Best alternative to HID's

MATA · 09-27-2005, 10:18 PM

I just found what I believe is the best bulb on the market. If you’re trying to match you’re highs to factory HID or just looking for HID quality without spending all that cash. www.hoen-usa.com is where you want to go. Here are some pic's (

) of my truck with the Hoen bulbs (high and low)on the right and some cheap race blues low and factory high on the left. The second pic is my truck next to my bro's 2005 Altima SER with factory HIDs.

phillipyang · 09-27-2005, 10:54 PM

I'm not too experienced with changing bulbs, but which ones should I specifically get? I about to go change the bulbs but I am pretty new to this area so any help would be appreciated.

Chip Boehner · 09-27-2005, 11:05 PM

I get migranes and I really dislike staring down those fancy lights when the headache is in full bloom. I bought some of those silly blue bulbs for my son last christmas anyway and I like them, but I'm not secure enough in my manhood yet to put them in my truck. I would fear what my Grandpa would say.

MATA · 09-28-2005, 12:22 AM

The installation of these bulbs can be found doing a search. The most important thing is not to touch the glass bulb. HID's are a luxury and I got the same quality for a fraction of the price.

bestatchess · 09-28-2005, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phillipyang

I'm not too experienced with changing bulbs, but which ones should I specifically get? I about to go change the bulbs but I am pretty new to this area so any help would be appreciated.

The stock bulbs are 9006 (low) 9005 (high) and 899 (fog). I used sylvania silver stars 893 ST for the fogs and 9005 ST for the high beams. Those hoen bulbs might be a better color match for 6,000K HIDs which have a bit of a blue tinge. I think the silver stars are more like 4,000K and look a bit yellow next to the HIDs, but alot less yellow than the stock bulbs. They don't make any comparisons relative to light output, and it looks like they get the color by putting a blue coating on the lamp (as opposed to HIDs which get the slight blue color with a clear lamp, apparently from the nature of the light created by HV excitement of the gas in the lamp).

To change the highs you can open the hood and reach down in to depress the detent and release the connector, rotate the bulb (maybe 1/4 of a turn is all that is needed), and pull it out. You can use gloves to keep from getting finger prints on the new bulbs, which might cause them to fail. If you do get finger prints on the bulbs, you can clean with alcohol on a paper towel.

To change the fogs, get down on the ground and reach up behind the bumper to do the same thing: release detent, pull off connector, rotate and remove bulb.

To change the high bulbs and fogs takes maybe one minute each.

To change the lows, I don't know if you can reach in from the top or not. I put on HIDs for the lows through the wheel well. There is one phillips head screw and one clip to be released to pull back the wheel well liner sufficiently to get access. You might also need to crank the steering well hard left or right depending on what side you are working on. But it all you are doing is just changing the bulb, I would try from the top first.

Daves_Titan · 09-28-2005, 07:58 AM

Great information! I am wanting to change out the bulbs myself but wasnt to sure how hard/easy it could be as well as the types of bulbs they are! Thanks bestatchess for the info!

Stomper4x4 · 09-28-2005, 10:36 AM

I'm not a fan of silly poser colored bulbs. If your intrested in bulbs that are actualy brighter check out HIR's.

D
out

QWIKWHIP · 09-28-2005, 10:58 AM

I had Hoen bulbs in my Audi. They are a well known brand with the German Enthusiasts.

They are most commenly used in the fog lights to match the OEM HID's. They worked great!

bestatchess · 09-28-2005, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QWIKWHIP

I had Hoen bulbs in my Audi. They are a well known brand with the German Enthusiasts.

They are most commenly used in the fog lights to match the OEM HID's. They worked great!

I wish I had known before I bought a bunch of silverstars.

QWIKWHIP · 09-28-2005, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bestatchess

I wish I had known before I bought a bunch of silverstars.

I went with the Silver Stars also. They only reason I didn't get the Hoen's was because they don't offer a fog light bulb for our fitment.

MATA · 09-28-2005, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QWIKWHIP

I went with the Silver Stars also. They only reason I didn't get the Hoen's was because they don't offer a fog light bulb for our fitment.

They now have a replacement bulb for our fogs (H11). They are the same as the fogs in my bro's Altima SER. He replaced them as well and they match his HID's perfectly.

GT-Titan · 09-29-2005, 08:57 AM

So the (H11) is the same as the 899 (fog)???????
And we need the straight connector on the other 2????

QWIKWHIP · 09-29-2005, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT-Titan

So the (H11) is the same as the 899 (fog)???????
And we need the straight connector on the other 2????

That's what I'm sayin??? I wasn't aware of that. Can anybody confirm????

GT-Titan · 09-30-2005, 07:25 AM

This is the email I sent hoen
"I have 2004 Nissan Titan with factory fog lights, I'm looking for better
light and the HID look without the cost. I believe the stock bulbs are 9006
(low) 9005 (high) and 899 (fog). Do you have the 899, or something that
would work in there place? And what bulbs should I use for the other 2??"

And this is what I got back
"Hello, for the Titan we recommend the 9006 xenonmatch plus and 9005
xenonmatch plus. At this time we do not offer an 899, only 889.
Thank you
Andreas"
So I don't think they have any for the fogs......

MATA · 09-30-2005, 10:44 PM

My brother ordered the bulbs for me cause he was getting some highs to match his HID on him Altima. I dont have fog lights but i was planning on buying the factory ones. My brother made a mistake and ordered me the H11 which is the fogs for his Altima.

Now he has two sets of fog lights.