessary, IMO).

The XenArc kit comes with all the hardware needed including the wiring harness which should be easy to adapt to the stock wiring.

Again, if anyone ever needs to get these lights I can supply them.. although, last I checked pricing on the XenArc was over 500.

- Mike

[theicecreamdan]

whats all this talk of the sylvania kit costing 300??? I cant find it for that cheap... links would be nice.

[mrmephistopheles]

i need to make/find a smilie of a smilie jesus resurrecting a thread.

[SiNFuL]

i need to make/find a smilie of a smilie jesus resurrecting a thread.
LOL, no kidding. I ended up getting H4 conversions and getting the 135w PIAA bulbs.
-Galen

[RykrosGT]

Edit: nevermind, they're the same wattage. I must have been seeing things that day.

[sticky240]

By the way, I still dont understand why I havent seen ANY 240SX enthusiasts running these headlamps:

http://www.sylvania.com/xenarc/x60246054.htm

Sure, they are expensive.. but they are fully DOT compliant true-HID headlamps that fit the S13.

In my opinion, there are 3 simple headlights for the S13:

1) Stock -- it sucks, and you know it.
2) Hella, Cibie, etc H4 replaceable bulb DOT or ECE headlamps, cost effective and good.
3) Sylvania XenArc, true-HID and DOT compliant WITH high beam functionality.

THOSE are my options. Be glad there is atleast ONE knowledgeable lighting guy on this forum.
Have you tried the Sylvania XenArc HID kit?

any pictures?

[old_s13]

No I havent, I havent tried it because I hear the lighting pattern of it is more of an American DOT-style lighting pattern which is not to my liking. I like sharp cutoffs and wide spread, more of a european lighting pattern. This is why I sell the ECE Hella's as simple upgrades, or ECE projectors for those who want to get more complex.

- Mike

[kandyflip445]

Holy sheet, that's like 100x's brighter than my sealed beams. LOL!

[HyperTek]

my set up. Raybrig clear housing H4 conversion with Sylvania Silverstars. Why the Silverstars? when they go out, just go to local autostore and pick more up? This is a really good setup that I like. But the housings do have thier flaws, no glare caps, and designed for RHD= Simulated cut off by the reflector housing that is aiming at oncoming traffic.

But I got a nice evenly displaced light pattern and bright white light. Id post pics if I had a digi cam.

Pros- City Driving = Pimp
Cons- Due to RHD cut off, making right turns in the canyons are blind... =(

http://jeepin.com/features/ipf/index.asp - Relay install into jeep with H4 Conversion lamps.

Hit up HIDforum.com. GOod info. Could try this.. http://hidforum.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1066

[old_s13]

http://store6.yimg.com/I/racinglab_1774_5858460

Yack. Those silverstars are pretty overpriced as well.

ps: the RHD vs LHD lighting pattern makes more of a difference in lighting street signs on the upper right side of the street, NOT lighting the side of a canyon.

- Mike

[WongFeiHung]

http://cakonos.image.pbase.com/image/23001321/large.jpg

Sylvania Silverstar headlamps:
http://cakonos.image.pbase.com/image/23001326/large.jpg

[old_s13]

What housing are you using? With or without relay harness? Car on or off?

[mistaanime]

heh..juss get the H4 conversion from PDM..looks pretty good..not sure..if they are..but that is wut I was thinkin of gettin..

[holisticbeatz]

DOT/SAE compliant schmopliant! Just get some of these:

http://www.eniety.com/pichost/pic/HL-7X6-DIA.jpg

and a pair of Xenon headlight bulbs.

[HiPSI]

What housing are you using? With or without relay harness? Car on or off?


dunno which ones he has, but i'm using the sealed silverstars and that lighting pattern looks the same as mine.

[WongFeiHung]

Yeah, the sealed Silverstar headlamp. Quite a difference...My friend has the H4s with some JDM bulbs, and they aren't much brighter, but have a little better spread...

[G240sx]

you can get the xenarc hid kit for $300 here with free shipping too http://store.yahoo.com/rodi/sylxenhidx6s1.html