Diplomat2387

Hey guys I'm sorry that I'm asking so many questions on the forum but I don't know where else to go and you guys seem like you know alot more than me..I wish there was a section just to ask questions but here goes it..I might be getting a 1999 Acura 3.0 CL..I probably wanted to get new brighter lights like the 2nd Gen CLs have...Which lights would I need to get to make them brighter...?..Which would be legal or tend to cause less attention avoiding tickets or whatnot..?..And where would I be able to get retrofitted lights because I heard those give better light coverage or something..?..Prices and such info would be great...Any tips or links to point in the direction would be great..Thanks to anyone who posts and rep will be given..I appreciate it very much..

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Plug and play 9006 HID kit, our vendor excellerate sells kaixen kits which are pretty much top of the line. And THIS is the place to ask all those questions

Nakamichi

Are HID kits in non-HID reflector based housing legal? I would think this type of setup would grab the most attention as there is NO lighting control.

BlackAck's setup is the way to go. Retro some TSX projectors in then put some HID bulbs. His pics are sick.

XxAtTheGatesxX

Yeah, if you have patience, time, and money. His pictures ARE sick though.

But yeah, plug and play HIDs for sure. That's one of my next purchases. You can get a kit for around $150. For now, I just have Silverstars by Sylvannia. They're pretty nice looking and it took me a total of 2 minutes to do.

Shoshinsha_KiDs_CL

plug and play!! i have 8k for lows and 3k amber for highs

Diplomat2387

Well I don't how to do that retrofit stuff...Are there any places where you can just buy retrofitted hid lights and how much would they usually cost..?..I'm not into cars that much and don't know alot about them..I have seen BlackAcks retrofits and they are sick..

Diplomat2387

Yeah I was thinking about plug and plays..How many people have them on their cars and don't have any trouble with that law...I just don't want to get pulled over constantly or get tickets..I'm pretty sure alot of cars in my area have them...

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

There is nowhere to buy retro'd lights, that's why they're a diy item. If you aren't that much into cars or diy projects, then buy plug and play kits. I just bought 2 plug and play sets for my 4runner

Diplomat2387

Oh ok I got ya..I was thinking about plug and play kits but I did some research and read that they scatter light and cause glare for oncoming traffic...Does anybody know whats the best kit(i.e. 4300k,6000k) to get and how much would they cost..?..Any info would be great and maybe if people can post their experience with them to help out a fellow Azer..

Diplomat2387

Just talked to 1 of the guys from CustomLightz and he told me almost $900 for retrofits..Didn't know they cost that much..Ouch..I guess brighter lights aren't for me LoL..

Diplomat2387

What light output should I get...?..I have 4300K is good or something...I want something white kinda that looks like the 1999 3.2 TLs lights...I like the output that it has...Can someone help me out here..

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Oh they do, believe me, I'm WELL over that on mine. As for stock light look, get some 4300K HID plugins and it'll look like they belong there and give you great output. I went 6000K for show but they aren't as bright as a 4300K set

Diplomat2387

So 4300k should be good and won't annoy oncoming drivers as much..?...Thanks man

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Oh, it'll be bright and annoying, but it'll help you see, and look stock

Diplomat2387

I'm just worried about getting pulling over by the police and stuff...I know other drivers have lights like these..I see them all the time..

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

I'm just saying if you're worried about getting pulled over, don't do colored hid's like 6000 and 8000, do 4300K cuz that's stock color on ALL those cars, that's the least likely to get you in trouble.

zhouz

dont worry about blinding other drivers unless you dont know how to aim your headlights. our stock reflectors aren't the best pattern but they can be pretty much controlled.

NitiNiteZ

iTrader: (1)

word to this. I have 5k HIDs which is pure white and although they are bright as heck... I haven't ran into any trouble whatsoever with them... they are just aimed a bit lower than normal... but when you have lights that bright... it WILL light up whatever is in front of u. I have my passenger light actually aimed a bit higher than the left one. If u see stock projectors... this is true as well because I believe it is done to hit the sidewalk and signs... which are usually located on the right side of the street.

Diplomat2387

Ok thanks for the advice guys...Well I won't be installing them myself..Probably get them done somewhere...I will make sure they can aim when they are installing them...Thank you

RyanCHICL

iTrader: (1)

Can they be installed easily by yourself or are they a little tricky? Does the converter box have to be screwed in or can your wedge it in something? Im thinking about pilot 4300k, anyone heard of these?

klepto

theyre pretty simple. just a few extra connections, otherwise its just like swapping out any regular old bulbs. Although id reccomend getting an upgraded wiring harness, which will require you to run extra wires from the battery. The "converter box" (ballast) should come with double sided tape and zip ties. make sure its mounted somewhere good so that it doesnt clank around when driving.

you can refer to this thread
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172106

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

I installed a p&p set into my 4runner and just double sided taped the ballasts into place so they don't move, that way if I need to remove them, there's no holes drilled. They are pretty straight forward, the only trick to mine was figuring out which way the wires plugged in cuz they were labeled backwards. And for my 4runner I had to modify the bulb holders, but the CL's should be deeper and shouldn't have this problem. For the most part, when it says plug and play, it's just plug and play. Most people install in 15-20 mins.

DoubleSh0t

iTrader: (1)

You don't have any problems with the police? Local cops around here are out all the time, I don't know how much of it is illegal vehicle modding though. I do know that they go after tint big time. I really want HIDs just because the lighting is so much better at night and in the rain, not to get 10,000K purple lights. It would suck to spend all that money on a HID kit and have to take them right back out.

Shoshinsha_KiDs_CL

i have 8k and i get no problems. i rarely run my 3k amber highs though. only for meets and stuff

RyanCHICL

iTrader: (1)

When installing HIDs, is there any problems with the check engine light coming on or any other dash light?

klepto

i have no idea what HID's have to do with your engine but no dash lights should come on other than the one for your headlights

RyanCHICL

iTrader: (1)

Thanks Klepto for the info. That was my biggest concern with HIDs.

subbuzz

neither do i, but when i had an electrical prob when i turned on my hid's my abs came on. they were already installed for a while and worked fine before when this happened.

RyanCHICL

iTrader: (1)

someone on another forum mentioned that a dash light could come on when installing HIDs. So, i was just making sure if it was a possibility because it did sound kinda stupid at first.

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

I have precut tint for my 2 fronts on my 4runner but haven't put em on yet. The HID's I don't even get a second look. I am scared to put the matching fog hid's on cuz they have no cutoff and they're projectors so that might be too much, but I've had em on for 2 weeks now and haven't had any issues.

SolaraOnBronze

I have mcullough 5500k HID kit on my solara and have had zero issues... plug and play, no dash lights, dont get flashed at all... projectors are always the nicer and cleaner way to go, but just a kit is a great way to get more output and a nice look.

Shoshinsha_KiDs_CL

word.. no problems as far as gauge lighting or anything. just plug and play literally

Diplomat2387

Question for you guys..Have any of you ordered from PlasmaGarage or know of any people..My brother has a '01 CL and needs new lights anyway so he was going to get brighter HIDS..Thanks to anyone who replies..

Diplomat2387

I think he may be going to Excelerate...The guy thats on this forum..

klepto

does he think higher K = brighter? :gheylaugh:

DaInFaMMuS1

i have 3k plug n play HID's w/relays. Burned out a ballast the 1st time, but now theyre running just fine. I got flashed by 2 cars so far that thought i had highbeams on, then i got behind them and turned my highbeams on n they realized i just had really bright lights lol. I angled mine a litte lower since then, to cutoff at the trunk of the car in front of me

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

I've been gettin flashed by a lot of people lately, with my truck and those are 6000's but it's usually at non-straight angles, cuz i'm so high up in that thing

Diplomat2387

No actually he doesn't..He just wants the blueish tint to them...He has to replace them anyway because 1 of his bulbs went out..So no he doesn't think higher k means brighter...

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

If he wants blue, tell him to go 6000K nice blue/white mix and don't look obnoxious

NightRider

There seem to be many people within maybe 10 square miles of my parent's house that have HID's on lifted/non-lifted trucks. Those things look so bright because they are right at eye level, and also because the are non HID as OEM.

HID lamps come in a variety of setups including: Mercury vapor, Metal Halide (also HQI), High-pressure Sodium (Son), Low-pressure sodium (Sox) and Xenon. The 100% gas only aides in the startup of the lamp (which is why they look a little different when first turned on), then the gas/metal combination heats and vaporizes to the point of plasma, which is what actually produces the light.

6000K are a good mix, nice color. I would never go higher than that, Kelvins are definitely not the only measure of brightness and illumination, nor are they they only factors in specific headlight setups. There are other things like wattage (of course), lumens, reflection, refraction, and projection for starters. The arc light source in an HID headlamp is different from the filament light source used in tungsten/halogen headlamps. For that reason, HID-specific optics are used to collect and distribute the light. Installing HID bulbs in headlamps designed to take filament bulbs results in improperly-focused beam patterns and excessive glare, which is what will get you pulled over. After having projector HID on my 04TL, I am convinced that is the best way to go. Retrofit FTW