captainhook Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 This is a review of Putco 4000K Mirror White low-beam bulbs. (paid $24.95 @ A&A Auto) Can be purchased here online: http://www.eautoworks.com/product-Putco-331527.htm My brother was complaining a year back that the low-beam headlight bulbs on his Accord were too dim to see, so I took the opportunity to use him as a guinea pig and installed some cheapo Putco "pure white" bulbs on it. The improvement was amazing, partially because his stock bulbs were like 8 years old, but the improvement was impressive nonetheless. So after a year of firing every single day (he works nights), I decided to give the $25 set of 4000K "mirror white" halogen bulbs a shot before dealing with the cost and often shotty reliability of an HID conversion. I just installed them today, and I'm rather impressed thus far. Below are some comparison and post-install pics. Keep in mind ALL photos were taken with blue tinted laminex film laid over the headlights and in no photos are the high-beams on. Enjoy! Blue film without lights on in daylight: http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu325/tunedlgt/Picture081-3.jpg 18 month old OEM bulb left, new bulb right: http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu325/tunedlgt/P1010355.jpg OEM bulb: http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu325/tunedlgt/P1010352.jpg New bulb: http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu325/tunedlgt/P1010354.jpg Looks good from the cabin: http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu325/tunedlgt/P1010316.jpg OEM bulbs and fogs on: http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu325/tunedlgt/P1010307.jpg New bulbs and fogs off: http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu325/tunedlgt/P1010369.jpg New bulbs and yellow tinted fogs on: http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu325/tunedlgt/P1010379.jpg New bulbs (side view): http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu325/tunedlgt/P1010370.jpg New bulbs (head-on view) http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu325/tunedlgt/P1010381.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebigevilfoot Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 Wow! Those look pretty much like HIDS, I think I'll have to buy some in the near future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naimouasta Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 looks good. i like the blue film too. its very subtle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pierce88 Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 Do you have 2 boost gauges? lol -Pierce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebigevilfoot Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 Do you have 2 boost gauges? lol -Pierce Duh... everyone should have 2, one for your left eye and one for your right I'm wondering how those bulbs look without the film. Hopefully pretty similar because I want that HID look without the HID price lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPjeep2002 Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 Captainhook, nice bulbs and output from them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainhook Posted February 21, 2010 Author Share Posted February 21, 2010 Do you have 2 boost gauges? lol -Pierce Yeah, I had the STi set installed when I bought the car, but after a year I was fed up with looking at boost in Bar. Since you can't exactly replace just the metric boost gauge with a standard one, I just added a 2nd. The dash pod is also a lot easier to keep an eye on while driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgtgirl06 Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 What a difference! Nice. Do you have yellow overlays on the fogs too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE RZA Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 looks good Derrick! I ended up getting the DDM tuning HID's back over the summer and the output on those bulbs really doesnt look too much differant from what i have! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainhook Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 What a difference! Nice. Do you have yellow overlays on the fogs too? Thanks! I have yellow overlays only on my fogs. Blue on the headlamps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainhook Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 looks good. i like the blue film too. its very subtle. Captainhook, nice bulbs and output from them! looks good Derrick! I ended up getting the DDM tuning HID's back over the summer and the output on those bulbs really doesnt look too much differant from what i have! Thanks, thanks, and thanks! I drove around with them for the first time at night this evening and I'm still very impressed for $25 and 20 mins worth of work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tLewis7 Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Arrrgh Captain! Nice post! ~Are the hood struts something you came up with or a kit thing? ~Where did you pick up the blue tint overlay for the head lights? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainhook Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 Haha, thanks! ~Hood struts, I was part of the RPA group purchase and then sanded the stock flat black finish off and resprayed them in blue metallic. ~The overlay's I bought off of a member here that was ordering them from laminex I believe. I'll have to dig through my message inbox to see if I can figure out who I got them from, it was quite a while ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteyjr Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Just in time for me to order a set after having another bulb burn out too soon . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTTuner Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 Are those before and after pics with the blue overlays in place? Keep us posted on the bulb life. I might put a set in the Jeep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainhook Posted February 26, 2010 Author Share Posted February 26, 2010 Are those before and after pics with the blue overlays in place? Keep us posted on the bulb life. I might put a set in the Jeep. Keep in mind ALL photos were taken with blue tinted laminex film laid over the headlights and in no photos are the high-beams on. We'll see on the life in the LGT, they've been used damn near everyday for over a year in my brother's Accord without a single failure to light, so I have high hopes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_sharp Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 How are these holding up? Have the overlays began to peel at all? Did you find the info on where the other member got them from? Also just found this warning from another website: "Intended for off-road use only - do not meet Department-of-Transportation specifications" http://www.etrailer.com/Lights/Putco/P230007MW.html lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainhook Posted June 3, 2010 Author Share Posted June 3, 2010 How are these holding up? Have the overlays began to peel at all? Did you find the info on where the other member got them from? Also just found this warning from another website: "Intended for off-road use only - do not meet Department-of-Transportation specifications" http://www.etrailer.com/Lights/Putco/P230007MW.html They're holding up great, have lit everytime. I'm still very pleased with the purchase. The overlays are also holding up extremely well to my surprise. I spent a good 30 mins looking through my PM's for the guy that sold the overlays to me but I didn't find them. Sorry man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldschoolimport Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Also just found this warning from another website: "Intended for off-road use only - do not meet Department-of-Transportation specifications" http://www.etrailer.com/Lights/Putco/P230007MW.html all non-OEM color bulbs, and over-wattage bulbs are supposed to carry this warning. the DOT has strict color ranges that lights are supposed to fall into. if they don't, they have to carry the warning. technically, they aren't legal, but the cop would have to be a real dick to get that picky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_sharp Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 How do HID bulbs get away with their color then? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldschoolimport Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Apparently the OEM colors fall within their specifications for HID. Halogen color ranges are more yellow from true white. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaze741 Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 how are these bulbs holding up? i'm debating on buying them as HID's aren't really worth it to me. is there a warranty on them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaze741 Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 any updates on these? i just purchased a set, but i feel like the improvement over stock is minimal besides color. any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_sharp Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Wait, you just purchased or just installed them? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaze741 Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 i did, but i was hoping others had experiences with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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