Are HID conversion kits worth anything?

[Frank Lee]

Sure, if the excess wattage is plumbed into an HHO bottle!

[wdb]

Agreed on the 'melting things' myth as regards HIDs. The wattage is lower and the bulbs run much, much cooler (which is why the wattage is lower - less power used making heat, more used making light). However the ballasts may be another story entirely. I think it would be wise to spend enough money on them to ensure that you have good ones.

As for the retrofit kits, the consensus here is the same I have seen elsewhere: they put less light where you need it than the stock bulbs, and more light where you don't. As such they pose a hazard to drivers in oncoming cars. For that and other reasons they are technically illegal for road use, and are sold 'for off-road use only' -- yehright.

[SentraSE-R]

Good description here on the HID replacement conundrum.

[TomO]

I put in a Phillips HID kit into my TYC projector (Aftermarket) headlights in my VX. The light output is better than the halogen bulbs that were in there before. And I actually made sure the projectors were aimed right unlike 90% of people that get the plug and play kits, even with projectors. the biggest benefit to the HIDS, for me, was the fact that it removed the "Hot Spot" effect of the halogen bulb and doubled the light output. I went with 4300K bulbs that put out about 3200lumens. The old halogens could only muster about 1500lumens and would have the hot spot whereas the HIDs are a nice even light intensity with no blinding hot spot.

No troubles melting anything either.

No noticeable increase in MPG either, but then again temps swing from ~30°F to 50°F daily this time of year in MN. not to mention 40W equals something close to .05HP anyways.

[my first gmc]

I have a set of oem bmw projectors I'm going to use when I retro fit for hid's. They have aftermarket projector headlight for my truck, but they are all garbage from what I've read.

[zjrog]

I know folks that have had good results with HID kits from http://www.vvme.com. While I am pleased with the aftermarket housings and the H7 halogens, I want better low beam output, and HATE seeing the glare from incorrectly fitted HIDs. I really don't want to be "one of them"... Its either that or get a rally pod for lighting on the Neon. And I KNOW that will kill my FE...

[Frank Lee]

OK bottom line: is the nation collectively going blind or what?

Been driving with standard OEM lighting forever. I turn it on and voila! darkness goes away.

Biggest problem now is all the eh holes with pickups, suvs, and fog lights blinding oncoming traffic. TWO regular bulbs = quite enough eh? You don't need 4, you don't need HID, you don't need "silvers" or "blues" or whatever. On a motorcycle, guess what, ONE plain ol' sealed does the job!

BTW... the low beam is a great tool for when oncoming traffic is present. That's my little public service announcement since it seems most people missed that class.

Eat more carrots.

[Christ]

I love the idea of brighter lights, but HID lights emit an extremely white light, which, to the human eye, appears blue. The brain does not consider the blue light strong enough to give a signal to the pupil to contract, so the blue light appears to "glare" more to oncoming drivers.

Also, adding aftermarket HID lighting is illegal, as far as I know.

[bikeracer]

HID kits are available in a range of colors, some of which are quite yellow.

[Christ]

Those kits aren't true HID lights, either. They're mock lights, which use light emission temperature to make the lights look aesthetically "cool". The fact that some of them use H4 bulbs and such doesn't mean they're High Intensity Discharge lighting.