Shindu

Hey everyone I am currently a new member on this forum and do not know a whole lot about changing car headlights, so I decided to seek help from here.

I currently have a 96 Honda Civic Hatchback CX, and want to buy new headlights for the car. I previously purchased a set of headlights from eBay, and the lights are not really so bright, and the angel eyes bulbs are dead that make the halos around the bulbs.

That purchase off of eBay, I was not satisfied with and I want a new pair. I have worked with these headlights for 4 years and I am tired of it. I want a new pair that is really nice looking, and reliable and will light up the roads at night so I can see very well.

So here is where I need help. Can someone link me or post me a pair of headlights for my 96 Honda Civic Hatchback CX. I want a nice pair like this.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMOKED-96-98-CIVIC-DUAL-HALO-PROJECTOR-HEADLIGHTS-FRONT-LAMPS-LEFT-RIGHT-/231019110015?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A1996%7CMake%3AHonda%7CModel%3ACivic&hash=item35c9cfde7f&vxp=mtr
I want a reliable pair of headlights, that look nice, extremely bright at night and will last a long time. I heard about bulbs known as xenon, but whatever about that. I want the light to be a white or blue color. I do not understand car headlight bulbs, and the different types, and wanted to get help from here.

Seeking:
-nice looking pair
-bright white/blue light for the headlights
-reliable headlights I can purchase, and it will last me for a long time
-budget $100-$150

Please let me know I really want new headlights on my car, hopefully someone can explain a few things to me or teach me things about car headlights.

I do not know which brand of headlights to get, but I know how to change car headlights!

Thanks in advance for the help.

NVturbo

Keep the stock ones you have. Those DUAL HALO Projector headlights are UGLY and so out of style.

Shindu

Well NVturbo, I will follow your advice and forget the halo then. I have the stock ones but they are really really really dirty, there's like a yellow coating on the headlights.

Where do I find a pair of nice headlights?! And I want them to be very bright at night so I can see well my eyes are bad.

Danny Sihapanya

You can start by buying a headlight restoration kit, it works if you do it right.

Or just get stock OEM headlights or replicas with sylvania silverstar bulbs.

Shindu

Where do I pick up stock OEM headlights? and about the sylvania silverstar bulbs do I need a specific type?

Help me out on which ones to get, or give me links. There are more than one type of sylvania silverstar bulbs. Give me some links so I know which ones to look for. I want to make sure the bulbs are compatible with my headlights too!

Thanks guys!

Danny Sihapanya

If they have salvaged 96-98 civics in your junkyard, go check it out and see if they have pairs of headlights.

Or go on ebay and see what they have.

Bulb size is H4.

sweesiong78

I got them here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/96-98-Honda-Civic-Headlights-Headlamps-Pair-Set-Left-Lh-Right-Rh-Combo-/300844629343?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3ACivic%7CYear%3A1996&hash=item460bbcbd5f
and installed them in January, and they still are good right now, like you my headlamps OEM were yellow after 15 years and these new lights makes the car look like new again!

NVturbo

This is about the best headlight restorer kit available. You can pick it up at your local Walmart for about $20. Yes, it works. I've used it on several different cars and the results are almost perfect.





As for headlight bulbs, I would go with Philips Extreme Power. WAYYYYY better than Sylvania Silverstar's.

Shindu

Thanks for the update! I will probably get a new pair of headlights the stock ones.

As for the bulbs any other suggestions? I am assuming those extreme phillips are white color bulbs. Also if I buy one set of bulbs do I need to get a pair for the high beams too? Or one pair of bulbs functions as both?

Thank you again! I am excited to get these new headlights in now!

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Go outside. Stand in front of your car. Look into the headlights. Tell me how many headlight bulbs you see.

Shindu

Sorry, I have very little experience with cars, I am trying to get into them now.
So two bulbs total.

https://www.yourmechanic.com/service...lb-replacement

Well, this site is telling me two or four bulbs.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

So you don't believe your own eyes?
And maybe you want to start referencing articles that actually pertain to YOUR car specifically?
And I STRONGLY suggest you get your hands on some kind of manual.

NVturbo

Shindu, you don't need to buy new headlights if yours are still fine. Just clean them up with the headlight restorer kit and use the bulbs I showed you.

Shindu

Grumpymarc, I'll keep that in mind, and look into that. I am starting to get into modding cars more.

NVturbo, I'll probably get a restorer kit, then. Although a new pair of headlights is about $60'ish, but I will probably restore it as several people have told me to do that. Nothing is wrong with the headlights, just yellow layer of yuckiness that has developed since 1996. As for the bulbs, I will get those Phillips then, they seem to be about $40ish.

Shindu

NVturbo, one last check these Phillips X-treme Bulbs are bright at night? I want a nice really bright pair. I looked at some reviews people do see improvement but they said it is not an 80% increase but rather a 30-40% increase in light. Just wanted to double check before I pick these bulbs up.

I also looked into Xenon bulbs and it seems to be brighter. Unless the halogens are better for the 96 Civic headlights.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Philips-...-/251282748860

Here is a pair I found.

NVturbo

The Xtreme bulbs will be fine. I had them in a '00 Civic coupe and the light output is way better than just about any other halogen bulb on the market. You won't be disappointed.

Marvin1985

iTrader: (5)

I polished my headlights on my 99 3 times then said screw it and bought black housing eBay lights without the yellow reflector. The old ones kept fogging back up no matter what. I could of clear coated them but for $60 I just got new ones since I also had 2 broken tabs.

NVturbo

Friends of mine have used several different headlight restorer kits and none seem to work. Like you mentioned, the yellow haze/fog comes back after a month or so. The ClearView one works and is very simple to do. No complains so far from people that had their cars done with CV.

Shindu

NVturbo, I used the Crystal View solution for headlight restoration, and I did not have any luck. After 13 years of using those headlights, they are grimey, and I cannot take it all out. It still has a grey foggy look, after applying the final CV#2 coat.

I just picked up these headlights, I am sure they will work with the H4 Phillips bulbs I got.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/181072203137...84.m1423.l2649

NVturbo

The CV seemed to work for me. Anyhow, those new headlights look nice. What color is your car by the way?

Shindu

This is my car. This is the current headlights, but they are not bright enough for night driving it's horrible. I tend to like the halo ring looks, but NVturbo you seem like a pro at this stuff so I am switching back to the stock look. The seller said these are OEM, which means it is just as good as the stock one I am guessing.

I have rims on it now too, but this picture is not updated.

NVturbo, when I used the Crystal View, how aggressive should I be on the sand paper, like super super aggressive to get it all out?! I used the CV and the lights are still not clear, and have a hazy look. Although, they are better.

NVturbo

car looks very clean. I'm no expert but "I've been around the block or two". LOL

If you haven't bought a suspension setup, I would suggest PROGRESS CS-II coilovers. You can get them from a vendor here on the forum (Sponsor Marketplace).

As for the CV, you have to be aggressive with the sand paper. Don't worry, you won't damage the plastic lens. Just make sure you always wet the sandpaper. I normally use a small bucket and dip the sandpaper into it. This process rinses/cleans the sandpaper along with damping it. Just remember in the final step, you gently rub the "clear" towellete (CV#2) onto the clean headlight and DO NOT wipe off the clear coat with a towel. It will eventually dry clear and clean.

Make sure to secure your ride with a stealth alarm along with hidden kill switches. I'm not sure where you're located but if you were closer, I would definitely help you out with the alarm install.

Shindu

I WOULD LOVE TO lower my car! Although I just saw the price it's like $600, I do not have that kind of money though. I am only a college student at the moment.

I always wanted to lower this car, but I do not have experience on how to do it, and it is too much.

I will try the CV restoration kit again. Blaghh I was considering getting bumper lips on this car.