I'm Due for Some B-Day Presents-Help with Lights, Bulbs, etc

[globe9]

My honey still owes me several birthday presents and so I am trying to find several things she can get me for my birthday + Christmas is coming up too and she needs all the help she can get!

I think I'm going to forgoe the halogen headlight bulbs that look kinda like HID I was considering, b/c according to reviews they don't last long. Will probably now get an HID conversion kit. Which kit is better, the v-leds kid for $149.99 or 3bspecialties for $140.00? Or somewhere else with good kits?
Would like to get one with a bluish tint, but mainly white....would that be 6000k?

Are these easy to install? Is it something, *I* could do? And by *I*, I mean a 35 year old chick with no experience in electrical systems, etc

If I can't do it myself, how much should a place charge for this? Should I take it to body shop? Mechanic? Dealership?

Next, would like blue lights in my overhead lights in my Rogue. These would be the ones that are for reading I guess. At the front of the car right above the console on the roof. Also for the middle dome light. Can these bulbs be bought at a place like Autozone, Pep Boys, etc? What type bulbs do I need for these applications? Their numbers or whatever. If can't be purchased locally, where online is a good place?

Still on the search for some decent car seat covers that fit well. Any suggestions? I've tried some sporty all in one type covers from pep boys and they looked great. They were $29.99 each, but the fit was horrible. I think maybe a 2 piece cover(seperate headrest piece) might be better and less of a bucket shape cover and more of a squarish type cover maybe? Any ideas? Saw the ones in a previous thread that were "leatherish" looking, but I'm looking for more of a dual color cover with black and gray or black and silver(kinda like those wetsuit type covers).

She's also getting the 2 front windows tinted for me with Llumar. The place where this is being done said I need 50% to be legal. Is this even worth it? Will I even notice it? I was hoping for a 40% or so(ideally 30%, but don't want to get pulled over and ticketed)....40% is the law here and he said 50% allows 40% light....doesn't make sense to me, but what do I know.

May give up on fog lights As it's probably going to be cost prohibitive. The same place with the tint told me that they don't recommend aftermarket fog kits as he said in their experience, within a year, they turn into fishbowls. He recommended going to Nissan and buying OEM Rogue lights and a pigtail and the switch. He said decent fog lights should cost $400+....well I was prepared for maybe around $200-$250, but $400 is kinda steep for something I don't really need and just like the way the Rogue looks with them.
If I try to get those OEM Sentra fogs, which year/years Sentra should I be looking at for fogs that will fit the 10 Rogue? What's a pigtail btw? LOL

Anyway, really want to do a lot of stuff with the Rogue and hopefully the GF will get me most of this stuff for my birthday/Christmas

Thanks for all of the help and advice on here. I really do appreciate it. Sorry if I ask some things more than once or ask for more clarification. Some of the things that you guys discuss seem to go right over my head sometimes and it can get confusing for me. Just trying to learn

[Nick 568]

For the map lights, your best bet would probably be going with LED's from V-LED's. I forget the exact bulb number/type, but if you Google around or search on the forum, you'll find a few threads where this is discussed.

On tint, I have 20% when no tint at all is permitted on the front windows in my state. However, so many cars here have tint, and the cops usually don't bother you unless you're doing something else. Really depends on your area as to what you can get away with.
But, IMO, 50% would not be worth it. 35% would be worth it though. Depends if you can get away with it in your area, and if you feel like taking the gamble.

[globe9]

Wow! Thanks for all the great replies! Thanks Infiniti_Lineup for the detailed and totally non-confusing answers too! Will order the HID kit from V-Led in 6000K. Will also try to install myself, with the help of some friends. Is it basically the same as changing the regular bulbs but then also finding a place to install the ballast and installing it. This means I'll have to drill through some of the metal under the hood right? What's a good place to locate these. I think the v-leds come with 2 ballasts, one for each light. I also understand that I must be VERY careful with the bulbs, not touching the glass, etc. (or were these the halogen HID type bulbs I'm thinking of?....I've read so much stuff

Will also go with the v-leds dome lights that Infiniti linked to. These confuse me somewhat. They are square shaped. Are the original bulbs in these lights square shaped? If not, how do I install them? I know I pop the covers off with a butter knife or something right? Then what? The regular bulbs at places like Auto Zone are small bulb shaped....just confused as to how the square led bulbs will fit in the socket.

As for tint. I'll ask the shop what they think about 35% to 40% and in their experience do they think I'll get pulled over. The ticket is kinda steep around here, but in my defense, I don't look like a criminal and I'm not rolling around in the bad parts of town. Hoping they won't ticket a harmless looking woman I should still be fully visible even with 35% or 40% correct? I do understand why they have these laws and while I want the tint to be noticeable, I don't want a police officer to be threatened in any way b/c he can't see into the driver side of the car(the GF is NOPD, her brother is in another Parish and her dad is retired NOPD and is now a US Marshall...I respect police officers and don't want to hinder or threaten them in anyway with a tint where they can't see me). What are the factory tint specs on the back windows? 30%? Would like to go a little lighter than that as at night, it can be very hard to see inside the back...just shadows.

Thanks again everyone. Can't wait to start adding these things to the Rogue!!!

[globe9]

Will also go with the v-leds dome lights that Infiniti linked to. These confuse me somewhat. They are square shaped. Are the original bulbs in these lights square shaped? If not, how do I install them? I know I pop the covers off with a butter knife or something right? Then what? The regular bulbs at places like Auto Zone are small bulb shaped....just confused as to how the square led bulbs will fit in the socket.

Forget about this question. The Led's I was looking at were square. I see the ones you linked to, look like a bulb. I actually just ordered 3 of these 2 for the courtesy lights(map/reading light) and 1 for the dome light. Can't wait to get them.

Will have the GF order the HID kit as soon as I am able to contact some friends(too early to call them now LOL) and make sure they will help with installation.

[Nick 568]

Well, the square LED's were probably a circuit board, which comes with double-sided tape, and then has a wire which can be connected to one of 3 adapters, depending on the bulb type. That's the way my V-LED's are in my dome and map lights. I got the brightest white LED's for the map lights, and the brightest red LED's for the dome light. My friend calls my white LED's in the map lights "eye rape", lol. But I don't think they're bad.

Yeah, here at least, the cops aren't likely to pull over a newer car with tint like the Rogue, that isn't speeding or driving recklessly, or gives them any reason to be pulled over basically. In fact, there's absolutely tons of trucks here in town with 5% tint and illegal lighting mods, and the cops don't care unless again, the driver gives them a reason to get pulled over. But, it really depends on your area. Here in Alaska, when everyone gets their yearly dividend checks, students spend theirs on books, families spend theirs on bills or TV's, and single guys spend theirs on their cars, LOL. So, there's a high percentage of modified cars and trucks here, almost all of which have tint. So I guess the cops just don't even try fighting the small stuff.
But, if you do get pulled over, roll down your driver's window completely (but not the passenger window all the way unless asked to; otherwise it looks like you're trying to hide the tint), and if you're at an intersection, and see a cop, I would advise NOT rolling down your front windows to hide the tint. I have a coworker who does that, and has been pulled over because the cop saw him doing it. It just gives the cop reason to think your tint is dark enough to where you have to roll down your windows to safely see at an intersection.
Also, 20% tint is stock in the rear. And, my car interior doesn't really seem cooler in the summer with the tint. Not parked at least. Driving though, sure; it stays cooler easier.
I wouldn't recommend 20% though. 35% is what I'd go with if I were you since you are worried about getting ticketed for it. Another thing with my 20%, at night, I often have to roll down the front windows to reverse using the side mirrors, and it's sometimes hard to see around me at night too. Fortunately, I'm young and have good night vision, so it's not an issue.

[ErMasta]

Let me jump here and hopefully stop you from blinding the oncoming traffic with those horrible PNP kits.

I can give you two options non are easy for anyone unless you read and have time to get the parts or the project.

First option is to go HID thr right way. Buy the HID housing/bulbs/harness and intall them or have someone install them for you. This option is easier and a bit more expensive than those crappy DDM kits. Dont kid yourself thinking they are good quality. They suck and if you goolge you will get your answer. You can always visit HIDplanet and do some reading.

Second option is to buy the mini h1 kit from TRS.....you have to bake your lights and take them appart. Take the mini projector and intall them on the headlight reflector. Bake your lights again and you are basically done ..other them put them back on your car.

And yes i did say bake them....This is a bit hardder to do but it will give you better results, light output and most important you will NOT blind the oncoming traffic.

Sorry but im really getting pissed off at the people using these cheap a** kits.


Hope this info helps you. Use the search button and you will find what Leo and some of us have done.