HID kit...is this a good deal?

What does the round table think? All responses / advice much appreciated.

A friend, of a friend, of a friend (you know how that story goes), can get me a HID Xenon conversion kit for $110. Good deal? I'm itchin to pull the trigger and give it a try. My friend has never done me wrong before (but there's always a first for everything! )

Not much into mods and upgrades (lived in a cave for most of my life), but I feel a change in the wind...

1.Components of 1kit:2 pcs ballasts & 2 pcs 35W bulbs,and related attachment.
2.Specification:
Normal Input Voltage:12V
Allowable Input Voltage:8~18V
Normal Input Current:3.5A
Ignition Voltage:23KV
Operating Temperature Range:-40C~+105C
Life Time: 3000 hours
Bulb Wattage: 35W
Luminous Flux:3,200 LM
3.Approval:ISO9001;2000;E-MARK
4.Available bulbs:H1,H3,H4,H4(xenon-halogen),H4(hi-low)H7,H9,H11,H13,9004,9004(hi-low),9005,9006,9007,9007(hi-low),H13,H13(hi-low)D2S,D2R ect.
5.Color Temperature:4,300K,4500k,5,000K,6,000K,8,000K,10,000K,12,000 Kect.

Here's a pic, which i'm sure the Mods will delete soon enough...
Thanks again for the tips gang

Looks and sounds good for the price...but.
What kind of warranty is on it? You could be buying $110 worth of components that work for 30 days and goes out. I'm sure it's made in china, where mass production of HID kits now in the market has prices lower than ever. But quality and availability to exchange or get replaced are factors now. Buying from someone who can replace if/when something goes wrong is a reason to pay more. Then again for those who buy just aftermarket bulbs to look like Xenon for a little more can have the same thing.

What kind of warranty is on it?

Just now told that 1yr. on ballasts and bulbs (I would have to return bad ballast or bulb to receive new one). That does not sound too bad...

Thanks Alex for your advice.


Just seems like everything is made in China or Taiwan now (global economy). I bought a clone version, or should say the same thing but different name, of the Baum iScan diag tool and it works great! Have had it for 18 months and no problems whatsoever.

Correct me if I am wrong, it's no good to have this w/o projector. If you have halo now, you need a whole headlight assembly with projector build in.

Those types of upgrade kits are garbage. They are not upgrades at all. Do you want your headlights to put light on the road for you to see or shine it all over the place into the eyes of other drivers?

Putting bulbs like those into reflectors/housings not designed for them is a HORRIBLE idea.

Correct me if I am wrong, it's no good to have this w/o projector. If you have halo now, you need a whole headlight assembly with projector build in

Will be upgrading the headlights as well to go along with whatever HID kit I get.

Thanks willb!

Those types of upgrade kits are garbage. They are not upgrades at all. Do you want your headlights to put light on the road for you to see or shine it all over the place into the eyes of other drivers?

Putting bulbs like those into reflectors/housings not designed for them is a HORRIBLE idea.

Good points, Curious.
Just that with more and more education I get from my marketing and global business classes, I am seeing more and more how products are sold...especially from China, Japan, Europe, etc.

I know a lot of you know that plenty of big companies buy their products from China and then slap their logo on it.

I was kinda hoping someone will recognize this HID kit and say it looks just like so and so, etc.

Thank and sorry if I stoled the thread.

It's all good!

Originally Posted by GRIDLOCK

Good points, Curious.
Just that with more and more education I get from my marketing and global business classes, I am seeing more and more how products are sold...especially from China, Japan, Europe, etc.

I know a lot of you know that plenty of big companies buy their products from China and then slap their logo on it.

I was kinda hoping someone will recognize this HID kit and say it looks just like so and so, etc.

If you want to upgrade, I would do it with projectors like the P46 units. That way they will focus the light correctly.

Here is a good synopsis of the issue:

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...nversions.html

I think its fine to run them in reflector housings, as long as you know what you're doing. First, get a D2R bulb which is meant specifically for HID reflector housings (Acura TL, 350z, Prius, etc.). Then position it so that the shroud which is painted on the D2R bulb (only the D2R, D2s does not have this shroud) is facing the bottom reflector so no light hits it. Adjust/level your headlights accordingly, and you're set.

http://www.autolamps-online.com/gasd...techcentre.htm

Originally Posted by curious_george

Those types of upgrade kits are garbage. They are not upgrades at all. Do you want your headlights to put light on the road for you to see or shine it all over the place into the eyes of other drivers?

Putting bulbs like those into reflectors/housings not designed for them is a HORRIBLE idea.

Originally Posted by grzes12nowicki

You need to educate yourself.

Originally Posted by curious_george

Those types of upgrade kits are garbage. They are not upgrades at all. Do you want your headlights to put light on the road for you to see or shine it all over the place into the eyes of other drivers?

Putting bulbs like those into reflectors/housings not designed for them is a HORRIBLE idea.

Sorry if this is stealing the thread but is it advise not to upgrade to HID if you have Halogen lights as OEM.

By 330i already has HID so I just upgraded to the 6000K D2S Bulbs but I was in the process of upgrading my wife's 4Runner from Halogen to HID - I was told that I could just replace the Halogen bulbs with the new HID bulbs and still use the reflector that's originally in the housing.

Thank and sorry if I stoled the thread.

Originally Posted by curious_george

Those types of upgrade kits are garbage. They are not upgrades at all. Do you want your headlights to put light on the road for you to see or shine it all over the place into the eyes of other drivers?

Putting bulbs like those into reflectors/housings not designed for them is a HORRIBLE idea.

thats a really dumb statement.

i have some HID's from ebay.. payed 105 shipped.. work great and had them for a couple months now..

i have them in halogen headlights pointed down and my buddy drove my car from more than a mile away and the whole time it approached it never got as bad as any of the halogens that were behind him. they were actually less intense to my eyes and put more light on the road.

maybe you should actually check it out in real life before assuming like most on this forum.

Originally Posted by BreakMyWallet

thats a really dumb statement.

i have some HID's from ebay.. payed 105 shipped.. work great and had them for a couple months now..

i have them in halogen headlights pointed down and my buddy drove my car from more than a mile away and the whole time it approached it never got as bad as any of the halogens that were behind him. they were actually less intense to my eyes and put more light on the road.

maybe you should actually check it out in real life before assuming like most on this forum.

It is not a dumb statement at all. EDUCATE YOURSELF. Do yourself a favor and read the link I posted above. It is probably the best summary of the situation I have found. Maybe then you will understand.

Your awesome $105 ebay kit "works well" when pointed down? Sounds pretty optimal to me. I am not sure what you are looking for in headlamps, but for me I value lighting performance. I GUARANTEE YOU that your "kit" in your halogen reflector does not "work well". The fact that it does not blind other drivers because the lights are aimed down does not equate to lighting performance.

You really should have a projector lense to focus the light correctly... Like someone else said up there, a halogen reflector will scatter the light all over the place. Somoene on here did a comparison when he upgraded his fogs. He has pics of them with the halogen reflectors and then with the projector lenses. Do a search if you want to see the difference.

Originally Posted by sstainba

You really should have a projector lense to focus the light correctly... Like someone else said up there, a halogen reflector will scatter the light all over the place. Somoene on here did a comparison when he upgraded his fogs. He has pics of them with the halogen reflectors and then with the projector lenses. Do a search if you want to see the difference.

it will only cause glare when the bottom reflector is lit. As i mentioned earlier, use the D2R bulb to eliminate the stray light that would otherwise hit the bottom reflector.

Most aftermarket kits come with D2S bulbs. You have to specifically ask or switch them to D2Rs yourself.

Originally Posted by ez12a

it will only cause glare when the bottom reflector is lit. As i mentioned earlier, use the D2R bulb to eliminate the stray light that would otherwise hit the bottom reflector.

Most aftermarket kits come with D2S bulbs. You have to specifically ask or switch them to D2Rs yourself.

You are ignoring the basic problem (you should read that link I posted). While one is designed for a reflector housing, that does not mean a reflector housing that was never meant to deal with HID bulbs in the first place.

and yes the light is more scattered.. but its on the road.. why do you people think its a big deal?

Originally Posted by BreakMyWallet

and yes the light is more scattered.. but its on the road.. why do you people think its a big deal?

Ignorance is truly bliss.