Headlight upgrade options Options

[DouglasJaneway]

Okay, so I know the $900 projectors are the best and easiest and all, but I ran across this kit to do HID. Has anyone used anything like this? Could I plug them right into my low beams? Or would it blind everybody? It looks almost plug and play. Would my stock lens scatter the light upwards too much? Would projectors of some kind be necessary in order to direct the light?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/H13-9008-6000k-Dia...448&vxp=mtr

This post has been edited by DouglasJaneway: Jan 14, 2013 - 1:15 AM

[smkr3w]

Pretty much answered your own question lol.
Yes, they are plug and play.
Yes, they can be blinding.
Many people use them without projectors, I myself did for a little while
Projectors purpose is to direct the light.

It's all personal preference and whether or not you dont mind people hating you or flashing you occasionally..

This post has been edited by smkr3w: Jan 14, 2013 - 1:59 AM

[diegohiga]

i wouldnt buy those hids for $30 i bought a cheap set like that one to test it and guess what.. one ballast stopped aafter 10 seconds... no 10 months, no 10 days, but 10 seconds!!!

[jordisonjr]

If you want cheap HID's, order from DDM tuning.
They were 90 bucks shipped to canada, so probably cheaper in the states, and also have a year warranty IIRC.

[DouglasJaneway]

Pretty much answered your own question lol.
Yes, they are plug and play.
Yes, they can be blinding.
Many people use them without projectors, I myself did for a little while
Projectors purpose is to direct the light.

It's all personal preference and whether or not you dont mind people hating you or flashing you occasionally..

Couldn't you just aim your low beams down a bit more? Seems like it'd be fine...

[richee3]

Couldn't you just aim your low beams down a bit more? Seems like it'd be fine...

The problem with aiming the USDM lights lower is that the diffusers in the lenses were designed to scatter light and illuminate overhead signs, so the light will end up in other driver's eyes no matter what. Not a big deal with halogen bulbs but HID's are much more intense. Then the projectors flick the light up, like so:



So you can aim the lights lower, but by the time you aim the cutoff low enough to not blind oncoming traffic, the lights are aimed too low in front of the car to be usable. It's a lose-lose situation for oncoming traffic unless you do the projector cutoff mod.

[DouglasJaneway]

Couldn't you just aim your low beams down a bit more? Seems like it'd be fine...

The problem with aiming the USDM lights lower is that the diffusers in the lenses were designed to scatter light and illuminate overhead signs, so the light will end up in other driver's eyes no matter what. Not a big deal with halogen bulbs but HID's are much more intense. Then the projectors flick the light up, like so:



So you can aim the lights lower, but by the time you aim the cutoff low enough to not blind oncoming traffic, the lights are aimed too low in front of the car to be usable. It's a lose-lose situation for oncoming traffic unless you do the projector cutoff mod.

Dammit... okay, so does it make my night driving better or does the light scatter too much? Should I go with 35 or 55w for low beams? And what do you think my chances of being ticketed are? lol

This post has been edited by DouglasJaneway: Jan 14, 2013 - 11:09 PM

[DouglasJaneway]

If you want cheap HID's, order from DDM tuning.
They were 90 bucks shipped to canada, so probably cheaper in the states, and also have a year warranty IIRC.

I looked at pics of your car. Are you running HID w/out projectors? They don't look all that blinding to me.

[Box]

I've seen new Audi's with HID's from the factory and they glare worse than aftermarket kits I've seen. I saw one the other night and my first thought was, "you dumb ass rice...AUDI!?" Was the new A4. Probably the worst glare I've ever seen on a car, no ****. If that's acceptable I don't see why aftermarket kits aren't. As long as you stay at 6K or less and have them aimed properly, can't be any worse than that Audi was.

[Galcobar]

I've seen new Audi's with HID's from the factory and they glare worse than aftermarket kits I've seen. I saw one the other night and my first thought was, "you dumb ass rice...AUDI!?" Was the new A4. Probably the worst glare I've ever seen on a car, no ****. If that's acceptable I don't see why aftermarket kits aren't. As long as you stay at 6K or less and have them aimed properly, can't be any worse than that Audi was.

HIDs require much more precise aiming using a different technique than halogen. If someone fiddled with the aim, particularly someone who was used to aiming headlights designed to the US DOT standards, it would be very easy to aim them too high and put the focus of the beam right into oncoming drivers' eyes.

It's why the European headlight specifications usually call for self-levelling headlights in combination with HID systems.

[Special_Edy]

Please dont put HIDs in your halogen lenses. You will blind other drivers and if there is any justice in this world someone will follow you home and bust out your headlights when the car is unattended.

You may think that the whiter/bluer light of HIDs look cool but when youre driving around blinding everybody +90% of people think "look at this asshole with his ghetto-rigged ricer lights"

If you are going to do it, do it the courteous/legal way with projectors.

This post has been edited by Special_Edy: Jan 16, 2013 - 1:02 PM

[Box]

Not all factory HID bulbs are in projectors. D1R, D2R, etc... are in a reflector housing. There is no legal way to do it. The projectors aren't DOT approved, not to mention they have the wrong cutoff. So go buy a car with factory HID if you want HID lights. Even then there's still glare. That Audi was still worse than any of the ricer kids, aside from trucks that have them anyway. I suffer from light sensitivity as it is, so I've learned to look to the side of the road when there's oncoming traffic. One thing you can do to get improved visibility, legally and responsibly, is to use HIR bulbs. What I plan on doing.

This post has been edited by Box: Jan 16, 2013 - 1:32 PM

[Box]

.

This post has been edited by Box: Jan 16, 2013 - 1:25 PM

[Special_Edy]

The biggest problem I have with the HIDs is not oncoming traffic, its when its someone behind me and the light reflects off my sideview mirrors into my eyes.

Also there is no law(at least in Texas, Ive checked) that says vehicle equipment must be DOT approved. It is illegal under certain circumstances to manufacture and sell equipment that isnt DOT approved, but I think these laws had more to do with fraudulent sales methods. So long as your equipment meets state laws, you are okay. I forgot the headlight specs, but they have to be so many inches off the ground, demonstrate the width of the vehicle, be of a minimum luminosity(but below a maximum amount), be only white or yellow and there are very specific details regarding the scattering of light(the beam must angle downward x inches per y feet). If you install HIDs you are not breaking any law. If you install HIDs that shine into other driver's eyes you are breaking the law.

Sec. 547.333.  MULTIPLE-BEAM LIGHTING EQUIPMENT REQUIRED. (a) Unless provided otherwise, a headlamp, auxiliary driving lamp, auxiliary passing lamp, or combination of those lamps mounted on a motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle:
(1)  shall be arranged so that the operator can select at will between distributions of light projected at different elevations; and
(2)  may be arranged so that the operator can select the distribution automatically.
(b)  A lamp identified by Subsection (a) shall produce:
(1)  an uppermost distribution of light or composite beam that is aimed and emits light sufficient to reveal a person or vehicle at a distance of at least 450 feet ahead during all conditions of loading; and
(2)  a lowermost distribution of light or composite beam that:
(A)  is aimed and emits light sufficient to reveal a person or vehicle at a distance of at least 150 feet ahead; and
(B)  is aimed so that no part of the high-intensity portion of the beam on a vehicle that is operated on a straight, level road under any condition of loading projects into the eyes of an approaching vehicle operator.
©  A person who operates a vehicle on a roadway or shoulder shall select a distribution of light or composite beam that is aimed and emits light sufficient to reveal a person or vehicle at a safe distance ahead of the vehicle, except that:
(1)  an operator approaching an oncoming vehicle within 500 feet shall select:
(A)  the lowermost distribution of light or composite beam, regardless of road contour or condition of loading; or
(B)  a distribution aimed so that no part of the high-intensity portion of the lamp projects into the eyes of an approaching vehicle operator; and
(2)  an operator approaching a vehicle from the rear within 300 feet may not select the uppermost distribution of light.
(d)  A motor vehicle of a model year of 1948 or later, other than a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle, that has multiple-beam lighting equipment shall be equipped with a beam indicator that is:
(1)  designed and located so that the lighted indicator is visible without glare to the vehicle operator; and
(2)  lighted only when the uppermost distribution of light is in use.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

This post has been edited by Special_Edy: Jan 16, 2013 - 2:21 PM

[Box]

The biggest problem I have with the HIDs is not oncoming traffic, its when its someone behind me and the light reflects off my sideview mirrors into my eyes.

That's when you redirect your side-views and put the light back in their face. I guess it depends on locality. Obviously where I live the cops don't care about people using HIDs. I guess it'd also vary by car. Like the housings in my brother's Maxima has a dome that covers the top half of the bulb, and have a clear lens. I'd think that'd glare less than the Celica which has frosted lens and a ring that blocks just part of the sides of the bulb. So results vary I suppose. As long as it doesn't glare up into traffic anymore than what OEM set-ups currently do, I don't really have a problem with it.