I know you all have discussed this before, but..... What are good replacement bulbs for the fog/high beam combo that will give me close to the same color and brightness as my xenon low beams. I really don't want to do a HID conversion. Just want to get close, with a high quality product. No fuss, pop in replacement. If you can point me to a company website for purchase, that would be great too.

Thanks,
Don

2003.5 G35 Sedan, Premium, Winter, Wood, Nav

 

You can get Sylvania SilverStars on line Sylvania Performance Shop. Had mine for a year now. No complaints. Bright, close to HID colour, long lasting. They have a special, buy 1 set and the second at 1/2 price I think.

<font color=green>GG</font color=green>

 

Sorry, in case you weren't sure, it's the Sylvania 9003ST. Any H-4 replacement bulb will work including PIAA if you'd like.

<font color=green>GG</font color=green>

 

Gordon,

I have the 2003 Sedan without the HID option. Are you
saying that a switch to the Sylvania bulbs is an improvement
over the stock halogen bulbs? I wish I had the HID option.
Sigh.......

2003 Twilight Blue Sedan 5AT, sunroof, leather,
splashguards, GG red 7 wire Hypergrounding kit, 350Z intake duct, K&N filter.

 

Bulb replacement is actually not as bright as stock......it will only look brighter. There's no way for you to replace a halogen bulb w/ another halogen bulb to come close to HID color and intensity. Colored bulbs merely have dye on the bulb, which reduces intensity, but gives it a lighter color in order to make it look optically brighter. It will look brighter to oncoming cars, but in the driver's seat you'll actually be losing out. If you're doing it for practicality, then pass on changing the bulbs.........but if you're doing it for the look, then it's a relatively inexpensive replacement in comparison to HIDs.

 

I'm doing it because I don't like the look of the fog's w/ my stock low beam HID. I want the color to be closer. Purely cosmetic, but it's what I want. Anyway, I purchased the Sylvania 9003ST's at a local store. $19.99 ea. I'll see how I like them, I can always go back to stock.

Thanks,
Don

 

"Bulb replacement is actually not as bright as stock......it will only look brighter. "

Actually, that's only partially true. It depends on the construction of the bulb itself, ie. gas fill, filament, reflector cap design, etc. It's true that an equivalent bulb that is only coloured to yield a higher colour temp actually outputs less lumens. (Even HIDs at colour temps higher than 6000 K are actually less bright than ours. It's the reason why the major HID capsule manufacturers don't make them.)

Sylvania for example makes 'Cool Blue' bulbs that are their high out-put standard halogen bulb with a blue coating. They aren't any brighter than regular halogens. SilverStars I believe also use a partial Xenon gas fill with a high out-put filament as well as the slight colour coating. Also, the reflector cap of the bulb is supposed to be computer dsigned to enhance and magnify part of the light out-put (I read this from some auto mag's lighting article), so therefore the bulb will put out more lumens than most halogens. I know that I swapped to the 9003STs as I was disappointed by 'Cool Blues' that I tried. The STs are quite noticeably brighter and light farther on the highway than the stock bulbs.

<font color=green>GG</font color=green>

 

Cato:

Sylvania does not yet make an H-1 replacement. Your best option might be to try an H-1 HID kit. Some have reported good results from the Catz system using enhanced ballasts on stock halogen bulbs. Not sure if they make your bulbs burn out faster though, and I don't have any first hand experience with them. They also make a dual capsule HID H-4 replacement that might work for our high/fogs.

<font color=green>GG</font color=green>

 

I just got super plasma from PIAA. The seller claimed that the bulb equals to 7500 but dunno it's reliability. Let's just wait and see

 

Yeah, I know a couple of ppl that got Super Plasmas. I thought they looked a bit too purple. Also, the local dealer that sells both did an informal test on a white wall. The STs are a bit brighter on the wall, but look brighter staring at the headlight/bulb.
He also had several returns on the PIAAs for premature burn-out. He decided to stop stocking the PIAAs that come in the same as SilverStar sizes.

<font color=green>GG</font color=green>

 

Well, I installed my 9003ST's(fog/high beam) and I don't notice much of a difference in color. Still has a yellow tint. I dunno..... Anyway, I'm not taking the wheels off to switch them back, so I'll just wait until they blow.

 

Don,

You don't have to remove the wheels to do the fog replacement. Just pop the plastic rivets, peel back the undercarriage and you can get to them, unless you have hands like King Kong, you should be albe to get to them. I did the 9003ST's and there's a good difference over the stock fogs. I had 1 ST in and the other stock and turned on my lights to check my install to make sure it worked. Side by side there's a difference you'll notice. the ST's are brighter and whiter than stock.

Another note, you can change your clearance bulbs as well when you open the undercarriage. Use a PIAA Ultra-White 168 bulb or a 168 LED bulb. I put in the LED and it shines like no tomorrow. The LED actually is a cluster of 4 LED's so it's really white. Then, If you turn on your light stalk switch to the position just past auto, the clearance and side markers stay on and nothing else. Really makes the car look like a bug, especially with the clear corner's I have!!!!

'03.5 G35 BS Sedan (I love that acronym!)
Stillen Intake, 350Z duct
Hyper-Ground Kit
Lowered!
Bulbs all around!
Splash Guards - Aero
Need Exhaust, Twin Turbo or NOS!