Changing Your Car's Appearance: Upgrade Your Sidelights

By Ethan Melandri

If you have HID xenon headlights or you have improved on the standard halogen bulbs you had for the newest in xenon light bulbs, you have seen how clear and white the light provided by xenon gas is.

Unfortunately you have probably also noticed that the light from your sidelight bulbs appear a dull yellow colour in comparison and do not compliment your xenon bulbs. Fortunately there is wide range of upgrade sidelight bulbs that are brighter and whiter than standard bulbs and if you are feeling adventurous they can come in a range of colours

Ordinary Sidelights versus Updated Sidelights: How Do they Compare?

Standard sidelight bulbs are very cheap massed produced items, utilising very rudimentary filaments with the glass bulb section normally filled with a basic, inert gas. By comparison upgrade sidelight bulbs use the very latest in car bulbs technology, and so are constructed from superior materials and have high quality filaments.

Most importantly the latest upgrade sidelight bulbs are filled with either xenon or halogen gas, which ensures that these upgrade bulbs produce a much brighter and crisper light, which more closely compliments HID xenon bulbs.

What About Blue Xenon Sidelight Bulbs?

Clear sidelight bulbs are most common on vehicles because this was all one could get until now. Technology is advancing to provide us with a myriad of choices when it comes to sidelights. It is possible to update your sidelights to a xenon bulb with a glass blue tint. These are becoming extremely fashionable with motorists. There is one thing of import that you should know. The bulbs do have a tinting, which often is thought to emit a blue light. Instead, it actually reduces the yellow effect of most light production giving you a whiter look.

However, there are two aspects about these xenon tinted lights that you need to know. The first is that the ECE has rules regarding what amount of tinting can be used in blue sidelight bulbs. This is due to the heat generated by the bulb. As more heat is generated the more the light is reduced. Therefore, the ECE rules have a limit to the levels of blue tint that is considered street legal.

Secondly because the blue tinted glass traps some of the light from escaping from the bulb it runs hotter than a clear glass sidelight bulb, and if the tint is too dark the bulb will operate at too high a temperature and will burn out quickly

Are LED Sidelight Bulbs Worthy?

LED is the newest technology. LED bulbs are being used on the Porsche 997 and Audi R8, giving them prestige. LED means light emitting diode, and there are definite benefits to having them over glass bulbs for your vehicle.

First, LED bulbs are strong and dependable. They will last for at least 50,000 hours if not more. They do not require as much power, but are a brighter light than regular bulbs. They also have an assortment of colours.

It is quite simple to change to LED bulbs for your sidelights. These LED bulbs are made to work in the standard holder and connector, so there is no modification needed.

Updating your vehicle with xenon bulbs or LED sidelight bulbs renovates your cars appearance during evening and night hours. These lights offer a whiter and more brilliant light, which complements your xenon headlight bulbs. If you install LED lights you are getting a longer life out of a bulb, which means you will hardly need to change out the sidelight bulbs in your vehicle. - 21396

About the Author:

If you have already upgraded your headlight bulbs, fitting new Sidelight Bulbs can help compliment the new look for your sidelights. With developments in lighting technology, the new 501 LED bulbs offer a much brighter and more intense light than conventional 501 sidelight bulbs.