I have HIDS in my heads and fogs. I havent been flashed once. I've had freinds drive past me as well and it wasn't blinding at all. It's just how some people like to aim them is what ticks me off.

 

That is quite a crazy story, I would have wanted to tear that guys head off if it was me he tried running off the road. Good to hear you made a responsible decision though. I would still like to try out 6000k HIDs in my heads & fogs since my area isn't over populated at night, and I dont do a lot of driving at night with other motorists. There are a few who have HIDs in the area, they dont look too bad, only one is a retro fit from what I can tell and it was aimed properly.

 

When i see cars or trucks driving around with HID's in halogen housings I just laugh to myself thinking or what idiots these people are! they really have no clue! why do you think HID's systems always have projectors len's? The answer is to PROJECT the light to the correct area. When you dont have a lens projector you are wasting so much light as well as blinding on coming cars. These ppl are in the same category as all those honda drivers who lower their cars by cutting their springs, or putting grape fruit shooters out the back. If you dont have the money to do it the right way , dont bother then! I retro fitted Acura TSX projectors into my preludes headlights, total cost was about $1000...that was the right way to do it.

I also wonder what the legality would be if these idiots caused an accident since they are running non-DOT approved lighting.

 

^^^half of that makes sense.

Yes without projectors there's a lot of misdirected light, but the result isnstill no comparison to the standard halogen bulb. With proper aiming and housing these lights r no prob. In the end tho, what can u do? Hope ur local cops crack down on headlights or get over it

 

I see your point and respect your opinion.

Tonight when it is pitch dark, do you mind snapping a picture for me? Park your truck on a flat ground 20 feet from a wall or garage door with your lights on. Pitch dark outside, camera flash off. Snap a pic of the wall or garage door. I just want to do a comparison,Thanks.

If someone with HIDs in a 2004+ could do the same I would appreciate it.

 

I don't know what brighter means, but my Silverstars lit up the road better. Maybe the whiter light just made it appear that way, but it was easier to see.

 

the whiter light DOES give the APPEARANCE on the road of more light. The blue/purple paint that offsets the natural yellow of the halogen brings the color temp higher in the Kelvin range. The 4300-5000k range is optimal for visibilty. BUT at the same time the paint is slightly reducing the light output.

 

FWIW, when my roommate was driving his dad's Expedition, and he parked it next to mine, both of ours had the same cutoff. We even had the same artifacts. Only difference is my output was brighter.

Granted, I also have 2 separate bulbs for hi/low.

As for the comment Timeless made, just to clarify, there are OEM cars with HIDs in reflectors. Navigator comes to mind.

Oh, found some pix of right after I installed them. Granted, they aren't 20 feet back...





9005 SS fogs were on both times. Kinnda funny, now that I remember, I think I've gotten flashed more when I had the SS's then after I aimed the HIDs. Not sure if it matters much, but I now have a different set of OEM headlights than when I took those pictures.

 

If i woulda read this thread earlier i wouldve. I get off early tomorrow so then I will. And to the guy under me, that's absolutely correct it is the whiter light that makes visibility better. A 4300-6000K HID kitbwill give you the optimum vision, it's the 8,10,& 12000 K that are bright but cut down on visibility. I'm not saying my HIDs allow me to view more of the road (a wider spectrum or w/e) I'm saying that even at 8000K I can still see better than I did with Halogen bulbs. And the difference is remarkable. But I do understand what the OP is saying/doing and respect his decision but I was just sayin EVERY vehicle doesn't have that problem and HIDs aren't all bad. It's all cool tho. I woulda gave u my bulbs if I could find em

 

I knew the Escalade also dindt use projectors with HID's, but it was an older Escalade....i was say 2003 or 04. Those reflectors where designed to use HID's though. they also have a cut off.


I know where Msall is going with his pictures and i 100% agree! My retro fitted prelude had a distinct cut off line when i parked 30 feet from a wall, the cutoff line was roughly 4-5 feet high. Its not the best picture, but you can see the projector in the headlight

 

Thanks, Marc, I'll be installing your "killers" this afternoon.

I'll be sure to properly aim them, already found my spot where I will install and aim before the vehicle is moved

 

Nice looking prelude!

So you guys think the Silverstars are worth me getting? If so, which ones and what stores can I get them in? Autozone or something?

 

Walmart around here carry's them for about $35 a pair. I installed 9007ST's yesterday and with the Rain and my need to adjust them I cannot comment on how they are preforming. I will tonight make a more reasoned evaluation, of so I hope and weather permitting.

 

Whats the difference between the euro silverstar's and the US ones? And where'd you get the euros?

Hurry up and put up pics Msall...i wanna see what the color is like. I need to get bulbs that match my white LED DRL's.

 

Well I'm glad you changed them out. I have been blinded by stock stance f150's with hids around my area plenty of times.

The problem with my area is that it's very rural, so very little amounts of street lighting, because of this your eyes are much more sensitive to light, so when someone comes over a hill with the hids it seems probably about 2x brighter than if you would be passing them in town. I have considered HIDS, but never did it because I don't like the projector housings.

Silverstars light up plenty for me, and for when I'm out of town i have 2 130wat off road lights hooked up to my brights. The only way I would hook my off road lights was a 3 pole switch, up = with brights, mid = off, down = on all the time.