Got some HID's on the 05
6/9/07, 01:00 AM
#42
I have so many things coming in the mail, I have something at the condo office dropped off today, its probably it as it came via US Mail and not priority or ups. I doubt camber bolts wouldn't fit in the box 
6/9/07, 09:19 AM
#43
I got it, looks like a decent harness and quality looks fine. Although I found the US vendor is right on the box. WWW.VVME.COM 
Will install it tomorrow and see what's what.
Looks pretty easy to install, replace the bulbs and plug up the balast and hi/low controller, plug the controller into one of the existing sockets, and run power to the battery. Everything is relayed and fused. May need to extend the power lead though as its quite a journey to the battery from the radiator support.
Will install it tomorrow and see what's what.Looks pretty easy to install, replace the bulbs and plug up the balast and hi/low controller, plug the controller into one of the existing sockets, and run power to the battery. Everything is relayed and fused. May need to extend the power lead though as its quite a journey to the battery from the radiator support.
6/9/07, 07:22 PM
#46
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Supposedly the Factory 08s are around 1k in parts. I would love someone to make a comprehensive write up with pictures, beam pattern, etc. etc.
Specifically with the high/low beam HID's.
Specifically with the high/low beam HID's.
6/9/07, 08:50 PM
#47
For some reason everybody just refuses to take beam pattern photos, except 5' away against a wall. I'll have them in tomorrow and have some pics up on monday. Will try it in the lot against parked cars to see how far out they go before getting above the door window molding(glare test). 
Other then extending the power lead, it looks plug and play. Its a bit of wires, I may just pull the front bumper off to ease placing the balasts in an area away from the engine heat, it only takes few minutes to take it off(gotta love modern cad designed lego cars). My fog light covers(GTS) came in today as a special treat-I keep forgetting all the stuff I order, every few days a package comes in I don't know how people have them falling off, they fit snug as a bug in a rug.
Other then extending the power lead, it looks plug and play. Its a bit of wires, I may just pull the front bumper off to ease placing the balasts in an area away from the engine heat, it only takes few minutes to take it off(gotta love modern cad designed lego cars). My fog light covers(GTS) came in today as a special treat-I keep forgetting all the stuff I order, every few days a package comes in I don't know how people have them falling off, they fit snug as a bug in a rug.
6/10/07, 09:30 PM
#49
Well, I drove around with them for an hour tonight. They DEFINITELY are incredibly bright. Its hard to say exactly how much glare, but all the HID cars I saw were kinda annoying. And to be honest, with all the sheer STUPIDITY on the road, I kinda have a 'screw em' attitude. Cripes it was painful watching so many distracted drivers on the road tonight.
Anyhew, for the install it was pretty straight forward. The instructions are a bit lacking and although it was labeled H13 and everything fit, the connector that taps into the headlight plug for the hi/low switch was not the right kind.
Two things about the kit-first, there is no mention where the ceramic annular-thing fits-it is on the bottom of the bulb in the socket. The fit was a little loose in general so I simply pulled the rubber grommets off the other stock H13s and it snugged it up fine. You can rotate the bulb to the proper orientation even when locked in place with a little force, so all is well. Quality of all the fittings and connectors seemed pretty darn good to me. The headlight plug connector is worthless. I figured out which wire is what high/low/ground on the stock passenger plug, but the diagram did not have the same color wires as the actually harness. I simply cut the wires to the blue connector and tapped them to the factory bulb housing. For the right plug(new harness/existing bulb) it was blue to black, white to green, and red to yellow. Viola! The high low solenoids worked with authority dunk-dunk.
The brights don't do much as the HID bulb pretty much doesn't work the same way, but 'legally' I have high/low beams for inspection and if I get checked. There is no need for high beams. General glare is a bit much(to other drivers) but I wasn't seeing the main beam go above doors or hit side mirrors, nor saw other drivers in their cars head-on(which I have with some brighter halogen bulbs). I will do my own drive around tests with another car in the next couple evenings with my parking lot full of inventory to play around with.
Anyhew, for the install it was pretty straight forward. The instructions are a bit lacking and although it was labeled H13 and everything fit, the connector that taps into the headlight plug for the hi/low switch was not the right kind.
Two things about the kit-first, there is no mention where the ceramic annular-thing fits-it is on the bottom of the bulb in the socket. The fit was a little loose in general so I simply pulled the rubber grommets off the other stock H13s and it snugged it up fine. You can rotate the bulb to the proper orientation even when locked in place with a little force, so all is well. Quality of all the fittings and connectors seemed pretty darn good to me. The headlight plug connector is worthless. I figured out which wire is what high/low/ground on the stock passenger plug, but the diagram did not have the same color wires as the actually harness. I simply cut the wires to the blue connector and tapped them to the factory bulb housing. For the right plug(new harness/existing bulb) it was blue to black, white to green, and red to yellow. Viola! The high low solenoids worked with authority dunk-dunk.
The brights don't do much as the HID bulb pretty much doesn't work the same way, but 'legally' I have high/low beams for inspection and if I get checked. There is no need for high beams. General glare is a bit much(to other drivers) but I wasn't seeing the main beam go above doors or hit side mirrors, nor saw other drivers in their cars head-on(which I have with some brighter halogen bulbs). I will do my own drive around tests with another car in the next couple evenings with my parking lot full of inventory to play around with.
6/11/07, 08:40 PM
#50
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Looking forward to some pictures, so the high beams don't really do much huh? I want a set-up that actually has real high beams, not something with a little bit more light than the lows..
6/11/07, 09:15 PM
#51
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Sounds like this kit greatly improves the lows but doesn't add much to the stock high beams.
So this kit is bright/low HID with a mechanical motor that readjusts the bulb/reflector for bright/low? And you just can't tell much difference between high/ low?
-Randy
The brights don't do much as the HID bulb pretty much doesn't work the same way,
So this kit is bright/low HID with a mechanical motor that readjusts the bulb/reflector for bright/low? And you just can't tell much difference between high/ low?
-Randy
6/11/07, 10:19 PM
#52
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I got mine installed today...I had pretty much the same experience as Kevin did for the install. It was pretty easy. I got some pics taken tonight but they turned out pretty bad. I am going to borrow a better camera to try again. Will post them when I get them taken. I'll get as many views as i can think of.
However I do think the brightness is better. Not so much for distance but it seems like there is more light to the left and right of the car (out front of course) than with the stock lights. Overall I think it was well worth the price.
Anyway here are some of the not so good photos...I only had one that was from the inside of the car that was worth posting. It is High beams the low beams pic was really bad.
However I do think the brightness is better. Not so much for distance but it seems like there is more light to the left and right of the car (out front of course) than with the stock lights. Overall I think it was well worth the price.
Anyway here are some of the not so good photos...I only had one that was from the inside of the car that was worth posting. It is High beams the low beams pic was really bad.
6/12/07, 08:39 AM
#54
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Not bashing because I have a 6000k bi-xenon kit on my car. Just passing this along for everyone's reading pleasure.
Update: May 3, 2007:
NHTSA Cracks Down on Aftermarket HID Conversion Kits
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is targeting high-intensity discharge (HID) conversion kits for enforcement actions. NHTSA has concluded that it is impossible to produce HID conversion kits (converting a halogen system to HID) that would be compliant with the federal lighting standard, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108. The noncompliant kits frequently include a HID bulb, a ballast, an igniter, a relay and wiring harness adapters. The NHTSA believes this equipment presents a safety risk to the public since the kits can be expected to produce excessive glare to oncoming motorists. In one investigation, the NHTSA found that an HID conversion headlamp exceeded the maximum allowable candlepower by over 800%.
Under FMVSS No. 108 Section S7.7 (replaceable light sources), each replaceable light source for headlamps must be designed to conform to the dimensions and electrical specifications for the headlamp source it is intended to replace. For example, if an HID kit is marketed as replacing an H1 light source, then it must match the H1's wire coil filament size and location, the electrical connector size and location and the ballast design for use with an H1 light source (which is impossible since there is no ballast). Consequently, companies that are manufacturing HID light sources (e.g., D1S, D1R, D2S, D2R, 9500, etc…) with incandescent light source bases (e.g., H1, H3, H7, H8, H9, H11, H13, HB1, HB2, HB3, HB4, HB5, etc…) should be aware that this light source design would not be one that conforms to FMVSS No. 108, and could not be imported and sold in the United States without violating Federal law. (The importer is treated as the manufacturer and subject to the same fines and penalties that apply to a domestic manufacturer.)
NHTSA has also determined that a commonly used disclaimer "for off-road use only" has no legal meaning and is not recognized by the agency as the manufacturer, importer and retailer are not in a position to control use once a product has been sold. Any equipment offered for sale which is covered by FMVSS No. 108 (headlamps, taillamps, side markers, etc.) must comply with the standard.
Update: May 3, 2007:
NHTSA Cracks Down on Aftermarket HID Conversion Kits
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is targeting high-intensity discharge (HID) conversion kits for enforcement actions. NHTSA has concluded that it is impossible to produce HID conversion kits (converting a halogen system to HID) that would be compliant with the federal lighting standard, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108. The noncompliant kits frequently include a HID bulb, a ballast, an igniter, a relay and wiring harness adapters. The NHTSA believes this equipment presents a safety risk to the public since the kits can be expected to produce excessive glare to oncoming motorists. In one investigation, the NHTSA found that an HID conversion headlamp exceeded the maximum allowable candlepower by over 800%.
Under FMVSS No. 108 Section S7.7 (replaceable light sources), each replaceable light source for headlamps must be designed to conform to the dimensions and electrical specifications for the headlamp source it is intended to replace. For example, if an HID kit is marketed as replacing an H1 light source, then it must match the H1's wire coil filament size and location, the electrical connector size and location and the ballast design for use with an H1 light source (which is impossible since there is no ballast). Consequently, companies that are manufacturing HID light sources (e.g., D1S, D1R, D2S, D2R, 9500, etc…) with incandescent light source bases (e.g., H1, H3, H7, H8, H9, H11, H13, HB1, HB2, HB3, HB4, HB5, etc…) should be aware that this light source design would not be one that conforms to FMVSS No. 108, and could not be imported and sold in the United States without violating Federal law. (The importer is treated as the manufacturer and subject to the same fines and penalties that apply to a domestic manufacturer.)
NHTSA has also determined that a commonly used disclaimer "for off-road use only" has no legal meaning and is not recognized by the agency as the manufacturer, importer and retailer are not in a position to control use once a product has been sold. Any equipment offered for sale which is covered by FMVSS No. 108 (headlamps, taillamps, side markers, etc.) must comply with the standard.
6/12/07, 12:41 PM
#55
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That is all bureacratic BS, just keep your conversion realistic (i.e. no purple HIDs or additional foglights) and you should be absolutely fine. There are too many vehicles on the road with HID's for the enforcing body under which these statutes could get any teeth, and law enforcement has a lot bigger things to deal with than aftermarket headlights.
6/12/07, 01:16 PM
#56
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If law enforcement has bigger issues to deal with, why are they setting up speed traps when there are murders and robberies going on at the same time? I would much rather see my tax dollars go towards looking for the known criminals and arresting them than to see a bunch of cops parked behind bushes in the highway trying to meet their department's monthly budget. If this is going to bring in money for them (writing tickets for aftermarket HID kits), I'm sure they'll start enforcing it. I guess catching real criminals doesn't "pay."
Crime in the Orlando area has gone up 180% in the last 3-4 years, and I still see at least 8-10 cops in a 15 mile stretch of highway EVERY DAY!
Crime in the Orlando area has gone up 180% in the last 3-4 years, and I still see at least 8-10 cops in a 15 mile stretch of highway EVERY DAY!
6/12/07, 09:14 PM
#58
Heh, I was trying to take pics and they came out about the same. I'm still on the bubble if I like em or not. They look cool and are brighter but I feel a little self consious about HOW bright they are. Although funny enough I have yet to be flashed when if I were using my normal headlights/fogs I would of been flashed 20 times over the past 3 days...
As for the low/high thing, almost every OEM HID setup uses halogen high beams as the HID needs a controlled environment to work properly when a halogen high-beam can be left to just light up the road going for broke.
As for the low/high thing, almost every OEM HID setup uses halogen high beams as the HID needs a controlled environment to work properly when a halogen high-beam can be left to just light up the road going for broke.
6/12/07, 09:52 PM
#59
meh, I went out and drove down some completely unlit roads(which are hard to find around here) and I def like em. The brights are quite effective too, without having other street lighting its very noticeable. I don't know how they say in some tests they don't light reflective signs up well, because they and road lines look like they are practically lit up by internal florescent lighting and way, way out in the distance. Some areas I know the lines are dull are bright white, and on the highway they light up reflector tape and reflectors in all four lanes for quite a distance.
The glare is a bit on the high side for oncoming drivers, but no worse then factory hid's or everyone running around with their fog lights on(just about every car with them had them on). Still no match for an F150's stock bulbs for glare. I also noticed they will pick up reflective tape on a police cruiser from a very long distance, and noted that people at intersections in their cars are not being lit up by them, like some of my Silverstars have done in the past. At times I could clearly see the driver's through the windows and shadows with those in. I would say they have glare that is mostly a flash glare and not sustained like some normal headlights. I walked about 150' away and walked back towards the car and it was tollerable.
The glare is a bit on the high side for oncoming drivers, but no worse then factory hid's or everyone running around with their fog lights on(just about every car with them had them on). Still no match for an F150's stock bulbs for glare. I also noticed they will pick up reflective tape on a police cruiser from a very long distance, and noted that people at intersections in their cars are not being lit up by them, like some of my Silverstars have done in the past. At times I could clearly see the driver's through the windows and shadows with those in. I would say they have glare that is mostly a flash glare and not sustained like some normal headlights. I walked about 150' away and walked back towards the car and it was tollerable.
When you get a chance