| hzohny |
| :roadtrip: hey I want to buy a Mo soon and I want to hear HONEST reviews from Mo owners or leasees that have had their Mo for 3 months or more. This is just for me to know so I can get a perspective of this car from everyone thats driven it for a while and knows how it drives. Thank you so! plz just fill my email box with your reviews! thanks again! :8: |
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| Kris |
4 months, 7k miles. Drove in the city, long haul on highways, in the mountains. Absolutely love it. The only complains so far some rattles. Otherwise very satisfied.
The car exceeded my expectations. |
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| hzohny |
| thanks for the site...I'm already reading the reviews their DAILY (b/c I'm a dork like that ;) . I don't know how long some of these people have had their cars for and sometimes it takes a few months to really get a feel for the car...so I'm hoping that i can get a lot of reviews for the Mo here. thanks for the help though! |
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| OGzMurano |
I've had my Mo since April and I've got 5K miles on her.
So far- No squeaks, no rattles, no problems. Getting 18-20 mpg city and 21-22 highway. :)
It actually drives better now than it did for the first 1k miles. Most likely due to the break-in. |
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| esemes |
three weeks...........
put 500 miles on her...........
ready to go stillen prochargin after 3K on the clocks..........
maybe some better eibach springs, or use SE setup, i dunno.....
will be fun, imo
im also gonna have the SAT (g35) in by the months end.......
yippee (almost as much fun as modding bikes)
-SMS |
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| Kris |
esemes
could you translate it to hm ..........English:confused:
it is really hard yaka to try to understand it:D |
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| esemes |
quote:
Originally posted by Kris
esemes
could you translate it to hm ..........English:confused:
it is really hard yaka to try to understand it:D
lol
my apologies.......
"go stillen prochargin" equates to installing the stillen procharger supercharger
"eibach springs" equates to installing better rate springs (or use the stiffer SE oem springs)
"sat g35" refers to the infititi "g35" non prewired sat receiver, which fits the MO perfectly..... (plus the needed harness/cables)
"yippee" is an expression of elation, or happiness....mostly slang...
lol <----no trans needed, IMO (oh boy, more IM-ese)
all in fun K, i hope
sms |
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| hfelknor |
'sfunny, knew exzacal wht you were talkin bout.
Stillen - ain't nobody cuttin no hole in my hood.
Eibachs - I LIKE the way the springs in my SL are but........
I could be talked into bein the 4th or 5th guy to try a set of gas struts & shocks. But of course I haven't looked and if the stock springs are not progressive...................?
I am still not sold on SAT........but if I do it, I want to take it to the dealer and say do it.
Don't they at least owe us the harness????? installed?
Homer |
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| esemes |
quote:
Originally posted by hfelknor
'sfunny, knew exzacal wht you were talkin bout.
Stillen - ain't nobody cuttin no hole in my hood.
Eibachs - I LIKE the way the springs in my SL are but........
I could be talked into bein the 4th or 5th guy to try a set of gas struts & shocks. But of course I haven't looked and if the stock springs are not progressive...................?
I am still not sold on SAT........but if I do it, I want to take it to the dealer and say do it.
Don't they at least owe us the harness????? installed?
Homer
NO CUTTY........
 JUST BOLTS!!!! (and a few others!!)
i will see about the eibach's (have a friend thasa dealer)
my dealer will have the verdict on the sat mishap by tuesday, i hope (((have told me three times now that they will get me the sat receiver and the harness from grubbs, and give to me for FREE..... then i fill out the new car owner survey!!!!)
oh yeah......... it would be nice indeed!!!
sms |
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| KSmurano |
hz - I've owned mine since March & what can I say but, "I just love my MO, SUV &/or car whatever I happen to call it that day!:D
I have 8k miles on "it" & get 18-19 miles per gallon, not great but not bad.
The only 2 small problems that I have & which I aven't even addressed with dealer are:
1) the occassional rattle from my rr window when its down about 1" &
2) the eeeeeeeeekkkkk that I get when I back out or my garage & down my driveway first thing in the mornings.
I keep thinking I will have a real problem & reason to bring my MO to the dealer, but the MO just keeps putting the smile on my face.:D
I still have strangers coming up to me & talking to me about it & telling me how much they like it.
My friends, neighbors & even my 3 sons friends all think it's very :cool: |
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| ivnurse |
| I have had my MO for two months. I have 13,000 miles on it and average around 22.5 MPG. I also have the rattles that most have and since I am in the MO long hours it does get a little irritating I must say. I seem to have the shaking in the steering also. But, for all that I do love to drive my MO.:D |
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| My_1_Mo |
quote:
Originally posted by ivnurse
I have had my MO for two months. I have 13,000 miles on it and average around 22.5 MPG. I also have the rattles that most have and since I am in the MO long hours it does get a little irritating I must say. I seem to have the shaking in the steering also. But, for all that I do love to drive my MO.:D
13000 miles in two months?!!!!! You really gotta be comfortable in the Mo's seats to do that much driving!:D |
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| LKimura |
2WD SE 7,500 miles since May
The MO is great and I am very satisfied. I had some creaking noise from the windows but they have disappeared. I have some brake dust noise from the front brake. MPG is around 20 on mostly freeway driving up and down a large grade to/from work. It is very quiet and handles nicely. Plenty of room in the rear and enough to take a couple buddies and their clubs golfing. Bose Stereo is great. Ventillation is very good and fan is quiet with infinite speeds. |
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| jaak |
| I've had my Murano since January and I'm just as in love with it now, as I was when I got it. Although, I don't stand in the garage staring at it, as much. Still do on occasion! I still love it!!!!! I've never felt this way about a vehicle before. Must be an illness.... |
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| thecanuck |
I've had mine since Feb. If I have to complain about SOMETHING, I'll complain about the sunglasses holder -- a little lame. I wish we had an overhead console type of thing for the sunglasses (like the Pathfinder). Although, I must admit, the "storage recesses" on top of the dash are suitably useful for the glasses (and other stuff) on long road trips.
Other than that, I absolutely love it! 12K km (that's about 7K miles) to date. |
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| mtetzlaff |
| I've had my Murano since Dec 2nd and have just under 15K on the odometer. I love it. Long trips up to the Navajo Reservations, a 2500 mile trip from Phoenix to Reno to Yosemite, Death Valley and back to PHX. Only complaint is that is pulls to the R when braking hard. I don't have the rattles that other folks seem to have. Gas milage is about 17-19 around town and 22+ on the freeway. I've actually had the computer tell me I'm getting 26+ mpg on level freeway. Can't wait till next month when I can stop using the AC and will hopefully see a 2mpg increase. Phoenix is AC use from April to Oct. |
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| lbendlin |
Had mine since July 03, and went 4K miles so far. I am fascinated by Bart (that's how I call my Mo because it carries a Bart Simpson windows puppet at all times) every single time I drive it. It is both beautiful and technically excellent. And yes, there are days when I catch myself standing in the garage staring at it...
The only real problem I have is the yellowish color of the awfully misplaced fuel tank control lamp. Anyone out there who can tell me how to disassemble the dash and replace the LED with a bright red one?
Lutz |
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| TXMurano |
| :2: Dec 02, Approx. 13k and have been loving every single mile! |
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| GMTURBO43 |
Late January with 10500 miles. It is great. A few issues I don't care for.
Window rattle - I'd like to be able to drive with the window partially down without hearing it make noise.
Gauge Cluster just started making noise.
FM Reception - printed the doc for it to bring in on the next oil change :)
Other then that - we like it. Decent performance for an SUV. Handles nice. Look forward to driving it whenever the wife will let me have the keys :) |
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| ayroque |
| I've had mine since Feb, and have 23,000 miles on it. Had a few problems off the lot (bad sunroof motor, alignment issues) but they are long forgotten now. No issues since. Averaging about 22.8 MPG. If I had one complaint it would simply be Nissan. It's really too bad that they can't get their service up to speed, I would actually think twice about buying another Nissan because they are so friggin' painful to deal with! But I LOVE my MO!!! |
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| lmuscella |
| I have had mine for 5 months 35K miles. Only problems are the window and dash rattles and the heated seats seem to cut out and on after about 5 minutes of use. Going into the shop next week to hopefully fix everything. Otherwise this is a great SUV/car. Can't wait for the snow and test out the AWD!:D |
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| i<3mymurano |
bought mine mid May '03, nearing 7000 km. No problems overall cept rattles and noises here and there.. theyre more noticeable in the backseat.
very impressed with the CVT thus far, and love our MO! |
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| cuem |
Picked up the MO on my birthday 1/21/03!!
15k and I have loved every single mile.
Just last week I finally hit 24.5 mpg highway! (91+)
Proud to say I was one of the first handful to post here.
gr8 site!
Love this ride!!
black/on black/in black cloth SL |
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| Enforcer |
| Picked up in early July, 7000+ miles. Great ride, so far very satisfied and would definitely recommend. Only issue was alignment off at delivery. No rattles. |
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| SheilaZ |
| Had mine since March with about 6000 miles on it, no squeaks or rattles. Nice and comfortable. ;) |
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| mattsmurano |
I have had my Murano for
At first it was a little strange not shifting, but I got to where I like it pretty quickly. I had performance and MPG concerns at the beginning, but they seemed to get better as the car got broken in. They also did a "performance evaluation". It was somethign with the computer. After that my MPG and performance improved noticeably!
I have over 8K miles now. I have added Navigation, 20" wheels, Sirius Satellite radio and a trailer hitch.
I love the Murano. It is definately one of the best cars I have ever owned. I have had many, too many really....
Best of luck to you! If you like the way it looks, you'll love the way it drives!
Matthew |
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| Eric L. |
I purchased my 4/03 build Murano in June 2003. I now have 7700 miles on it and its been a very good vehicle. Contrary to what people have said about the CVT, I find it has been very smooth and reliable. I do plan, however to change the CVT fluid every 30,000 miles. Can't afford to take a risk with any Nissan transmission - it isn't a Toyota you know. Nothing has gone wrong with the vehicle, except the rear hatch weatherstripping got torn while I was loading cargo and the dealer replaced it under warranty.
Its pretty difficult for me to find anything to nitpick about, but here it goes:
1) Very poor fuel economy - I use 93 octane super and get around 15mpg in the city, 20 on the highway. I do not drive very aggressively either. There is no way to get the EPA numbers (>20mpg) without doing a constant 55mph on the highway, and who drives 55mph these days anyways.
2) The highbeams are kind of "fake" high beams. It uses the same lowbeam bulb, except it aims the beam up higher. I wish it had a dedicated halogen high beam bulb like the other Nissans. The lowbeam HID's while better than halogen, are not as bright or wide sweeping as similar projector HID systems from BMW.
3) The tire pressure monitor reports tire pressures that are lower than actual. I used two digital pressure guages to confirm that the TPMS reports tire pressure about 2-3psi lower than actual.
4) The electronic throttle has a slight delay on take off compared with traditional "manual" accelerator cable systems. However, once up to speed, the response from the electronic system is fine.
5) The power steering occasionally cuts off at low speeds. This was also reported by various posters and also by Consumers Reports. I like the normally stiff steering of the Murano, but it is annoying to have a power steering system where the pump does not have enough capacity for abrupt low speed maneuvers.
6) The engine is much more difficult to service than other VQ equipped Nissans. My 97 Maxima was a snap to fix, but the Murano's engine is so buried in there the rear bank of spark plugs requires removal of the intake plenum and manifold, what a pain in the butt! Also the oil drain plug is blocked by one of the suspension crossmembers, so you need a long socket extension to reach it. |
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| jaak |
Hmmm... I just had to respond to this Eric!
quote:
1) Very poor fuel economy - I use 93 octane super and get around 15mpg in the city, 20 on the highway. I do not drive very aggressively either. There is no way to get the EPA numbers (>20mpg) without doing a constant 55mph on the highway, and who drives 55mph these days anyways.
I find it reasonable for the size of the vechicle, the HP of the engine and the weight of my foot on the pedal. I can dramatically improve my fuel milage, by not enjoying the gas as much. The vehicle responds very well to good driving, and I've seen decent milage under those conditions for something that's not a car.
quote:
2) The highbeams are kind of "fake" high beams. It uses the same lowbeam bulb, except it aims the beam up higher. I wish it had a dedicated halogen high beam bulb like the other Nissans. The lowbeam HID's while better than halogen, are not as bright or wide sweeping as similar projector HID systems from BMW.
That must be a HID version issue. I'm quite satisfied with the Halogens.
quote:
4) The electronic throttle has a slight delay on take off compared with traditional "manual" accelerator cable systems. However, once up to speed, the response from the electronic system is fine.
The engine's regulated to reduce stress on the CVT from a dead stop. I don't find there to be a significant delay, unless I'm still finishing backing up, while putting it into drive. It waits for the drive train to stop, before it goes forward.
quote:
5) The power steering occasionally cuts off at low speeds. This was also reported by various posters and also by Consumers Reports. I like the normally stiff steering of the Murano, but it is annoying to have a power steering system where the pump does not have enough capacity for abrupt low speed maneuvers.
Heard this problem before, have yet to duplicate it, even trying the totally unreasonable low speed slalom process that Consumers Reports managed to create to make it manifest itself. I'd take yours back, as mine's not doing it.
quote:
6) The engine is much more difficult to service than other VQ equipped Nissans. My 97 Maxima was a snap to fix, but the Murano's engine is so buried in there the rear bank of spark plugs requires removal of the intake plenum and manifold, what a pain in the butt! Also the oil drain plug is blocked by one of the suspension crossmembers, so you need a long socket extension to reach it.
I agree. However my dealer is cheap enough, that's it's not worth my while to even bother changing my own oil. Spark Plugs? If that's true, then they'll be changing them too. However, the life of Spark Plugs is quite long these days, so that will be a while...
Oh, and it's a Jatco transmission, not a Nissan Transmission. Jatco makes transmissions for many vehicle manufacturers including:
NISSAN MOTOR CO.,LTD.
MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
FUJI HEAVY INDUSTRIES LTD.
MITSUBISHI MOTORS CORPORATION
MITSUBISHI FUSO TRUCK & BUS CORPORATION
ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
NISSAN DIESEL MOTOR CO.,LTD.
SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
BMW AG
VW AG
LAND ROVER GROUP LTD
MG ROVER GROUP LTD
HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
JAGUAR CARS LTD.
GM DAEWOO AUTO & TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
LONDON TAXIS INTERNATIONAL
FORD-WERKE AG
RENAULT SAMSUNG MOTORS CO.,LTD.
FORD LIO HO MOTOR CO.,LTD.
HYUNDAI MOTOR INDIA LTD.
CHINA MOTOR CO.,LTD.
PERUSAHAAN OTOMOBIL NASIONAL BERHAD (PROTON)
SHENYANG BRILLIANCE JINBEI AUTOMOBILE CO.,LTD
SAIC CHERY AUTOMOBILE CO.,LTD
SOUTH EAST MOTOR CO.,LTD |
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| Eric L. |
Actually I think CR noted that the steering pump problem showed up its low speed maneuver testing (such as parallel parking), not the slalom testing. Its not clear in the publication, but I heard the CR test director speaking on a radio show and he addressed that issue, while also giving the Murano an excellent rating, just below the Honda Pilot in CR's crossover test.
As for the electronic throttle, a side benefit might be for it to not put stress on the CVT, but I have found on other Nissans with electronic throttle (such as the Maxima and Altima) there is also a lag in response when you jam on the gas. I bet the traction control has something to do with it too. |
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| Enforcer |
Good discussion topics Eric, I'll throw in my 2c FWIW.
Gas mileage. I get 20.5 mpg with an average speed of 35mph on a trip distance of 361 miles. I'm thinking that's not bad for a 4000 lb 245HP SUV. Will have to do similar driving in the Z to compare.
Also, I love the HID's. Best lights for night driving I've ever had. The cut line takes a little getting used to at first because it was different. Nice to have full brightness where you need it on "low beam". Mine must be set right because I like them better than any halogen I've ever had and people don't flash me. Not sure it's an aiming thing or a shutter as I've also heard...will have to read the SM.
TPMS versus gages was a long discussion on the Z forums. It's difficult to find gage(s) that read the same, even though they are .5psi. I have two digitals (Accutire) and they don't match. Plus, the TPMS is set at the factory/dealer. No telling what they use for Gage's. And I still don't know the rated accuracy of the sensor/senders. Not a big deal for me though, I just figure out what the offset is and adjust.
Not sure it's just CVT/torque converter programming. My thoughts are that also the 4000 lb weight with 245HP and good traction (60/40 front rear distribution) has something to do with the "lag" if not butt dyno. The Z (287HP, 3200 lb & 53/47 RWD) is also throttle by wire and it will jerk (change in acceleration). I'd suspect it's primarily the weight on the drive wheel difference, of course the extra 42HP helps. Also, my Z is a 6MT, haven't driven an automatic (torque converter). What I like about the CVT is it has smooth acceleration, no jerk and very deceptive. I don't feel it is lag, just smooth roll on of power. But, if you think you have a problem, take it to the dealer, there have been a few CVT controller problems.
Yet to have any steering problems. Feel sorry for those that do. I recommend you take it to the dealer and/or call NNA, especially if you can repeat it.
I wonder if you can get to the spark plugs from the bottom? |
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| Eric L. |
Great response Enforcer. Glad to see the message board used to discuss Murano issues instead of which bulbs are whiter to match the headlights, or should I "shave" my emblems off!
Actually I would be very interested to know how the high beam mechanism works. Since the HID bulb doesn't turn off when you flick on the high beams (from low beam), the "click" I hear is what I believe to a solenoid controlling either the shutter you mention, or a motor which aims the lights up higher (maybe the same motor which adjusts the lowbeams up and down via the toggle switch). I have the FSM and have yet to find any info regarding the highbeam mechanism other than wiring diagrams and ECU circuit charts.
Yeah I think its the fact that the Murano isn't quite the lightweight which contributes to the slight lag when you press the gas from a stop. Once up to speed, the electronic throttle is great, very responsive.
The steering problem is pretty easily replicated. Just turn the steering wheel from lock to lock, as fast as you can, while the engine is at idle. The transition from boost to no boost is pretty dramatic. I begin to wonder now if some owners here cannot replicate the problem on their Muranos, then maybe it really is a defect and not a normal trait for this vehicle.
For the life of me I have no idea how to access spark plugs from the bottom! The front bank of plugs is easy to get to, its just under the plastic cover. But the rear bank is covered by the intake plenum. That part itself isn't difficult to remove (even though you would have to replace a gasket in the process)...its the confusing array of vacuum tubes that worries me.
Something else I thought about is that in order to change the fluid in the CVT, the FSM says to drain the fluid from the cooler return hose. I might be wrong, but doesn't this sound strange? In order for the fluid from the transmission pan to drain completely that would mean that the entire pan assembly has to be higher than the ATF tank in the radiator in order for gravity to drain the fluid out. Also, it says you need 30-50% excess fluid in order to refill because you need to fill until fluid runs out of the return line, essentially wasting this very expensive special CVT transmission fluid. Argh!! This sounds like something else I'll have to pay the dealer to do.
quote:
Originally posted by Enforcer
Good discussion topics Eric, I'll throw in my 2c FWIW.
Gas mileage. I get 20.5 mpg with an average speed of 35mph on a trip distance of 361 miles. I'm thinking that's not bad for a 4000 lb 245HP SUV. Will have to do similar driving in the Z to compare.
Also, I love the HID's. Best lights for night driving I've ever had. The cut line takes a little getting used to at first because it was different. Nice to have full brightness where you need it on "low beam". Mine must be set right because I like them better than any halogen I've ever had and people don't flash me. Not sure it's an aiming thing or a shutter as I've also heard...will have to read the SM.
TPMS versus gages was a long discussion on the Z forums. It's difficult to find gage(s) that read the same, even though they are .5psi. I have two digitals (Accutire) and they don't match. Plus, the TPMS is set at the factory/dealer. No telling what they use for Gage's. And I still don't know the rated accuracy of the sensor/senders. Not a big deal for me though, I just figure out what the offset is and adjust.
Not sure it's just CVT/torque converter programming. My thoughts are that also the 4000 lb weight with 245HP and good traction (60/40 front rear distribution) has something to do with the "lag" if not butt dyno. The Z (287HP, 3200 lb & 53/47 RWD) is also throttle by wire and it will jerk (change in acceleration). I'd suspect it's primarily the weight on the drive wheel difference, of course the extra 42HP helps. Also, my Z is a 6MT, haven't driven an automatic (torque converter). What I like about the CVT is it has smooth acceleration, no jerk and very deceptive. I don't feel it is lag, just smooth roll on of power. But, if you think you have a problem, take it to the dealer, there have been a few CVT controller problems.
Yet to have any steering problems. Feel sorry for those that do. I recommend you take it to the dealer and/or call NNA, especially if you can repeat it.
I wonder if you can get to the spark plugs from the bottom?
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| LKimura |
Eric & Enforcer....
Here's a forum just on HIDs.
http://www.hidforum.com/
A lot of good technical information. I noticed on a foggy night that when I put the MO's "high-beams" on the HIDs, that there was a strong "beam" shooting up in the sky. Is this normal since the lights are controlled by the shutter? Try it next time it's foggy. It's a good way to see the light pattern. |
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| Enforcer |
Thanks LK. I don't know if it is normal, but mine does it. Guess it's to watch out for the extremely rare night flying squirrel or to warn low flying aircraft. LOL But on high beam, night becomes day. What I also like is that on low beam, my lights are brighter than most peoples high beams, just down where you need them and not up in the trees. Still, if it was a dual lamp system I would be adjusting the high beam lamp down a bunch.
I love reading the SM, reads like a VCR manual. Here is a perfect example taken straight out of the SM copy and paste:
If voltage is applied to a high beam solenoid, the bulb shade will move, even a xenon head lamp bulb comes
out, and a high beam and a low beam are changed.
Correct terminology is "bulb shade". |
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| Eric L. |
| My highbeams also have a part that shoot straight up into the sky as well. I hope it doesn't attract UFOs...... or clowns.... |
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