Xenon 4300K Or 5000K?

[PilgrimIS]

Hello all,

Today I finally got round to replacing a faulty dipped bulb... After waiting a while for some dry weather!

So, I replaced both bulbs (pretty straight forward gladly!) with two 4300k D4S bulbs... At the same time I also swapped the sidelights for LED ones. Now, after replacement all seemed Ok, however now it's dark the LED sidelights look bluer than the replacement dipped bulbs. For some reason my dipped bulbs don't seem as bright as the ones removed... It might just be me mind you... But I was wondering has anyone replaced their 4300k with the 5000k ones? These seem to be the norm in mercs now.

Cheers

[Hondaman]

I replaced my originals with 6000k bulbs. Shines a very slight blue tint, and so much brighter than 4300k. Now i have to do the sidelights.

[PilgrimIS]

Thanks. That's interesting re the 6000k brightness as everything I've read says due to the blueness they don't seem as bright.

I've ordered some 5000k & 6000k and will see what I prefer :-D

[petayV8]

I tried 8000k which were silly, 6000k still too blue and now im on 5000k which are perfect i think and match my CREE LED sidelights. Its white but has just enough of a blue tint to show the car has HIDs and therefore makes it look up market and up to date. funny thing is ive found is some 5000k's are blue'er than others but thats just cheap chinese sellers for you. ide go for 5000k anyway but OEM is 4300k like when you see newer cars such as Audi's, Merc's etc.

BTW i use anti glare bulbs

[PilgrimIS]

Very interesting... Didn't realise they could be bluer if bought on the cheap!

I like the thought of anti-glare ones.... Do you have a link to your cree and Xenon bulbs? Trying to get matched colours is a ball ache!

[petayV8]

I got these bulbs for my sidelights. but a warning to you that the error free chip at the bottom of the bulb prevents it going into the IS200 bulb holder, i had to file down the holder slightly so for that reason i cant recommend them
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181192008815?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

They were the only 360 angle good quality bulbs i could find that werent projected. I tried the project type but realised the IS200 sidelights are on a funny angle so didnt work very well not to mention they only just fits through the hole and when i pulled it out once it fell inside the light! i was there for half an hour with a magnet and pliers getting it out!

As for the HIDs this bulb below is a anti glare type. It used a black paint half way up and around the bulb. However they are bloody expensive for what they are so i made my own

Normal

Mine

Works very well. looks OEM and not scattered

[petayV8]

You have to be careful with cheap LEDs. This for example had a good quality Q5 diode up front then cheap junk around the edge that is all blue looking
Here
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-5W-CREE-Q5-CANBUS-T10-501-W5W-5050-SMD-8-LED-Light-Bulb-Wedge-Downlight-White-/281122987735?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item41743c5ed7

This on the other hand is quality product
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/W5W-W16W-501-T10-T15-HIGH-POWER-CREE-R4-LED-25W-/111083603654?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item19dd1946c6

The colour temp is also listed and explained, the diodes are XPG (R4 is a natural tint variance) Q5/XM-L and bin codes listed. this seller knows what hes talking about. Im just worried again that it would be a tight fit on the IS.

[petayV8]

I just realised you have a second gen IS! sorry. You might not encounter some of the issues i did then lol