Xenon Headlight Bulbs

aguevarra · #1 (**permalink**) 02-20-2002, 12:45 PM

On ebay, there are always about 10 auctions on these bulbs for the Tundra. Has anyone on this site bought these and installed them? How hard was the install? Are they street legal?

SGull · #2 (**permalink**) 02-20-2002, 06:16 PM

I couldn't resist, and bought a set from ebay from plasmalights.com.($30) These are 90 watt, they look bluish, and they have a 10 year no burn out warranty. I keep my headlights on 100% of the time, (some drivers around here are total idiots) I like the look, but... they do not illuminate as well as I would like.

I had PIAA's before, they were I think 55 watt, not good at all, and lasted a year.

I have PIAA driving lights in my bumper cut outs, and they work great. I'm thinking of going to an 80 watt PIAA, but not anything with a blue tint.

I put PIAA superwhite 51 watts in my fog lights, and did notice an improvement.
SG

EZ2BME · #3 (**permalink**) 02-20-2002, 08:13 PM

The bulbs Ryan refers to below are
GE SuperBlue part#9003sb for the headlamp.
They were $10 at WalMart. I didn't check to see if the foglight bulbs are the same part#.
As Ryan says, they're a brighter white without the yellowish stock look. I could really tell the difference on high-beam. On low-beam, I'd say the light increase was about 1 notch up.

John

TundraBear · #4 (**permalink**) 02-20-2002, 08:51 PM

i bought some HID Super Plazma Xenon Bulbs (85/80w 130/100w) off of ebay about a week or so ago. Wish I could tell more about the wattage, but 99% of the package is in Japanese. Install was cake (remember to wear gloves because the oil from your skin will break the bulbs). Once you remove the rubber boot that protects the lamp housing, there is a metal retaining clip that you will need to move outta the way. I attempted the driver's side first because there was a better angle of access.

The lights look great in the day time (DRLs disabled) due to the reflection of the blue bounding off the mirrored headlight housing. At night, it took some getting used to since I've been accustomed to seeing factory bulb color.

My only issue now is that I no longer drive at night with the fog lights on because they are yellower thant the HIDs. Any suggestions on replacement bulbs to get a closer match to my headlights?

Tundra00 · #5 (**permalink**) 02-20-2002, 10:27 PM

TundraBear,

Did you email they guy you bought the new ones off of? If they are a store they may have the bulbs to fit the fogs also. That's what I did when I got mine.

BTW-I got the Hiper PlasmaBlue lights and they were terrible, they have a lifetime warranty against burn out but I am already tired of getting them replaced. So far I have had to replace both headlight bulbs and one foglight bulb. Not worth the trouble to me.

Tundra00

gr8shot · #6 (**permalink**) 02-21-2002, 07:55 AM

I GOT A SET OF THE HIPER PLASMA BLUE XENON BULBS FROM THE GUY ON ebay. I'M NOT HAPPY BECAUSE THESE BULB ARE NOT AS BRIGHT AS MY STOCK BULBS ALTHOUGH THE ARE RATED AT 85/80 WATTS. I WILL PROBABLY GO WITH PIAA 80/80 SUPER WHITE BULBS. I HAVE HEARD GOOD THINGS ABOUT THESE. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THE HIPER BRAND.

LATER,
TIIM

Joey · #7 (**permalink**) 02-24-2002, 10:59 PM

E-bay, oh boy. When I sell things on E-bay I am totally honest. I dont use those pics that show a car on a dark road lighting it up like day using HIPER bulbs (have you seen that pic? LOL). The bulbs are DECENT. Not bad for the price (if they last). In my experience they dont last that long. The price someone would pay for 2 sets of cheaper bulbs they could get a set of PIAA. I run the Super Plasmas. I LOVE THEM! Its all up to you on which bulb to buy. All I know is that I wouldnt want to be driving in bad weather with cheap blue lights. As my friend puts it, "stock is best".

charlie · #8 (**permalink**) 06-20-2002, 08:05 AM

Hi,are the $9.95 Xenon bulbs I see advertised on ebay any good-brighter than the stock bulbs?Are they junk?I could certainly use some brighter bulbs,but I have my doubts that $9.95 will do it.Thanks,Charlie

KLS · #9 (**permalink**) 06-20-2002, 08:52 AM

A couple of things to be wary of. 100 watt bulbs might overload and melt the headlight wiring. Toyota saved a couple of pennies by giving us really skimpy wiring. Also, for good light, the filament of the bulb has to be in exactly the right place in the reflector. I've has some of the no-name bulbs where that was off and the beam pattern just wasn't right.

I haven't bought from http://suvlights.tripod.com/suvlightscom/id1.html yet, but I think I'll give them a try next time. Their prices look OK and they have some good brand names.

Ken

TundraGawd · #10 (**permalink**) 06-20-2002, 10:15 AM

Bought some "Hiper" Xenons off of ebay for both of my trucks and they're already history. The color was kewl and the light was good but it all didn't last very long. Have spent the cash for the PIAAs for both trucks now and they seem to be working well and they've already outlasted the Hipers.

Good luck!

Joey · #11 (**permalink**) 06-20-2002, 04:32 PM

In the long run you are better off going with some PIAAs. I run the PIAA Super Plasmas in my tundra and I love them. HIPERS come with a 30 day warranty. They tend not to last a whole long time after 30 days.

Genthar · #12 (**permalink**) 06-20-2002, 05:15 PM

Just picked up some APC Platinum Super Whites (or some such name). Gonna try to take some pictures before and after and see if it's any better or not...

Joey · #13 (**permalink**) 06-20-2002, 05:17 PM

How much did you pick up the light bulbs for ?

jbtoy · #14 (**permalink**) 06-20-2002, 07:32 PM

I tried the cheaper route with Xenon and it did not last long. Changed over to PIAA Super Whites. Sure looks like you get what you pay for to me. The PIAA's are nice white and holding up fine.

Genthar · #15 (**permalink**) 06-20-2002, 07:34 PM

I got the APC's for about $35/pair, I think...from www.motorhead.com

They're rated at the same 65/55 watts as the standard bulbs, though they've been touted as being brighter and whiter. Some reviews I've read elsewhere on them have been favorable, even over the PIAA bulbs, so I decided to give them a try.

I haven't installed them yet because I want to try to get some photos of the before/during/after under controlled conditions and see if they are actually brighter, or more white, etc.

Maybe I'll borrow my friends hand held exposure meter and try to take some readings from that to see if they are actually any brighter or not. I can also get some inference from the exposure readings in the camera, though I plan on setting everything manually so that the images are comparable.