6k or 8k hid

[deevergote]

Many cars that come equipped with HIDs and projectors from the factory are hitting junkyards. Many of these cars will be missing the HID components, but most will still have their projectors intact. Find some that have sustained damage to the outer housing, but the projectors are still in good condition, and you may get them for dirt cheap!
Just be sure they're HID projectors. I can't think of any offhand, but I'm sure there were some cars that used projectors with halogen lights, and those are likely to work as poorly as the stock housings, throwing light every which way.

[RyanD]

Now how would i go about sticking the projectors in my headlight?

[deevergote]

Looking up one of the DIYs on this site would probably be a good start.
Especially since this "Off Topic" thread is getting awfully technical.

[RyanD]

yyea im sorry about that. i will look that up. came here asking for which color of hid and well...

i do have one more question. will the 35w hid be less blinding in the stock assy than what everyone is talking about with the whole scattering of light?

[deevergote]

I don't believe the wattage will make much of a difference in terms of the overall output. I could be wrong, as I'm no expert.

If you want a fine example of a projector retrofit into stock housings, look at icedplaya123's car. He used TSX projectors, I believe. Looks absolutely amazing. (my own JDM 1 piece lights with a professional Audi projector retrofit actually came from his car... and then he went and did the TSX retrofit and made my 1 pieces look lame in comparison! #ibjelly)

[Ralphie]

Yes 55w will make it much much worse.

Go with 35, 55 is not necessary.

[Leung]

deev if you want greater output but not go HID, why not use HIR bulbs?

[ChIoVnIdCa]

When I was younger pnp kit in halogen housing (suck)

My BMW had oem hids with projectors (Good)

My G35 has oem hids in a non projector housing.. (50/50 suck)

My 8th gen Accord I retrofitted.. (Best light output .. Better then my BMW.. Only thing the BMW had over it was auto leveling)

I doubt my next daily driver would not have oem projectors/hids.. But if it did I would stay oem until I had the time to do a proper retro.

At this point it is so cheap to do a retrofit there is no reason not to... if you plan right you can keep it oem looking

[deevergote]

Quite true. Back when this site first started, HIDs were only for ballers... $400+ for a basic setup, and the ballasts were bulky compared to today's slim units (that can be had for $35)
Projectors usually had to come from a dealership, or a lucky find from a junked new car... and they were often quite expensive.

Today, the Morimoto no-cut projectors can be had for what, $110? And a cheap HID kit can be had for $35 or so, and $15 for an auxiliary harness (which I highly recommend)... so for under $200, and an afternoon of work, you can have a proper HID projector setup.

[islandhopper]

...

I did mine for better light output.

It may not be as good as with projectors, but I can assure you in my case, its better then the brightest bulbs you could buy(I should know, I had a set)

...
It's like an elitist attitude that only those with projector retros are worthy of HID light.

I don't agree is all lol.

...

Alas, I cannot, and I do not have the time for a retrofit nor the money for a complete set.

To say that you put HIDs in your reflectors for more output is like saying you put a V8 in your civic for more power. Sure you got it done and it hauls, but you could have done it with parts designed for the car and not changing how the car drives. Probably safer too. As is the case with a complete retrofit versus PnP HID kits in halogen reflectors.

So of course HIDs will be brighter than the brightest halogen bulbs available. It's their inherent differences that engineered the way they are used. That's why we use projectors to harness/focus the lumen capacity of HID lamps and reflectors to harness/amplify the dimmer light of halogen.

HIDs are designed mainly to be used in projectors these days. In some cases such as the prius, escalade and others, the D1S and D2R bulbs/housings have been or are being phased out...for a reason. Prius lights are the best example of the worst OEM use of HID reflectors. Light EVERYWHERE. Escalades now have projectors. The Acura CL was one of the worst and they now have projectors. So yeah, in most cases, unless you have HIR type reflectors or HID projectors, you should NOT be using HIDs.

Elitist or just responsible?..

And as deev and others have pointed out, projector technology has become accessible to the masses for very reasonable prices.

[Ralphie]

Well I guess im just like every other asshole lol.

Im not looking to spend $200 and rip apart headlamps when I can spend 35$(I don't need the aux harness) and be done with it.

[RyanD]

Well I guess im just like every other asshole lol.

Im not looking to spend $200 and rip apart headlamps when I can spend 35$(I don't need the aux harness) and be done with it.

thats what i was thinking!. I will do a refit in the future but for right now i just want hids for the look and the performance increase. more for the look though

[islandhopper]

Well I guess im just like every other asshole lol.
...

Well, that's a shame.

... i just want hids for the look and the performance increase. more for the look though

What look is that... "hey, i can see better at the expense of others and i don't care!!"? Cuz that's what it's gonna look like...

Ralphie was wondering why some people are knowingly driving with their brights on...and it's this mentality that i think is to blame. "I can see better so fuck you..."

Save a little dinero and get it done right or go back to stock. It'll look 1,000 times better and be respectable. Or don't...whatever.