Well for one when you have HID's installed you have to make sure that they are aimed correctly. This is the reason I left my fog lights original, this way it will look like its OEM. I have 4300K HID's that I paid $400 for but it was well worth it. Very small, thin and light box. I also choose 4300K b/c of the shade of color. At this temp the color is similar to the HID's that come on the BMW's and the Lexus.

 

I understand that any after-market lights are illegal in theory, but how do the cops know they didn't come on your truck? Every Navigator, Escalade, and Rover has them; why wouldn't it be possible an f150 came with them? That's the argument I plan to use if I ever get pulled over.

 

This is why I didnt do my fog lights. My truck looks as if it came with my HID's. If you go over 4300K, let's say 6000, 8000 or above anyone can tell (maybe not 6000K) that they didnt come on the car/truck b/c of the color. If you see my 4300K and you didnt have an F-150 you would think that it came on the truck. Look at this chart. This is where I bought mine from.

 

/\ Because just like you know which ones are aftermarket and don't belong on that vehicle they do as well.....plus the glare regular headlight housing's put off.

 

Sorry my /\ was meant for the post above that one.

 

they are DOT approved in some states when they come stock from the factory. other states like Illinois they are illegal no matter what. the cars must have the HID kit removed and replaced with halogens. aftermarket kits are illegal no matter what headlights you are running. even if you have HID fog lights from hella they are still illegal for on road use. most cops just dont care tho.

 

So that you can see the colors in action click here

http://www.xtralights.com/index.asp?...ATS&Category=2

 

Since when does a run of the mill F-150 come with HID's off of the assembly line?............

 

i think what he means is the color of his HIDs are close to stock, just alot brighter

 

Aim them properly, do not use your fog/auxiliary lights anywhere near civilization, and keep the lights dimmed if you can see another vehicle ahead of you going *either* direction and the cops *should* leave you alone.

Different states have different laws. When I lived in IL, the use of *any* auxiliary lighting, *including* factory-installed fog lights, was illegal on a public road. The cops used this law to their advantage. At the time, seat belt enforcement was not primary, which meant that you had to be pulled over for some other infraction in order to be issued a seat belt ticket. They would pull people over for fog light usage, if you didn't have your seat belt on they would give you a warning for the lights and a ticket for the seat belts.

They would also pull this trick - they would stand around toll booth automatic lanes and look at every car coming through. If you didn't have your seat belt on and did not come to a COMPLETE stop - guess what? Pulled over for failure to come to a complete stop at a stop sign and a seat belt ticket.

 

I havent been pulled over yet (knock on wood) and ive only been flashed once on the interstate. I have mine aimed down a pretty good amount. I run all 6000k and it is very obvious that they arent stock.

 

I think it has something to do with the fact that you live in California. Most "fads" start there and get popular there first, so they have to enforce laws sooner there. It's only a matter of time before that law is enforced more strictly in other states.

 

Actually I think it has more to do with I believe the OP has had runins with the local cops before - and he is now a marked man. They will find ways to bust his chops no matter what he does now. He's paying for a past attitude.

 

I have had my fair share of runin's, 3 of the tickets are from the same officer. He always marks them as a non-correctable violation. However, they ARE correctable so I just get them corrected and the judge never says anything.

They are usually marked as "Fog Lamps Out of Adjustment". He doesn't really know what to do for the headlights, so he just starts giving me tickets for mud flaps, bumper height, etc. I finally argued with him this time but I am not sure what approach (empathy, ridicule, etc) will ease his bias towards me, I just know what I said last night could not have helped. Whatever it is, he knows how strongly I dislike him.

I have my fogs on 50% of the time so not using those will help avoid trouble, I do take responsibility for the tickets.

I am not posting for sympathy, but just as a heads up, they are a great excuse to pull you over. Nobody volunteers to drive my truck anymore.

 

I got pulled over with my hid projectors once the cop told me they looked good but need to be white or yellow(the projectors Make it more blue) no ticket, I have since removed the projcetors and now have 8000k in the stock housings and have followed cops with them and no problem. But my fogs need new hid's cuz they got watter in them and messed them up...