HID head lights

[thestig]

i have been looking around to get some hid lights just wondering how much is a reasonable price.

[maca_10]

me too, im thinking maybe a group buy??

i saw one tuning shop do them for $300 installed but was told that is quite expensive

on ebay they go from anywhere between $20 and $450

like all things on ebay, id stay away from both ends of the spectrum as the $20 ones will probably be fake and the $450 ones will be lined with gold or something stupid like that

This guy has some good ones i think:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/H4-HID-CONVERSION-KIT-BI-XENON-HI-LO-4500K-6000K-8000K-/120490132074?cmd=ViewItem&pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c0dc5826a

good luk trying to find some

[thestig]

yeah i thats what i have noticed that the prices are so varied.

this guy at strathfield told me he can get me some installed for 250 dollars. i might just get them from him, his price is in the middle and if something goes wrong i know where he works lol.

[DJKOR]

This is my take on the subject. I have had $50 (+ $25 shipping) eBay HID kits and had no issues with them whatsoever. Even stayed lit after a crash. And the fact that I am using another $50 kit shows that I still trust them.

Each to their own though. It's your money in the end.

DJ; i personally wouldnt buy a set of HIDs for $75 shipped. You get what you pay for IMO anyway

Each to their own. I've had a $75 kit fitted in my Aurion since the day I started driving it. That means I have had my set for 23 months so far. I do

a lot

of night driving so they get a lot of use and I have even travelled down some really, really bumpy roads while using them (which is one way to wear the bulbs a little harder) and have had absolutely no issues.

I have used cheap kits like these in the past and the two other cars in the family use them as well with absolutely no issues. As far as I'm concerned, getting at least 2 years life out of a $75 kit is money well spent. The technology involved with HID's is a little bit advanced so it takes a fair level of quality in the first place for it to work properly. If it works in the first place, you already have a set of decent quality. The thing that wears these kits out faster than anything else is not taking proper car of them, ie. running them for very short durations, flashing them, not allowing cooling time before turning them on again if you turn them off, and not letting the arc stabilise then driving immediately. The extra wear from some of these conditions isn't drastic, but it's extra wear nevertheless.

Whatever makes you comfortable. Spend what you want.

And some discussion involving the lamps:

What's with the price difference there? And $41.. Is it good quality? Why are there bulbs that's up to $149, on discount from RRP $399?

I know price doesn't always judge things, just curious what's the big difference between those..

It's like asking why one particular product cost X amount in one store when another store offers the exact same product for X amount cheaper. It's all about trying to get profit where they can.

I would say that the $41 lamps are no different to the $18.99 ones. I have handled many sets of eBay HID's and have drawn this conclusion based on that. Chances are, an expensive pair like those listed at $149, are just going to be of equivalent quality as well. Maybe the base may be of a slightly higher quality, but it's the lamp that really matters.

They may try to use reasoning like "Bosch made" or "Philips made", but these are only possible if they start with an OEM Philips or Bosch lamp in a D2/D4 base, remove the OEM base, and fit it into a H11 base etc. These lamps would definitely justify the cost (in which you would be looking at around

$149 per bulb

), but it's not something that is commonly done and you can never guarantee that you are getting a true Philips/Bosch lamp. One key indicator though that they are trying to rip you off when saying they use a Philips or Bosch lamp is the colour temperature. If they offer their "Philips/Bosch" lamps in anything greater than 6000k... then treat it as a scam. No OEM HID is made with a colour temperature greater than 6000k.

The best way for me to put this is that it's ultimately up to you what you want to spend. In my opinion, in the end, all you are paying for is peace of mind while the other guy profits. I currently have a pair of lamps in my Aurion that are equal to those listed for $18.99 (the entire cost of my HID kit was $74 shipped). I have had these in my Aurion for 23 months with a lot of night driving and experiencing a fair amount of bumps while operating (which can reduce their life). There lamps are still going strong, and I would consider them again.

As well, here is some other reply I made that you may want to read. It mostly focuses on the ballasts, but the lamps also have to be up to a decent standard:

Basically though, when it comes to eBay kits, most of them are pretty much the same. As I edited in my post above:

The technology involved with HID's is a little bit advanced so it takes a fair level of quality in the first place for it to work properly. If it works in the first place, you already have a set of decent quality.

In other words, if the kit wasn't up to a good standard, either your bulbs will not ignite, or they will burn out really fast. The thing most people don't realise here is what is involved in HID lighting technology. First you have the lamp which involves a specific gas held under pressure inside the bulb with electrodes on either end that are spaced apart at the right distance, then you have a ballast to drive it which needs to run as per specification to do the job right. There isn't too much room to get either of these things wrong, and if you did, it's going to result in a kit that wears out really really fast.

For those with a more technical mind and want to read up about the HID ballast, here is something for you to read:

Analysis and Design of High-Intensity-Discharge Lamp Ballast for Automotive Headlamp (Thesis - Yongxuan Hu.pdf)

[hAmZ]

yeah any will do the job. if you want to spend a bit more then by all means go for it.

i just found the cheapest on ebay i could and chucked them in.

got some $50 hella ones. think they're made in germany.

no problems what so ever yet, been about a year

Edited June 6, 2010 by hAmZ

[DJKOR]

got some $50 hella ones. think they're made in germany.

I think those are the ones I have. Looks Chinese made to me, despite all the German written all over it.

[pinzvidz]

This is my take on the subject. I have had $50 (+ $25 shipping) eBay HID kits and had no issues with them whatsoever. Even stayed lit after a crash. And the fact that I am using another $50 kit shows that I still trust them.

Sorry for hijacking this thread. Daryl, if you don't mind me asking, which eBay seller are you buying the kits from? And if I'm correct, your Aurion would use H11s?

Edited June 7, 2010 by pinzvidz

[GT4N]

I just got a set replaced... got mine for $150.. 1 year warranty on parts.. off a mate.

I don't mind paying a little more as i can get them on very little notice.. (1 phone call) and then even the same night if he's free.

I think he gets them in from Hong Kong. But i can't see a brand on them other than Xenon Conversion Kit. Mine are 8000k although you might fined that the output would vary between brands as the ones i had prior were 10,000k and they were the same colour as the ones i have now...

They are very easy to install (direct plug in and turn on), I personally wouldn't trust someone not experienced to install them as they might touch the bulb or do something not required...therefore bulbs might not last as long.

But that's just my thoughts...

Good luck with your choice!! Once you go HID, you will NEVER go back!! :)

[DJKOR]

Sorry for hijacking this thread. Daryl, if you don't mind me asking, which eBay seller are you buying the kits from? And if I'm correct, your Aurion would use H11s?

I've bought from 3 different sellers over the last couple of years (no, not replacements for ones that have broken... for other cars) and all have produced the same results.

My most recent seller was 'Ultra Vision HID'.

[Rolla & Sao Boy]

If you boys are chasing locall seller then try Autojoy

Website says $150 incl instal

http://www.autojoy.com.au/20100126_01_hid.html

[TrolleyHopper]

Just watch out for them rolla boy,

I work around the corner from autojoy checked out there website aswell, at lunch drove around to organise, he told me it would $350 for my rolla, i asked him about internet deal he said no starting from $150 your car 350, i said thanks but no thanks

[Rolla & Sao Boy]

Just watch out for them rolla boy,

I work around the corner from autojoy checked out there website aswell, at lunch drove around to organise, he told me it would $350 for my rolla, i asked him about internet deal he said no starting from $150 your car 350, i said thanks but no thanks

Not suprised at all man , countless Businesses seem to do this sort XXXXX.

Really ticks me off to hear about these sorts of rots . I doubt that Website Add will ever be taken off by them !

[brian88]

In Sydney, I brought a hid h7 6000k kit $60.00 and a h4 6000k kit is $100

Edited June 7, 2010 by brian88

[stock]

HID KIT

18 months local warranty

Platinum Visuals 6000K H1 Kit

All of our HID kits are QC tested/passed and come with 12 months local warranty.

Please be assured that our kits are extensively tested before shipment to our customers to provide you with only the best performance from our kits.

Our ballasts are equipped with Power-Off protection and Wrong-Terminal Protection, which protects the ballasts against mis-mounting & also provide a high intensity beam beam which never fluctuates.

H7 6000K Slim Ballast Single Kit 6000K - $89 Posted SPECIAL

sales@platinumvisuals.com.au

a guy from work bought some from them and it seem alright!!

Edited June 7, 2010 by stock

[Kenneth.]

Just buy a kit you like and install it yourself. It's not hard and you can't go wrong. Save the extra pennies towards something else. :)

I use a Kaixen HID kit, though they have a slight price premium. But the colour, clarity, and quality is awesome. I would recommend them if you aren't on a tight budget.

Edited June 7, 2010 by Kenneth.

[master.Cuong]

like kenneth said they are quality built and they're awesome! But any will do like other say.

[Jokar]

I just bought my HID kit recently in Melbourne, the kit was 110 and fitted was another 30 so $140 all together, i haven't had it on for that long but they look great and have been installed quite well