Sounds like a good deal for some good performance. I have slotted rotors and went with ceramic/"carbon fiber" brake pads. Semi-metallics, from my understanding, are better for maximum braking performance but wear out faster (including rotor wear), are noisier, and create more brake dust. On the contrary, ceramic-based pads are better for more normal driving and last longer, but compromise maximum braking power. I went with the Z23 brake pads from Power Stop given the good reviews and I actually like them a lot. They really behave like OE pads in normal driving conditions offering smooth and quiet braking performance, but when braking hard, they definitely bite down harder and slow the car noticeably better than the OE Akebono brake pads (which were also good). Power Stop recommends the Z23 for the "Spirited Daily Driver" and I must say that's an excellent description for these brake pads. They do everyday braking well, but bite down harder when it matters. I like them a lot better than the Hawk HPS pads I had on my Impreza a while ago that created a lot of brake dust. They may have been good for maximum stopping power, but were too much for everyday use and just ate up my rotors, blackening the wheels from brake dust doing so.
For your driving, sounds like semi-metallic is best given the speeds you like to go. For me, ceramic-based brakes work very well, but the Z23 offers a higher level of performance than most OE ceramic pads which I appreciate.
114 days; Part II
Yes, both are H7 bulbs but given they seemed to have gone out simultaneously, you might want to check the harness of the headlight. Does the position bulb (that tiny bulb under the high beam) and the turn signal bulb work? If not, then it's certainly a harness issue with the headlight. If they do and it's only the high and low beam bulbs that don't work, then maybe the bulbs did go out. Both use H7 bulbs but are obviously separate so you'll need to buy two bulbs. Given that the bumper will likely have to come off to replace them, I'd advise buying 4 and having all the H7 bulbs replaced on both sides. With halogens, I replace in pairs and with the major pain the Kizashi is for bulb replacement, I'd change out the working one preemptively. It also balances out light performance.WESHOOT2 wrote:So I need help: Since my right-side low and high-beams went out last night driving home on a dark stormy night, do I need to buy TWO H7 bulbs?
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I recently put in Philips Xtreme-Vision H7 bulbs in my girlfriend's Mazda3 that I had originally got for myself before the LED kit. These bulbs are very bright for halogens and greatly improve road illumination. I recommend them for low beams if you want a greater light output with halogen bulbs.
2025 Mazda CX-50 Preferred Hybrid
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
It's true. You sacrifice bulb life for greater performance. However, given Weshoot2 lives in a rural area with unpaved roads and likes to drive like he's racing in WRC, I think high performance halogens would probably be better. In an urban environment with a lot of street lighting, it's probably wiser to get long life bulbs though they aren't as bright. Or you can refuse to compromise and get HIDs.LPSISRL wrote:Just my 2 cents but I've found that the brighter the bulb, the shorter the life. Unfortunately...
2025 Mazda CX-50 Preferred Hybrid
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
Thanks for the tips. The other lights work, so since I recently replaced the left low I'm not surprised the rights blew.
I prefer long life, but brighter is never bad.
I'll be buyin' whatever's available tonight..........
....and then I'll be at least installing a new low. In the dark.
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I prefer long life, but brighter is never bad.
I'll be buyin' whatever's available tonight..........
....and then I'll be at least installing a new low. In the dark.
76,608
