Anyone else install an HID kit?

[Spartan_chaz]

i will say they are much brighter than stock lights. I do drive down a few unlit roads very frequently and so far i haven't been flashed by other drivers coming the opposite direction, yet lol. But, on the flip side the housings really aren't meant for an HID system so have projectors you will see better light performance out of an HID system. With that said i plan to keep this HIDs in for a while for a few reason 1. the kit was free for me 2. both my fiance and her mother have a very hard time seeing at night and these have so far been the only option for them to be able to drive confidently at night. So seeing how my fiance does use the car every now and then ill keep them in for a just in case factor for her. But, overall i love the way it lights up the road now for night time driving.

 

[Beastlick]

doesn't look like it'll blind oncoming drivers to me

you are kidding right? That is the exact set up which blinds people! Without a projector and cut-off shield there is nothing controlling the light. Its basically like you are driving with your hi-beams on all the time. I bet when he turns his hi-beams on, its barely noticable.

this is with a projector HID set up

Untitled by 4c4faa609f4f3024589c684288568332, on Flickr


Untitled by 4c4faa609f4f3024589c684288568332, on Flickr
Pardon my driver side needs slight horizontal adjustment

See the stepped cut off? Its lower on the left side because that would be where oncoming traffic is coming from. Also notice how mine have no glare above the cutoff line.

 

[lambertsonic]

you are kidding right? That is the exact set up which blinds people! Without a projector and cut-off shield there is nothing controlling the light. Its basically like you are driving with your hi-beams on all the time. I bet when he turns his hi-beams on, its barely noticable.

this is with a projector HID set up

Untitled by 4c4faa609f4f3024589c684288568332, on Flickr


Untitled by 4c4faa609f4f3024589c684288568332, on Flickr
Pardon my driver side needs slight horizontal adjustment

See the stepped cut off? Its lower on the left side because that would be where oncoming traffic is coming from. Also notice how mine have no glare above the cutoff line.

That looks really good !

 

[laborsmith]

Speaking for myself, I no longer flash my headlights at cars whether their headlights are blinding me or it is after dark and they are driving without turning their headlights on.

Why? Has anyone on this board heard of the relatively recent phenomenon known as road rage? It is an action per news reports quite often practiced in the area where I live. It may no be practiced anywhere else now, but it is just a matter of time.

My point: I would not take the lack as indicating headlights are well aimed, especially if you are from the Detroit metropolitan area or another area that has experienced a growth in the road rage phenomenon.

And yes, some of the incidents have reportedly been attributed to a driver taking offense at another driver who flashed their headlights. What was once considered to be an act of courtesy is now considered to be an act of hostility. Go figure.


Laborsmith

 

[Spartan_chaz]

you are kidding right? That is the exact set up which blinds people! Without a projector and cut-off shield there is nothing controlling the light. Its basically like you are driving with your hi-beams on all the time. I bet when he turns his hi-beams on, its barely noticable.

this is with a projector HID set up

Untitled by 4c4faa609f4f3024589c684288568332, on Flickr


Untitled by 4c4faa609f4f3024589c684288568332, on Flickr
Pardon my driver side needs slight horizontal adjustment

See the stepped cut off? Its lower on the left side because that would be where oncoming traffic is coming from. Also notice how mine have no glare above the cutoff line.

Ok before I say this please understand I agree that in almost all cases an HID kit should be used with projector housing. The projectors use and controll the light better. But last night I did have a friend let me follow him and he went down the road and we drove in oposite directions and he said the lights were bright but not blinding. Also my high beams still have a good affect on the overall distance I can see mainly due to how tjey are aligned. So far I have had no problems with the HID kit in my stock housings but I will soon be looking at doing the retrofit as well because once again I agree they are better for hids. So to anyone who wants tobuse an HID kit please keep in mind if an officer wants to pull you over and wants to hassel you about the brightness of them he can so you take the risk knowingly. But for noe I will keep mine im for the stock setup istoo dim for me and I do aa lot of night driving.

 

[dn7309]

So General Motors put DRL onto the low beams. To install HIDs I have to disable the DRL or else I will have the strobe effect on my headlights. I asked the shop about disabling the DRL and the guy say its illegal. Anyone have a legal alternative option?

 

[Kuntryboy865]

Excuse me for not reading through all the pages, can I buy a HID conversion kit and not have any problems with the DRL? I turn them off when I drive though if that matters. I'm looking to get this.
Flashtech Premiere 32v HID Conversion Kit

 

[Bogus]

Excuse me for not reading through all the pages, can I buy a HID conversion kit and not have any problems with the DRL? I turn them off when I drive though if that matters. I'm looking to get this.
Flashtech Premiere 32v HID Conversion Kit

http://www.sonicownersforum.com/forum/t5514/

 

[Beastlick]

Expensive PnP kit Kuntry. Check out http://theretrofitsource.com

 

[Kuntryboy865]

That's a little more work than I want to do, If I mess up I screw my head lights up.

 

[Bogus]

If you look in the thread I linked there's 2 kits available. Both are for the Sonic. You can choose the easier one at the bottom.

 

[sonic007]

Just do a relay..It takes 5 minutes to wire up..works like factory

 

[Bogus]

Oh wait you just want HID bulbs without projectors?

 

[ChrisJ]

Speaking for myself, I no longer flash my headlights at cars whether their headlights are blinding me or it is after dark and they are driving without turning their headlights on.

Why? Has anyone on this board heard of the relatively recent phenomenon known as road rage? It is an action per news reports quite often practiced in the area where I live. It may no be practiced anywhere else now, but it is just a matter of time.

My point: I would not take the lack as indicating headlights are well aimed, especially if you are from the Detroit metropolitan area or another area that has experienced a growth in the road rage phenomenon.

And yes, some of the incidents have reportedly been attributed to a driver taking offense at another driver who flashed their headlights. What was once considered to be an act of courtesy is now considered to be an act of hostility. Go figure.


Laborsmith

I used to turn on my hibeams and aim at the person to blind the hell out of them. Then my dad said to me "so because you can't see you blind them back, so now both of you are blinded and heading towards eachother at 50mph, thats brilliant Moe".

For some reason that put a new light on it and all of a sudden it seemed really dumb.



And to ANYONE who uses HID in the factory housing, you suck. I don't care how much you think its ok, ITS NOT. Everyone else on the road needs to see as well and you having illegal headlights because the factory ones are "too dim" in your opinion, doesn't help. I see this all of the time in NJ and even though they are not aimed at you, the lens is too damn bright to be coming at you ergo the use of auto leveling projectors. If you want HID lights, be a man and do it the right way. Beastlick did a beautiful job on his.

 

[sonic007]

Didnt know putting hids in without projectors doesnt make you a man...guess i missed that memo..

 

[ChrisJ]

Didnt know putting hids in without projectors doesnt make you a man...guess i missed that memo..

Doing things the wrong way because you're lazy and don't give a crap about others doesn't make you a man. Didn't think you needed a memo to know that.

 

[Kuntryboy865]

Chris if you want to come over and cut my headlights up and buy new ones for me if you mess up come on over otherwise ill just go with the kit, Do I care if you think I suck, nope.

 

[ChrisJ]

Chris if you want to come over and cut my headlights up and buy new ones for me if you mess up come on over otherwise ill just go with the kit, Do I care if you think I suck, nope.

Maybe you missed the point.

I'm not modifying my headlights, at all. IF I wanted HIDs I would have either bought a car with them, or I would buy a proper auto leveling kit.

As I said, Beastlick did a beautiful job. Either do it right, or leave it alone.


How about this.

I don't blind you, so you should do me the same favor.

 

[Kuntryboy865]

Maybe you missed the point.

I'm not modifying my headlights, at all. IF I wanted HIDs I would have either bought a car with them, or I would buy a proper auto leveling kit.

As I said, Beastlick did a beautiful job. Either do it right, or leave it alone.

Sorry, ill do as I see fit with my car. Dont like it? Tough.

 

[$ub$onic]

The replacement bulbs do a good job anymore.