Hey folks,

Do any of you know what the story is on the true HID conversion kits? Are they banned completely, or only those not DOT approved?
I see there are lots of them on ebay, but Im headed for the US next week and would like to know if I can just pop into an AutoZone or something and buy a kit, or if the only ones still selling are flaky online companies?


Thanks!


Ken

 

I'm pretty sure this has come up a bunch of times before. If you just do a search you can probably come up with some good info. The only kit that i have heard of for our cars that is a true HID kit is made by sylvania. If you go to there website you can find it there. It runs about $500 US and you get everything you need i think (bulb, housing, ballast, wiring harness). It's only for low beams (your high beams are still usable i think), but the idea is that with HID you don't need high beams.

The main problem that i have heard with kits like this is proper aiming. The housing and bulb have to be perfect, otherwise the light doesn't get directed correctly and you blind the hell out of people. Since our cars have sealed lights, it's not like all of the imports where you just pull the bulb out and pop in a HID bulb with the ballast connected.

Hope this helps

 

I bet someone has taken some blown or $3 lights and a dremil and made the glass to accept a hid plug. There was always a guy like that in high school who took liquor bottles and made tobacco smoking devices.

 

Tobacco... yah...

 

hey, first off, ive never made any smoking devices... of any kind.


2nd. the light distrib SUCKS when you do that. you're better off getting some good regular GE sealed beams

 

Hey, thanks for the feedback guys!

Sorry I didn't get my question formulated right - I've already read what I could find about HIDs on here, but have also found contradicting info - where some says that HIDs are completely banned while others say only the ones not DOT approved are banned. I also haven't seen anything but online sales of these lights - so since Im flying in to the US tomorrow, I was wondering if any regular store sold those that are DOT approved, such as Sylvanias, Phillips, Hella and the like - and not only online stores.

Oh, and I don't have sealed beams anymore - I converted to H4's a couple of years ago. However, the set I was gonna buy would be for 9006 bulbs. Chopping up some sealed beams isn't really an option LOL

BTW, you can also buy HIDs with combined high/low beams - not only low beams.


Thanks again guys - and let me know if you know of any stores selling these kits.


Ken

 

oooh. thats simple.

the ones that are not DOT approved are banned.

there are no DOT approved ones.


DOT does not plan on allowing "conversion" kits to be DOT legal anytime soon.

therefore. they are completely banned.

 

Gotcha'!!

That means Im not gonna bother trying to find them while Im there. I'll just order a quality kit when I get back, from somewhere here in Europe.


Thanks for clarifying!


Ken