Bulbs To Match Hid Headlights (In Colour)Q

[matt-c]

I've got a pair of 5000k HID's in my 200, which are more or less total white. I popped a pair of cheap LED T10's in the sidelights just because the stock ones looked poo when the headlights are on, and am now tempted to do over the rest of the lights (main beam and fog) with bulbs to match the HID's in colour - without having to go to HID bulbs (which I don't want to do)

The bulbs in the main beam, regular HB3's, are really good, but a contrasting colour. Likewise, the regular HB4's in the fogs are good (although I rarely use them now, since the HID dipped beams are so much better than the regular HB4's initially fitted), but contrast in colour. The times I do use the fogs, which technically I shouldn't I know, but there you go, is when it's not very bright, but not dark enough for headlights. I typically flip to sidelights, and turn the fogs on. Early morning, overcast days, drizzly, or later evening.

Would be nice if all the bulbs on the front of the car matched in colour, and with decent performance. So long as they aren't worse than the current ones (which as said, are perfectly fine) or too overpowering they dazzle everything.

Recommendations? I see LED or SMD bulbs all over the place, but no idea if they're any good, bad, pointless, gimmick, etc etc.

[matt-c]

For example, I was looking at these;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-LED-10-5050-SMD-3W-Cree-Projector-Lens-Xenon-Headlight-Fog-Light-Bulbs-/290892424122?pt=UK_Light_Bulbs&var=&hash=item43ba8a23ba

Both HB3 and HB4 available, and in 5000k colour temp.

But are they going to be better/worse/as good as what I've got already (performance wise) and be a close enough match to the colour temp of my HID's?

[J Henderson]

I'd recommend just converting the Fogs to HIDs. I dunno if it's because my car had the newer type lights with H3 bulbs or what (perhaps they're inferior to the earlier ones), but they were extremely poor with the stock bulbs and absolutely useless when I tried to improve things with some "Xenon-style" bulbs in them. Yes, the light output actually became even worse, plus they still had that dull, old-fashioned "halogen" look to them.

After swapping to the aftermarket bulbs, I actually had to get out and visually check to see if they were still working, since there was no telling from inside the car whether they were on or not!

Since upgrading therm with a HID kit though, they've been improved massively. To the point where I could easily drive down a dark country road using just the sidelight/foglight combo. (I've tried it). Since the fog lamps have projector lenses, I don't think there's the same kind of beam scatter issues you get when you stick HIDs in reflector lights. I haven't had any complaints.

What this picture doesn't show very well, is that my fogs are actually kicking out yellow light due to the temperature of the bulbs (3000K).

[matt-c]

Yeah, I don't want to fit HID's in the fogs or mains - they're just not needed IMO, and is a route I'd rather avoid. I'm just looking for bulbs (be them halogen or LED/SMD) that match output of the standard halogen bulbs (or possibly better them) and match the colour temp of the 5000k xenons in my dipped beam.

[petayV8]

You wont find a halogen bulb thats gives same output of light as as HID Matt. Even LED's are able to out performhalogen now. Its just reached its peak and HID and LED technolgy is the way to go and will have a much better output

[matt-c]

No, I know I won't find a halogen that outputs like a HID, I'm not looking for one that does. I'm looking for a bulb, halogen or LED/SMD, that outputs the same, if not better, than my current halogen bulbs, but with the same colour/appearance as my HID's...

[petayV8]

No, I know I won't find a halogen that outputs like a HID, I'm not looking for one that does. I'm looking for a bulb, halogen or LED/SMD, that outputs the same, if not better, than my current halogen bulbs, but with the same colour/appearance as my HID's...

ah. Got ya