YACT: Anyone Own Xenon HID Headlights?

[HiTek21]

For those of you who have the xenon headlights how much more visibility do you get versus the standard Halogen headlamp? I don't want to get those PIAA look alike bulbs they sell at all the auto part stores because they just have a blue coating on the bulb to make it look whiter. I want to improve the visibility of the road when i'm driving at night because right now the stock bulbs in my car do a poor job.

Theres a group buy on the Legend Forum and I can get a decent kit (McCulloch) for 280 shipped (5300k - White).

Edit: I'm also concerned about blinding other drives in front of me. I have my headlights properly aimed so it should be a big problem right?

 

[boomdart]

I had a '00 Celica GT come with them as an option for $600; definetally worth the money!

 

[acemcmac]

I've been told that with the extra heat or power draw you can really screw up your electronics or bulbs... i dunno... be careful.

edit: in DIY jobs I mean...

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: acemcmac
I've been told that with the extra heat or power draw you can really screw up your electronics or bulbs... i dunno... be careful.

edit: in DIY jobs I mean...

HID draws less power than Standard halogens.

 

[HiTek21]

Originally posted by: acemcmac
I've been told that with the extra heat or power draw you can really screw up your electronics or bulbs... i dunno... be careful.

I was told that those cheap Xenon Halogens require more power and can fry the harness where as the Xenons require a high current for a couple of seconds to get the bulb ignited then it uses less power.

 

[Xenon14]

Xenon? sounds vaguely familiar.

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: HiTek21

Originally posted by: acemcmac
I've been told that with the extra heat or power draw you can really screw up your electronics or bulbs... i dunno... be careful.

I was told that those cheap Xenon Halogens require more power and can fry the harness where as the Xenons require a high current for a couple of seconds to get the bulb ignited then it uses less power.

that was what I was trying to say. Thanks :beer:

 

[SilentZero]

my M3 came with them as an option. Great lights!

 

[GoldenGuppy]

I got them standard with my G35 coupe--GREAT!

 

[atom]

Don't do it. Blinding people ain't cool.

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: SilentZero
my M3 came with them as an option. Great lights!

you figure a car that costs 40k+ comes with them standard.

 

[dirtboy]

I have quad halogen HIDs, does that count?

 

[LongCoolMother]

imo they are a lot better than normal halegon lights. whenever i take the s2000 out at nighttime, the road is a lot easier to see because of the xenon lamps. as opposed to the camry, which has more of a dull illumination. the HID lamps on the s2k definately look more clear for some reason. whether they blind other drivers, i dont know. but one thing i noticed is that my own headlights are lot more noticable, on signposts, the road, and other cars. it could be because its a different color, or maybe they're just brighter.

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: dirtboy
I have quad halogen HIDs, does that count?

yea you get the riceboi award.

 

[SportSC4]

there were 2 bulbs that were being sold with the hid kits (hid = the real thing, if it's marketed as xenon, it's just overpriced glass). now it's only one and that type doesn't blind as badly as the old ones. what kind of car do you drive? car's with projectors blind less than the standard type.

i upgraded my lights to hid a few years ago. by far the best upgrade i've done to my car.

 

[HiTek21]

Originally posted by: SportSC4
there were 2 bulbs that were being sold with the hid kits (hid = the real thing, if it's marketed as xenon, it's just overpriced glass). now it's only one and that type doesn't blind as badly as the old ones. what kind of car do you drive? car's with projectors blind less than the standard type.

i upgraded my lights to hid a few years ago. by far the best upgrade i've done to my car.

I've got a 93 Legend Sedan without projectors. I've seen photos of the other legend members that have HID kits on their car and it doesn't seem eye blinding. It should follow the same beam patter as the stock halogens because the xenon bulb is the same length as the 9006 Halogen bulbs. I would invest in some Projector headlights but I'd have to send them in to be customized and I'd be without headlights for a week or two plus the guy charges around $180 per headight.

 

[nageov3t]

yes, they're worth it... until you blind me on the road and I crash head-on into your car because I swerved to avoid a shape that (in the glow of your all-consuming headlights) looked vaguely like a pedestrian.

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: dirtboy
I have quad halogen HIDs, does that count?

Probably not, since halogen =/ HID.

 

[Nebor]

I don't know what kind of headlights my acura has... they're really bright white on the road, but they don't have that cool blue look that BMWs have.

 

[m2kewl]

it's standard on my acura. their bright and worth the $$.

 

[dirtboy]

Originally posted by: isekii

Originally posted by: dirtboy
I have quad halogen HIDs, does that count?

yea you get the riceboi award.

I am a riceboi because my brand new car rolled out of the factory with them. :roll:

 

[dirtboy]

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: dirtboy
I have quad halogen HIDs, does that count?

Probably not, since halogen =/ HID.

Just wondering, because they are halogen projectors and projectors are referred to as HIDs.

 

[tarak]

Xenons were one of the best options I got with my cooper S. Well worth the money. And they autolevel when you turn them on so they don't blind the person in front of you.

 

[Doggiedog]

Originally posted by: HiTek21

Originally posted by: acemcmac
I've been told that with the extra heat or power draw you can really screw up your electronics or bulbs... i dunno... be careful.

I was told that those cheap Xenon Halogens require more power and can fry the harness where as the Xenons require a high current for a couple of seconds to get the bulb ignited then it uses less power.

The Xenon Halogens require more power. I had a set as driving lights and they burned out in 2 weeks. Xenon HIDs which I have also require less power but you are right in that they require a high current to ignite the bulb.

I have 6000K HIDs in my MDX and they make a world of difference.

And before anyone starts, I adjusted my lights so as not to blind people. I have never gotten flashed and have even driven my other car in front of my MDX and not been bothered by it. If anything, the lights are lower than they should be.

 

[NutBucket]

The only way to "properly" install HIDs is to either get a factory HID headlamp (like if you car was offered with HIDs as an option) or to mod HID projectors into your stock housings.

I'm not recommending this company, just providing their page as an example of retrofits. In fact, I will probably say not to use this company based on what I've read in some forums about their shoddy work/customer service.
link