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Article on "blue" headlights


JasonA

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Nothing really new, but I thought it was interesting:

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bu.../good/good.html

In New Jersey, if you put any headlight into your car other than what is OEM, you will fail inspection. I personally don't like the new headlights. They blind drivers in oncoming traffic, even on low beam.

If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans.

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Nothing really new, but I thought it was interesting:

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bu.../good/good.html

In New Jersey, if you put any headlight into your car other than what is OEM, you will fail inspection. I personally don't like the new headlights. They blind drivers in oncoming traffic, even on low beam.

Ya but they are amayzing you would think your driving in the day when you have them in they are awsome headlights and I would recomend them to anyone that asked about them!

user posted image

Defending Northstar perf a qtr mile at a time!!!!

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I personally don't like the new headlights. They blind drivers in oncoming traffic, even on low beam.

For those of you that have issues with glare at night, I'll pass on that when I drive @ night (and I do quite frequently) I use a pair of lightly tinted yellow glasses and it reduces the glare significantly. Don't use the heavy/dark tinted (yellow) ones because they will cut down on your vision.

Jim

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I've got a kit which does use actual real Philips Bulbs and Ballasts. I'm also using them in Porjector lenses. I've had no problem with the beam cutoff, it right where it should be. No excessive light output above the projected beam. I've seen Acura's that use reflecting lenses with HID bulbs fom the factory, and they are horrible. They scatter the light everywhere, especially right in your face. I personally think that HID bulbs should only be used with projection lenses, simply because a reflecting lense has virtually no ability to control the direction of light. Suprisingly, I never get flashed by anyone other than rich people in BMW X5's and Range Rover with HID's, aimed directly into my windshield. This is just rediculous. I specifically aimed mine about 4-5 inches below the bumper of the shortest car I could find. This would ensure that they would not be right in somebody's rear view mirror. This is not the case with an SUV. I hate to say it, but one of the worst applications of HID's is in the new Escalade's. When they pull up behind a car, it's as if someone pointed the bulb from a lighthouse directly into you rear window. It's the same with the Lincon Navigator. <_<

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just to keep the record straight and everyone honest, the silver stars bulbs ARE clear...i installed them on my low beam circuit...there isn't alot of increase in illumination from what i can see but...i don't drive alot at night so it's hard to draw a clear conclusion...and one more thing...the light is in no way "yellow" with the silver stars...at least i don't see it and i have observed the silver star's from a distance , head on and don't see any yellow tint at all.

the best advice i can give for "upgrading" you headlights and not spending a dime: three step your lens covers...you will be amazed at how much crisper the dispersion pattern is with all the scratches and nicks removed from the lens. jackg 90seville 96k

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Yes, cleaning the lense covers is probably the best thing to do.

American Silver Stars are blue-filtered bulbs. The light emitted from them is typically very white (rather than blue) since the blue filter removes some of the yellow light. But they are a blue-tinted bulb. Eurpoean Silver Star bulbs are entirely different, and are similar to our Xtravision bulbs from Sylvania. Those are the best bulbs I've used...the Xtravisions. There is an actual increase in light (unlike blue-tinted bulbs), but they're not as white. Pick your poison.

Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond)

"When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?"

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justgreat Posted on Jan 17 2005, 06:51 AM

three step your lens covers...you will be amazed at how much crisper the dispersion pattern is with all the scratches and nicks removed from the lens.

I've never heard of this. SHort of replacing the lens covers is there a way to get the small pits & scratches out?

Thanks!

Jim White

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I have no problem with these bulbs.

Maybe its my eyes, but they are strong and young and I notice no glare whatsoever. My father has driven behind me with his Navigator and its just as any other plain old headlights.

As for the back country roads they work amazing, a much safer drive thanks to these headlights and my Cadillac will have a set this spring.

Just my opinion :)

"Cadillac, it's not a car, it's an obsession"

-W.Kingdon

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justgreat Posted on Jan 17 2005, 06:51 AM

three step your lens covers...you will be amazed at how much crisper the dispersion pattern is with all the scratches and nicks removed from the lens.

I've never heard of this. SHort of replacing the lens covers is there a way to get the small pits & scratches out?

Thanks!

Jim White

I'm not sure what Three Step is either, and when I got my car the front lenses were fairly rough from sand and road salt that is use in Northern Canada (Alberta) to “de-ice” the roads. Taking a tip I got from an antique car restorer, were parts are no longer available.

I gently sanded my lenses with 600 Grit sand paper using lots of water. Sand enough to remove the pits. Then I followed up with Mothers Mag Wheel Polish, which removed the scratches from the sand paper. The results are amazing and the lenses look and feel like new.

As you might gather I was very nervous doing this and on the first lens I did one small spot as a test case… On the second lens I was confident with the process and just went for it.

caddy.jpg

Easin' down the highway in a new Cadillac,

I had a fine fox in front, I had three more in the back

ZZTOP, I'm Bad I'm Nationwide

Greg

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If they aren't too pitted, skip the sanding and just polish with "Mothers Mag Wheel Polish"...

caddy.jpg

Easin' down the highway in a new Cadillac,

I had a fine fox in front, I had three more in the back

ZZTOP, I'm Bad I'm Nationwide

Greg

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the three steps are the glaze,polish and wax....do not...repeat..do not use sandpaper...was that a joke? depending on how bad the pitting and scratches are, you may have to use polishing compound, before the three step procedure, but be careful with the p/c...that stuff will leave it's own fine scratches in the lens that can be diffucult to remove with the glaze and the polish. jackg 90seville 96k

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No really, 600 Grit paper and lots of water took out the pits and left them milky but uniform, after the polish they looked like new... Crystal Clear!

PS they were really REALLY pitted. So bad in fact that if the sand paper had not worked I was off to the dealer to get new ones at like $1000 bucks a corner IIRC...

If you do sand though, listen to "just great", and do so at your own risk!

caddy.jpg

Easin' down the highway in a new Cadillac,

I had a fine fox in front, I had three more in the back

ZZTOP, I'm Bad I'm Nationwide

Greg

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I think the artical was bull as far as that siver stars had a short life. I installed them when they first got on the market.I think they are brighter than oem and look kick a--! I'll try to take some pics :P

Sylvania advertises that Silver Stars have a short life. I think in general, a lot of people have to replace them in 6-12 months, obviously depending on how much you use them. One of my Cool Blues (a similar design to the Silver Star) burned out about 12-13 months after I installed them. That was the shortest lifespan I've ever had for a halogen light!

Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond)

"When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?"

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