3rd Gen Protege/MazdaSpeed/P5/MP3 General/Maintenance Discussion for 1999-2003.5 Models Only (BJ Chassis)

Headlamps... need a bulb

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Old May 6, 2005 | 11:24 AM
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Headlamps... need a bulb

Well, last night I noticed that one of my car's headlamps had burned out. Time for a new bulb. I guess my question is, do you feel that there is any advantage to using the ultra-white or blue bulbs available all over E-bay? I am interested primarily in any performance benefits you can think of (brightness and dispersion), and to a lesser extent, looks.

Let me know what you think if you've got them (or had them). Am I better off just buying the OEM part, or is there an alternate brand/type that you've been happy with and would recommend?
Old May 6, 2005 | 11:28 AM
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I dunno, stockers are bright enough for me. Esp if I'm running the fogs, too.
Bulbs, like spark plugs, aren't something I'd spend extra money on.
Old May 7, 2005 | 11:09 PM
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i got the narva arctic blue bulbs.... they put out a mucn nicer colour of light compares to the yellowish ugly colour hehe

as for performance wise

Pros: the light does illuminate the area in front much better, high beam is just awsome!!

cons: in the wet it does seem to reduce the ammout of illumination... i donno whybut it just feels like i am seein less compares to the stock ones...
Old May 10, 2005 | 09:14 PM
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Okay, I put in "Ultra Blue" (or maybe it was "Cool Blue") bulbs last weekend. Guess what? I can't tell the difference from stock. What a crummy waste of money. To anyone who is tempted to spend the extra ten bucks or so on the Cool Blues, here's my advice: save it for the bar.
Old May 11, 2005 | 09:24 AM
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The Silvania blue ones? I noticed that those did make street signs illuminate from a greater distance, even if there was no other added benefit.
Old May 11, 2005 | 11:34 AM
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Originally Posted by kargoboy
I dunno, stockers are bright enough for me. Esp if I'm running the fogs, too.
Bulbs, like spark plugs, aren't something I'd spend extra money on.
There, I said it again.
Old May 11, 2005 | 02:23 PM
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Originally Posted by kargoboy
There, I said it again.
Kargoboy, one of these days I am going to have to start listening to you.

Hey, anyone who has done a bulb or two in these cars probably knows what a pain in the *** it is. It's another fine example of things not being sized correctly for big yankee fingers on these cars. After I get married, I might have to have a kid right away, just so I have somebody with the right sized hands to help me out when I decide to work on my Mazda.
Old May 11, 2005 | 02:28 PM
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Originally Posted by juddz
Kargoboy, one of these days I am going to have to start listening to you.

Hey, anyone who has done a bulb or two in these cars probably knows what a pain in the *** it is. It's another fine example of things not being sized correctly for big yankee fingers on these cars. After I get married, I might have to have a kid right away, just so I have somebody with the right sized hands to help me out when I decide to work on my Mazda.
Or...invest in a nice HID set up...they are relatively cheap now.
Old May 11, 2005 | 03:20 PM
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Originally Posted by JDM-P5
Or...invest in a nice HID set up...they are relatively cheap now.
So when you say relatively cheap, about how much money are we talking about here?
Old May 11, 2005 | 03:52 PM
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Originally Posted by JDM-P5
Or...invest in a nice HID set up...they are relatively cheap now.
I am already running the risk of owning a carbon fi-barge. Any money spent from this point forward ought to have some performance benefit.
Old May 11, 2005 | 07:14 PM
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I had the Sylvania Silverstars in my 90 Civic way back in the day, and it was really weird. Everything that was lit up was bright, but anything in shadow became really black. It was freaky when I would come to a rise in the road and the part of the road in shadow would disappear completely. This is apparently something to do with the blue light's short wavelength playing tricks on your mind. I replaced the low beams with standard halogens left the blue lights in the highs, and that helped a lot.

Johnnie
Old May 11, 2005 | 07:28 PM
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hehe the arctic blue one i got was only $3 more than the stock ones.... daswhy i got it and much nicer colour and in da end turned out ot be better overall for mee
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