All modifications done on the 96 DX, owners of sealed-beam vehicles may not find this helpful. Modifications listed in order completed and light output rating as a subjective opinion. (Based on 'have I been able to drive crosscountry at night at speed without being utterly terrified' experience.
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Stock:
Enclosure: Factory.
High-beams: Generic 9005 x 2.
Low-beams: Generic 9006 x 2.
Rating: 5/10.
Comments: Light dim through the translucent lenses. Low beams inadequate on lit roads at night. High beams adequate on lit roads. Inadequate on unlit roads, requiring extreme slowing for safety.
Sylvania Silverstar (edit)
Ultravision
Enclosure: Factory
High-beams: 9005 x 2
Low-beams: 9006 x 2
Rating: 3/10
Comments: Light output much improved. Low beams adequate on lit roads, high beams marginally inadequate on unlit roads at night. However, all four bulbs blew inside of 30 hours of runtime despite proper handling and proper greasing and no wiring or overtemperature issues. Would not recommend unless spares are stocked in the vehicle.
Sylvania Silverstar Xtravision
Enclosure: Factory
High-beams: 9005 x 2
Low-beams: 9006 x 2
Rating: 6.5/10
Comments: Lasted for years in the high beams. Excellent light output on bright, but reflector design is limiting factor in low-beam output. Better than the blue-tinted bulbs, better than factory, but not meeting my personal vision requirements.
Sylvania Silverstar Xtravision /
Aftermarket enclosure
Enclosure: Aftermarket (
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...929_2_full.jpg)
High-beams: 9005 x 2
Low-beams: 9006 x 2
Rating: 7/10
Comments: Ignoring difficulties with fitment, much improved light output from high-beams. Low beams only marginally improved from factory--in addition to the black cap on 9006 bulbs, there's a shrouding cover in the headlight itself.
9005 bulb-mod
Enclosure: Aftermarket
High-beams: Sylvania Silverstar Xtravision 9005 x 2
Low-beams: GE Nighthawk 9005 x 2
Rating: 8/10
Comments: The GE Nighthawk is apparently one of the brightest standard-spec (non overwatted or overvolted) designs out there. The packaging is somewhat chintzy, but the light output is staggering. Removing the effect of the cap on the low-beams causes an upward projection sufficient to read road signs by from a fair distance--everything looks like it's got its own lights illuminating it. The brights were no brighter, merely threw more light to the foreground. Driving tests revealed that glare was not an issue to oncoming drivers--20+ miles of city driving and nobody flashed me. I also drove by a notoriously proactive police substation and the officers paid me no heed. For 5 minutes with a bastard file, this is the best bang-for-the-buck mod out there.
Toshiba 9011 HIR bulbs
Enclosure: Aftermarket
High-beams: 9011 x 2
Low-beams: 9011 x 2
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Similar modification is required to the housings--the 9011 equates to the 9005 and the 9012 replaces the 9006. These bulbs employ some sort of IR reflectivity, and the output is about 75-80% of a true HID setup for 1/10th the cost (Literally) of a single-projector retrofit. I have no available feedback about the longevity, but the output is noticably superior to the Nighthawks.
For those on a budget, I recommend a set of Nighthawks and a bastard file. For those looking for maximum light output without blowing $1k+ on a HID retrofit, I recommend HIRs from
http://www.finemotoring.com/ ..."Max Lumens" had my bulbs to me in two days, superbly packaged, and his website is informative about the technology behind these.
I'll attempt to get a comparison up here, based on trying to overcome the bulbs at night with flash photography, in a couple days.
Hope this helps somebody out there in the dark.
Headlight bulb upgrade info (been there, done that)
Linear Mode
