HID Legality
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 17
From: Chico,CA
Technically, yes aftermarket HID is illegal for on road use says the DOT. But I don't think anyone has gotten into trouble with the law. As long as you stick with 4300k which is close to exactly what the OEMs use, you'll be just fine. The cutoff is not clean as OEM but the light above the cutoff isn't full intensity to blind on coming traffic. The blue tint and other colors are what cops look for.
I was hesitant at first just like you but I decided to get 4300k from Mobilehid. The install is easy. I decided to go HID because the stock halogens were just too weak for my liking. I don't regret it.
I was hesitant at first just like you but I decided to get 4300k from Mobilehid. The install is easy. I decided to go HID because the stock halogens were just too weak for my liking. I don't regret it.
Senior Member
SL Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 615
From: San Diego, CA
If you hide the ballasts well enough then it would be hard to to tell. Mine are actually in plain view but I'm not worried about getting pulled over for them (I have 4300k). The cutoff of our projectors isn't terrible, but there is some light that's scattered above the cutoff due to the "squirrel finders" . If you bake your headlights open you can remove the squirrel finders easily and you'll end up with a pretty nice light pattern. I haven't done this and I don't really plan to. But if I do I'm going to smoke the insides of the lights while I do it - kill two birds with one stone...
I have a friend with an xB2 and 8000K HIDs. He was pulled over because one light was out. My friend even said to the cop, "yes. one of my HIDs is out" and the cop didn't even say anything about the HIDs. He didn't even say anything about the 8000k temperature. My friend on the other hand has realized that 8000k does not produce enough light and will switch to 4300k or 5000k.
I have a friend with an xB2 and 8000K HIDs. He was pulled over because one light was out. My friend even said to the cop, "yes. one of my HIDs is out" and the cop didn't even say anything about the HIDs. He didn't even say anything about the 8000k temperature. My friend on the other hand has realized that 8000k does not produce enough light and will switch to 4300k or 5000k.
Senior Member
SL Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 291
From: Jamaica, NY
Originally Posted by pyroman131
I think here in Florida having painted head and tail lamps is illegal, but don't quote me on that. I'm not looking to bake my lamps in order to get rid of the squirrel finder.
The thing is I definitely want the blueish look seen on premium cars, but I hear that 4300 is too much of a warm white and that I'd get more color with a 5000k. 6000 would probably be too much blue, so I definitely want to get as close as possible to that blue look.
HID projector lamps on premium cars feature blue tint in order to create that light effect with 4300. But I want that effect on my Scion and I want it to be somewhat legal. Or close enough to not be detected as illegal.
If possible, I'd love to have some Scion members who have 4300, 5000, and 6000 HIDs respectively to put up a picture of color quality of each one. Right now I'm leaning toward 5k.
The thing is I definitely want the blueish look seen on premium cars, but I hear that 4300 is too much of a warm white and that I'd get more color with a 5000k. 6000 would probably be too much blue, so I definitely want to get as close as possible to that blue look.
HID projector lamps on premium cars feature blue tint in order to create that light effect with 4300. But I want that effect on my Scion and I want it to be somewhat legal. Or close enough to not be detected as illegal.
If possible, I'd love to have some Scion members who have 4300, 5000, and 6000 HIDs respectively to put up a picture of color quality of each one. Right now I'm leaning toward 5k.
On stock FX35 SUV's and new Mercedes SUVs, you will see a yellow beam from far away because the colorband/cutoff is yellow. However, with the nissan maxima's, bmw's and audis, you will see blue because the cutoff/colorband is blue.
Senior Member
Utah Scions
SL Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,139
From: City of Salt, Utah
Not just the shield, the OEM xB projectors have frensel lenses. If you can get the lenses out without breaking the tabs, then you could try to swap with some TSX lenses or some knock off FX35 lenses that are clear.
I haven't tried to remove my lenses, but I do want to perform a retrofit. But finding the correct RX330 projectors have proved to be quite a task.
I haven't tried to remove my lenses, but I do want to perform a retrofit. But finding the correct RX330 projectors have proved to be quite a task.
Senior Member
SL Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,892
From: Long Island/Daytona Beach
not sure how ur guys' projectors effect light color, but I've had 6K on my tC for over a year, Lived in FL for the past half year and the other half in NY. Never had a cop say anything about em.
Senior Member
Utah Scions
SL Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,139
From: City of Salt, Utah
Originally Posted by striker_1818
you can get color out of fresnel lenses, too.
I've had 8000K (I don't suggest it...) in my xB for over a year now and I've had no hassles.
Originally Posted by striker_1818
you can get color out of fresnel lenses, too.
My buddies who see me coming from a far tell me that my 5k hids do that "white to blue to white" thing when I hit a bump or dip. I'm actually going to 4300k because my 5k have gotten so blue after almost 2 years of use lol.
Senior Member
SL Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,337
From: Merced, CA
i find it pointless upgrading to HID's. as long as you can see with the oem lights, why replacement? just replacement em' with oem bulbs once they die. it's true that aftermarket HID's scatter and are freakin' annoying because a ton of cars are equipped with them on the street these days. just forget about the HIDs and stick with what you got from the factory.