jim Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 I've been using HID's from the group buy a couple of years ago and they've been great, really made a difference to my ability to see the road at night which comes in handy lol. One of the bulbs or ballasts has gone and I've reverted back to my stock bulbs and after having the HID's the difference is really noticeable. My MOT's due in January, HID's are (as far as I know) now illegal in NI as I don't have self levellers or headlight washers, so I don't want to put a replacement HID in. So...what are my alternatives to give me brighter headlights? I've a facelift, the bulbs are an odd fitment and a bit more difficult to find than the pre-facelift. Appreciate any suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
listy Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Xenon bulbs? Only thing I can think of off the top of my head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Just get the Xenon Gas filled filament bulbs. They burn hotter though so just keep an eye on them. I think the good ones are about £20 a piece... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 I bought some Xenon bulbs from eBay, and they're perfect. Nice crisp white light, without the blueness. They were only a couple of quid, too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim Posted November 26, 2012 Author Share Posted November 26, 2012 Ta £20's not a bad price to pay, cheaper than the eye test I went and got before fitting the HID's lol, I was convinced my eyesight was going but it turned out I just needed brighter bulbs. Edit, don't suppose you've a link please Josh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Ta £20's not a bad price to pay, cheaper than the eye test I went and got before fitting the HID's lol, I was convinced my eyesight was going but it turned out I just needed brighter bulbs. Edit, don't suppose you've a link please Josh? Here's the thread I posted about them http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?263369-Headlight-bulbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim Posted November 26, 2012 Author Share Posted November 26, 2012 Cheers Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 When I did some research into headlight bulbs earlier this year the Osram Night Breaker Plus came out top followed by the cheaper Philips Blue Vision Ultra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 I've a facelift, the bulbs are an odd fitment and a bit more difficult to find than the pre-facelift. Appreciate any suggestions! The facelift and pre-facelift bulbs are the same spec, it's the UK glass headlights that use different bulbs. Basically if you have J-spec headlights with plastic lenses you should get HB3/9005 bulbs for the low and high beam. On the low beam you will need to cut/file off a small rib in the plug connector, you'll see which I mean when you try to plug the wiring harness into the bulb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim Posted November 26, 2012 Author Share Posted November 26, 2012 Thanks Nic mine of information as always amigo! I had to trim the collars for the HID's, I was hoping that I wouldn't have to do that again as I suspect it's contributing to the condensation inside my lenses Is there no way round that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Thanks Nic mine of information as always amigo! I had to trim the collars for the HID's, I was hoping that I wouldn't have to do that again as I suspect it's contributing to the condensation inside my lenses Is there no way round that? By the collar do you mean where the tabs are that hold the bulb into the headlight? If so you shouldn't need to do this, with a bit of fiddling you should be able to get the bulbs in, if you can't, unscrew the 3 small screws that hold the ring on the back of the headlights (where the bulb tabs fit into), put bulbs in then screw the ring back on. The part you need to trim is a rib inside the plastic plug on the end of the wiring loom that fits onto the back of the bulbs, it's difficult to explain but if you try to fit the low beam wiring loom plug onto the 9005/HB3 bulb it will not fit because of this rib. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim Posted November 26, 2012 Author Share Posted November 26, 2012 Aha...cheers Nic! It was the tab that I had to trim, maybe my HID's were HB4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TubbyTwo Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 these are the bits you need to trim inside the plug # Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Aha...cheers Nic! It was the tab that I had to trim, maybe my HID's were HB4. Yeah you don't need to trim the tabs, they should fit with a little fiddling, loosening the 3 small screws just a little can help to give enough clearance to get the tabs to slot in, if not remove the ring completely fit bulbs and then screw the ring back on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim Posted November 28, 2012 Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 I ordered the nightbreaker plus from Amazon, they were £26 a pair with free sidelight bulbs thrown in and free delivery. Thanks again Nic & TubbyTwo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraP-Z Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Heard nothing but good things about the osram nightbreaker bulbs. Other alternatives, you could use led's...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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