hid's or those white headlights
 

I would like to get some for my car but not sure what type or how well there really do work
Do they really give you better vision of the road are there any special color (white or bluish) I should look for or brands ie pia or silverstar ,etc

Just looking for info thanks

We use silverstars on our customers vehicles. They are cheap compared to a piaa, and they are a decent bulb for a plug and play. I really like theones witht eh little ballast/ transformer things...Not sure if aftermarket ones can be used in place of a "standard" bulb(9003...9007)...I have only seen them in higher end cars (bmw, MB, but i did see one in a new nissan titan)

not sure which is better but you can get HID conversion kits to replace standard bulbs.

What I've been wondering how well they work on nano tanks.

They are a PITA on a tank. I've got 4 on my 33 gal. You'll need a 10 amp powersupply for each bulb. You'll need to figure out some sort of reflector. The ballasts get really hot and burn out quickly. I think they would be better in a car as the airflow would keep them cool. Not sure how long the lamps themselves last as the ballasts all fried before the bulbs. The light is decent and the bulbs are available in various K ratings. I never did take pics of them when they were running, it's too late now.

Save your money and buy a MH, way less hassle and better life span, in my experience.

I just finished installing a HID kit in my Ford F150. Really easy to do and what a difference. I thought the standard headlights were pretty decent but now I can see much further and the biggest bonus is the extended peripheral vision. The HID lights totally illuminate both ditches and probably about 25 yards out into the fields on both sides. I chose to go with 8K colour temp as the 10K are really blue (what you'd see in mercedes and BMW's). Also, 8Ks attract less "attention" from the RC's as drop in HID kits are "technically" illegal.

One thing to look out for is to make sure you get a kit that has both high beam and low beam capabilities. For a single bulb system, these are called bi-xenon bulbs but if your vehicle relies on having seperate headlights for the highs and lows, you would have to install 2 kits if you wanted to replace both the high and low beams with HIDs. You could probably just replace the high beams though as that is where HIDs really pull their weight.

I ordered my kit from this website.
http://www.retro-solutions.com/store.html

Top shelf customer support and everything you need to install is there, not like most of the kits on ebay. Lifetime warranty on all parts accept the bulbs themselves. I'd highly recommend this product to anyone interested in upgrading to HIDs. I was fairly skeptical when I first ordered but now I don't think I'll ever own a vehicle again that doesn't have HID headlights.

Hope the info helps. If you have any other questions, just shoot me a PM.

avoid the blues or any color other than white, if you get a cop thats a dick there not legal to use while driving

Its funny how those are illegal 'aftermarket'...but my Audi had the same lights factory. Most BMW's, New Hondas, New Acuras, New Toyotas, Lexus, Mercedes and so many more come factory and are obviously legal. As long as they arnt staight blue you should have no problem with the police. They really should have better things to do.

amazing how those are all imports huh? and none are actually straight up blue. all i specified was straight up colors not shades but thanks for reminding me to clarify

Ive seen people driving with colors such as green and yellow before.... Im just thinking ohhhhh your looking for it now. ha.

MY buddy put bluey ones in his rsx. Within one week he had a fix it ticket. Like tgoeujon said avoid the blues and stick with the bright whites. Then you have no problem.

Like others said I think they are completely worth it for the overall visibility they add.

i thought you were callin me a liar, sorry ryan lap, totally read that wrong lol

I was wondering why your panties were all in a bunch.....:razz:

i deserved that lol, completely unbunched now though. i use the white hids in my truck just to **** people off they are super bright and my low beams are just the right height to blind everyone. i adjusted them perfectly lol

When I had my Honda with aftermarket white driving lights Id always get flashed on the highway. Funny that my high beams were not as bright. But those were only the plug and play bulbs.

I was just gonna ask how many people flash their highbeams back at you but sounds like you get a bunch, huh? .. I have Silverstars in my Xterra and I hate driving at night. Not because I can't see (I can see awesome) but everyone .. *everyone* has to flash their high beams at me. "Your high beams are on." -"No they're not. THESE are my high beams." 10 seconds later "Your high beams are on." -"No they're not. THESE are my high beams." 10 seconds later .. you get the picture.

One time a car in front of me pulled off, and as I passed him, he pulled back on and chased me for 20 kms flashing his high beams into my mirrors on Deerfoot. I had (at the time) a 6 month old baby in the back and I was starting to think about calling 911 because I had no idea what this guy was going to do if I got to my destination and he was still following me. I managed to lose him by faking him out and ducking off Deerfoot at the last second and he flew by the turnoff. I know it doesn't sound so menacing to read about it but this guy meant business, you really had to be there to appreciate just how scared I was (not for me I can take care of myself but for frack's sake I have a baby in the car, get a life.)

Another time I had an RCMP in front of me, he too pulled off, let me past and then turned on his Christmas lights. I pulled over, he asked me if I had my high beams on. I said, "No, here are my high beams <click>." He thanked me and that was it. :neutral:

I doubled checked that my lights were aimed right (several times in fact and also had the dealership double check the aiming). I ended up lowering them anyhow, I couldn't live with this happening EVERY bloody time I had to drive out at night.

So while I think the HID lights are neat I kinda think I'm not interested in a retro kit. They are neat though. But plainly put, people in cars are dicks .. :(

Well put....

What works good for ppl flashing you because they think ure high beams are on is to wait until they can actually see you switch them to low beams.

You could argue the inverse pretty easily Tony. When I'm driving my poor little low to the ground car and somebody comes up behind me with lights so bright I think my back seat is on fire it's rather distracting.

Blinding everyone else on the road isn't exactly un-dickish. :)

I have yet to be flashed by oncoming drivers after installing the HID kit and these lights went into a truck that is already sitting much higher than cars.

Its not about how bright your headlights are but its all about where you have your headlights aimed. I had to turn my lights down 12 full rotations on the adjustment knobs before they were aimed the same way a conventional halogen bulb would project.

non-standard bulbs = non-standard aiming procedure, makes sense.

Talking about blinding lights, could go off on a rant about the height of the lights on jacked up 4x4s when I'm in my wife's Yaris but won't.

Midget, I agree if someone were to sit that close to you that it's a bit over the top but I wasn't doing that.

I would still argue that it's more the reaction and less the initial transgression that qualifies as dickish or undickish. It's a fact of life that there are bright lights out there. I find myself being blinded all the time too, and I sit higher than your lowrider. I just use my night mode mirror when it's behind me, and I try not to stare at the headlights when it's oncoming. Unless I'm 100% certain it's highbeams (and if I'm in doubt, I'll extend the benefit of the doubt), I won't click my highbeams at someone. Besides, there's also a trick you can use, if the foglamps are on then it's not highbeams. Unless the foglamps are installed incorrectly you're not supposed to be able to have both on. So foglamps and bright lights == just bright lights. Brightlights and foglamps off == maybe its highbeams.

But let's face it getting angry over headlights is a bit... petty, no? Do we really have nothing else we can direct our aggression towards in our life?

See, here's my take. Here's a choice: Flip your mirror into night mode, or chase the person for the better part of half an hour trying to get the point across that you want to kill him? Let the punishment fit the crime. Bright headlights? If it's THAT upsetting then I'd say there is a different problem at play. Sorry, I stand by the assertion that people become jerks once behind the wheel. For all I know this person could be the nicest person you'd ever meet in person but that reaction was so far over the line, there's no conscionable defense of it.

and you have to be careful about flashing your lights to vehicles with their high beams on, don't you know it's potential gang bangers looking for someone to kill for their initiation

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/madmen/lightsout.asp

:) Don't believe everything you hear.

The factory HID lights are much better than almost any aftermarket system you will find. The big difference is that the lens and reflector are properly designed to direct and control the light pattern. Its not just all about making more candle power. Conventional headlights with HID conversions will have a much less defined beam pattern and thus are more likely to blind and irritate oncoming drivers. Our car has factory HIDs and it is amazing to see how well defined the light cutoff is. There is a very distinct line which the light does not illuminate above when on low beams. Never had anyone flash us. The other feature is that the factory HIDs have a automatic leveling device in them to correctly aim the light every time it comes on. This accounts for vehicle loading and ensures the lights are not shining up too high. So unless you purchase one of the kits that replaces the entire headlight assembly, you will get brighter lights, but you will most certainly be irritating oncoming traffic with the uncontrolled light, thus the reason these systems are not legal for use on public roads.

Self-leveling .. wow, neat. :)

oh man alive. I hate trucks with aftermarket bulbs of any sort. why because with my car lowered if the truck is aligned perfectly behind me i headlight shines in one mirror, the other into the other and they both blind me with my rear view.

Now when it comes to cops harrassing you, really they will only be a douchebag if you are being one. I drive the speedlimit 90% of the time and haven't been bugged for anything (knock on wood). See alof of people don't know how HID's work. you need a projector headlight (you know looks like a round glass ball) because when the light hits it, it creates a cut off. without it you get scattered light which blinds any on coming traffic. with prices dropping in the past 2 years (kits used to be like $500 and now you can find one for $120) alot of people have them. and most are impropperly installed. than again there are always the guys who have the leveling adjustment (oem) and raise their headlights. lol i can keep complaining cause i have headacks from people driving at light behind me.

no sh*t, didn't think I needed to put the wink on my post for this one.

Sorry Mark. :) Some people really do believe it though so thought I'd put the link up anyhow. I love snopes - people who have a tendency to believe stuff in their inbox should routinely check it. :)

Think the people who believe that one wouldn't use snopes as probably to paranoid to use the internet.

I will admit though, the girl who caught the foul at the baseball game had me wondering.

Headlight aiming was an issue with some X-Terras from the factory as well, I had to take mine back to the dealer twice with regular headlights and have them lowered. Was a real pain driving on the highway at night even worse with a trailer. I see the Morano has a inside headlight adjustment for towing which would be sweet.
I'd like to put in a kit but I still get flashed occasionally now. Maybe a light bar for the roof? Might as well make getting flashed worth it.

Wow
Hit a good subject

Other than say silverstars from you know were.
what others are desent( brand) for just everyday type driving without HID conversion
do they really give distance or is the reflector have to be upgraded

I have seen phillips etc but whose better
consumer reports said none are great for distance so buyer beware
that's why I post this thread to get the honest answers

thanks so far though for the results

I wasn't trying to defend that guy's behavior, just pointing out the the HID lights are really annoying for lower vehicles. I can't understand why people get into such a fit when they are driving, it's just sad. If I were in your shoes I would have been on the phone to the cops right away.

However I have to admit to having pulled over and gotten out of the car when some guy was tailgating on the highway invited me to do so. Once he got a look at me the idiot ran back to his truck even quicker than I thought he would. Made for a good laugh but I've always wondered why somebody would get that mad over me only going 130 in the fast lane to pass some rigs to that kind of confrontation.