mezzoni

i want low's and fog's for sure, and maybe hi's, i havent decided yet. they range so much in price i dont want to pay what seems like to be a good price and have them burn out after a month. so whats a reliable site or brand to buy from? also idk what wattage to get, 55 or 30 (i think thats what they come in, right?) and the sizing i believe i can figure out. and i know i want 6000k.

so where/who/what to buy from, at a good price?
and what wattage?

thank you very much

Mattyfresh89

You're right on the money with 6000k anything above is insane even 4300k are nice. I dont want to get yelled at for posting a non-sponsor site so I will tell you this:


I got 6000K for the high and low beams and went with a CHEAP brand. The brand name is "Pyle" which is notoriously known for makin crappy car stereo components. To be honest I've had them in for a few months and have no problems at all. My only complaint is that the Balast boxes are big and pretty silly looking.


I paid $50 for each set and they continue to impress.



Word of wisdom: If you're going to do the 880 foglight bulbs go with a digital slim balast box. This way you wont have to worry about mounting some massive box under the bumper. And my foglights are yet to melt, which is a common problem with the plastic assemblies.



_matt

Super Speed

iTrader: (8)

From what I've read/seen you really don't need the high's since they take a few seconds to "warm up". You can pick up the fog's on Ebay for 30$ just make sure you get it from a US seller or you will have to wait quite a bit for them to get here!

If you are set on high beam HID's, do a search for "Bixenon"

mezzoni

ok i also read that you need projectors, or they are highly recommended. is that just for camaros? im assuming it applies to every vehicle including trans ams right? if so where do i get those and whats a good price for those?

Black96z28

You can retrofit HID's into any vehicle. Blackbird Lighting Solutions is a sponsor on here, everybody speaks well of them (including me). They happen to sell their kits for all 4th gen models. http://www.blackbirdlighting.com/ or search on the forum for their kits for more information.

It is not a necessity to use projectors, however you and everyone else around you will thank you for using them.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

If you're doing it make it worth while and do it correct... Install projectors with HIDs.

Mattyfresh89

Honestly the hid's look fine without installing projectors. I have aftermarket headlight assemblies with no projectors with 6000k hid's and they look mint. Just get some plug and play kits and you'll be happy.

I'd be glad to post pics of nighttime use if not a video. Get new projection fog lights if you're going to bother at all


Just my 0.02

_matt

Black96z28

It's not a question of their appearance. The problem is that light gets scattered at the wrong angles and causes glare.

Get some pics. Do it. I'll explain it with your own pics.

Take pictures at knee level, chest level and while holding your camera above your head. I will do the same for mine. Post as soon as you can.

metalmilitia606

iTrader: (8)

^^^ exactly. Get projectors and do it right or skip the HID's. Honestly, silverstars in the lmc housings make better light output than HID's without projectors. I am talking "usable" light not sheer light power. I have the silverstar setup on my T/A and it works great.

Mattyfresh89

So... How wouldn't any pictures show glare when you're directly in front of a light source with a camera?


My pictures would show the spread of light against a garage door or aiming down a dark road to show the spread and reach of the light without the aid of a projector.

Haha

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

I went the cheap/incorrect route at first so I can do it.. I already know what is wrong and why but I'll post the pics.

Fogs- 35W 6K Lows- 55W 8K... Fogs are ebay xentec and lows are DDMtuning
LOWS

FOGS


LOWS/FOGS

O THE GLARE!!! PITIFUL!!! DANGEROUS!!!

NOTICE THE HOT SPOT

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

Once you actually learn a little about lighting and read some ^^^^ pictures like that will make you laugh and cringe. FWIW if I would have pulled 20FT out on a garage door the light scattered would have been 100Xs worse than even the pics showed above. Absolutely unreal how people try to defend that.

Ignorance is bliss?

metalmilitia606

iTrader: (8)

Good pics lemons. I'm pretty sure I have flashlights that have a better light spread than those haha. Hopefully OP does the right thing.

robs98mysticz

35 watt will be fine for your lows and fogs they are more than bright enough ive had my vvme's for well over a year and a half and have had no problems whatsoever!

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

I aimed mine for hours on end and still got flashed regularly... I got in another car with a friend in mine, DANGEROUS! Period. When I was behind people at red lights or following on a road I would see them adjusting mirrors to get the light out of there face. Blinding and dangerous.. They shouldn't have to worry about adjusting mirrors while driving on a country road at night because of my head lights.
It is dangerous, PERIOD.

I instantly went and did my research for projectors. Might not be the baddest retrofit out there but it is in a whole other world compared to my old setup with a small amount invested.

metalmilitia606

iTrader: (8)

Interesting. Care to share your setup? My friend does retrofits for a job and we have been researching for literally a year now on a set up for the birds. BLS has a good start, but they use those hella halogen projectors. We want to try and get a true HID projector in there somehow.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

You wouldn't have any interest in mine then.

I was looking for a lower cost/DIY with not too much involved but still gave half way results of a true HID projector.

I went with TRAM's setup. I bought the adapters he made and the Hella lamps... Pretty much direct plug and play... If you can change a head light, you can install this. The lows were 200$ for the projectr setup and the HID kit, can't hardly beat that.

It isn't much but it is simple, cost effective, and works as good as I need it to.

A true OEM retro fit would be better but would be harder to complete, more pricey, etc..

However, if someone marketed something similar, I guarantee it would sell like hot cakes because of the price.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

What was your projected cost for the kit? I know that sways a LOT of people away from BLS.

Black96z28

Unfortunately, I can guarantee that any camera that you've got will not pick up the light being scattered for 2 reasons.

1. Cast on a garage door you will be too close and the camera will auto level to the brightest part, the concentrated beam.

2. The down the road shot - Again your camera will auto level and only pick up the brightest parts. It will not show all the light being cast way up in the air.

The difference is the cutoff. Where does it NOT allow the light to go.
Your kit will cause glare like my high beams even above your head.

All pics were taken from 40 feet in front of my car.

Low beam knee level

chest level

over my head

High beam knee level

chest level

over my head


Stop sign test - will yours glare?

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

100% correct, my pics make them look not as bad.. They are terrible.