Topic: H.I.D. FAQ

[9gL]

H.I.D. FAQ
If anything is wrong or out of place, please correct me.
WARNING: HID are considered illegal unless factory installed.

 What are H.I.D.'s?
HID stands for High Intensity Discharge and they're a type of light known for their white/blue-ish beam. They are commonly found on higher end vehicles such as Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, etc... Over the past couple years, they have become more readily available to everyone and is being used by more car companies than before as a standard.

 Which size bulbs are for my lancer?
http://9glancers.com/index.php/topic,663.0.html

 Can I buy H.I.D.'s for my 08 Lancer?
Not from the factory or your local autozone. Most H.I.D. kits can be ordered online or through forum vendors. Ebay is another popular place to find them. They are generally in the 80-200$ range. The H.I.D. kits are mostly Plug and Play bulb/ballast kits. There are many different brands and bulb sizes that exist but many, if not all of them are not recommeded in OEM housings. Reason being is that the 08 Lancer does not come with H.I.D. in the first place, therefore it does not have the right headlight housing for it. i.e. projector headlights. So, you run the risk of producing a huge amount of glare to drivers in front of you at night without the proper headlights. Plus, we have DRL, daytime running lights.

 What is a Plug and Play bulb/ballast kit?
That is the H.I.D. kit and it generally come with the bulb, ballast, some sticky double sided tape, relays, zip ties, and sometimes mounting screws. The correct bulb size for our car is 9006 for lowbeams and 9005 for highbeams. Some kits does not come with relays, so that's usually something you always want to look for if you want to go this route. When you purchase a kit, this is how it generally looks like:


 I can care less about the driver in front of me, they do it to me all the time. Can I disable DRL?
At the moment, I don't believe anyone has found a completely 100% proven way of disabling it. There are many ways to bypass it however; some of which you can find here directly. Click the link(s) below for more information.
1 2

 So then, are there projectors available for my 08 Lancer?
Not at the moment. Hopefully at this year's 2008 SEMA, we will have a set soon. I have contacted Anzo in the past and they have hinted that we might get something at SEMA.

 What other options do I have if I must have H.I.D.'s and projectors?
You could retrofit your existing housing with projectors from other already available projectors like the Acura TSX. You can do this yourself, or you can pay someone to do it for you with the knowledge and know-how. It really depends on the members and the community; if there is enough demand and if anyone is willing to do it. The costs for something like this could run upwards of $1200 for all parts/labor. HIDRetro is a good place to start if you want someone else to do them.

 I know there must be another way?!
Well, you can look into other bulbs such as the Sylvania Silverstars, Luminics, or PIAA; these are just plain 9006/9005 bulbs and fit in the 08 Lancer headlight housing without any additional cost of labor or anything. These often are cheaper alternatives to the cost of retrofitting or the glare/legal concerns of Plug and Play H.I.D. kits.

 Ok that's fine, but I see white, yellow, blue, purple, and many other colored lights all the time; care to explain?
The color relates directly to the temperature of the gases inside the actual bulbs. The higher the temperature (measured in degrees Kelvin), the more blue/purple the actual light will emit onto the road. OEM light output is lower on the chart and as the temperature increases, the actual light output will decrease (potentially less visibility). Below is an illustration to demonstrate the light output and hue.


 Hmm, I want it. Who is the best manufacturer out there?
Well, HID companies are really just one big guy making them and rebranding them to other guys. The other guys, then sell it as their own brand under their own name. So you have so many brand A, brand B, C, D, etc.. They are really all the same one-off brand. The easiest way is to join a car forum that's pretty big at the moment as they will have atleast one HID sponsor. Doesn't matter if you have the actual car or not, join a forum and get the deals for the sponsor.

[revolver]

do any of u guys use these and do u recommend it? im planning on getting some from a scion vendor.

[GTS_Rob]

do any of u guys use these and do u recommend it? im planning on getting some from a scion vendor.

oh ya? i have a buddy with a XB and i go with him to meets sometimes(XBs are badass even tho i wont buy one!)and most of them have kits like this. what vendor???

[revolver]

scion vendor on a scion forum. do u recommend them?

[tatsujo]

It depends on the company selling it. Like said, they are basically all one off brands from one or the other.

[GTS_Rob]

scion vendor on a scion forum. do u recommend them?

what vendor specifically?

[revolver]

umnitza and the slim ballast

[9gL]

Umnitza is good.

[beyonddc]

I was reading the FAQ from MobileHID's website.

Are these XENON HID light systems street legal?
No. All XENON HID conversion kits, no matter the source, are not DOT approved if installed outside of the factory. Moreover, in the U.S, this is not street legal for use on public roads. As a result, we officially endorse the kit for exhibition and off-road use and will only sell the kit to be used for these purposes. We are not responsible for buyers who violate the terms of sale. They will assume all responsibilities for any unauthorized or unintended use other than exhibition or off-road use.
http://www.mobilehid.com/faq.htm#q12

Thoughts?

[tatsujo]

It's always been like that with HID unless installed factory..

[beyonddc]

It's always been like that with HID unless installed factory..

I see... might want to put this WARNING in the first post.

That definitely put a big NO sign for me because I don't want to increase my chance to get pull over when my average commute is about 70 miles per day.

[tatsujo]

I see... might want to put this WARNING in the first post.

That definitely put a big NO sign for me because I don't want to increase my chance to get pull over when my average commute is about 70 miles per day.

Alright, edited, just for you.

[Fairbro]

What about retro-fitting projectors from another model?
Has any one tried putting Evo X/Ralliart  HID lights in a GTS?
The housings look the same.

[4B11Bobcat]

Don't forget about the HID's that come with the Touring Package!  I will try and get some more info on them tomorrow since I need to call the dealership anyway.

[lancergtsx2]

Yes the housing fits, but the OEM HID's that come in the RA/EVO X are wired completely different than the GTS.  The same goes for the new '09 touring package.  Unfortunately, these OEM lights wont just "plug and play."  you will have to completely re-wire your GTS to make them work. 

Dealerships are offering the lights for about $1000, then they will install them for another arm and a leg...  I would recommend waiting a little bit for the "newness" to wear off, then try to get them from the factory in a about 6 months and the cost will be much more affordable.

Aftermarket lights from Sylvannia, PIAA, etc are really your best bet for legal headlights at this time....