OutlawTita

iTrader: (1)

I recently purchased a '99 GS400 with Xenon lights that have to be replaced due to a minor accident. Can someone describe to me the differences in OEM HID and several terms I have seen like "sport design", titantium, etc. My bulbs are still working....do I want or need more powerful bulbs? What is the green and different color tints about? Are they more efficient or just for looks?

I was under the impression (could easily be wrong) that the '99 OEM HID lights were not self leveling. If I buy used HID lights from say a '03 GS 430 that are self leveling will that work in my application.

I need a basic tutorial on HID lights ASAP so I can buy the right thing the first time around today. Thanks CL......what a great site this is.

GS300Rich

The green tint hid housing is from the newer GS. The titanium is sport design. I thought they were all self leveling And you could upgrade to the 6000k bulbs for a little bluer light output. I really like the titanium SD headlight.

cxp2001

iTrader: (1)

They should all be self-leveling from the factory.

corkycal

iTrader: (8)

auto leveling is what makes HID legal. this helps so you don't blind oncoming traffic or when you're trunk is full, thus making your front end angle up.

all factory HID comes with auto leveling motors.

INHOCJP

Read this thread about the different HID housings for the 2nd gen GS https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=112333

If your GS did not come equipped with factory HIDs, your GS lacks the proper sensors to utilize the auto self leveling feature. But if you aim the lights properly, you shouldn't have a problem "blinding" other drivers.

OutlawTita

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the info. I bought some used green tinted lens and housings today from beauscc300.

jp430

I Up Graded My Bulbs To 12000k. They Look Purple. Not As Bright Though. Should I Have Changed The Balast As Well????

Tuna

how can you tell if a car is equipped with HID's or not? I'm looking for a gs400 and some dealerships and online postings don't seem to know if the car has it or not. is there anyway to tell just by looking at the headlights in a photograph? if so, does anybody have any comparison photo's of what the difference is in the appearance of the headlights? (in the daytime?) it would be easy to tell at night (from the brighter lights and the dancing on startup) but you never see photo's of cars at night with the headlights on in their classified ads lol thanks in advance

vicestan

From the front the reflectors are different, Halogen meaning none-HID reflectors have a smooth surface and if I remember correctly 4 lines going up and down, but HID reflectors are cubed and cut on the whole surface so if you see the headlight straight on and the reflector inside has smooth surfaces on the sides just reflecting and no lines or cubes of any sort then those are halogen, you can ask the seller to pop the hood and the headlights with have a bright yellow sticker on them with a high voltage sign.

Billh2

I hate to admit this, but here goes. I bought my car in Seattle in March. As it happens, it was raining at the time. (Rain, Seattle?) I left the dealership at dusk and headed over the mountain pass for home. The headlights were on. As I got out of Seattle on I90, the thought crossed my mind that if this car has HID headlights, they sure aren't very bright (As it truned out, it wasn't the headlights that weren't bright, it was the lose screw behind the steering wheel ) I decided that I needed more light, so I started looking for the fog light switch and found the real headlight switch. (I had been driving with the DRL's) and O, Daddy, LET THERE BE LIGHT!
If you are used to regular headlights, when you first drive with HID's, you will know it.

INHOCJP

That is too funny

rominl

iTrader: (4)

there is a way to tell if the car has hid if there is a close up pic of the headlights, but it's very hard to tell here though

and about 12000k, ballast won't help.... it's the color.... it's so blue there is no more usable light.... go back to 6000k....

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

I believe another easy way to tell if you have HIDs if by looking at the stamping somewhere on the headlight lens. Halogen will say HB4, and in the case of the GS I believe the HID headlight housing says D2R.

GS300Rich

Great story

cxp2001

iTrader: (1)

Another easy way to tell if you have HID headlights, at night park approx 5 feet away from a wall and turn the headlights on. You'll notice they will angle down and then straight ahead.