Thinking About Installing HIDs

[skylinedrifter]

My headlights burn out every 6 - 8 months and I am getting tired of replacing them. It's a hassle and it's getting to be expensive so, I am thinking about getting an HID kit. From what I understand the on a good kit last thousands of hours and have the same replacement costs as standard bulbs while throwing out considerably more light.Has anyone here purchased an HID conversion kit? Can I get any recommendations on whether or not I should go through with it?Thanks!!

[keithvibe]

if you go with a HID kit you will need to disable your DRL/Auto Lights. there are several methods the latest that will alow you to keep you auto lights but disable your DRL.I wouldn't get a plug and play HID kit anymore after I went projector. LOL I'm bias though because I sell the Projector kits. LOLYou are correct though, most halogen bulbs are rated for 800 hrs. HID bulbs are rated for 3000hrs.I have a complete set of Headlights already retrofited with projectors and red halos if your interested. I think they are still in the forsale section.Edit: Last two poststhey arehttp://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=36434

[skylinedrifter]

ZOMG! Those are AWESOME! Nice work!Unfortunately, though, they are too rich for my blood. I am unemployed and part of the reason I am considering the HID kits is because I am gambling that I will spend less money in the long run.Of course, if you sent me those projectors for $150 you would be visited upon by karma, galore. ;-)Now, why would I need to disable the DRL?

[Wolfman213]

you need to disable the drl bc it can/will cause the ballast to burn out prematurely. The drl's run on a lower power, but the ballasts for HID require full power up. Your HID's may turn on, however you can have flickering issues and the afore mention premature ballast burn out.

[skylinedrifter]

What if I run the lights off the battery, using the existing headlight power harness only to trip a relay?I think that would keep my dash lights off while letting my HIDs function as DRLs, right?

[Wolfman213]

The HID's run off of the battery anyways. The way the ballast are made, you will have to connect it directly to your headlight socket. Basically, there is already a relay mechanism built into the ballast. Once it gets the signal from the head light socket, it tells it to turn on. This is where the issue come in bc since the power being sent to the socket is lower than what the ballast actually needs to turn on, that's where the flickering issues occur. What exactly causes the premature burn out of the ballast, i don't know exactly, but it is do to that low power issue.*edit*: If you are worried about losing your drl's, you can switch them to either your fogs or turns. I do not know how, but I believe we have a few members that have done this. Hopefully they can chime in.

[keithvibe]

Running your Hids as DRL's will burn out the set quicker. It will run all the time from the time you start you car to the time you stop your car. You may want to think about that. You will no longer have any control over when your lowbeams are on. Basicly your running with your low beams all the time.

[tribalman]

if you do care about keeping drl's and hooking them up to the fogs let me know. i'll check the diagrams and let you know which wires to cut and connect.

[babytiff]

I install many hid kit in the past. I tried installing plug and play kit on my 03 vibe and it didnt work. I read some post here stating that the drl module must be disconnected. Where and how do I disconnect the module?

[tribalman]

there are a few different methods and outcomes. a search will bring them up. you don't want to disconnect the whole DRL module as it runs a whole lot more than just the daytime running lights, you just need to disable the daytime lights