HID Headlights

[Honda.driver]

I'm looking to replace my headlights, where are some good, reliable places to get them from? Also what is the best ones to get, I have read that retro is the way to go or pnp is the best way to go, but I have no idea on what to get. I know that I want 6000k and I know that my bulb size is 9006 and 9005 but thats all.

[dennisho18]

Just get the pnp kits, and dont listen to anyone cause a retro can cost 10x more then just a kit. mines was ~$1000.

[Honda.driver]

What is a good website to go to?

[hardboiledhk]

Just get the pnp kits, and dont listen to anyone cause a retro can cost 10x more then just a kit. mines was ~$1000.

Where did you get your retro done, and what kind of projectors did you use? Thanks.

[Honda.driver]

I haven't done anything to them yet. You can find more info in the projectors at www.hidplanet.com.

[1stHonda]

i can get you a PNP kit in any K for $130 shipped. Let me know. Its through a deal from another site.

btw, i'm not sure if we should be getting a 35w or 50w kit..i'm planning on ordering one soon... Does any1 have the answer?

[kashmoney]

excuse my ''newbieness" but does PNP stand for plug and play?
if so, can someone let me know if i'm right about the following:
PNP - basically are HID bulbs + ballast?
Retro - bulbs + ballasts + projector? heck i dont even know for sure wat the projector is...im guessing its a 'lens' in a way.......anyone have a good website with info....dont wanna bug anyoen to have to type a whole explanation....thanks

[blks2k02]

Plug n Play
basically a HID bulb with the ballast. you take your bulb out.. OEM harness hooks up to the ballast, the HID bulb hooks up to the ballast and you plug in your HID lights in the headlight housing... simply plug and play.
PnP HID kits range from cheap ones to most expensive ones. they do say the more expensive ones are guranteed... and has a sharper lights... coupes have projector headlights so these kits will work.. some even say that the projectors on the coupe are based on halogen bulbs so they are not even good, but all to their own...

retro
i think retro is like almost disecting a retro headlight with the HID/projector out of some car and sergically putting it into your car. requires a lot of detail work. basically taking the headlight housing apart by "cooking" the headlight and aligning the projector.. then using a silicon glues to put the housing back.... etc..etc. because the sedans dont have the projector, they preferred this on sedans.. but again.. there are many people on this forum that drive a sedan and have HID pnP kits.. so..


hope that explains some of your questions...

[kashmoney]

Plug n Play
basically a HID bulb with the ballast. you take your bulb out.. OEM harness hooks up to the ballast, the HID bulb hooks up to the ballast and you plug in your HID lights in the headlight housing... simply plug and play.
PnP HID kits range from cheap ones to most expensive ones. they do say the more expensive ones are guranteed... and has a sharper lights... coupes have projector headlights so these kits will work.. some even say that the projectors on the coupe are based on halogen bulbs so they are not even good, but all to their own...

retro
i think retro is like almost disecting a retro headlight with the HID/projector out of some car and sergically putting it into your car. requires a lot of detail work. basically taking the headlight housing apart by "cooking" the headlight and aligning the projector.. then using a silicon glues to put the housing back.... etc..etc. because the sedans dont have the projector, they preferred this on sedans.. but again.. there are many people on this forum that drive a sedan and have HID pnP kits.. so..


hope that explains some of your questions...

it helps a lot..much appreciated..thanks

[Ice]

Here's more reading material for ya. Explanation of the fundamental difference between HID and Halogen, with comparison!
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/conversions/conversions.html

Make sure to watch the movie, and the PDF :)

[mitchleary]

Here's more reading material for ya. Explanation of the fundamental difference between HID and Halogen, with comparison!
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/conversions/conversions.html

Make sure to watch the movie, and the PDF :)

Great info. I took Dan's advice and almost doubled the brightness on my headlights. Installing different bulbs was safer, easier, and cheaper than installing a kit.

Pics can be found in thread if interested.

[Ice]

Great info. I took Dan's advice and almost doubled the brightness on my headlights. Installing different bulbs was safer, easier, and cheaper than installing a kit.

Pics can be found in thread if interested.

I found your post! :naughty: http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/showpost.php?p=223129&postcount=15

Very impressive!! Those HIR bulbs are better than I thought. I was holding off upgrading HID until I hear back from my buddy currently stationed in Japan. He is going to do a thorough inspection on the Inspire and see how they implemented the HID on the sedan. Us sedan owners sure got the shaft!

1) Retrofit - Best way to go. However, projector inside reflector = yucky during the day. Expensive! Around $1200 after all is said and done. Sure looks good at night though.

2) HID PnP kit - :lmao::lmao::lmao:

3) Sylvania Silverstars - Meh, I used to have them in my old car. I like the Xtravision much better.

4) Inspire OEM HID - Gonna take time to make sure it works. Might have to import a set of Inspire headlight. $$ :paranoid:

5) HIR... mmmm I just might have to grab a pair after seeing those pictures. :yes:

Edit: To avoid confusion, Mitch has clarified that his low beam pictures are NOT HIR. They are H9 bulbs in H11 sockets. Sedan uses 9006 for low beam = no go.

[mitchleary]

I found your post! :naughty: http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/showpost.php?p=223129&postcount=15

Very impressive!! Those HIR bulbs are better than I thought. I was holding off upgrading HID until I hear back from my buddy currently stationed in Japan. He is going to do a thorough inspection on the Inspire and see how they implemented the HID on the sedan. Us sedan owners sure got the shaft!

1) Retrofit - Best way to go. However, projector inside reflector = yucky during the day. Expensive! Around $1200 after all is said and done. Sure looks good at night though.

2) HID PnP kit - :lmao::lmao::lmao:

3) Sylvania Silverstars - Meh, I used to have them in my old car. I like the Xtravision much better.

4) Inspire OEM HID - Gonna take time to make sure it works. Might have to import a set of Inspire headlight. $$ :paranoid:

5) HIR... mmmm I just might have to grab a pair after seeing those pictures. :yes:

The pics I have on the post are not HIR bulbs, they are just standard Narva H9 bulbs(they had to be modded a bit to fit in the H11 sockets). I think pretty good replacement for ~12 bucks a bulb.
My Hi beams are HIR. I told people I would post pics of those as well, but no one responded. If you want I can start a thread when i get home and post some of my hi beam shots as well. :D

I admit retrofit would be sweet though. especially you can get that Inspire set.

Let me know if you need any info.

[Ice]

The pics I have on the post are not HIR bulbs, they are just standard Narva H9 bulbs(they had to be modded a bit to fit in the H11 sockets). I think pretty good replacement for ~12 bucks a bulb.
My Hi beams are HIR. I told people I would post pics of those as well, but no one responded. If you want I can start a thread when i get home and post some of my hi beam shots as well. :D

I admit retrofit would be sweet though. especially you can get that Inspire set.

Let me know if you need any info.

Oh, hmm, *goes hunt for HIR lowbeam pictures*

Thanks for the clarification! :thmsup:

P.S. Did you upgrade the harness as well? Or is that just the bulb upgrade?

[mitchleary]

Oh, hmm, *goes hunt for HIR lowbeam pictures*

Thanks for the clarification! :thmsup:

P.S. Did you upgrade the harness as well? Or is that just the bulb upgrade?


No harness work needed the H9 bulbs are 65w. The only thing I had to do was alter the bulbs a bit so it would go into the H11 socket and the H11 plug would fit onto the bulb.

The HIR hi-beams were a bit more money like 5 bucks a bulb in case you you were wanting to change those as well. They will need a bit of work to fit as well. A good bonus of the HIR is that the bulbs last twice as long as the oem bulbs.

[Honda.driver]

I'm confused on the HID lights, Can I use my DRL after I install my HID kit? Also is it possible for me to leave my lights on auto? I'm reading mixed material on this. Anyone have an answer that has installed the HID kits?

[Ice]

I'm confused on the HID lights, Can I use my DRL after I install my HID kit? Also is it possible for me to leave my lights on auto? I'm reading mixed material on this. Anyone have an answer that has installed the HID kits?

Your DRL is your Bright with 5w going to it... No reason not to leave your lights on auto with HID. My folks' Lexus RX350 has auto on and it has OEM HID... But please, HID kits = :thumbsdow. Please look back on page 1 and read the link I posted...

[mitchleary]

I'm confused on the HID lights, Can I use my DRL after I install my HID kit? Also is it possible for me to leave my lights on auto? I'm reading mixed material on this. Anyone have an answer that has installed the HID kits?


i have heard people pull the fuse for the DRLs. When I was looking at getting a PnP kir before I read more about them, I talked to a guy that said he could rewire my car to leave my low beams on when my hi beams were on to minimize the on/off on the HIDs. I guess the on/off is not good for the ballasts.

Just another reason to make it a pain in the a. For me right now the best option was upgrade the bulbs, if in the future i get a retrofit that is fine, if not the H9s are plenty bright.

Another huge bonus, they are legal and will not blind other drivers. Check out the link ICE posted.Actually there are quite a few good articles on that site.

[Ice]

I had a chat with Daniel Stern. He seemed to know his bulbs pretty well :p. Well, for the coupe, using H9 bulbs in place of the H11 sockets, like what Mitch did, is the best way to go. For the sedan, using the inefficient 9006, HIR is the best way to go, in term of halogen. It will get close to HID territory in term of brightness. The next step up is, ofcourse, HID. Putting HID in reflectors, in my opinion, cheapens the car. I will wait for my friend in Japan and see what he has to say about the Inspire headlights. I drove around town today and paid more attentions to the car with HID lights. I could pick out which car is OEM and which car has PnP kit from a mile away. OEM has flickers and it looks expensive. Cars that have PnP kit looks like it came straight out of Mexico. So PnP kits, look worse than stock, cheapens the car, AND blind other drivers... No thanks.

So, HIR bulbs will suffice for now. I have placed order for a pair. I will post pictures after I installed in the car later this week.

[SixPackABS]

@ice
I am looking forward to see those pics bro.

[disphoboi]

If you do end up buying a HID pnp Kits, do you need also relay harness with it?

[Schu]

"Other drivers that appear to have been dazzled by the headlamps"

LOL, thats awesome.

May I ask why you guys do this conversion?

[Ice]

"Other drivers that appear to have been dazzled by the headlamps"

LOL, thats awesome.

May I ask why you guys do this conversion?

Like I posted earlier, PnP HID kit, especially in reflectors, look cheap and blind other drivers. Retrofit projector into reflector looks a little weird during the day. Inspire HID headlights will take time. Silverstar bulbs are a waste of money. So, HIR bulbs are the best option right now.

Why H9 bulbs in H11 socket? It's $12/bulb and it yields almost 2x brightness without blinding people.

I plan to take pictures of the projection of the RX350 (HID in projector), 2001 Acura TL (OEM HID in reflectors), 08 Accord Sedan stock and after replacement of HIR bulbs.

Just a note for people arguing that it's ok to throw PnP kit in their reflectors, pointing at the Acura TL as proof. Acura TL uses D2R bulbs, instead of D2S. It has a shield to blocks the bottom half of the reflector. That is why it doesn't blind oncoming traffic and it looks good.

[SixPackABS]

@Ice
Am I right in saying that ,,,,,
HIR 9011 is for replacing High beam stock
HIR 9012 is for replacing Low beam stock

Most likely I would be getting one that replaces the Low beam cause isn't it that we only use the low beam most of the time....

[mitchleary]

@Ice
Am I right in saying that ,,,,,
HIR 9011 is for replacing High beam stock
HIR 9012 is for replacing Low beam stock

Most likely I would be getting one that replaces the Low beam cause isn't it that we only use the low beam most of the time....



What are your stock sockets? My Hi beams are 9005 and I replaced them with 9011 HIR bulbs.

If you have 9006 stock bulbs, you would use 9012 HIR bulbs as a replacement.

A little modification will be needed to make both fit.