# Cheap HIDs. Worth it?



## feelinjunky (Aug 12, 2009)

Hello, 

I have a question for people who have tried cheap HID kits from eBay et. al. Are kits such as these worth it? They come with a 1 yr warranty. the only question is, are they real HIDs and are they bright?

For example:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Xeno...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories


----------



## leftside (Sep 25, 2005)

To do what with...put in a halogen housing?

No.


----------



## feelinjunky (Aug 12, 2009)

How would it differ if I put them in a halogen housing, (as opposed to a HID housing?). My real question is if it'll be bright. That's all I'm looking for really.


----------



## leftside (Sep 25, 2005)

Putting HID's in a regular halogen housing scatters light everywhere and blinds oncoming traffic. Yes it will be bright. It is also illegal. IMO it looks dumb too.

HID's need to be in a projector that focuses the light forward and has a cutoff shield to prevent blinding other drivers.

Putting an HID bulb in a halogen projector is better but still not ideal. The cutoff shield used in halogen projectors is different than in HID projectors.

An HID projector is really the only place an HID bulb should go.

If you want HID's, get at least some sort of projector headlight.


----------



## feelinjunky (Aug 12, 2009)

Oh, that's great. If they're gonna be bright as hell and illuminate the road I'm gonna get them. I don't really care how they look and others have their own opinions. Thanks man.


----------



## leftside (Sep 25, 2005)

Sure.
Well....the real issue isn't that some people think HID's in reflector housings look dumb, it's that they are dangerous for other drivers on the road. 

Whatever, do what you want. Just be aware of what you are doing.


----------



## abramite1040 (May 21, 2010)

The light will be brighter, but you won't get much of an improvement ... Its all about the optics ... PLUS cheap HID kits have a high failure rate, and I guarantee you will have a bad bulb or ballast in 1 week of use. 

Projectors are the answer to improving light output on your car ... and unfortunately depo, helix and other after market brands make cheap projectors that are worse then stock halogens.

Look into a retrofit.


----------



## Rubbed Radish (May 20, 2010)

Hello im new to vortex but i had to chime in on this one. I myself have purchased 2 lovely HID kits from ebay for my old 2000 A4 one kit lasted about 2 weeks and the ballast went then the other kit the bulb started to flicker on start up (the gas leaked out of the capsule in the bulb) in about 5 days. but all hope isnt lost I coughed up 350 dollars for a mcculloch kit and they worked great,started up every time even in NY winters and they even had a sharper color and a better cutoff :thumbup: unfortunally the car puked a timing belt so i put them on my S4 as fogs and theyr still kickin after 3 years.I hope this helps in making a choice.


----------



## nater (Apr 10, 2000)

feelinjunky said:


> Oh, that's great. If they're gonna be bright as hell and illuminate the road I'm gonna get them. I don't really care how they look and others have their own opinions. Thanks man.



Yea, that Airbus has pretty bright lights that are "bright as hell" too but I'm not so sure you want to encounter them in oncoming traffic.

Your logic is flawed and you aren't looking at this the way you should. Stay away from throwing HID power into Halogen optics.

And read up more on the topic before you do - and save a life or a pair of eyes.


----------



## MSFerrariF1 (Nov 14, 2008)

feelinjunky said:


> Oh, that's great. If they're gonna be bright as hell and illuminate the road I'm gonna get them. I don't really care how they look and others have their own opinions. Thanks man.


dude, someday you will get a dose of your own medicine when an oncoming car with HID's in a halogen housing will blind you. Worse if it is a raised SUV following right behind you with HID's in a halogen housing, shining right in your rear and side mirrors, only then will you learn. Learn to be considerate of other people safety other than your own. Do it right or don't do it at all....


----------



## Standbackimapro (Mar 8, 2010)

Let me be the first to say, I bought a set of HIDs for my girls car, ( it was a mcculloch or however its spelled kit) These things were so bright that even 500 feet away it severely blinds other drivers.
She was pulled over about 6 times with them in. they shine light every where, they dont only light up the road in front of you, it lights up the sides, trees, houses.. 

Imagine whats gonna happen when you pass a cop comming the opposite way.. hes gonna pull you over


----------



## fourdubs (May 27, 2008)

leftside said:


> HID's need to be in a projector that focuses the light forward and has a cutoff shield to prevent blinding other drivers.
> 
> An HID projector is really the only place an HID bulb should go.


wait...what? I guess Lincoln/Acura and the likes with OEM reflector HID lights before projectors were everywhere had it all wrong. Stock, HALOGEN reflectors suck for HID PNP's...


----------



## leftside (Sep 25, 2005)

fourdubs said:


> wait...what? I guess Lincoln/Acura and the likes with OEM reflector HID lights before projectors were everywhere had it all wrong. Stock, HALOGEN reflectors suck for HID PNP's...




Yes, there are some OEM HID setups that use reflector housings with the cutoff incorporated in the bulb shield. I've even seen a MK4 Golf reflector HID retrofit done with OEM DOT approved parts. 

For the sake of keeping things simple in a conversation about HID drop in kits; HID bulbs belong in a HID projector. 

Anyone with the knowledge and ability to create a proper HID reflector setup wouldn't ask a question like the OP.....although the information is valid. 

Also, on the subject of light output, HID reflectors are crap compared to HID projectors....but I'm guessing you already know that.


----------



## fourdubs (May 27, 2008)

leftside said:


> Also, on the subject of light output, HID reflectors are crap compared to HID projectors....but I'm guessing you already know that.


 :laugh:


----------



## leftside (Sep 25, 2005)

:beer:


----------



## nater (Apr 10, 2000)

fourdubs said:


> wait...what? I guess Lincoln/Acura and the likes with OEM reflector HID lights before projectors were everywhere had it all wrong. Stock, HALOGEN reflectors suck for HID PNP's...


No, they weren't doing it wrong. As a matter of fact, a properly designed HID REFLECTOR will be much more efficient than ANY projector setup. 

In addition, the cutoff is NOT "incorporated into the bulb shield". That D2R shield is to keep light going into the correct locations of the reflector. It's still the reflector that has the cutoff designed into it. 

I can't say I know exactly why you don't see reflector HID setups anymore as OEM equipment - I can only guess that it costs less to use a projector, you can do bi-xenons with projectors, and the "look" is what is the thing these days. 

I'm not sure what the exact #'s are but the amount of light coming out of the d2s bulb ends up being reduced by 70+ % in the projector housing versus much much less with a D2R through properly designed reflector housing.

You can get a very very good cutoff using OEM HID reflector by the way.

In addition, 
There is MUCH more to just plopping a projector into a housing to get your cutoff. Think of something like this:
Insert projector into your chrome housing and sit it FLUSH with the housing (versus the projector "sticking out") and you'll scatter light everywhere. There is a bit more to it than just throwing in a projector...


----------



## leftside (Sep 25, 2005)

So you are saying that a D2R bulb in a reflector housing will produce MORE light output compared to a D2S bulb in a projector housing?

This is the first time I've heard that. Most people I have discussed this topic with seem to have the opposite opinion. 

Also, I was always under the impression the bulb shield was the cutoff, and the strips/paint on the D2R bulb are what control light direction and reduce glare. 

I haven't spent much time around HID reflector setups, so I'm interested to see some facts/diagrams/output figures if anyone has anything to share. 

:thumbup:


----------



## feelinjunky (Aug 12, 2009)

Finally, someone who knows what they're talking about. Thank you nater! I'm not saying it's halogen housing is great, but I know that projector housing isn't the best hands down. 

Just to let you guys know, I bought a pair of HID bulbs and just swapped them with the stock and they look great, DO NOT blind oncoming drivers and have lasted me more than "a week". I got them from DDM tuning, which is a legit place because they have partial ownership of the factory that makes the hids. At $35 a pop, you can't lose. 

I know that a better housing is probably in order, but I do not have hundreds of dollars to blow on a slight improvement in light scattering, imho.

And they definitely don't light up the sky and trees.

Edit: Here's a pic for everyone to judge individually.


----------



## nater (Apr 10, 2000)

@leftside...(can't quote from tapatalk on phone)...
No, I'm not saying a d2r bulb produces more light, I'm saying a properly designed oem hid reflector makes the most of the light that leaves the bulb. A d2s and d2r bulb (at a given color temp and manufacturer) will both be rated at a certain luminal output. It's the d2r that most efficiently puts the light down on the road. 
A projector "wastes" more light. The light is "there", just a bit is wasted and left inside the projector.

There is plenty of information around to support this...but I will say that this may have just recently changed with new designs and improvements in technology. But I doubt it, because projectors really haven't changed much of late (except for bi-xenon technology-but even that is old technology).


----------

