Here is why u should stay away from HID kits

[Paolo]

Here is a good reason why you should NOT install those HID conversion kits into your factory headlight housings.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid104/p3d627b2e87c1295d2977f7e73a846531/f985f029.jpg

As you can see in the pic, there is a lot of glaire above the cut-off line, If you think "yeah no one is gonna care about the glaire" then do yourself a favour and be in another car and drive by yours and then u will see why.


Below is a picture of how HID output should look. Not just HIDS can look like this, but there are many halogens that have this beam output as well.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid104/p4802d270de64df10bdbc63e1abe935d1/f985f025.jpg

The headlights in the second headlight, have the proper HID conversion done to them. Not all HID conversion kits are bad, all you need to get the output to look like #2 is to invest in some Hella 90mm projectors, bmw x5 projectors, or any other projector lens, bi-xenon is even better if u can find it. It will make the world of a difference for your output, hope this helps, if anyone has any questions, feel free to post them.

[murda]

I have had no problem with glare on my kit. Alot has to do with having the proper bulb type. All reflector based hid kits should be using a d2r bulb. Which have a strip, when installed, on the top of the bulb to reduce glare. This is what is used in the Lexus IS300.

http://faq.auto.light.tripod.com/images/PhilipsD2R.gif

You can see the strip on this D2R bulb, D2S bulbs don't have this and should be used only in projector style lamps.

To find out all you need to know about hids click on the link below.


http://faq.auto.light.tripod.com/hl-hid-bulbs.htm

[RobbieTheStiff]

I always wondered why projectors weren't included with most kits... I thought they were pretty much a necessity with HIDs. So they aren't necessary, but definitely give you a better beam focus.

[tiwing]

msps have that exact pattern. LOVE it on the highway. HIDs look cool because of the colour, but I like my lights thank you very much http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Myk]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (tiwing @ Feb. 25 2004,12:35)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">msps have that exact pattern. LOVE it on the highway. HIDs look cool because of the colour, but I like my lights thank you very much http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
i like the $700 in my pocket thank you very much!

[RobbieTheStiff]

There was a booth at the Autoshow that was selling a conversion kit for $450 I think, which was a really good price, but no projectors.

When I saw the kit I asked the guy &quot;Does it come with the projectors as well?&quot; and he said &quot;It comes with everthing you need! Ballast, igniter and all the wiring&quot;

&quot;Ah&quot;

[pigpen]

people who complain about reflector HIDs only complain cuz they don't have them  http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

but really... there's TONS of OEM equipped HID cars without projectors (G35, I35, Maxima, Altima, old TL/CL, all prev gen Lexus', current ES300/330, IS300, escalade, QX4, S500 etc etc)

I do admit they're a bit bright with some glare... but thats the point of headlights, so you can see up north in the middle of nowhere.  People like projectors because it looks cooler, which doesn't mean it functions better.

You can argue the projector/reflector functionality all day long and still have no agreement http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif  I have tons of facts on both (i install HIDs almost every weekend, and I drive HID equipped cars)...  all I know is that in Collingwood at 1am, nothing beats reflectors.  I've been pulled over numerous times, and never once have I been harassed about my reflector HIDs

However, some cars with non HID reflector housings that get retrofitted do like like crap....  but the beam pattern is messed up in those even with regular halogen 55w bulbs.  Some cars just don't mix with HID

[sanjay]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (pigpen @ Feb. 25 2004,11:07)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"> Some cars just don't mix with HID
[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

exactly as the above poster said --> MOST cars with factory hid's arn't projectors.

some cars are very bad with retrofits (cars which take 9004's) but other cars are not bad at all (cars which take h7's)

[murda]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Paolo @ Feb. 24 2004,9:30)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Here is a good reason why you should NOT install those HID conversion kits into your factory headlight housings.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid104/p3d627b2e87c1295d2977f7e73a846531/f985f029.jpg

As you can see in the pic, there is a lot of glaire above the cut-off line,  If you think &quot;yeah no one is gonna care about the glaire&quot; then do yourself a favour and be in another car and drive by yours and then u will see why.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Is it just me or are those lights aimed too high?

[obender66]

If conversion is properly done in PR5 housing, then cut off is not worse than that of G35 with OEM reflector.
&quot;projector fetish&quot; is not justified and I find projectors on BMW/Audi/Mercedes more annoying than reflectors on Acura or Lexus. I also drove few times next to BMW/Mercedes and I have LOT more light on the road.
That flare to the right is pointless in North America as we don't have as many roadsigns as there in Europe(we have &quot;STOP&quot; and &quot;100 maximum speed&quot;, that's basically all)
That &quot;glare&quot; picture doesn't prove anything other than misaligned lights and HID capsules which are not centered. It has nothing to do with reflectors being &quot;bad&quot; and projectors being &quot;good&quot;


PS. My HID are not colorshifted yet. They will turn bluer with time



Beam pattern (http://public.fotki.com/obender66/xenon_d2r_in_protege/dscf0101.html)

[ChopstickHero]

nice cut off alex.

anybody else have pictures of their retrofit HID kits and the cutoffs?

[Paolo]

The upward splash is to prevent blinding oncoming traffic. The problem is not the fact that Retrofit kits are all bad. I admit, yes some stock HID based halogen optics look good, but that is because they were designed with a lot of strict studies and tests and have to be approved by DOT before they make it onto CARs, while the average joe who sticks a set of D2R bulbs in his H4 headlights probaly doesnt do the same ammount of research and thinks his HIDs are the sh**z, um no, that is what the problem is. I have seen many people driving arround with hid kits that look like picture #1. I just want to say, there should be some kind of enforcement to prevent people from having a setup like picture #1, as it does bother other drivers on the road. I personally have an OEM hid upgrade done to one of our cars and the output is just like you see in #2. I'll share some pics with you guys in a bit.

[sylvestre]

Dumb question but to those that either have HIDs or are planning. Do you usually have a problem seeing at night? I mean, I see so many people talk about the better lighting and all that jazz, yet you look at and see these people live in the city where streets are well lit.

I can almost understand farm lands and back roads (and that's what bright lights are for), but for city driving and driving along the highway, despite the nicer look &amp; colour, I really just justify since the true gain (ie, better viewing at night) would be useless.

[obender66]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (sylvestre @ Feb. 27 2004,11:38)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Dumb question but to those that either have HIDs or are planning.  Do you usually have a problem seeing at night?  I mean, I see so many people talk about the better lighting and all that jazz, yet you look at and see these people live in the city where streets are well lit.

I can almost understand farm lands and back roads (and that's what bright lights are for), but for city driving and driving along the highway, despite the nicer look &amp; colour, I really just justify since the true gain (ie, better viewing at night) would be useless.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Yes I do have problem seeing at night. I am only 5 years older than you AND my vision dropped 35% during same time, not that is was perfect to begin with.
Damn that accounting job!!

[ChopstickHero]

speaking of headlight cut-offs, i took a picture. i was waiting for my friend in his driveway, and i noticed my lights on his garage. i wasn't perfectly perpendicular to his garage, so it looks kinda off.

i have the H7 Litech bulbs 55W and PIAA Yellow Ion 55W.

http://images5.fotki.com/v60/photos/7/73230/550073/118_1804-vi.jpg

[murda]

Here are some pictures of mine comparing it with the first picture.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid104/p3d627b2e87c1295d2977f7e73a846531/f985f029.jpg

Mine:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid105/pb5d68a0f71509dbe17c4c1b8fbda1a3f/f97aac5b.jpg

With fogs on:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid105/p163e7af4756966e2517cd779e3fa1a8d/f97aac41.jpg

[murda]

I thinks thats a pretty big difference.

[ChopstickHero]

yeah adam, huge difference! the top picture, the bulbs are probably not set correctly. the beam pattern is really off which is most likely the cause of the glare.

[Logan]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Paolo @ Feb. 26 2004,10:29)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">there should be some kind of enforcement to prevent people from having a setup like picture #1[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
This is why most HID kits can't be purchased in the US anymore.

[nicenations]

are hid kits in toronto canada illegal???
thanks,.....

[leungwingkei]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote ( @ --)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Here is a good reason why you should NOT install those HID conversion kits into your factory headlight housings.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid104/p3d627b2e87c1295d2977f7e73a846531/f985f029.jpg

As you can see in the pic, there is a lot of glaire above the cut-off line,  If you think &quot;yeah no one is gonna care about the gla[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
How is Bi-Xenon better?