Yeah, I know. Used to live in both NY and CT. I should have been more specific.

The reality though is that they tend to look for things like "do the lights work?" and "are they pointed in the right direction?" It is unlikely that you're going to get called on things like lighting upgrades unless the mod is blatantly wrong, like using the wrong color bulbs. Replacing a halogen headlight with a HID is probably not going to stand out much. The guy doing the inspections most definitely doesn't have a list of all cars that do or don't come with HIDs as an option.

In many countries I've lived in they'll put them on a stand and make sure they are set up for proper elevation, use a legal light pattern (no JDM light patterns for you!), etc. Much more extensive and thorough than any inspection I've seen in this country, but I'll admit that I haven't lived in every state. Euros, in particular, are far more anal than we are about controlling what you can and can't do to your car, though this is changing somewhat.

 

I've never seen a car without headlights. Maybe I'm safe in San Diego...

 

Maybe not. San Diego is the 9th ranked city in the nation for stolen cars.

link

Didnt find the link for the most stolen headlights though

 

Those numbers are mostly for 4WD vehicles, which are taken to Mexico. Stealing a TSX is a little more complicated than an Explorer or 4Runner.

I think that if we drop out the 4WD vehicles, the number would not be so high.

 

I've had people who came in to buy alarms have seats and airbags stolen. VIN numbers on the headlights would help, but they'll still be hard to see.

Part of the market is that front-end collisions are common, and so are uncrupolous body shops. Between HIDs and airbags, there is a market.

 

Ok, when you return to earth, let me know

 

I'll try, but work is so boring, I've been above the clouds all morning.

 

I knew it!

 

I seen a lot.. mostly maximas.. driving on I95 from CT to NYC.. I thought it was head light protectors.. when the car got closer.. I was like holy f.. 2 stolen lights..

also this guy that parks on the street near my house had it stolen twice.. got it fix and 1 week later it was gone again...

 

Was in the East Brunswick, NJ Acura Dealer lot...Saw about 15 Acuras missing Headlights...Older Acuras,,,obiviously waiting there for new ones...Could see where a crow bar was used on some of the hoods...But I didn't see any newer Acuras with missing headlights..Mostly CL models