Pick me out HID headlights

[ballmode]

I have a 2004 WRX, the stock headlights were not meant for HID and spread light everywhere.

I have three possible options:

Buy 2004-2005 WRX STI headlamps , $300-$400

Buy aftermarket style headlamps with built in projectors - $300-500 depending on brand

or, retrofit TSX/S2000/FX# whatever stock HID are great on the market and get them into my existing headlamps?


I'm trying to get the best combination of price, effort, and overall light quality.
I'm a 4300k bulb color guy

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I would get the factory STI lamps. Retrofitting stuff is at best a pain and at worse dangerous to everyone else on the road.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

...and those aftermarket projectors probably do not have a decent beam cutoff.

 

[Imported]

I would get the factory STI lamps. Retrofitting stuff is at best a pain and at worse dangerous to everyone else on the road.

This. If you know what you're doing, then retrofitting is an option. Most aftermarket projector replacements are crap.

 

[NutBucket]

Or, you could get cheap aftermarket projector headlights and retrofit good projectors into them.

Just throwing out the 4th option. I really dislike the fact that the '04-'05 STi headlights aren't projectors even though they're HID.

 

[Howard]

aren't projectors even though they're HID.

How in hell does that pass DOT regulations?

 

[Imported]

Or, you could get cheap aftermarket projector headlights and retrofit good projectors into them.

That would be the most expensive option though.. but yes, you can do that too. Its been a while since I looked at the pricing of S2000/TSX projectors.

 

[MotF Bane]

Do a projector hid retrofit. Figure $350, give or take a bit.

.

 

[MotF Bane]

...and those aftermarket projectors probably do not have a decent beam cutoff.

Oh yea they do

.

 

[alfa147x]

...and those aftermarket projectors probably do not have a decent beam cutoff.

You have different quality of aftermarket. Most of what you find on ebay = junk

Check this place out:
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/

here is a guy who did a Mini h1 retrofit:
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2171724

Gotta say that looks pretty good.

 

[MotF Bane]

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/pdf/trs_tech/FX-R_Projector_Retrofit.pdf

Similar vehicle used for the FX-R directions.

 

[MotF Bane]

How in hell does that pass DOT regulations?

D2R bulbs, not D2S. They're the same bulb, essentially, except for a couple notches in the base (so you can't switch the bulbs), and the D2R has a couple black stripes to prevent light from coming out at certain angles. Then the D2R has a reflector built for it, just like with normal halogen lights, except it's designed to contain the different output pattern of a xenon bulb.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

How in hell does that pass DOT regulations?

The factory HIDs in the Lincoln LS are the same - uses D2R bulbs :

 

[ballmode]

How in hell does that pass DOT regulations?

They have a 3 leveling system you can put in there. Basically if its you are towing or have lots of weight in the back the car will point upwards, so you can point the lights lower three steps. I've seen it and it works, the HID system isn't that great on the 04-05 STi's and I'm starting to think with all the work I've done to my WRX that if I didn't get the car at such a steal I was better off just buying the STI

 

[ballmode]

that looks good alfa, I'm gonna check that out. if it's easy I'll do it since if I'm going to pay the same amount I might as well get a better cut off pattern

 

[alfa147x]

I'm doing a mini h1 retro fit soon. They just shipped my kit. It'll be here tomorrow


°

 

[ballmode]

post pics of you chopping up everything

 

[alfa147x]

post pics of you chopping up everything

Unlike Motf's install I shouldn't have much or any trimming to do. I bought the Mini H1 which is smaller than FX-R

FX-R vs Mini H1:

DIMENSIONS
Max Depth: 5.50" inches vs 5.35" inches
Max Height: 3.90 inches vs 2.75" inches
Max Width: 4.35 inches vs 3.14" inches
Lens Diameter: 2.5 inches vs 2.5" inches
$315.00 vs $270.00

I bought it during the black friday sale: $235.43
That's with Re-sealing Glue ($10) GA TAX 8.0% ($16.80)

So it's pretty good deal for quality parts

I'm super excited! Looks like I'll be installing it later next week

 

[ballmode]

what car do you have? and how much work would be required to put those into my car?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFF2XoZJIBo

I'm assuming this vid is what you got?

 

[vshah]

I did a retrofit of s2000 projectors into my civic earlier this year. Difference is night and day compared with my friends who have HIDs in the stock reflectors (ugh) and aftermarket lights w/ projectors (terrible dispersion and cutoff). the s2k projectors can light up a 6 lane highway side to side while keeping the cutoff just a couple feet off the ground so as to not blind oncoming traffic at all.

a projector retrofit is the only way to go imho. get a set of reflector replacement lamps, and use those if you want to keep your OEM lights as backup / for when you sell the car. (I'll definitely be taking the s2k projectors with me whenever I move to a new car). there are solid non-oem ballasts etc. that can save you some coin and make installation easier though. theretrofitsource is a good store as alfa mentioned.

what car do you have? and how much work would be required to put those into my car?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFF2XoZJIBo

I'm assuming this vid is what you got?

a projector retrofit usuall involves removing the headlamps from your car, opening up the front glass/back plastic pieces (usually sealed with crazy sticky rubber that requires a heat gun/oven to soften). You then measure and cut a hole in the reflector (or increase the size of the existing hole), into which you mount your projectors. You cover the projectors from the front with the shrouds (sanded down to make a good fit) so as to hide the hole. make everything stick together with something like jb weld.

here's a DIY for the civic, the general steps would be similar for your wrx:
http://www.8thcivic.com/forums/lighting/237403-complete-mini-h1-retrofit-diy-8th-gen-civic.html

 

[alfa147x]

what car do you have? and how much work would be required to put those into my car?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFF2XoZJIBo

I'm assuming this vid is what you got?

That's it:
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/product_info.php?products_id=227

2007 Honda Civic coupe Lx

I did a retrofit of s2000 projectors into my civic earlier this year. Difference is night and day compared with my friends who have HIDs in the stock reflectors (ugh) and aftermarket lights w/ projectors (terrible dispersion and cutoff). the s2k projectors can light up a 6 lane highway side to side while keeping the cutoff just a couple feet off the ground so as to not blind oncoming traffic at all.

a projector retrofit is the only way to go imho. get a set of reflector replacement lamps, and use those if you want to keep your OEM lights as backup / for when you sell the car. (I'll definitely be taking the s2k projectors with me whenever I move to a new car). there are solid non-oem ballasts etc. that can save you some coin and make installation easier though. theretrofitsource is a good store as alfa mentioned.

8th gen civic? How did you wire in the High Beam?
I doubt I'll be removing these. For $230 i wouldn't mind leaving them in the car for the next person.

 

[alfa147x]

here's a DIY for the civic, the general steps would be similar for your wrx:
http://www.8thcivic.com/forums/lighting/237403-complete-mini-h1-retrofit-diy-8th-gen-civic.html

Notice how little trimming is needed? That's my biggest reason going with the mini h1. In that tutorial he uses a mini gatling gun shroud. I ordered mini graphite shroud. It's a bit narrower in hight. I'm hoping I won't need to trim.

 

[ballmode]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MORIMOTO-MI...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item35b7b4ea52


did a google search on retrofit, and found they have a store on Ebay, looks cheaper than their main site, why is that?

Is is possible to just get the projectors and use the existing HID bulbs/ballasts already?

I'd like to get this under 200 as possible.
All this S2000 talk makes me miss mine even more and I want to get another one

 

[MotF Bane]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MORIMOTO-MI...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item35b7b4ea52


did a google search on retrofit, and found they have a store on Ebay, looks cheaper than their main site, why is that?

Is is possible to just get the projectors and use the existing HID bulbs/ballasts already?

I'd like to get this under 200 as possible.
All this S2000 talk makes me miss mine even more and I want to get another one

You already have an HID system in the car, from the factory?

 

[ballmode]

wow just read the write up, looks easy, all you gotta do is heat up the headlights, peel them apart and place it in, i don't see how those lights stay in place but i guess the screws do all the work.

I'll consider doing this, probably not until the spring