"get done and cheap as possible", is like the saying of 'you get what you pay for' and... it goes / SHOWS really well with these headlights.

I won't elaborate much, but in short the bulb design of these HID kits could actually LOWER the real function of these projectors, that is...to disperse light that is usable and non-glaring.

One way you could really compare / prove this HID > Halogen bulbs situation.. go out and buy the most expensive sylvania halogen bulbs *at walmart*, run them for a few nights. Take a few pictures. Then run your HID kits for a few nights, take pictures of course. Then return the sylvania bulbs if you aren't satisfied, wal-mart takes every refund.

Only then will people understand / help each other out with real-world knowledge instead of all the speculation and mis-lead information.

 

I ran Sylvania Silverstar Ultras for a few months before installing the HIDs.

The real-world knowledge I gained from that?...the HIDs provide MUCH better visibility and look fantastic. Additionally, I haven't been flashed once and I HAVEN'T modified the squirrel finder tab in the projector. Oh yeah, they only cost $10 more than the Sylvania's.

I spent $50 on a kit from a decently reputable vendor. As far as bang for the buck goes, it's probably the best change I've done to my car.

So yes, for this application HID > Halogen bulbs.

Plenty of people who have visited and contributed to this thread have understood / helped each other out with the same type of real-world knowledge I just shared. If it were speculation and mis-lead information, the moderators wouldn't have stickied it.

 

Interesting perspective.. You might/likely be right..

BUT all I wish to say is there is drastic improvement with my no-name 35w 8k HID kit. Last time i checked those sylvannia bulbs are like forty dollars at least... and look stock from an onlooker perspective..
My kit cost 51 after shipping and look great and aftermarket.

 

+ 300

 

It would help out if you defined visibility such as in ??

What I would define "usable, and improved visibility" in regards to halogen vs HID kits is simply as put.....

To me, visibility would include ground lighting, width, intensity (lumens), evenly distributed light.

Yes, HID may have more intensity and most likely concentrated in a certain area, then you might think that's more "visible" to you...because you would no longer have light output in areas that halogen bulbs provide, and your eyes will view only whats visible during the usage of the HID bulbs.

But consider the factors I have listed above and you will have a different view of "usable and visible" light output.

Great that you've used both sylvania ultras and an HID kit now. To actually show that your perception isn't deceived, pictures would prove best, this will help eliminate psychological bias.

 

There really isn't a need for all these definitions you are asking for. You put in the HIDs, and you notice that you can see a whole lot better. That's all the definition you need.

 

$50 HID kit vs a $40 Sylvania Silver Star.... I would go for the HID kit.

biglilsteve said it best. Most of us are not looking for an expensive upgrade.

I am no expert in car stuff but once I put in HID's I noticed a big difference in visibility.
I can see road signs and reflectors on cars parked far away. And the lines on the road are also more visible even when it's all wet. I didn't see all this with halogens

I don't know about lumens or evenly distributed light but the difference is there and alot of road stuff just light up once the HID's are in.

Perhaps a retro fit would light up more stuff? Perhaps. But I don't think I would spend $300 on that though.

 

Relative only to the driver's eyes during operation of that certain bulb / kit. Comparing it with pictures or another model would demonstrate a better understanding. Again, pictures would remove any psychological bias.

But if you believe the a narrow 12-feet wide beam in front of your car and the high-hitting signs to the right determine better visibility, keep on rocking the HIDs

As for me, I like the visibility of seeing at least 25+ extra feet to the right-side of my driving and 15+ feet to my left and not just focusing on what could possibly be directly in front of my car.

 

Of course everyone here would prefer to see waaaay to the left and waaaay to the right, just like you. But that comes at a much greater cost of time, money, and know-how that comes with retrofitting...which not everyone has.

And photos arent going to make things any more objective just due to the simple fact that there are countless different cameras operating at countless different settings.

 

Not to break up the exciting and meaningful conversation, but does anyone know where I can get some replacement bulbs for my DDM kit with metal tabs? The ones they sent didn't really fit at all, I had to really wrestle with them.

 

I say you post the pictures.
Since ur so Gun Ho on making a case....
Make your case and support it.

 

Metal tabs for what?

 

The stock bulbs had three metal tabs that locked it in to the housing. The ones I got had three plastic tabs, one of which fell off during shipping.

 

^^
That doesn't sound like a H11 bulb...9006 maybe? Regardless, I'd start with theretrofitsource. But any bulgs with the standard amp connections will work fine.

 

during shipping huh.. riiiight jk


weird ... my OEM bulbs had plastic tabs and so did the HIDs

 

You should have seen the box. It looked like someone jumped on it a few times. Maybe the guys at customs were angry that day

I'll check it out again, maybe I was being retarded.

 

Why don't my bulbs have tabs? I just pressed them in and twisted...

 

I think we have the same thing and I'm bad at descriptions.

 

something had to hook upon twisting to keep it in place....

 

Omggggg really??????

I was thinking of the ACTUAL tabs that a 9006 bulb has to keep it in place.