# 2005 Altima: which Non-HID bulb replacement to use?



## cachacopr (Oct 14, 2005)

Hello all! I need to replace stock bulbs, but don't know which non-hid bulbs to use: Sylvania Silverstar? GE Nighthawk? Any suggestions? (don't have the money to go with HID kits). Thanks!


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## Coco (Apr 30, 2002)

I have Silverstars but they burn out too quickly. If you are willing to spend about $40 a pair, then go for it. Apparently, I have been too ignorant to care since I have kept buying them.


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## Ratwayne (Oct 16, 2002)

Coco said:


> I have Silverstars but they burn out too quickly. If you are willing to spend about $40 a pair, then go for it. Apparently, I have been too ignorant to care since I have kept buying them.


Coco, why do they burn out quickly(what time interval)? What sort of warranty do they come with?


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## Darktide (Jul 29, 2004)

*cough* all right. Lets dispell some myths right now. I worked at an auto parts store for a few years and I've run into a lot of blown bulbs. If your car is prone to blowing bulbs in the first place no bulb will last any longer. I know my altima has a leaking headlight case which leads to shortened bulb life. Even with that my Silverstars (same thing as GE Nighthawk by the way) have lasted well over a year now and my fathers have lasted 2 years and my mothers set have lasted a year and a half. No problems. The downside that I've noticed to silverstars is that I have a hard time seeing the lights when there is a glare on the road (ice, rain, wetness in general). If there is just snow on the ground or fair weather I can see quite a bit better than normal lights. But as long as your car does not chew through bulbs they will last just as long. Sylvania changed the gas that is inside the bulb to generate the color light produced, they have done EXTENSIVE research to make sure the filament will hold up just as well as any other bulb in those circumstances. But that's just my 2C, like I said, I've seen plenty of blown bulbs and silverstars worked the best in my opinion.


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## Darktide (Jul 29, 2004)

They come with no warranty. If they blow within a month you can probably take them back to the auto parts store you got them from and claim them as defective (I was a manager and I accepted that from customers that had a receipt and was backed up by my SM). You'll find that no bulb actually comes with a warranty. Oh, and please, DO NOT TOUCH THE GLASS PART OF THE BULB WHEN INSTALLING. The oils from your finger (whether you like to think of your fingers as oily or not they have oils) will contaminate the glass, and when the bulb turns on it will sizzle on the surface and get into cracks and blow the bulb (it will look like a wart on the side of the glass where you touched). If you do touch the glass just take some brakleen (any cleaning agent that leaves no oil or anything behind) and clean it off with a clean towel. Good luck with it


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## Ratwayne (Oct 16, 2002)

Great, now I get the picture. The bulb life should not be any shorter than regular bulbs under normal conditions.

Would you elaborate on the wet pavement reflection aspect? I suspect this is because of the brighter "more white" intensity of the Silverstars?


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## Darktide (Jul 29, 2004)

Say in the summer when its raining out, I go to work at night with my headlights on. I can't really see the actual beam of light. Its almost as if the light just gets reflected away. In all other conditions I love how white everything looks. Its great. But even in the bad conditions when I turn my fog lights on I can't seem to see them. it could just be the angle at which they are aimed. I didn't really think of this when I had my normal lights in... and I suppose I could just swap'm out and see... but i'm lazy.... lol


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## Ratwayne (Oct 16, 2002)

Ok, I believe I know what you mean. I think I`ll add the OEM driving lights. You don`t live near Loudon, do you?
We have friends in New Ipswich.


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## Redmax (Jun 23, 2005)

Halo bulbs sold by www.redlinemax.com


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## Darktide (Jul 29, 2004)

I live in Manchester. I drive past Loudon all the time (down 106). My fiancee lives in Laconia so its a pretty common trip for me. I think I"ll get off my lazy butt tomorrow and swap my OEM lights back in to test them out. Can't hurt, though I do enjoy the whiter light when its snowing (makes everything almost glow). Its really enjoyable. I'll see if I can take some pictures of what I'm talking about, it'll take a little bit to get the different weather conditions but I'll see what I can do. Its New England... I just need to wait a few minutes


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## Ratwayne (Oct 16, 2002)

Darktide said:


> I live in Manchester. I drive past Loudon all the time (down 106). My fiancee lives in Laconia so its a pretty common trip for me. I think I"ll get off my lazy butt tomorrow and swap my OEM lights back in to test them out. Can't hurt, though I do enjoy the whiter light when its snowing (makes everything almost glow). Its really enjoyable. I'll see if I can take some pictures of what I'm talking about, it'll take a little bit to get the different weather conditions but I'll see what I can do. Its New England... I just need to wait a few minutes


Great, I could use brighter lights. I haven`t heard from Coco maybe he`s changing another pair? LOL


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## Coco (Apr 30, 2002)

Hey Rat!! Long time no see.

The last pair of Silverstars I bought have lasted me a good while now. I had luck with the first 2 pairs I bought. They're ok...I would prefer HIDs to regular bulbs though just because they are brighter.


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## Ratwayne (Oct 16, 2002)

Yoo, Coco, the Rat is back with an 05 Alty S. 

I would prefer brighter lights like the HID`s also but the cost is high.
Have you thought about doing the conversion ?


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## Coco (Apr 30, 2002)

I guess you can say I never really felt the need to dish out money on brighter lights when I think Silverstars and even OEM are fine for me. I'm not blind!


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## Darktide (Jul 29, 2004)

yeah, there definately is a difference between Silverstar and OEM (I decided to check it out real quick and have been looking at the difference for a while now since I blew the silverstar bulb that I took out because it was a year and a half old and kinda brittle). I'm just going to go back to OEM's though, Silverstar's were nice, but only really nice because I got a discount and a rebate on them making them nice and cheap. But not really too much of a difference, just a different look for the vehicle when you're looking at it (whiter head lights). Not that you ever get to see it anyway


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## Ratwayne (Oct 16, 2002)

Yeh, I hear you. The OEM`s will be fine(like Coco said I`m not blind either)
Actually we can`t get a drivers license here being blind..  

I believe the addition of driving lights will make a huge difference, they did on my 02 Alty SE. Merry Christmas.


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