Gzes
the drifting 2dr
Damn i thought modded was gonna win lol. I rock hids on ebay halo headlights. Hell i dont even think it has projectors and it reflects pretty good an have never been flashed and they have helped me from killing multiple deer
HID's Out!
- Thread starter LTLux
- Start date
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felixgun
Full Access Member
I had HID's in my Avalanache and one went out. I ended up going to AutoZone and getting their top of the line Halogens. I'm going the retrofit projector route once the funds are lined up for one.
CHOO CHOO
BackPagePhil
I am all for no glare and fully understand what you mean by it. I hate being blinded by them sometimes, but the kits are everywhere and are not going anywhere anytime soon. Heres what sucks imo. Why the HELL you get away with charging so much for these retrofit lights. I get it quality product, time, money, etc... but seriously?!
Not many people can afford $500-$1000 to get better light output. And if the light output is so much better than halogens, why gm never did this in the first place? Safety obviously doesnt overpower money so we know why.
I just think that its shit that for people like me who want to see better, not "look cool" have to pay so much damn money for these. I totally agree w/ ya serge, but ima rock'em until i get a grand to blow or the price goes down drastically.
Damn the man we call corporate is all i gotta say.
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Not many people can afford $500-$1000 to get better light output. And if the light output is so much better than halogens, why gm never did this in the first place? Safety obviously doesnt overpower money so we know why.
I just think that its shit that for people like me who want to see better, not "look cool" have to pay so much damn money for these. I totally agree w/ ya serge, but ima rock'em until i get a grand to blow or the price goes down drastically.
Damn the man we call corporate is all i gotta say.
Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2
Yeah GM screwed us with this one ... they got them on the Escalades but no joy on the Yuks and Hoes, which is shameful considering how much they cost. In fact I'm pretty sure the Denali may be the most expensive vehicle without stock hids on the road today. For pete's sake, Kia has moved on beyond HIDs and is now offering full LED headlamps on a freakin' Optima!
Ugh!
However in regards to price, if you are choosing a car that has hids as an option, that option costs about the same as doing a retrofit ... so in essence all a retrofit is, is buying a xenon option on a vehicle who's manufacturer doesn't offer it. The upshot being that you get to choose which components you want as opposed to the ones that would have been imposed on you if it were a manufacturer's option.
That's how I rationalize the whole nonsense anyway.
Ugh!
However in regards to price, if you are choosing a car that has hids as an option, that option costs about the same as doing a retrofit ... so in essence all a retrofit is, is buying a xenon option on a vehicle who's manufacturer doesn't offer it. The upshot being that you get to choose which components you want as opposed to the ones that would have been imposed on you if it were a manufacturer's option.
That's how I rationalize the whole nonsense anyway.
CHOO CHOO
BackPagePhil
Very true. Well said as well, If kia can do it, WHAT THE HELL......
It just sucks. I want good light output, but cant drop a grand. Know wonder people put hids in. $100-$300 for hids or $1000 for retros? Guess we all have KY handy, Most just don't know its getting used.....
Oh, and keep doin what your doin. Information is key, I learned alot from you and still do! Thanks bud!
It just sucks. I want good light output, but cant drop a grand. Know wonder people put hids in. $100-$300 for hids or $1000 for retros? Guess we all have KY handy, Most just don't know its getting used.....
Oh, and keep doin what your doin. Information is key, I learned alot from you and still do! Thanks bud!
True enough Phil, but in all fairness there's another side to that argument as well ...
There's quite a few peeps here (and everywhere) with $4K wheels, or other very expensive accessories, and still pimp a PnP hid kit saying that retros are too expensive. In their case that is disingenuous, it may be too expensive relative to what they prioritize but it's certainly not too expensive for them to afford. They just basically care about other things more and use price as an excuse... this isn't a judgement on my part, it's just an observation.
I actually almost bought a set of 3 piece forged wheels before I bought these oem 22s, but I like these rims and they left me enough money to do a retro.
In any case, it's all good.
There's quite a few peeps here (and everywhere) with $4K wheels, or other very expensive accessories, and still pimp a PnP hid kit saying that retros are too expensive. In their case that is disingenuous, it may be too expensive relative to what they prioritize but it's certainly not too expensive for them to afford. They just basically care about other things more and use price as an excuse... this isn't a judgement on my part, it's just an observation.
I actually almost bought a set of 3 piece forged wheels before I bought these oem 22s, but I like these rims and they left me enough money to do a retro.
In any case, it's all good.
felixgun
Full Access Member
Well said serge! If only they made an aftermarket solution that wasn't totally junk
Fast55
Full Access Member
There's no denying that a proper retrofit is the way to go. However, speaking from experience, it IS possible to do a "kit" that produces usable lighting without putting other drivers at risk. Most cheap kits are just that. Cheap. The beam pattern is terrible and the look for oncoming traffic is not at all safe. 50 watt kits should not be installed in ANYTHING.
There is a reason these kits are not DOT approved. The stock headlights probably should not earn a DOT rating either. The beam pattern on stock lights is a train wreck. It's only the fact that they are weak halogens that doesn't cause problems as they are produced. The stock headlights in these trucks are particularly bad candidates for a PNP kit. Not all headlights are. I did a PNP kit my old Audi A6 that had halogen projectors that was awesome.
My first attempt at a PNP kit for the Tahoe was a disaster. Twice as bad as stock, and no brighter. What I've come to realize is that not all PNP bulbs are created equal. After three attemps and not being satisfied with the results, I started looking closely at the bulbs. It takes only the slightest difference in where the arc is placed as opposed to the halogen filament to make a PNP kit all but unusable. I finally found a set of bulbs that made a respectable beam pattern (5000K), and these seem no more glaring coming towards me than most factory HID's (better than many).
The downside is, accounting for my time, I've bought a true conversion 1.5X already (at least). Back when the truck was brand new and I started this, there really wasn't a good option for a conversion. What I have now is the best you could hope for out of a PNP setup and it, of course, looks like fido's ass compared to say, my E55.
I have not found another set of bulbs that does what I need, not even from the same supplier. The quality control is just not good enough to make going down this path worth the trouble. Now that we have sources like Black Flame that can just give you a replacement set of lights ready to go for about a grand, it doesn't make sense, but a PNP setup could possibly work. If anything dies, I won't waste the time and effort to make it happen again, a real retrofit will be next.
There is a reason these kits are not DOT approved. The stock headlights probably should not earn a DOT rating either. The beam pattern on stock lights is a train wreck. It's only the fact that they are weak halogens that doesn't cause problems as they are produced. The stock headlights in these trucks are particularly bad candidates for a PNP kit. Not all headlights are. I did a PNP kit my old Audi A6 that had halogen projectors that was awesome.
My first attempt at a PNP kit for the Tahoe was a disaster. Twice as bad as stock, and no brighter. What I've come to realize is that not all PNP bulbs are created equal. After three attemps and not being satisfied with the results, I started looking closely at the bulbs. It takes only the slightest difference in where the arc is placed as opposed to the halogen filament to make a PNP kit all but unusable. I finally found a set of bulbs that made a respectable beam pattern (5000K), and these seem no more glaring coming towards me than most factory HID's (better than many).
The downside is, accounting for my time, I've bought a true conversion 1.5X already (at least). Back when the truck was brand new and I started this, there really wasn't a good option for a conversion. What I have now is the best you could hope for out of a PNP setup and it, of course, looks like fido's ass compared to say, my E55.
I have not found another set of bulbs that does what I need, not even from the same supplier. The quality control is just not good enough to make going down this path worth the trouble. Now that we have sources like Black Flame that can just give you a replacement set of lights ready to go for about a grand, it doesn't make sense, but a PNP setup could possibly work. If anything dies, I won't waste the time and effort to make it happen again, a real retrofit will be next.
Regency
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