quick bulb questions

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wbwatson79

New member
After poking around here and doing some research it looks like most people are recommending HIR bulbs for folks looking to upgrade 2003-2005 (I have a 2004) headlights. I have 3 quick questions about this….

1. Is finemotoring.com still the best place to get these, do we have any site sponsors/discounts for this type of bulb?
2. Has anybody been able to get a handle on the lifespan of these bulbs? I hate to spend $55 on a pair of bulbs and have them go out in 10 months like Silverstars.
3. What temperature are you guys using for low beams and fogs. I want something as white as possible for lows and I am thinking of going with yellow for the fogs.

I also welcome any comments on aftermarket halogen bulbs like Piaa or the ones being offered by KBCarstuff.
Thanks
 
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Unless I'm mistaken, IIRC, HIRs are only in one color temperature.

I don't have HIRs, 4300k low beams and 3000k fogs HIDs.
 
the HIRs are pretty white,not yellowish like stock i have them for my highs. not sure yet, but im fairly certain they will last much longer than silverstar since they are not considered a plus bulb, u can buy them from john deer, they ude to sell em cheap, but then alot started ordering them & they're prices went up. id stick with finemotoring unless u can find a JD place local. no discounts available that i can find.
 
There's practically no difference spec wise (if you're talking about what's offered through finemotoring). The Toshiba is the original bulb, but is now discountinued. The Phillips will be taking its place and provides the same output. The only question is that since the Phillips bulb is new, it is unknown whether the lifespan on paper matches the actual lifespan of the bulb. I found actual numbers posted int he FAQ section of their site a while back, you may look there for info on the lifespan, if you can't find it I'll try to dig it up. And the above is correct, no color temp on the HIR's, they're all the same.
 
Finemotoring has both bulbs available at the moment (Toshiba and Phillips). Both are the same price, so you get your choice (just note it on the payment).
 
i think you'll like the yellow for fogs. 9011/9012, depending on what site u look on, lists the life span for under 900 hrs. for the 9012, less for the 9011, alot of users say about 3+ years, color temp is 3600k, 9011 has 2500 lumens ( thats useable light output) 9012 has 1875 ur stock oem bulbs are around 1350 lumens. any brand of the "plus" (piaa, osram,etc.) burn hotter than oem thus dont last as long, they also have a blueish filter on them which makes the light appear whiter than stock. this link has the phillps hir 9012 list at 3000 lumens, http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=5028
 
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chaz said:
i think you'll like the yellow for fogs. 9011/9012, depending on what site u look on, lists the life span for under 900 hrs. for the 9012, less for the 9011, alot of users say about 3+ years, color temp is 3600k, 9011 has 2500 lumens ( thats useable light output) 9012 has 1875 ur stock oem bulbs are around 1350 lumens. any brand of the "plus" (piaa, osram,etc.) burn hotter than oem thus dont last as long, they also have a blueish filter on them which makes the light appear whiter than stock. this link has the phillps hir 9012 list at 3000 lumens, Susquehanna MotorSports - Auto Performance Product
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Sweet, thanks for all the help guys. I'll go with the HIR lowbeams and see how it looks. What bulb (yellow) would you recommend for the fogs since the HIRs are only available in one temperature?
 
no, why would there be, its applied on the outside of the light. but the lense will remain be the color of the film, even when off, with yellow bulbs it will appear clear until lit.
 
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chaz said:
putco,piaa, ive got hoen endurance myself. ive also heard that putting laminx over the fog light lense works well. Toyota 4Runner (2003, 2004, 2005) Fog Light Covers
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Gotcha, I guess it is okay to go with a "plus" bulb for the fogs since they aren't burning as much as low beams. The decreased lifespan won't be quite as frustrating as long as they don't harm the wire harness. Thanks again for the feedback on this stuff Chaz.
 
Try TruView

My mechanic recommended TruView Ultra White bulbs. They are really white and much brighter than the standard bulbs. I have had them for 18 months and they are going strong. Kind of expensive though. My headlamps, highbeams and fogs ran me about $100.
 
with all do respect, as far as i know, the wagner truview plus bulbs are only 1380 lumens, & life spam rated around 300 hrs. thats a lot less than HIRs.
 
I recently installed some 9012 and 9011 HIR bulbs in my '03 and I must say I'm very pleased with the light output in both high and low beam modes. I ordered my set from candlepowerinc.com for $100, which includes Toshiba 9011s and 3rd gen Philips 9012s. The color temp is around 3500K for both and although its too soon for me to testify to the longevity of the lamps, HIRs are supposedly comparable to standard halogens.

They're a bit pricey to be sure, but these lamps are hands down the best performing high output bulbs I've tried and well worth the upgrade IMO. If they last as long as they're supposed to, well that's just icing on the cake.

As for the fog lights, I popped in a pair of Narva Contrast+ 9006s but I'm not sure how I feel about them yet. They throw out a very pale yellow light which is supposed to improve contrast in adverse conditions, but I'll withhold judgment until I try them in inclement weather.

That said, I couldn't be happier with the HIRs and would highly recommend them.
 
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