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I wanna make sure, is it gonna be easy to switch out the yellow Halogen bulbs for whiter ones? Help!

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by StarBrite310, Jun 22, 2009.

  1. StarBrite310

    StarBrite310 ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

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    My biggest complaint on the 2010 is the headlight situation. My 06 Prius has the HID lights which I LOOOOVE! I seriously cannot even imagine going back to the ugly yellow colored Halogen lights. Problem though, as you all know, solar sunroof option doesn't come with the LED light option. :frusty:

    Anyway, I ordered an IV with sunroof because I have always wanted that in my Prius. They told me at the dealership that I have two aftermarket options regarding the Halogen lamps. Either I can go to a place where they switch out the bulbs to a brighter bluer color, or I can pay around $500 and they can put in the HID lighting system.

    Have any of you done these options on your new Prius? Is it really true that you can easily switch out the yellow Halogen bulb for a whiter bulb?? Not a LED or HID bulb, just one that is not as yellow.

    Otherwise I really think I will need to find a V without AT and give up the solar sunroof. Those lights really make a difference to me.

    If anyone has any info on this, I'd appreciate it :)
     
    #1 StarBrite310, Jun 22, 2009
  2. stream

    stream Senior Member

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    Re: I wanna make sure, is it gonna be easy to switch out the yellow Halogen bulbs for whiter ones? H

    I replaced my fog bulbs (which are H11, the same as the halogen headlights) with PIAA Xtreme White bulbs. The are whiter than the stock bulbs (4000K, which is pretty close to some HIDs), but certainly not blue (which I wouldn't want), and brighter (PIAA claims 110 watts of light using 55 watts). More info here:
    http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...-parking-lights-rear-license-plate-bulbs.html

    FWIW, one of the reasons I got a V is that I've driven cars with HID headlights for the past 10+ years and didn't want to go back to the dimmer halogens (plus I wanted the 17" wheels). I'm very happy with the LED headlights.

    Also--I'd be very surprised if you could get HID headlights installed for anything near $500 (perhaps they meant per headlight). The lamps & ballasts are very expensive, plus there's going to be a lot of labor. That's assuming they could fit in the existing headlight assembly.
     
    #2 stream, Jun 22, 2009
  3. Yaumeister

    Yaumeister New Member

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    #3 Yaumeister, Jun 22, 2009
  4. StarBrite310

    StarBrite310 ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

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    Re: I wanna make sure, is it gonna be easy to switch out the yellow Halogen bulbs for whiter ones? H

    I checked out your thread. I can definitely see that they are whiter, however no where near what HID lamps looks like. Not that I thought they would look the same but....anyway it's better than the orginal yellow tint bulbs, that's for sure.

    I didn't mean bluer light, I just meant that classic Xenon look. Ya know! I guess what the LED looks like. That's what I love.

    By the way, is your V with or without AT? And did you just not care for the solar sunroof? Do you think the lights and bigger wheels are more important? I like the look of the bigger wheels too!
    :confused::confused::confused:
     
    #4 StarBrite310, Jun 22, 2009
  5. stream

    stream Senior Member

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    Re: I wanna make sure, is it gonna be easy to switch out the yellow Halogen bulbs for whiter ones? H

    As I said in that post, the contrast in color and brightness is more pronounced than the pix show.

    No AT. Never use cruise control, can parallel park very well (having lived in Amsterdam, where parking is at a premium), believe I'm perfectly capable of keeping my car in its lane, and while the pre-collision option sounds interesting, it's certainly not worth the incremental price of the AT package--at least not to me.

    I can't remember the last time I used a sunroof in one of my cars (I even keep the shades closed), and I had the solar panel exhaust fan thing in another car several years ago and didn't find it very effective.

    The 17" wheels provide a better ride, look so much better IMHO, and the more responsive steering is also great.

    Plus, as I said I didn't want to go back to halogens. So it was a no-brainer for me to get Prius V w/ nav.
     
    #5 stream, Jun 22, 2009
  6. StarBrite310

    StarBrite310 ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

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    Re: I wanna make sure, is it gonna be easy to switch out the yellow Halogen bulbs for whiter ones? H

    That's what I now want! Package V with no AT! You live in N. Cali? I live in S. Cali and I am desperately trying to find one now. Which dealership did you get yours from??
     
    #6 StarBrite310, Jun 22, 2009
  7. stream

    stream Senior Member

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    Re: I wanna make sure, is it gonna be easy to switch out the yellow Halogen bulbs for whiter ones? H

    Toyota Sunnyvale. David Coleman (877)568-9494. Their Friday ad said they had a bunch of 2010 Prius in stock, including Prius V @ $350 discount.
     
    #7 stream, Jun 22, 2009
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