YACT: replace the headlight bulbs

[Parasitic]

Ok, so as I was coming home from work last night I realized that my driver-side headlight blew (but high-beam and turning still worked), so I figured no big deal I'd just go and get a new bulb and do that myself...now though the local Kragens auto parts dont have the regular bulbs for my car in stock (2001 Toyota Camry) but only the halogens (in "cool blue" and "xtra-vision")...so now should I get two of these and replace BOTH of the headlights or wait until the regular bulbs come in stock?

Also, is it difficult to replace the bulbs on a Toyota? I've never done it before.

 

[foghorn67]

Originally posted by: Parasitic
Ok, so as I was coming home from work last night I realized that my driver-side headlight blew (but high-beam and turning still worked), so I figured no big deal I'd just go and get a new bulb and do that myself...now though the local Kragens auto parts dont have the regular bulbs for my car in stock (2001 Toyota Camry) but only the halogens (in "cool blue" and "xtra-vision")...so now should I get two of these and replace BOTH of the headlights or wait until the regular bulbs come in stock?

Also, is it difficult to replace the bulbs on a Toyota? I've never done it before.

Cool Blue is okay. I have them in my focus. They are NOT blue. Just closer in the spectrum to white then regular bulbs. Don't worry, you will not look like crazy racer boy.
Camry shouldn't be that hard. You can pull them from behind the light. Just DON'T touch the bulb with your fingers. Your skin oil will kill the bulb fast. Use gloves or a towel when handling the bulb.

 

[FoBoT]

do both, everytime i try to cheap it and only replace one headlight, i end up replacing both of them fairly soon anyway

so i always do headlights in pairs

and i would go with either of those, blue or x-ray vision, whichever is cheaper

 

[Zenmervolt]

Buy the "Xtra-Vision" bulbs. They have a higher lumen output than the "cool blue" bulbs (the "blue" bulbs are tinted to be blue, which results in less overall light output, while the Xtra-Vision bulbs are un-tinted). The reason that people think that blue bulbs are brighter is because blue light scatters the most readily and therefore causes the most glare. What you end up with from blue bulbs is lower lumen output than even the stock bulbs with vastly greater glare. This extra glare is perceived as "brightness" by our eyes even though it reduces the ability to see objects.

As far as the color temperature claims, they're BS. Color temperature has nothing whatsoever to vision. In fact, for vision at night, yellow headlights would be best.

The rule for headlights is this: Never buy a tinted bulb.

ZV

 

[zebano]

Get the Halogen Fluid, only $30 per light LOL.

 

[vi edit]

Hit up Walmart for the $26 set of GE Nighthawks. I just replaced my OEM Sylvania's with them and it's literally a night and day difference. Very bright, crisp white light.

I never had to change the headlights on my '94 Camry, but I can't imagine it being too tough, especially if it's the 4 banger. There's plenty of room to work under the hood of those cars.

 

[OS]

both xtravisions ($17/pair) and nighthawks ($26/pair) are good, i've used both before, both relatively cheap and easily available at walmart. The main thing is deciding if you want to spend the extra $10.

Another sucky thing about the blue bulbs is they have short lives. The infamous $40/set silverstars had something ridiculous like 100 hours rated life, it was literally a tenth of a standard bulb. I got two sets cheap once for like $10 a pair after pepboys honored a price mistake. The low beams blew out after 3 months, but the highbeams still work after 2 years. Of course I almost never use highbeams.

 

[The Stigenator]

get em at walmart, its cheaper.. i use teh cool blues, not too much a diff from extra vision.

my problem now is to clean the lens cover.. its looks horrid, so i think my roadway will look clearer if i did that.

 

[JonTom]

GE nighthawks or Silvania Xtravision. Do not get Cool Blues. Easy to change.

 

[FeuerFrei]

I would seize the chance to upgrade and buy xenon bulbs or xenon/krypton bulbs. They really do throw out maybe 30% more light and are a lot whiter than halogens. You get more output at the stock wattage. Exceeding the stock wattage could result in overheating. Many xenons have a faint blue shading to the bulb but regardless they are a lot brighter than halogens.

I switched my car and was pleasantly surprised.

 

[trmiv]

Silvania Silverstars are good, or order their European version, Osram Silverstars. The Osrams lack the coating the Silvania's do, which makes the color temp more yellow, but they are brighter.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: TheGoodGuy
get em at walmart, its cheaper.. i use teh cool blues, not too much a diff from extra vision.

my problem now is to clean the lens cover.. its looks horrid, so i think my roadway will look clearer if i did that.

Petition to change your name to TheRiceBoy

- M4H

 

[RagingBITCH]

Originally posted by: trmiv
Silvania Silverstars are good, or order their European version, Osram Silverstars. The Osrams lack the coating the Silvania's do, which makes the color temp more yellow, but they are brighter.

Osram's are far superior to the crappy Silvania Silverstars we have in the U.S. Like OS said (they're popular on our 7G Accords) the avg lifespan on those lights ranges anywhere from 3-6 months.

The new Silverstar Ultra's are supposed to last longer, but Silvania doesn't list or rate the light output in terms of length. Imagine that.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: FeuerFrei
Many xenons have a faint blue shading to the bulb but regardless they are a lot brighter than halogens.

As previously explained, they are NOT brighter. They do NOT throw more lumens. They do, however, create more glare which means that the the mind perceives them as brighter even though the ability to distinguish objects is reduced, in many cases severely.

ZV

 

[chuckywang]

HIDS, FTW!!

 

[xrax]

I just changed out my headlights on my 2002 Civic. Pepboys still has the Sylvania Xtra Vision on sale here in Arizona. $14.99 with a $5 rebate for a pair.

 

[randay]

Dont forget to pick up a quart or two of blinker fluid, as long as youre going to be replacing your headlights you might as well top off your blinker fluid.

 

[xrax]

heres a link to a PEPBOYS ad in LA:

Text

 

[Parasitic]

Yea thanks for the tips.

Swapping the bulbs wasn't too hard...easier than I imagined.

I got the long-life halogen for now - my car was involved in an accident a while ago and the auto shop replaced the entire right headlight unit so I figured I'd wait on swapping all four bulbs at once (I thought that having the high-beams with different colors as the low-beams would look really retarded).