Oem hid ?s

07gts197

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For all you 08-12 guys with factory hids, what color temp is oem? Everywhere I look there was a different answer. And this might be a dumb question but is there a difference between the halogen and hid foglight housings? Like to change the scattering of light because its output is greater than halogens like halogen vs hid headlight housings. Thats probably a dumb question though...

Im interested in either a projector retrofit or aftermarket housings with projectors and switching to hids but I want them to look as close to stock as possible and not like that riced out civic with blue hids we all see everywhere lol.

Also I swear I remember reading about trouble with swapping to hids with the sjb because of the lower current draw. Or maybe Im thinking of reading about some other model. Its very vague.

Anyway, any input is much appreciated.
 

Brandon08GT

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For all you 08-12 guys with factory hids, what color temp is oem? Everywhere I look there was a different answer. And this might be a dumb question but is there a difference between the halogen and hid foglight housings? Like to change the scattering of light because its output is greater than halogens like halogen vs hid headlight housings. Thats probably a dumb question though...

Im interested in either a projector retrofit or aftermarket housings with projectors and switching to hids but I want them to look as close to stock as possible and not like that riced out civic with blue hids we all see everywhere lol.

Also I swear I remember reading about trouble with swapping to hids with the sjb because of the lower current draw. Or maybe Im thinking of reading about some other model. Its very vague.

Anyway, any input is much appreciated.

I've been looking more and more into this also. I want better headlights but can't find any real solutions aside from retrofitting and I really don't want to do that. I read going to the OEM HIDs is a lot more trouble than it's worth. Hopefully someone car help us both out.
 

07gts197

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I've been looking more and more into this also. I want better headlights but can't find any real solutions aside from retrofitting and I really don't want to do that. I read going to the OEM HIDs is a lot more trouble than it's worth. Hopefully someone car help us both out.

Ive read that too, a lot lol. All threads I went through say the factory hids arent much better than the halogens. That steered me away from going with a factory hid setup but Im starting to like the raxiom projectors for our cars, as theyre not too rice, and Im considering going that direction with hids. The problem lies in the projector itself being built for halogens though but Im getting ahead of myself.

Anyway, Id like to swap to hids for a modern look and better visibility. If there is another way then Id be open to it.
 

07 Boss

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Most OEM HID's are in the 4800-5500 range. This will also give you the most actual light. It is a whiter more natural color.
 

Macman45

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They can range from 4300-4800, never seen any over 5000. Also worth noting that projector style, especially the small center whatever projection style of the S550, make the light appear more white/blue and less yellow, compared to say 08-09 reflector style.
 

07gts197

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That makes sense. A lot of people said 4300k. Thanks for the info on the projector style affecting light color.

What about the foglight housings? Are the halogen and hid housings the same?
 

Macman45

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That makes sense. A lot of people said 4300k. Thanks for the info on the projector style affecting light color.

What about the foglight housings? Are the halogen and hid housings the same?

What year car? On the 10-12 CS they're just halogen. 13-14 is a special LED. 05-09 never had anything other than a crappy halogen housing.
 

Shotokan1509

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I've been looking more and more into this also. I want better headlights but can't find any real solutions aside from retrofitting and I really don't want to do that. I read going to the OEM HIDs is a lot more trouble than it's worth. Hopefully someone car help us both out.

Need new harness and solder in some capacitors.. sounds more difficult than it is, I love my upgrade but no probably not as good as the OEM HID projectors on my 2013 F150. If I did it again though I would probably look at retrofitting projectors in factory housings... problem is most I've seen of those look bit googly eyed to me if that makes any sense

They can range from 4300-4800, never seen any over 5000. Also worth noting that projector style, especially the small center whatever projection style of the S550, make the light appear more white/blue and less yellow, compared to say 08-09 reflector style.

I'd say that range is about right, definitely not as blue as my 5k led's in fogs/turnsignal/parking lights.

Rant: Which BTW, F*** VLED's brand all 6 of their bulbs are having issues and yes past warranty but its low mile, garage kept, nice weather driver... said they can't control the environment that they're in but funny I've never lost a factory bulb that are 3 times the age & mileage. Hell if these were in my daily/snow beasts they probably would ahve all died with 6 months if thats the case.
 
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Macman45

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Diodes, not caps, but yes. You need to trick the SJB to use a lower current since the HID's run at a lower amperage than the halogens. The the harness you can buy the factory OEM HID one for about $140.

Need new harness and solder in some capacitors.. sounds more difficult than it is, I love my upgrade but no probably not as good as the OEM HID projectors on my 2013 F150. If I did it again though I would probably look at retrofitting projectors in factory housings... problem is most I've seen of those look bit googly eyed to me if that makes any sense



I'd say that range is about right, definitely not as blue as my 5k led's in fogs/turnsignal/parking lights.

Rant: Which BTW, F*** VLED's brand all 6 of their bulbs are having issues and yes past warranty but its low mile, garage kept, nice weather driver... said they can't control the environment that they're in but funny I've never lost a factory bulb that are 3 times the age & mileage. Hell if these were in my daily/snow beasts they probably would ahve all died with 6 months if thats the case.
 

Badd GT

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I put some HIDs kit from American muscle recently, much better than the stock headlights, not as good as my2014 f150 hids. $250 for the plug and play kit and led fog lights

oops, late model restoration diode dynamics hid's not american muscle
 
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Shotokan1509

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Diodes, not caps, but yes. You need to trick the SJB to use a lower current since the HID's run at a lower amperage than the halogens. The the harness you can buy the factory OEM HID one for about $140.

Doh! It's been years since I did it
 
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07gts197

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I didnt know there was a difference in the years. What about the 10-12 hids? The housings for the fog lights are the same? Im wanting to run hids in mine and swap to a full hid setup but I dont want to put hids in the stock housings and look like a tool.

But the 13-14s have leds? Interesting.
 

Macman45

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10-12 Headlight HIDs are factory projector style, DS3 style bulb. The fogs are still ugly halogens, there was never an HID option. I deleted mine, they're hideous when coupled with HID's. I do like the 13-14 LED fogs though.
 

07gts197

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My buddy had a 10 gt with factory hids in reflector housings. Im pretty sure he was the original owner and he didnt really do anything to the car. And Im pretty sure the fogs were hids as well. I could be wrong though.

I agree about the 13-14 fogs. I dont really care for those 2 years but they had some nice features.
 

07gts197

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I understand the stock hids suck but is it because of the housings or lights themselves?

Im trying to find a housing I like. Projectors dont look good on these cars imo and oem hid housings are expensive and suck. I compared pics of the stock hid housings and halogen housings and I only see 2 differences, this anti glare bar and a cutoff line in the reflector bowl. Stock halogen housings do not have this glare bar(?) but instead the bulbs are capped, unlike hids, to eliminate a hot spot but I see a few aftermarket oem style reflector housings use one of these shields, or whatever theyre called.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/381453547454

Just a thought but if I were to run those housings and 35w 4300k hids would it be similar to oem hids? I do understand theyre not meant for hids and do not have that cutoff so theyre not optimal but I wonder if the two are comparable.
 

o2sys

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I've never compared the actual reflector bowls between halogens and HIDs beside the obvious difference the HID has the hi/lo beam flaps in the front.

But what you will notice is how the light bounces off the reflectors.

If you put HIDs in a halogen housing you will notice that the entire housing gets filled with light meanwhile on the HID housing just the top half gets gets filled. Halogens will scatter the light more while the HIDs will have a more concentrated light.
 

Macman45

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I understand the stock hids suck but is it because of the housings or lights themselves?

Im trying to find a housing I like. Projectors dont look good on these cars imo and oem hid housings are expensive and suck. I compared pics of the stock hid housings and halogen housings and I only see 2 differences, this anti glare bar and a cutoff line in the reflector bowl. Stock halogen housings do not have this glare bar(?) but instead the bulbs are capped, unlike hids, to eliminate a hot spot but I see a few aftermarket oem style reflector housings use one of these shields, or whatever theyre called.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/381453547454

Just a thought but if I were to run those housings and 35w 4300k hids would it be similar to oem hids? I do understand theyre not meant for hids and do not have that cutoff so theyre not optimal but I wonder if the two are comparable.

If you want a cheaper route of just putting in HID bulbs without the proper housing, get a set of Retro Solutions with the bulb-capping service. They solder on a small metal flat that prevents the light from shooting out straight away and forces it back, similar to the OEM style. That will have good light output and won't blind other drivers as bad.

Another option is factory HID housings with aftermarket bulbs like I have, I put in 5000K Diode Dynamics bulbs, 35w and it's night and day over the OEM style bulbs. Clean white light, no blue, and way better light output.
 

o2sys

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Also putting a d3s rather than d3r also helps to get more light output on the factory HIDs.
 

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