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Old 05-09-2012, 09:29 PM
 
Location: Metro Phoenix
11,048 posts, read 16,761,660 times
Reputation: 12943

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Quote:
Originally Posted by T. Damon View Post
Since I've never gone into the headlights I'm not sure that they are projector type- I want to guess probably not since I know our Tribeca has them and the lights look distinctly different. I wish I had the additional setting on the light switch to not have DRL on as on some cars because that definitely would be the setting I think I would use with the more expensive lightbulbs.
Post up a pic of your headlights, I'll tell you if they're projectors or not
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Old 05-09-2012, 10:44 PM
 
Location: Floribama
18,930 posts, read 43,268,266 times
Reputation: 18732
Quote:
Originally Posted by Me007gold View Post
You can get a decent HID kit for about $40 now. They arnt any where near as expensive as they use to be. For the price its silly to buy silverstars.


Amazon.com: Sylvania 9006SU/BP SilverStar ULTRA High Performance Headlight Bulbs (Low-Beam), Pack of 2: Automotive
$35.99


Wholesale 9006(HB4) HID Xenon Conversion Kits/Headlights
$35.99


:waves:
Those cheap HID kits are garbage! They also blind other drivers when they're put into non-HID housings.

And they're illegal.
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Old 05-09-2012, 11:09 PM
 
10,494 posts, read 27,132,440 times
Reputation: 6716
Quote:
Originally Posted by southernnaturelover View Post
Those cheap HID kits are garbage! They also blind other drivers when they're put into non-HID housings.

And they're illegal.
What do you mean by garbage? I put a hid conversion on my Ford Escort for $50 over 3 years ago, and they are still going strong. I have only been flashed twice in that time, and that was when I first got them. I have never been pulled over so I do not know what you mean by illegal.
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Old 05-10-2012, 05:04 AM
 
Location: San Antonio, TX USA
5,251 posts, read 14,139,287 times
Reputation: 8227
Quote:
Originally Posted by southernnaturelover View Post
Those cheap HID kits are garbage! They also blind other drivers when they're put into non-HID housings.

And they're illegal.
Technically any non-factory HID's are illegal, but then again if you live in a state like Maryland, technically any modifications to your vehicle are illegal, but that's not the point here. I have had that exact set in my lifted Trailblazer for the past year and a half, and I have not been flashed once. It has no flicker in the light, its a quality set. They only blind other people if the light is aimed wrong. I have not been pulled over once for my lights. Unless you are running some obnixious color(10,000k or higher) You really don't get harassed

Last edited by Me007gold; 05-10-2012 at 05:33 AM..
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Old 05-10-2012, 06:03 AM
 
Location: Wichita Falls, TX
568 posts, read 2,409,234 times
Reputation: 456
Quote:
Originally Posted by T. Damon View Post
Since I've never gone into the headlights I'm not sure that they are projector type-
You don't have to "go into" the headlights to know if they're projectors or not. Just look at them from the outside. If the lowbeam headlight looks like a black circle, then it's a projector. If you see the chrome reflector, then it's not.

I've used standard Silverstar bulbs and they were marginally better than stock. I've used Silverstar Ultras and they were quite a bit better; whiter and a bit brighter. I ran them in a '00 Impala for over 2 years with a lot of night driving and they never failed on me.

In my Cadillac CTS I'm using PIAA Extreme White bulbs in the fog lights. Much whiter than stock bulbs and a decent match for the factory 4300K HID headlights.
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Old 05-10-2012, 10:04 AM
 
Location: Birmingham
11,787 posts, read 17,653,233 times
Reputation: 10119
Quote:
Originally Posted by Me007gold View Post
HID's in a factory housing will be better then halogen lights. It will also be brighter, put out more useable light(depending on color temp) and you will be able to see better at night.
I agree, but it still won't be as good as an OEM HID projector setup. The focal point and cutoff won't be quite right and will still have a "shotgun" effect. Putting an HID kit into a halogen reflector setup will defintiely shot gun the light, cause people to flash you at night, and won't give you the full benefit of a tight focused beam letting you see further down the road.

The only way to do it right is buy a car with OEM HID projector setup or find HID projectors out of a luxury car in a junkyard and retrofit them into your car's housing. Anything less then that may seem "better" but it won't be the best.

I have two cars with OEM projector HIDs and one car that I have a retrofit HID kit in a halogen style projector housings.
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Old 05-10-2012, 10:10 AM
 
Location: Floribama
18,930 posts, read 43,268,266 times
Reputation: 18732
Quote:
Originally Posted by Me007gold View Post
Technically any non-factory HID's are illegal, but then again if you live in a state like Maryland, technically any modifications to your vehicle are illegal, but that's not the point here. I have had that exact set in my lifted Trailblazer for the past year and a half, and I have not been flashed once. It has no flicker in the light, its a quality set. They only blind other people if the light is aimed wrong. I have not been pulled over once for my lights. Unless you are running some obnixious color(10,000k or higher) You really don't get harassed
Those cheap HID kits are usually between 6k and 12k, which looks hideous and is distracting to other drivers. Stock HID's in luxury cars is closer to 4.8k color temp, which is much more white. I bought the 6k "bi-xenon" kit to put in my Trans Am, I think I kept them for about a month before pulling them back out.

As for the Siverstars, I do have the Silverstar Ultra's in my van, and while the light is a little more white, I don't really notice them being any brighter than stock.
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Old 05-10-2012, 12:26 PM
 
Location: San Antonio, TX USA
5,251 posts, read 14,139,287 times
Reputation: 8227
Quote:
Originally Posted by southernnaturelover View Post
Those cheap HID kits are usually between 6k and 12k, which looks hideous and is distracting to other drivers. Stock HID's in luxury cars is closer to 4.8k color temp, which is much more white. I bought the 6k "bi-xenon" kit to put in my Trans Am, I think I kept them for about a month before pulling them back out.

As for the Siverstars, I do have the Silverstar Ultra's in my van, and while the light is a little more white, I don't really notice them being any brighter than stock.
You can buy what ever color you want. I have 5000k in mine Trailblazer, True white is 4300k, but 5000k is white as well. IMO anything about 5000k is too blue. Thats the nice thing about HID's you can use the same ballest, and change to what ever color bulb you want.



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Old 05-10-2012, 12:26 PM
 
10,494 posts, read 27,132,440 times
Reputation: 6716
Quote:
Originally Posted by southernnaturelover View Post
Those cheap HID kits are usually between 6k and 12k, which looks hideous and is distracting to other drivers. Stock HID's in luxury cars is closer to 4.8k color temp, which is much more white.
You do realize you can get aftermarket HID's in 4300K? That is what I have.
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Old 05-10-2012, 12:47 PM
 
Location: San Antonio, TX USA
5,251 posts, read 14,139,287 times
Reputation: 8227
Quote:
Originally Posted by las vegas drunk View Post
You do realize you can get aftermarket HID's in 4300K? That is what I have.
I think what he is saying, is that MOST people that get aftermarket HID'S go with a higher k, because they think the blue light "looks cool"
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